Box Office Weekend Wrap-up  - July 20-22

Kevin James carrying his groom-to-be Adam Sandler. Courtesty of Universal

Movie Goers Say “I do” to Sandler’s “Chuck and Larry”

By: Sharifah Chammas

Movie goers said “I do” to goofball Adam Sandler and his latest comedy “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.”  Universal’s slapstick comedy took home $34.2 million along with the weekend’s top box office, according to the final box office report provided by Exhibitor Relations Co.  The film opened Friday and is Sandler’s ninth movie to open at number one.

“Chuck and Larry” bumped teen wizard Harry Potter’s latest flick “Order of the Phoenix” to second place.  Warner Bro.’s “Order of the Phoenix” brewed a solid but lukewarm $32.4 million – a staggering 58 percent drop off from its first weekend gross of $77.1 million.

Another weekend opener, New Line’s musical “Hairspray,” raked in $27.5 million to nab the number three box office spot and the highest box office opening ever for a film musical.  The kitschy song and dance number is John Travolta’s second highest film debut.

Paramount’s “Transformers” and Disney’s “Ratatouille” continued their strong box office performances to score fourth and fifth places, respectively.

“Transformers” pulled in $20.5 million during the weekend.  To date, the action-packed film has earned $263 million domestically. 

Disney/Pixar animated “Ratatouille” cooked up $11 million.

Below is a full list of the weekend’s top ten box office films for July 20-22.

Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.

Every wonder what kids think about animated films we take them to see?  Well, this week, among my deluge of reader e-mails this week, Canyon News received a film review of higly touted Disney film Ratatouille by James Dwight Young Jr., age 9.  Check it out below.

Thoughts and comments can be sent to news@canyon-news.com.

Ratatouille

A Film Review

By: James Dwight Young II, age 9

In Paris, there is a rat named Remy who wants to become a famous chef who cooks fancy dishes.  His family of rats eat garbage and Remy’s Dad wants him to stop being so picky about food.

Remy does not understand why rats eat garbage and does not want his family eating garbage anymore.  And that’s all I’m going to say about story folks because you got to see this movie.

The film is great because it is funny and inspiring with a rat, who is supposed to eat garbage, cooking fancy food.  But chef Gusteau in the movie said anyone can cook and motivates Remy to pursue his dreams regardless how strange they may seem to other people. 

Parents should take kids to see this movie because jokes and the characters are very funny.  I’m just a kid my self and I loved the movie.  The moral of the movie is going for your dreams.

Parents and kids can download the Ratatouille activity book if they go to http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille/main.html.  Disney also sells dolls of Remy and the other Ratatouille characters.

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