Simpsons Rack Up D’oh!

July 31 - Dysfunctional family patriarch Homer Simpson is still the King of the Castle.  And for now, the box office.

From Springfield to the big screen, Homer and his household dished up a scorching summer box weekend with $72 million.  With its one-day Friday opening gross exceeding $30 million, Fox’s The Simpsons Movie debuted at the top of the weekend’s box office, according to final numbers provided by Exhibitor Relations Co.

Fans Want Funny

After a summer box office overflowing with the adrenalin rush of action-packed adventures, audiences crave that laugh factor and some good ol’, lowbrow humor. 

The Simpson clan pushed last week’s number one opener I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry to second place.  Universal’s slapstick comedy, starring America’s lovable goofball – at any age – Adam Sandler, earned $19 million during the weekend.

Excluding number three, Warner Bros.’ Order of the Phoenix, funny flicks rounded out the weekend’s top five films. 

New Line’s Hairspray continues to stick and raked in $15.6 million at the box office and the number four spot.

Catherine Zeta-Jones can sing, dance and act.  But is she funny? 

Zeta-Jones’ latest comedy flick, Warner Bros.’ No Reservations, served up $11.8 million at the weekend box office to open at number five.

Harry Potter fans are in hiding as they work through the 759 pages that comprise the latest and the final book in J.K. Rowling’s series.  Potter and his Hogwarts posse dropped again at the box and nabbed $17 million.

Below is a full list of the weekend’s top ten box office films for July 27-29.

1	THE SIMPSONS MOVIE	$74 million	FOX
2	I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY	$19.1 million	UNIVERSAL
3	HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX	$17.7 million	WARNER BROS.
4	HAIRSPRAY	$15.9 million	NEW LINE
5	NO RESERVATIONS	$11.7 million	WARNER BROS.
6	TRANSFORMERS	$11.6 million	PARAMOUNT
7	RATATOUILLE	$7.5 million	WALT DISNEY
8	LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD	$5.6 million	FOX
9	I KNOW WHO KILLED ME	$3.5 million	SONY/TRISTAR
10	WHO'S YOUR CADDY?	$2.8 million	MGM/TWC/DIMENSION

Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.

How did your favorite flick measure up this week?  Saw any good or bad flicks lately?  Are you still working through your copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?   Forget the critics, this local film chick wants to hear from you at sharifah@canyon-news.com.

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