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The Medallion (2003)

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6 articles from 2003

3 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

For the third consecutive weekend, a horror film topped the box office, with Jeepers Creepers 2 earning $18.4 million, over the extended Labor Day period. It was the most ever earned by a film debut on the holiday, which is usually written off by studios because the core group of moviegoers, teenagers, are usually preparing to return to school. The $106 million grossed by the top 12 films also set a box office record. "We really ended the summer on a high note," Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian told today's (Wednesday) Los Angeles Daily News. "To have three weeks in a row with an R-rated horror film at number one is not only interesting but appropriate, because at times the summer was pretty scary."

The top ten films over the four-day Labor Day weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Jeepers Creepers 2, MGM, $18,365,222, (New); 2. Freaky Friday, Disney, $12,602,252, 4 Wks. ($90,844,347); 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney, $10,818,785, 8 Wks. ($275,018,547); 4. S.W.A.T., Sony, $10,780,295, 4 Wks. ($102,702,416); 5. Open Range, Disney, $10,748,196, 3 Wks. ($43,482,974); 6. Seabiscuit, Universal, $9,061,030, 6 Wks. ($104,645,915); 7. Freddy vs. Jason, New Line, $8,660,070, 3 Wks. ($73,944,569); 8. The Medallion, Sony, $6,210,244, 2 Wks. ($16,867,389); 9. Uptown Girls, MGM, $5,607,007, 3 Wks. ($30,426,760); 10. American Wedding, Universal, $4,760,255, 5 Wks. ($97,694,355).

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2 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

"Jeepers!" may have been the film industry's reaction to the surprising $18.5-million debut of the MGM horror sequel Jeepers Creepers 2 over the four-day holiday weekend. It represented the best Labor Day weekend gross in history. By contrast, the original Jeepers Creepers opened on the same holiday two years ago with $15.8 million. Meanwhile Disney's Freaky Friday continued to pull in family audiences, adding $11.7 million to bring its total to $90 million. Sony's S.W.A.T. also remained near the top of the list, finishing with $10.5 million. Although Paramount's The Italian Job, which expanded to nearly 2,000 theaters over the weekend, didn't make the top ten, the additional $3.8 million that it took in did push it past the $100-million mark. Three other films also nudged past $100 million, S.W.A.T., Seabiscuit, and Charlie's Angels 2. The top ten films for the four-day Labor Day weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

1. Jeepers Creepers 2, $18.5 million ; 2. Freaky Friday, Disney, $11.7 million; 3. S.W.A. T. Sony, $10.5 million; 4. Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney, $10.2 million; 5. Open Range, Disney, $10.2 million; 6. Seabiscuit, Universal, $8.2 million; 7. Freddy vs. Jason, New Line, $8.1 million; 8 . The Medallion, Sony, $5.7 million; 9. Uptown Girls, MGM, $5.2 million; 10. My Boss's Daughter, Miramax, $4.5 million.

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26 August 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

It may have earned only 37 percent of what it did a week ago, but New Line's Freddy vs. Jason nevertheless wound up at the top of the box office for the second weekend in a row with $13.2 million in ticket sales. Although three new films also hit theaters over the weekend, Sony's The Medallion was the only one to make a decent showing. It took in $8.1 million to finish fifth.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Freddy vs. Jason, New Line, $13,152,967, 2 Wks. ($61,197,607); 2. S.W.A.T., Sony, $10,581,327, 3 Wks. ($87,847,065); 3. Open Range, Disney, $9,481,315, 2 Wks. ($29,317,253); 4. Freaky Friday, Disney, $9,304,643, 3 Wks. ($74,431,693); 5 . The Medallion, Sony, $8,111,324, (New); 6. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney, $7,275,447, 7 Wks. ($260,925,697); 7. Seabiscuit, Universal, $6,170,290, 5 Wks. ($92,936,230); 8. Uptown Girls, MGM, $5,606,943, 2 Wks. ($22,318,159); 9. American Wedding, Universal, $5,464,405, 4 Wks. ($90,515,725); 10. My Boss's Daughter, Miramax/Dimension, $4,855,798, (New).

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25 August 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Although it is uncommon for a horror flick to remain at the top of the box office for more than a single weekend, New Line's Freddy vs. Jason managed to hold onto its lead for the second time in a row with an estimated $13.5 million in ticket sales, 63 percent below what it took in last weekend. In fact, it was the only film to remain in the top spot for two consecutive weekends since X2 last May. Sony's S.W.A.T. remained in second place with $10.8 million. Third place was too close to call with Disney's Open Range and Freaky Friday each taking in around $9.4 million. Sony's The Medallion, starring Jackie Chan, debuted in fifth place with about $8.2 million. A third new film, Marci X, starring Lisa Kudrow and Damon Wayans, exceeded Gigli as the worst-performing film of the year, earning just $865,000 in 1,200 theaters, or $721 per theater. Another new film, Disney's My Boss's Daughter, opened in 10th place with $5 million. Meanwhile, Disney's gross for Finding Nemo hit $330 million, putting it ahead of The Lion King's total of $328.5 million to make it the biggest animated hit of all time. Ticket sales for the top 12 movies totaled $86.2 million, up 33 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Freddy vs. Jason, $13.45 million; 2. S.W.A.T. $10.8 million; 3 (tie). Freaky Friday, $9.4 million; 3 (tie). Open Range, $9.4 million; 5. The Medallion, $8.2 million; 6. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, $7.3 million; 7. Seabiscuit, $6.3 million; 8. Uptown Girls, $5.6 million; 9. American Wedding, $5.58 million; 10. My Boss's Daughter, $5 million.

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22 August 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

After starting the summer in early May and pouring out a plethora of big-budget films simultaneously, the movie industry is closing the summer in August by doling out leftovers, including several films that it didn't bother screening for critics, among them Paramount's Marci X, starring Lisa Kudrow and Damon Wayans, and Miramax/Dimension's My Boss's Daughter, starring Ashton Kutcher and Tara Reid. Even Sony's Jackie Chan action film The Medallion is not likely to top last week's top performers, analysts suggest.

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22 August 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Once again Roger Ebert, the movie fan, is at odds with Roger Ebert, the critic. The movie in question this time is Jackie Chan's The Medallion, and Ebert writes: "I realize I am not stern enough with such movies, permitting myself to be entertained when I should be appalled, but just when I am trying to adjust my frown, in walks John Rhys-Davies and introduces himself as 'Commander Hammerstock-Smythe,' and there I go again." Other critics apparently have decided to resolve such conflict by offering essentially "non-reviews," in which they offer a synopsis of the film but present little in the way of opinion about it. Dave Kehr in the New York Times observes that the film "is intended for an international public but still retains some Hong Kong street credibility." Kevin Thomas concludes his review in the Los Angeles Times by remarking, "Chan defies time and gravity with remarkable energy, ease and resourcefulness, not to mention charm and humor." Nevertheless, virtually all of the reviews remark that Chan appears to be resolving the problem of growing older by substituting digital effects for the stunts that he used to amaze audiences with. Still other critics are not reluctant to diss Chan. Lou Lumenick in the New York Post describes the movie as "a pretty bottom-of-the-barrel affair," for the actor. Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel calls it "a stupid, slow-footed movie." But Geoff Pevere in the Toronto Star pays the film the most left-handed compliment of all: "Nine year-olds of all ages ought to be delighted," he writes.

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6 articles from 2003