09/02/08 - iW BOT | Summer Winners and Losers at the Specialty Box Office
by Peter Knegt (September 2, 2008) The Summer season - at least by the finance-fueled standards of the film industry - is over. While this past final weekend may have been slow for the studios, Indiewood was relatively bustling. Despite "Hamlet 2"'s disastrous expansion, there was lots of hope elsewhere. First Look's "Sukiyaki Western Django," Sony Pictures Classics' "I Served The King of England," and TLA Releasing's "Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild" led the iW BOT on a handful (or less) screens each, and a burst of August specialty hits took full advantage of their numbered days. But with Labor Day a memory and TIFF just two days away, lets take a iW BOT detour and reflect back on Indiewood's summer.  [ read more in Biz ]

08/25/08 - iW BOT | Sundance Trio Takes On The Specialty Box Office
by Peter Knegt (August 25, 2008) Three very different Sundance acquisitions found their way into the specialty marketplace this weekend. Two led the iW BOT, which ranks based on per-theater-averages, in small bows. Tia Lessin and Carl Deal's Katrina doc, "Trouble the Water," grossed $28,606 on 3 screens for Zeitgeist Films," and Azazel Jacobs' "Momma's Man" grossed $11,072 from one engagement in New York for Kino International. The film with the most box office potential of the three, Andrew Fleming's "Hamlet 2," was also the most disappointing, grossing $439,925 on 103 screens. That gave the Focus Features purchase a $4,271 average. Meanwhile, two Penelope Cruz starrers, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Elegy," held up very well in their second and third weekends, respectively.   [ read more in Biz ]

08/18/08 - iW BOT | The Weinsteins Win With Woody and "A Girl" Tops Chart
by Peter Knegt (August 18, 2008) Despite record-breaking audiences for swimmer Michael Phelps's bid for record-breaking Olympic gold medals, the semi-wide release of Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" managed to crack the overall top ten, grossing $3,755,575 in 692 theatres. Though its $5,427 average wasn't enough to claim the top spot on the iW BOT, which is ranked by per-theater averages. Claude Chabrol's "A Girl Cut In Two," playing on a rather incomparable two screens, topped it with a $9,329 average. Both films can take pleasure in the fact that they aren't Mark Pellington's "Henry Poole Is Here," which debuted on 527 screens to the sad tune of just $805,219 or about $1,528 per screen.  [ read more in Biz ]

08/11/08 - iW BOT | It's An Indie August Rush As "Elegy" and "Bottle Shock" Take Off
by Peter Knegt (August 11, 2008) In the past few years, late summer has become a key month for specialty releases, particularly those that skew older or female audiences. Last year saw both Julie Delpy's "2 Days in Paris" and Julian Jarrold's "Becoming Jane" become two of 2008's indie bright spots. Just last weekend, Sony Pictures Classics' "Frozen River" got off to a great start. And this weekend, two more examples can be added to that trend, with Isabel Coixet's "Elegy" and Randall Miller's "Bottle Shock" both opening to great numbers. IDP/Samuel Goldwyn Films's "Elegy" grossed a stellar $104,168 from just six screens, while Freestyle Releasing's more aggressive 48 locations for "Bottle" brought in a $277,839 gross.   [ read more in Biz ]

08/04/08 - iW BOT | Solid Opening For "Frozen River" As Sony Classics Hopes For Another Late Summer Hit
by Peter Knegt (August 4, 2008) Six months after receiving the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Courtney Hunt's "Frozen River" found winning box office numbers in its first weekend of theatrical release. Opening on seven screens in New York and Los Angeles, the Sony Pictures Classics release grossed $73,322 for a per-theater-average of $10,476. The film's patient expansion schedule should hope to follow the promise of two recent films, this weekend's iW BOT leader, Brad Anderson's "Transsiberian," and Guillaume Canet's "Tell No One," which just crossed the $2 million mark. "River" is certainly off to a better start than the rest of the weekend's openers, which included the paltry $337 average Ryuhei Kitamura's "Midnight Meat Train" found on 102 screens.   [ read more in Biz ]

07/28/08 - iW BOT | Sky-High Crowds Make 'Man on Wire' 2008's Top Doc
by Steve Ramos (July 28, 2008) Reports of New York audiences breaking into applause at weekend shows of the debut documentary "Man on Wire," about high-wire artist Philippe Petit and his walk on a wire between the rooftops of the World Trade Center, led to Magnolia Pictures execs cheering chart-topping, weekend box office figures. While the overall domestic box office continued to be robust thanks to strong hold-over business by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' Batman installment "The Dark Knight," art house films only recently sprung to life with five new releases leading the top six spots on the weekend specialty charts. Magnolia Pictures achieved the best debut grosses for a documentary since last summer's Michael Moore healthcare documentary "SiCKO" with "Man on Wire," director James Marsh's documentary about Philippe Petit's notorious high-wire act atop the World Trade Center towers. 'Man on Wire" earned $51,392 for Magnolia Pictures.   [ read more in Biz ]

07/21/08 - iW BOT | Crowds Put Railway Thriller "Transsiberian" On Track as Top Specialty Film
by Steve Ramos (July 21, 2008) [EDITOR'S NOTE: indieWIRE is starting a weekly documentary-focused box office entry on its new blog, DocSider. The first edition was posted this evening.] Thanks to record-setting earnings by the Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures Batman installment "The Dark Knight," the overall domestic box office enjoyed its all-time best, three-day weekend. But the summer outlook for art house films remained subdued as specialty outfits continue to struggle to launch the season's first cross-over hit; an earnings equal to last summer's Michael Moore healthcare documentary "SiCKO." First Look Studios achieved its second ranking atop the 2008 iWBOT with "Transsiberian," director Brad Anderson's thriller set aboard the famous Russian railway. Starring Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley, "Transsiberian" averaged $17,308 from two debut runs in New York. "Before I Forget," French director and actor Jacques Nolot's drama for Strand Releasing, about an aging gay gigolo, ranked number two with $9,676 in weekend earnings from New York's IFC Center. Rounding out the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, were "Tell No One," French director Guillaume Canet's mystery for Music Box Films; filmmaker Jonathan Levine's '90s nostalgia comedy for Sony Pictures Classics, "The Wackness;" and "Days and Clouds," Italian director Silvio Soldini's estranged spouses drama for Film Movement.   [ read more in Biz ]

07/14/08 - iW BOT | Word-of-Mouth Buzz Pushes 'Tell No One' Atop Specialty Charts
by Steve Ramos (July 14, 2008) The young art-house outfit Music Box Films experienced its first ranking atop the iWBOT with "Tell No One," director Guillaume Canet's thriller about a husband who learns his long-murdered wife may somehow be alive. "Tell No One" earned $248,674 in its sophomore weekend from 19 runs; outperforming nine specialty debuts. Premiering on the big screen 47 years after it was made, "The Exiles," the late filmmaker Kent Mackenzie's drama about young Native Americans living in downtown Los Angeles' Bunker Hill neighborhood, earned $8,448 from its exclusive debut at New York's IFC Center. "Days and Clouds," Italian director Silvio Soldini's marriage-in-crisis drama for Film Movement, was close behind with $16,707 in weekend earnings from two New York engagements. Rounding out the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, were "August," director Austin Chick's drama for First Look Studios, featuring Josh Hartnett as a dot-com entrepreneur in crisis and filmmaker Jonathan Levine's '90s nostalgia comedy for Sony Pictures Classics, "The Wackness."   [ read more in Biz ]

07/07/08 - iW BOT | Audiences High on Sony Classics' 'Wackness'
by Steve Ramos (July 7, 2008) Filmmaker Jonathan Levine enjoyed sophomore success thanks to a sky-high response to his '90s nostalgia tale "The Wackness." Featuring Josh Peck as a high school grad and Ben Kingsley as his crazy Manhattan psychiatrist, "Wackness" earned $172,179 for Sony Pictures Classics from six debut runs since opening July 3. "Tell No One," French director Guillaume Canet's thriller about a grieving husband who believes his murdered wife may be alive, debuted in the second spot on the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average. "Tell No One" earned $169,707 from eight runs for Music Box Films and $220,679 since July 2. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "Elsa & Fred," Argentine director Marcos Carnevale's seniors romance for Mitropoulos Films; "Kabluey," actor/director Scott Prendergast's screwball family comedy for Regent Releasing and Magnolia Pictures' "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson," director Alex Gibney's documentary about the larger-than-life journalist.   [ read more in Biz ]

06/30/08 - iW BOT | Kit Kittredge' Keeps Picturehouse On Top; 'Last Mistress' Seduces NY
by Steve Ramos (June 30, 2008) Veteran French filmmaker Catherine Breillat enjoyed her strongest U.S. debut thanks to a lusty response from New York audiences to "The Last Mistress," a period drama featuring Asia Argento as a woman jealous of her younger lover's plans to marry. "Last Mistress" earned a sizzling $33,554 for IFC Films from two debut runs in New York. "Trumbo," director Peter Askin's documentary about blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average. "Trumbo" earned $28,125 from three runs for Samuel Goldwyn Films. Picturehouse continued to rack up sky-high grosses for its family movie "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl;" earning $107,019 at five locations. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "Encounters At The End Of The World," director Werner Herzog's Antarctica documentary for ThinkFilm and Zeitgeist Films' "Chris & Don: A Love Story," about the longstanding relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood and American portraitist Don Bachardy.   [ read more in Biz ]

06/23/08 - iW BOT | Picturehouse On Fire Thanks to "Kit Kittredge" and "Mongol"
by Steve Ramos (June 23, 2008) The Warner Bros. specialty shingle Picturehouse continued to be on fire thanks to a strong expansion of its Genghis Khan epic "Mongol" and a rare excursion into the family movie biz, with its limited debut of "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl." In its third week and on 94 screens, "Mongol" averaged $8,287 as the top foreign-language drama on the iWBOT, which ranks films by per-screen average. "Kit Kittredge," directed by veteran indie filmmaker Patricia Rozema and starring Abigail Breslin, earned an impressive $220,297 from five runs; far ahead its competitors for the top of the specialty charts. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "Encounters At The End Of The World," director Werner Herzog's Antarctica documentary for ThinkFilm; "Brick Lane," director Sarah Gavron's melodrama for Sony Pictures Classics and "The Grocer's Son," French filmmaker Eric Guirado's drama about a grown son returning to his rural hometown for Film Movement.   [ read more in Biz ]

06/16/08 - iW BOT | "Mongol" Continues Its Summer Invasion
by Steve Ramos (June 16, 2008) Sophomore-week moviegoers continued to storm the five venues showing "Mongol," Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov's blockbuster adventure about the boy who grows up to become Mongol Empire founder Genghis Khan. For the second week, "Mongol" led the iWBOT, which ranks films by per-screen average; with a $22,442 per-screen average for the Warner Bros. specialty shingle Picturehouse. "Encounters At The End Of The World," German director Werner Herzog's Antarctica documentary, debuted in the iWBOT top five with $17,730 for ThinkFilm from an exclusive debut at New York's Film Forum. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "My Winnipeg," avant-garde filmmaker Guy Maddin's autobiographical documentary for IFC Films; Zeitgeist Films' "Chris & Don: A Love Story," about the longstanding relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood and American portraitist Don Bachardy; and "The Grocer's Son," French filmmaker Eric Guirado's family drama for Film Movement.   [ read more in Biz ]

06/09/08 - iW BOT | Crowds Storm To Arthouses For "Mongol"
by Steve Ramos (June 9, 2008) "Mongol," Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov's epic drama about the boy, who rises up and becomes Mongol Empire founder Genghis Khan, stormed past all specialty releases with a sky-high $27,065 per-screen average from five runs. The Picturehouse release earned $135,326 in weekend box office, granting the soon-to-be-shuttered, Warner Bros. specialty shingle the first blockbuster specialty debut of the summer. "The Grocer's Son," French filmmaker Eric Guirado' drama about a son who returns to his Provence hometown to manage the family grocery store, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average. "Grocer's Son" earned $10,587 for Film Movement from an exclusive debut at New York's Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "Take Out," co-directors Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou's immigrant drama for CAVU Pictures; "The Promotion," writer/director Steven Conrad's workplace comedy for Third Rail Releasing and Sony Pictures Classics' father/son drama "When Did You Last See Your Father?"   [ read more in Biz ]

06/02/08 - iW BOT | Julianne Moore Rides 'Savage Grace' to Top of the Specialty Charts
by Steve Ramos (June 2, 2008) Specialty film vet Julianne Moore delivered an impressive $22,311 in weekend earnings for her latest independent release, "Savage Grace," director Tom Kalin's sexy period drama for IFC Films. "The Unknown Woman," director Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian thriller for Outsider Pictures and Medusa Motion Pictures, and "The Foot Fist Way," director Jody Hill's comedy about an irreverent Tae Kwon Do instructor for Paramount Vantage, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average. Returning to the iWBOT top five was "War Inc.," director Joshua Seftel's political comedy for First Look Studios and Strand Releasing's "The Edge of Heaven," filmmaker Fatih Akin's family drama set in Germany and Turkey. On the reissue segment of the biz, Janus Films earned $8,336 from a new print of Jean-Luc Godard's 1962 drama "Vivre Sa Vie" at New York's Film Forum.   [ read more in Biz ]

05/27/08 - iW BOT | "War Inc." Hits Specialty Chart Bulls-Eye; "Edge of Heaven" Wows NY Auds
by Steve Ramos (May 27, 2008) With the 61st Cannes Film Festival coming to a close and the French drama "The Class," set during a year in a junior high classroom, winning the Palme d'Or, the political comedy "War Inc." shot to the number one spot on the specialty charts with debut earnings of $45,714 for First Look Studio from exclusive runs in New York and Los Angeles. "The Edge of Heaven," filmmaker Fatih Akin's drama about parents and their children set against Germany and Turkey, followed close behind with $18,593 in weekend box office for Strand Releasing at New York's Film Forum. The First Run Features documentary "A Jihad For Love" and Sony Pictures Classics' China-set period drama "The Children of Huang Shi" also debuted in iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, Returning to the iWBOT top five was "Reprise," Norwegian director Joachim Trier's young artists drama for Miramax Films.   [ read more in Biz ]

05/19/08 - iW BOT | Miramax's Norwegian Drama 'Reprise' Wows NY and LA; 'Visitor' Crashes Top Ten
by Steve Ramos (May 19, 2008) With the Cannes Film Festival underway and generating plenty of specialty film deals, "Reprise," Norwegian director Joachim Trier's young artists drama, cruised past all specialty releases with debut earnings of $49,059 from three debut runs in New York and Los Angeles. "Sangre de Mi Sangre," filmmaker Christopher Zalla's Spanish- language drama about a young Mexican seeking a better life in New York City, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, with $8,385 in weekend box office at New York's IFC Center. Returning to the iWBOT Top Five were Magnolia Pictures' "Surfwise," director Doug Pray's documentary about eccentric surfer Doc Paskowitz and his family; Roadside Attractions' "The Fall," Indian filmmaker Tarsem's lush adventure tale set in silent-era Hollywood, and "Roman de Gare," French master filmmaker Claude Lelouch's thriller for Samuel Goldwyn Films.   [ read more in Biz ]

05/12/08 - iW BOT | Finger Licking Good Debut puts 'Poultrygeist' Atop Indie Charts
by Steve Ramos (May 13, 2008) Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman dressed as a chicken and picketed New York's Village East Cinemas a few days prior to the opening of his horror comedy "Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead." His promotional antics paid off with the Troma release clawing its way past all independent movies with a finger licking good per-screen average of $10,700 at the Village East. Close behind was Magnolia Pictures' "Surfwise," director Doug Pray's documentary about off-the- grid surfer Doc Paskowitz and his family. "The Fall," Indian filmmaker Tarsem's eye-popping adventure tale set in silent-era Hollywood, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average. "The Fall" earned $79,611 in weekend box office from nine runs for Roadside Attractions. Rounding out the iWBOT top five were "Before the Rains," Indian director Santosh Sivan's South India-set, period romance for Roadside Attractions, and "Bloodline," Cinema Libre Studio's documentary about the controversy concerning whether Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered children.   [ read more in Biz ]

05/05/08 - iW BOT | Chart-Topping 'Mister Lonely' Makes Harmony Korine the Comeback Kid
by Steve Ramos (May 5, 2008) "Mister Lonely," filmmaker Harmony Korine's sweet-natured drama about two lovelorn celebrity impersonators, rocketed past all art-house releases with a debut, per-screen average of $16,769 at New York's IFC Center. "Son of Rambow," British filmmaker Garth Jennings' coming- of-age comedy for Paramount Vantage, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, with $53,778 in weekend box office from five runs in New York and Los Angeles. Rounding out the iWBOT Top Five, were "Redbelt," director David Mamet's fight drama for Sony Pictures Classics, "Viva," director Anna Biller's sexploitation drama for Vagrant Films Releasing and Samuel Goldwyn's "Roman de Gare," a thriller from French master Claude Lelouch.   [ read more in Biz ]

04/28/08 - iW BOT | Chinese Dam documentary "Up the Yangtze" Floods NY; Abu Ghraib film "Standard Operating Procedure" Fails to Catch Fire
by Steve Ramos (April 28, 2008) With the Tribeca Film Festival underway at cross-town venues, "Up the Yangtze," the Zeitgeist Films documentary about China's Three Gorges Dam and its destructive impact, led all specialty films with a standout $15,851 in earnings at New York's IFC Center. Director Yung Chang's first feature-length documentary also became 2008's top non-fiction debut; out-performing Sony Pictures Classics' highly anticipated "Standard Operating Procedure," veteran filmmaker Errol Morris' documentary about the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. Other new releases in the iWBOT top five, which ranks by per-screen average, included "Roman de Gare," French master filmmaker Claude Lelouch's thriller for Samuel Goldwyn Films; and ThinkFilm's "Then She Found Me," actress Helen Hunt's directing debut. Returning to the iWBOT for the third straight week was Overture Films' "The Visitor," featuring Richard Jenkins as a middle-aged professor whose life changes after helping an illegal immigrant. "Holly," a drama about child prostitution from Priority Films and Slowhand Cinema Releasing, took advantage of corporate sponsorship from business information provider LexisNexis and advance group sales to earn $15,687 at New York's Quad Cinema.   [ read more in Biz ]

04/21/08 - iW BOT | "Visitor" Stays Atop Specialty Chart; Weinstein Loses with "Osama"
by Steve Ramos (April 21, 2008) "The Visitor," the Overture Films drama about a middle-aged professor aiding a Syrian street musician, remained atop the specialty charts for a second week with a $9,250 per-screen average. An art-house success for the new film division of Starz Entertainment, filmmaker Tom McCarthy's friendship drama continued to spotlight actor Richard Jenkins in his first leading role. Enthusiastic crowds at Toronto's Cinesphere helped return Abramorama's "The Singing Revolution," about Estonians protesting Soviet occupation through massive song festivals, to the iWBOT Top Five. Other specialty films fronting the iWBOT, which ranks by per-screen average, were "Young@Heart," Fox Searchlight's documentary about a senior choir that performs alternative fare from The Clash and Sonic Youth; "GLASS: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts," filmmaker Scott Hicks' documentary about composer and musician Philip Glass for Koch Lorber Films, and First Run Features' "Constantine's Sword," director Oren Jacoby's documentary about the historical role of Christianity in wars, conflicts and violence. Lagging far behind was director Morgan Spurlock's Middle East road documentary, The Weinstein Company's "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?"   [ read more in Biz ]