This Week In Movies By Pete Hammond – “Sucker Punch”

f you disliked the film as much as I did (and three quarters of the nation’s “critics” agree with me according to Rotten Tomatoes) certainly the temptation is there to come up with every possible variation on Sucker Punch’s ill-conceived title. I felt “sucker-punched” after seeing it. It felt about as good as a “punch” in the gut. It “sucked” the life out of me. Or it just plain “sucked” (no Pun(ch) intended).

For a Zack Snyder flick, which can be expected to bring it at least a strong fanboy contingent on opening weekend, its relatively paltry second place finish with an estimated $19 million (which includes a fairly steep 17% Friday to Saturday drop) has to be a disappointment. But from the beginning Warner Bros just didn’t seem to know how to sell this film. The poster and billboard graphics are busy without being compelling and its trailer was oft-putting. I predict a nosedive next weekend as word-of-mouth sinks the reportedly $80 million dollar film’s boxoffice , domestically at least. It received a B- from Cinemascore which surveys audiences outside theatres on a film’s opening night. Since that is the night Sucker Punch would clearly draw its most ardent potential fans the rating is weak but actually better than I was expecting it to get.

This story of an institutionalized girl named BabyDoll who, while waiting to be lobotomized, battles (with the help of other scantily leather-clad inmates) monsters, samurai warriors and Nazis. But this only happens in fantasy sequences which are all set off by interpretative dance movements in her insane asylum’s talent shows. It just doesn’t make much sense but maybe that’s the point. Snyder , who came up with the original screenplay idea , seems only interested in plotting only until he can get to the visuals. But I remember interviewing the great Special Effects wizard , Five time Oscar winner Ken Ralston last year after his movie Alice In Wonderland came out and he said something wise that stuck with me. Special effects without content that aren’t in the service of the story have no place in movies. He says content always comes first, not flashy visuals calling attention to themselves. But in the world of Sucker Punch it’s the effects and numerous action sequences that take precedence over anything resembling a well-written yarn.

I like Zack Snyder. I actually did a Q&A with him last Fall for his first animated film, Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole and found him to be smart, personable, talented and enormously likeable. I also was one of the admirers of that box office and critical disappointment. It got a bum rap from critics. I was a fan of 300 and quoted in its ads. Now that was an audacious and stunner of a movie. Audiences agreed. As for his other graphic novel adaptation, Watchmen, well I found it lots of fun to uh, Watch man. Hopefully Sucker Punch , an idea he has had in his head for many years is now out of his system and he can bring his tremendous visual talents to more deserving material. His next is Warners’ reboot of Superman starring Henry Cavill, Kevin Costner and Amy Adams (just announced by Snyder as Lois Lane today). I have high hopes for this Superman as it also involves the producing and creative visions of Christopher Nolan who I think is the perfect guiding light to Snyder at this crucial point in his career. We have to wait until the end of 2012 for that one though.

Isn’t it ironic then that these gun totin’ take-no-prisoners hotties had their heads handed to them by none other than a Wimpy Kid? Proving you don’t need a lot of special effects and flashy editing to keep a young audience enthralled , 20th Century Fox’s second edition of their film franchise based on the hit lit series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid even surpassed the $22 million opening weekend of the first last year. With an estimated $24 million this sequel made more than its production costs ($21 million) and took number one at the box office over the more-hyped Sucker Punch. Not only that it got an A- Cinemascore rating and doubled ‘Sucker’s’ score at Rotten Tomatoes with 40% freshness. That’s not too bad for a movie that is anything but a critics flick. Actually I laughed a lot during this ‘Wimpy’ even though it’s really just a big screen sitcom, sort of Leave It To Beaver meets Malcolm In The Middle . By focusing on the sibling rivalry between the Wimpy Kid and his older ‘bro the filmmakers get tons of comic mileage I don’t even recall in the first edition which seemed more sweetly nostalgic. This one is slapstick all the way , situation comedy but one that absolutely knows what it’s doing. Bring on Wimpy #3 this time next year!

INDIE PICK OF THE WEEK: Check out Sony Pictures Classics’ Winter In Wartime. This gripping World War II set coming of age drama from the Netherlands was shortlisted by the Motion Picture Academy in the 2009 race for Best Foreign Language Film but inexplicably failed to make it from the final 9 to the final 5 when less deserving films from Peru and Israel did. At any rate the story of a Dutch teen who finds himself drawn by accident into the resistance is suspenseful, enlightening and completely engrossing from start to finish. Made in 2008 SPC is finally giving it an American release and if you can

This Week In Movies By Pete Hammond – “Sucker Punch”

f you disliked the film as much as I did (and three quarters of the nation’s “critics” agree with me according to Rotten Tomatoes) certainly the temptation is there to come up with every possible variation on Sucker Punch’s ill-conceived title. I felt “sucker-punched” after seeing it. It felt about as good as a “punch” in the gut. It “sucked” the life out of me. Or it just plain “sucked” (no Pun(ch) intended).

For a Zack Snyder flick, which can be expected to bring it at least a strong fanboy contingent on opening weekend, its relatively paltry second place finish with an estimated $19 million (which includes a fairly steep 17% Friday to Saturday drop) has to be a disappointment. But from the beginning Warner Bros just didn’t seem to know how to sell this film. The poster and billboard graphics are busy without being compelling and its trailer was oft-putting. I predict a nosedive next weekend as word-of-mouth sinks the reportedly $80 million dollar film’s boxoffice , domestically at least. It received a B- from Cinemascore which surveys audiences outside theatres on a film’s opening night. Since that is the night Sucker Punch would clearly draw its most ardent potential fans the rating is weak but actually better than I was expecting it to get.

This story of an institutionalized girl named BabyDoll who, while waiting to be lobotomized, battles (with the help of other scantily leather-clad inmates) monsters, samurai warriors and Nazis. But this only happens in fantasy sequences which are all set off by interpretative dance movements in her insane asylum’s talent shows. It just doesn’t make much sense but maybe that’s the point. Snyder , who came up with the original screenplay idea , seems only interested in plotting only until he can get to the visuals. But I remember interviewing the great Special Effects wizard , Five time Oscar winner Ken Ralston last year after his movie Alice In Wonderland came out and he said something wise that stuck with me. Special effects without content that aren’t in the service of the story have no place in movies. He says content always comes first, not flashy visuals calling attention to themselves. But in the world of Sucker Punch it’s the effects and numerous action sequences that take precedence over anything resembling a well-written yarn.

I like Zack Snyder. I actually did a Q&A with him last Fall for his first animated film, Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole and found him to be smart, personable, talented and enormously likeable. I also was one of the admirers of that box office and critical disappointment. It got a bum rap from critics. I was a fan of 300 and quoted in its ads. Now that was an audacious and stunner of a movie. Audiences agreed. As for his other graphic novel adaptation, Watchmen, well I found it lots of fun to uh, Watch man. Hopefully Sucker Punch , an idea he has had in his head for many years is now out of his system and he can bring his tremendous visual talents to more deserving material. His next is Warners’ reboot of Superman starring Henry Cavill, Kevin Costner and Amy Adams (just announced by Snyder as Lois Lane today). I have high hopes for this Superman as it also involves the producing and creative visions of Christopher Nolan who I think is the perfect guiding light to Snyder at this crucial point in his career. We have to wait until the end of 2012 for that one though.

Isn’t it ironic then that these gun totin’ take-no-prisoners hotties had their heads handed to them by none other than a Wimpy Kid? Proving you don’t need a lot of special effects and flashy editing to keep a young audience enthralled , 20th Century Fox’s second edition of their film franchise based on the hit lit series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid even surpassed the $22 million opening weekend of the first last year. With an estimated $24 million this sequel made more than its production costs ($21 million) and took number one at the box office over the more-hyped Sucker Punch. Not only that it got an A- Cinemascore rating and doubled ‘Sucker’s’ score at Rotten Tomatoes with 40% freshness. That’s not too bad for a movie that is anything but a critics flick. Actually I laughed a lot during this ‘Wimpy’ even though it’s really just a big screen sitcom, sort of Leave It To Beaver meets Malcolm In The Middle . By focusing on the sibling rivalry between the Wimpy Kid and his older ‘bro the filmmakers get tons of comic mileage I don’t even recall in the first edition which seemed more sweetly nostalgic. This one is slapstick all the way , situation comedy but one that absolutely knows what it’s doing. Bring on Wimpy #3 this time next year!

INDIE PICK OF THE WEEK: Check out Sony Pictures Classics’ Winter In Wartime. This gripping World War II set coming of age drama from the Netherlands was shortlisted by the Motion Picture Academy in the 2009 race for Best Foreign Language Film but inexplicably failed to make it from the final 9 to the final 5 when less deserving films from Peru and Israel did. At any rate the story of a Dutch teen who finds himself drawn by accident into the resistance is suspenseful, enlightening and completely engrossing from start to finish. Made in 2008 SPC is finally giving it an American release and if you can

Olivia Munn Awards Red Carpet Photos

Olivia Munn Pictures: Olivia Munn attends the First Annual Comedy Awards held at the Hammerstein Ballroom on March 26, 2011 in New York City.

David Letterman, Tina Fey and Louis C.K. were among the laugh-getters honored Saturday night at the Comedy Awards. At the presentation held by Comedy Central, Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") and Kristen Wiig ("Saturday Night Live") won as Best Comedy Actor and Actress in Television, while Tina Fey ("Date Night") and Zach Galifianakis ("Dinner for Schmucks") were awarded Best Comedy Actress and Actor in Film.

Eddie Murphy was honored with the previously announced Comedy Icon Award, while David Letterman received the night's highest honor as the first recipient of the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence.

The Comedy Awards will premiere on Comedy Central on Sunday, April 10 and will be simulcast on Spike TV, CMT, LOGO, TV Land, VH1 and Nick at Nite.

Photo credit: Mario Santoro / PR Photos

Olivia Munn Awards Red Carpet Photos

Olivia Munn Pictures: Olivia Munn attends the First Annual Comedy Awards held at the Hammerstein Ballroom on March 26, 2011 in New York City.

David Letterman, Tina Fey and Louis C.K. were among the laugh-getters honored Saturday night at the Comedy Awards. At the presentation held by Comedy Central, Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") and Kristen Wiig ("Saturday Night Live") won as Best Comedy Actor and Actress in Television, while Tina Fey ("Date Night") and Zach Galifianakis ("Dinner for Schmucks") were awarded Best Comedy Actress and Actor in Film.

Eddie Murphy was honored with the previously announced Comedy Icon Award, while David Letterman received the night's highest honor as the first recipient of the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence.

The Comedy Awards will premiere on Comedy Central on Sunday, April 10 and will be simulcast on Spike TV, CMT, LOGO, TV Land, VH1 and Nick at Nite.

Photo credit: Mario Santoro / PR Photos

Reese Witherspoon Weds Agent Beau in California

LOS ANGELES – Reese Witherspoon has walked down the aisle.

A spokeswoman for the actress says the "Walk the Line" star wed her fiance, Hollywood agent Jim Toth, in Ojai, California, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Publicist Nicole Perna did not reveal details about the Saturday ceremony.

Us Weekly magazine first reported the nuptials.

The Oscar-winning actress and Toth announced their engagement in December.

Reese Witherspoon Weds Agent Beau in California

LOS ANGELES – Reese Witherspoon has walked down the aisle.

A spokeswoman for the actress says the "Walk the Line" star wed her fiance, Hollywood agent Jim Toth, in Ojai, California, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Publicist Nicole Perna did not reveal details about the Saturday ceremony.

Us Weekly magazine first reported the nuptials.

The Oscar-winning actress and Toth announced their engagement in December.

PARIS HILTON IS BLONDE AND BEAUTIFUL IN BEVERLY HILLS

PARIS HILTON IS BLONDE AND BEAUTIFUL IN BEVERLY HILLS

Laura Allen Cast and Recast in NBC's 'REM' Pilot

In a casting shake-up, Allen switches roles, with "Vampire Diaries" actress Michaela McManus joining the Kyle Killen project in Allen's previous role.

Terriers' Laura Allen has been cast in the NBC pilot REM.

If this feels like deja vu, it is -- and isn't.

Weeks ago, Allen was tapped to play Tara, Rex's tennis coach and confidante, in the drama series from Lone Star creator Kyle Killen. Meanwhile, studio 20th Century Fox Television and showrunner Howard Gordon (24) continued their search for an actress to play Rex's mother, Hannah.

Well, today, the show found its Hannah -- in Allen.

Now with Allen set to play Hannah, the team tapped Michaela McManus to play Tara. The pair joins a star-studded cast ofJason Isaacs, Cherry Jones, Dylan Minnette, Steve Harris, Wilmer Valderrama and B.D. Wong in the procedural hybrid, which centers on the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who can't let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a car accident.

McManus, whose TV credits include Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill and Law and Order: SVU, is repped by UTA and Principal Entertainment.

Laura Allen Cast and Recast in NBC's 'REM' Pilot

In a casting shake-up, Allen switches roles, with "Vampire Diaries" actress Michaela McManus joining the Kyle Killen project in Allen's previous role.

Terriers' Laura Allen has been cast in the NBC pilot REM.

If this feels like deja vu, it is -- and isn't.

Weeks ago, Allen was tapped to play Tara, Rex's tennis coach and confidante, in the drama series from Lone Star creator Kyle Killen. Meanwhile, studio 20th Century Fox Television and showrunner Howard Gordon (24) continued their search for an actress to play Rex's mother, Hannah.

Well, today, the show found its Hannah -- in Allen.

Now with Allen set to play Hannah, the team tapped Michaela McManus to play Tara. The pair joins a star-studded cast ofJason Isaacs, Cherry Jones, Dylan Minnette, Steve Harris, Wilmer Valderrama and B.D. Wong in the procedural hybrid, which centers on the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who can't let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a car accident.

McManus, whose TV credits include Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill and Law and Order: SVU, is repped by UTA and Principal Entertainment.

'Battle: Los Angeles' Tops International Box Office With $29 Million

UPDATED: Japan sees weekday business drop 70% in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami, while "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and "Black Swan" pass overseas milestones.

Two Fox films sailed past international box office plateaus this weekend, but Sony's Battle: Los Angeles commanded the foreign theatrical circuit by generating $28.7 million from 8,344 screens in 55 markets.

RELATED: 'Limitless' Wins Weekend Box Office With $19 Million

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox's The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader passed the $300 million mark overseas, and Black Swan breached the $175 million barrier.

The exhibition situation in Japan remains parlous, according to major studio reports, although box office is showing small gains.

Some 130 theaters in the Tokyo metropolitan area and in the northern section of Japan's main island of Honshu -- where the earthquake-tsunami devastation and radiation fears are most intense -- continue to face power shortages. The sites are either closed or limiting operations to daytime showings.

As a result, weekday business during the last stanza dropped about 70% from normal levels, although box office stemming from theaters in southern Japan remains relatively steady. (As of last year, there were some 3,400 screens throughout Japan in about 680 theaters.)

Paramount pushed ahead with its Japan opening of True Grit at 28 locations for an estimated three-day tally of $250,000, or a nearly $9,000 per-screen average. With a public holiday due Monday, the distributor said that "should increase nicely." Weekend in general for the Coen brothers' Western update came to $2.38 million from 1,552 sites in 40 territories for a foreign cume of $71.5 million.

Disney reported that Tangled drew an estimated $1.9 million from 326 locations in Japan, a 7% increase from the prior weekend's gross. Overall this weekend, the 3D update of the Rapunzel tale gathered $3.5 million from 2,031 screens in 33 markets for an overseas gross total of $361 million.

In its third Japan round at 264 screens, Sony's The Tourist squeaked out $1.47 million, about a 3% boost from the prior weekend's action. Overseas cume for the Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie vehicle stands at $200.4 million, of which $12.4 million originates from Japan.

Fourth-round Japan box office for Dawn Treader picked up more than 1% from the previous weekend to $1.5 million drawn from 621 venues. Japan cume totals $21.9 million, pushing the film's overall foreign take to $301 million.

Finishing No. 2 overall was Paramount's Rango, which was first the previous weekend. A strong Russia debut ($4.2 million from 650 spots) and a first-place Israel bow for the animation title voiced by Depp spurred the total weekend tally to $18.4 million from 5,496 situations in 49 markets. The foreign take so far is $72.4 million accumulated since March 2. A France opening is due Wednesday.

Claiming the No. 3 weekend spot, Academy Award winner The King's Speech shot past the $220 million mark in foreign box office (cume $221 million) thanks to a $10.8 million round at 4,118 screens in 56 markets. In Japan via Gaga Communications, Speech grossed $571,058 from 124 screens for a market cume of $7.76 million. A No. 1 fifth stanza in Germany yielded $1.7 million from 570 sites, for a cume there of $14.7 million.

Warner Bros.' The Rite, the supernatural drama starring Anthony Hopkins -- which the studio pulled from weekend Japan release -- grossed $7.1 million from 2,185 screens in 42 other markets, sufficient for a No. 4 ranking overall. Its international cume stands at $46.1 million.

Universal opened Sluzhebnyy roman -- Nashe vremya (Office Romance) at 651 screens in Russia and came up with a No. 1 market ranking. The Russian-made comedy sequel directed bySarik Andreasyan -- an update of a 1977 original about a harassed bureaucrat and his pushy female boss -- grossed an estimated $5.89 million, and finished No. 5 on the weekend.

Black Swan collected $5.8 million from 3,977 screens in 42 markets, driving the Natalie Portman starrer to a foreign cume of $175.4 million.

Warners' release of Torrente 4, the latest in a Spanish-language series of comedies from actor-director Santiago Segura, remained No. 1 in Spain in its second market weekend, generating $5.5 million from 780 screens for a market cume of $20 million.

Universal's The Adjustment Bureau pushed its foreign cume to $32 million thanks to a $5.3 million weekend at 2,222 screens in 38 territories. A No. 1 Taiwan debut generated $543,739 from 81 sites for a per-screen average of $6,713. The romantic thriller starring Matt Damonopens in six markets, including France, this week.

Opening No. 1 in Austria and No. 2 in Germany ($1.4 million from 401 sites) was DreamWorks' I Am Number Four, the sci-fi thriller being distributed by Disney. Its overall weekend tally was also $5.3 million drawn from 3,412 situations in 38 markets, pushing the pic's overseas total gross to $65.1 million and its global take to slightly more than $118 million.

The animated Gnomeo & Juliet has so far accumulated a foreign gross of $57.8 million via myriad distributors including Pathe and Disney. The latter distributed the picture on the weekend at 1,662 screens in 15 markets for a gross of $3.6 million. Disney territories have contributed $19.3 million to the total cume.

Sony's Just Go With It, the romantic comedy co-starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, opened No. 1 in South Africa and grossed $4.77 million on the weekend overall from 1,685 screens in 33 markets for a foreign cume of $52.2 million. Disney's animation title Mars Needs Moms collected $4 million on its second weekend on the foreign circuit at 1,291 sites in 21 markets for a pallid foreign cume of $9.5 million.

Warner Bros. introduced Red Riding Hood, director Catherine Hardwicke's medieval horror title starring Amanda Seyfried, at 1,020 screens in nine territories for a weekend tally of $3.8 million. Early cume stands at $5.6 million.

Hall Pass, the Warners' comedy from the Farrelly brothers, pushed its overseas cume to $14.4 million thanks to a $3.7 million weekend at 1,500 screens in 20 markets.

Paramount's romantic comedy No Strings Attached pulled $3.2 million from 1,506 locations in 39 markets for an overseas cume to date of $58.3 million. Fox's Martin Lawrence comedyBig Mommas: Like Father, Like Son registered $2.8 million at 1,838 screens in 40 territories for a foreign cume of $29.9 million.

In France, Studio Canal's Ma part du gateau (My Slice of the Cake) took the No. 1 market spot with an opening tally of $2.9 million drawn from 482 screens. The drama, directed by Cedric Klapisch, pits a Paris cleaning woman against her employer, an affluent stock trader.

Other international cumes: Warner Bros. and other distributors' Unknown, $43.9; Universal'sPaul, $28.3 million (after a $1.6 million weekend at 617 sites in five markets); Fox and other distributors' 127 Hours, $23.4 million (Fox territories only); SND's Les femmes du 6eme etage (The Women on the Sixth Floor), $15.3 million over five rounds in France only; Fox's Gulliver's Travels, $175.3 million; Paramount's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, $10.6 million; Fox'sUnstoppable, $87.7 million; Pathe's Le Marquis, $3.5 million over two stanzas in France only; and Fox's Never Let Me Go, $4.4 million.

Also, Universal and other distrib's Sanctum, $55 million; Sony's Just Go With It, $52.2 million; Focus Features' Biutiful, $17 million; Fox's Love & Other Drugs, $65.2 million; Universal/Focus Features' The American, $32.2 million; Paramount's Morning Glory, $21.9 million; Focus Features and other distributors' The Kids Are All Right, $13.9 million; Fox's Love Carrot 3, $8.2 million; Focus Features' The Eagle, $6.8 million; Sony's Burlesque, $49.9 million; Universal'sJulia's Eyes, $13.1 from four markets; Sony's The Social Network, $127.6 million; Focus Features' Another Year, $14.1 million; Sony's Faster, $10.4 million; and Focus Features'Somewhere, $12.2 million. 

'Battle: Los Angeles' Tops International Box Office With $29 Million

UPDATED: Japan sees weekday business drop 70% in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami, while "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and "Black Swan" pass overseas milestones.

Two Fox films sailed past international box office plateaus this weekend, but Sony's Battle: Los Angeles commanded the foreign theatrical circuit by generating $28.7 million from 8,344 screens in 55 markets.

RELATED: 'Limitless' Wins Weekend Box Office With $19 Million

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox's The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader passed the $300 million mark overseas, and Black Swan breached the $175 million barrier.

The exhibition situation in Japan remains parlous, according to major studio reports, although box office is showing small gains.

Some 130 theaters in the Tokyo metropolitan area and in the northern section of Japan's main island of Honshu -- where the earthquake-tsunami devastation and radiation fears are most intense -- continue to face power shortages. The sites are either closed or limiting operations to daytime showings.

As a result, weekday business during the last stanza dropped about 70% from normal levels, although box office stemming from theaters in southern Japan remains relatively steady. (As of last year, there were some 3,400 screens throughout Japan in about 680 theaters.)

Paramount pushed ahead with its Japan opening of True Grit at 28 locations for an estimated three-day tally of $250,000, or a nearly $9,000 per-screen average. With a public holiday due Monday, the distributor said that "should increase nicely." Weekend in general for the Coen brothers' Western update came to $2.38 million from 1,552 sites in 40 territories for a foreign cume of $71.5 million.

Disney reported that Tangled drew an estimated $1.9 million from 326 locations in Japan, a 7% increase from the prior weekend's gross. Overall this weekend, the 3D update of the Rapunzel tale gathered $3.5 million from 2,031 screens in 33 markets for an overseas gross total of $361 million.

In its third Japan round at 264 screens, Sony's The Tourist squeaked out $1.47 million, about a 3% boost from the prior weekend's action. Overseas cume for the Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie vehicle stands at $200.4 million, of which $12.4 million originates from Japan.

Fourth-round Japan box office for Dawn Treader picked up more than 1% from the previous weekend to $1.5 million drawn from 621 venues. Japan cume totals $21.9 million, pushing the film's overall foreign take to $301 million.

Finishing No. 2 overall was Paramount's Rango, which was first the previous weekend. A strong Russia debut ($4.2 million from 650 spots) and a first-place Israel bow for the animation title voiced by Depp spurred the total weekend tally to $18.4 million from 5,496 situations in 49 markets. The foreign take so far is $72.4 million accumulated since March 2. A France opening is due Wednesday.

Claiming the No. 3 weekend spot, Academy Award winner The King's Speech shot past the $220 million mark in foreign box office (cume $221 million) thanks to a $10.8 million round at 4,118 screens in 56 markets. In Japan via Gaga Communications, Speech grossed $571,058 from 124 screens for a market cume of $7.76 million. A No. 1 fifth stanza in Germany yielded $1.7 million from 570 sites, for a cume there of $14.7 million.

Warner Bros.' The Rite, the supernatural drama starring Anthony Hopkins -- which the studio pulled from weekend Japan release -- grossed $7.1 million from 2,185 screens in 42 other markets, sufficient for a No. 4 ranking overall. Its international cume stands at $46.1 million.

Universal opened Sluzhebnyy roman -- Nashe vremya (Office Romance) at 651 screens in Russia and came up with a No. 1 market ranking. The Russian-made comedy sequel directed bySarik Andreasyan -- an update of a 1977 original about a harassed bureaucrat and his pushy female boss -- grossed an estimated $5.89 million, and finished No. 5 on the weekend.

Black Swan collected $5.8 million from 3,977 screens in 42 markets, driving the Natalie Portman starrer to a foreign cume of $175.4 million.

Warners' release of Torrente 4, the latest in a Spanish-language series of comedies from actor-director Santiago Segura, remained No. 1 in Spain in its second market weekend, generating $5.5 million from 780 screens for a market cume of $20 million.

Universal's The Adjustment Bureau pushed its foreign cume to $32 million thanks to a $5.3 million weekend at 2,222 screens in 38 territories. A No. 1 Taiwan debut generated $543,739 from 81 sites for a per-screen average of $6,713. The romantic thriller starring Matt Damonopens in six markets, including France, this week.

Opening No. 1 in Austria and No. 2 in Germany ($1.4 million from 401 sites) was DreamWorks' I Am Number Four, the sci-fi thriller being distributed by Disney. Its overall weekend tally was also $5.3 million drawn from 3,412 situations in 38 markets, pushing the pic's overseas total gross to $65.1 million and its global take to slightly more than $118 million.

The animated Gnomeo & Juliet has so far accumulated a foreign gross of $57.8 million via myriad distributors including Pathe and Disney. The latter distributed the picture on the weekend at 1,662 screens in 15 markets for a gross of $3.6 million. Disney territories have contributed $19.3 million to the total cume.

Sony's Just Go With It, the romantic comedy co-starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, opened No. 1 in South Africa and grossed $4.77 million on the weekend overall from 1,685 screens in 33 markets for a foreign cume of $52.2 million. Disney's animation title Mars Needs Moms collected $4 million on its second weekend on the foreign circuit at 1,291 sites in 21 markets for a pallid foreign cume of $9.5 million.

Warner Bros. introduced Red Riding Hood, director Catherine Hardwicke's medieval horror title starring Amanda Seyfried, at 1,020 screens in nine territories for a weekend tally of $3.8 million. Early cume stands at $5.6 million.

Hall Pass, the Warners' comedy from the Farrelly brothers, pushed its overseas cume to $14.4 million thanks to a $3.7 million weekend at 1,500 screens in 20 markets.

Paramount's romantic comedy No Strings Attached pulled $3.2 million from 1,506 locations in 39 markets for an overseas cume to date of $58.3 million. Fox's Martin Lawrence comedyBig Mommas: Like Father, Like Son registered $2.8 million at 1,838 screens in 40 territories for a foreign cume of $29.9 million.

In France, Studio Canal's Ma part du gateau (My Slice of the Cake) took the No. 1 market spot with an opening tally of $2.9 million drawn from 482 screens. The drama, directed by Cedric Klapisch, pits a Paris cleaning woman against her employer, an affluent stock trader.

Other international cumes: Warner Bros. and other distributors' Unknown, $43.9; Universal'sPaul, $28.3 million (after a $1.6 million weekend at 617 sites in five markets); Fox and other distributors' 127 Hours, $23.4 million (Fox territories only); SND's Les femmes du 6eme etage (The Women on the Sixth Floor), $15.3 million over five rounds in France only; Fox's Gulliver's Travels, $175.3 million; Paramount's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, $10.6 million; Fox'sUnstoppable, $87.7 million; Pathe's Le Marquis, $3.5 million over two stanzas in France only; and Fox's Never Let Me Go, $4.4 million.

Also, Universal and other distrib's Sanctum, $55 million; Sony's Just Go With It, $52.2 million; Focus Features' Biutiful, $17 million; Fox's Love & Other Drugs, $65.2 million; Universal/Focus Features' The American, $32.2 million; Paramount's Morning Glory, $21.9 million; Focus Features and other distributors' The Kids Are All Right, $13.9 million; Fox's Love Carrot 3, $8.2 million; Focus Features' The Eagle, $6.8 million; Sony's Burlesque, $49.9 million; Universal'sJulia's Eyes, $13.1 from four markets; Sony's The Social Network, $127.6 million; Focus Features' Another Year, $14.1 million; Sony's Faster, $10.4 million; and Focus Features'Somewhere, $12.2 million. 

'Wimpy Kid,' 'Sucker Punch' Hope to Take Advantage of Spring Break Crowd

Warner Bros.

Julian Schnabel’s controversial “Miral” also opens in limited run and both “Jane Eyre” and “Win Win” expand to new markets.

The number of wide releases opening this weekend at the domestic box office slows down to two titles: 20th Century Fox’s sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Zack Snyder’s action-fantasy Sucker Punch from Warner Bros. 

Tracking suggests Sucker Punch will open north of $20 million, while theRodrick Rules is projected to gross in the mid teens. However, family friendly films often overperform. 

 

Rodrick Rules, based on the best-selling book series, is a budding franchise for Fox that particularly appeals to boys ages 7-12. Fox, like other studios, hopes to capitalize on more and more kids being out of school for spring break. 

 

The original Diary of a Wimpy Kid, opening a year ago, opened to $22.1 million on its way to $64 million at the domestic box office. Overseas, the movie grossed another $11.7 million. The film was a modest financial success for Fox, since it cost only $15 million to produce.

 

Rodrick Rules, costing $18 million to produce and rated PG, sees the return of the original cast but was directed by David Bowers (Flushed Away, Astro Boy) instead of Thor Freudenthal.

 

Sucker Punch is Snyder’s third film for Warners and cost $75 million to produce. The movie, rated PG-13, is an action film with a twist: The ensemble cast is made up of young womenEmily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung.

 

According to tracking, Sucker Punch is drawing the most interest from young males under the age of 25, followed by older men and younger females. The movie enjoyed a last-minute bump in tracking, a good sign for Warners.

 

In the film — written by Steve Shibuya and Snyder — a young girl is institutionalized after she loses her mother and her sister is killed. In danger of being lobotomized, she and group of girls decide to escape. But for their plan to work, they must first enter an alternate reality — named the “brothel world” — where they will find the clues they need to win freedom.

 

Since before Christmas, teenagers have been missing in action from the multiplex. Sucker Punch hopes to reverse that trend.

 

Snyder’s next outing as director is Superman: Man of Steel.

 

Elsewhere, Relativity Media’s Limitless, Lionsgate’s The Lincoln Lawyer and Universal’s sci-fi comedy Paul enter their second weekend. Two other holdovers, Battle: Los Angeles andRango, also are expected to remain strong contenders.

 

The specialty box office boasts a number of new openings, including the debut of Julian Schnabel’s controversial Miral, which the Weinstein Co. opens in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The film, starring Freida Pinto, has been criticized by Jewish groups for its sympathetic portrayal of Palestinians.

 

Music Box Films opens Francois Ozon’s French film Potiche — starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu — in seven theaters. The film is loosely based on the 1970s hit comic play about a bored trophy wife who takes a job managing an umbrella factory.

 

IFC Films rolls out Barry W. Blaustein’s Peep World in three theaters. The comedy starsMichael C. Hall, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson and Ben Schwartz and is about a dysfunctional family exposed in a tell-all book written by one of their own.

 

Focus Features’ Jane Eyre makes a major expansion in its third weekend, upping its theater count from 26 to 90 and entering 11 new markets. The Mia Wasikowska- Michael Fassbender pic is off to a strong start, grossing $814,932 through Wednesday.

 

Tom McCarthy’s Win Win from Fox Searchlight expands into six new markets in its second weekend for a total theater count of 23. Starring Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan, the film’s cume through Wednesday was $193,022.

'Wimpy Kid,' 'Sucker Punch' Hope to Take Advantage of Spring Break Crowd

Warner Bros.

Julian Schnabel’s controversial “Miral” also opens in limited run and both “Jane Eyre” and “Win Win” expand to new markets.

The number of wide releases opening this weekend at the domestic box office slows down to two titles: 20th Century Fox’s sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Zack Snyder’s action-fantasy Sucker Punch from Warner Bros. 

Tracking suggests Sucker Punch will open north of $20 million, while theRodrick Rules is projected to gross in the mid teens. However, family friendly films often overperform. 

 

Rodrick Rules, based on the best-selling book series, is a budding franchise for Fox that particularly appeals to boys ages 7-12. Fox, like other studios, hopes to capitalize on more and more kids being out of school for spring break. 

 

The original Diary of a Wimpy Kid, opening a year ago, opened to $22.1 million on its way to $64 million at the domestic box office. Overseas, the movie grossed another $11.7 million. The film was a modest financial success for Fox, since it cost only $15 million to produce.

 

Rodrick Rules, costing $18 million to produce and rated PG, sees the return of the original cast but was directed by David Bowers (Flushed Away, Astro Boy) instead of Thor Freudenthal.

 

Sucker Punch is Snyder’s third film for Warners and cost $75 million to produce. The movie, rated PG-13, is an action film with a twist: The ensemble cast is made up of young womenEmily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung.

 

According to tracking, Sucker Punch is drawing the most interest from young males under the age of 25, followed by older men and younger females. The movie enjoyed a last-minute bump in tracking, a good sign for Warners.

 

In the film — written by Steve Shibuya and Snyder — a young girl is institutionalized after she loses her mother and her sister is killed. In danger of being lobotomized, she and group of girls decide to escape. But for their plan to work, they must first enter an alternate reality — named the “brothel world” — where they will find the clues they need to win freedom.

 

Since before Christmas, teenagers have been missing in action from the multiplex. Sucker Punch hopes to reverse that trend.

 

Snyder’s next outing as director is Superman: Man of Steel.

 

Elsewhere, Relativity Media’s Limitless, Lionsgate’s The Lincoln Lawyer and Universal’s sci-fi comedy Paul enter their second weekend. Two other holdovers, Battle: Los Angeles andRango, also are expected to remain strong contenders.

 

The specialty box office boasts a number of new openings, including the debut of Julian Schnabel’s controversial Miral, which the Weinstein Co. opens in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The film, starring Freida Pinto, has been criticized by Jewish groups for its sympathetic portrayal of Palestinians.

 

Music Box Films opens Francois Ozon’s French film Potiche — starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu — in seven theaters. The film is loosely based on the 1970s hit comic play about a bored trophy wife who takes a job managing an umbrella factory.

 

IFC Films rolls out Barry W. Blaustein’s Peep World in three theaters. The comedy starsMichael C. Hall, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson and Ben Schwartz and is about a dysfunctional family exposed in a tell-all book written by one of their own.

 

Focus Features’ Jane Eyre makes a major expansion in its third weekend, upping its theater count from 26 to 90 and entering 11 new markets. The Mia Wasikowska- Michael Fassbender pic is off to a strong start, grossing $814,932 through Wednesday.

 

Tom McCarthy’s Win Win from Fox Searchlight expands into six new markets in its second weekend for a total theater count of 23. Starring Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan, the film’s cume through Wednesday was $193,022.