Arts & Entertainment

'Dreamcatcher' must play catch up at box

By Daniel Huron
The Daily Cougar

The war in Iraq and the NCAA Tournament may have cut into ticket sales, but Bringing Down the House continued its dominance over the box office this weekend. With a $16.2 million take, the Steve Martin/Queen Latifah comedy finished at number one for the third week in a row.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Dreamcatcher offered the biggest competition. The Stephen King adaptation brought in $ 15.3 million ­ good enough for the second spot in the top ten. Itis not known if King fans filled the theater seats, or if Matrix fans came out in force to catch the Matrix-inspired short film Final Flight of the Osiris that preceded Dreamcatcher.

Teenie-boppers canit get enough of Agent Cody Banks. Last weekis number two film fell one spot but still managed to earn $9.3 million.

Although A View From the Top has been sitting on Miramaxis shelves for the better part of the last two years, it still managed to debut at number four. The Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle earned a modest $7.56 million. 

Fans of action thrillers helped The Hunted earn a spot at number five this weekend. With a $6.56 million take, Benicio Del Torois film has earned a total of $23.4 million in its first two weeks. 

This weekendis Academy Awards helped make Chicago the number six film. The film, which leads all movies with 13 nominations, earned $6.24 million.

Disneyis latest "why-in-the-world-didnit-this-movie-go-direct-to-video" release, Pigletis Big Movie took in $6.1 million and finished at number seven.

Tears of the Sun continues to battle it out at the box office. The Bruce Willis war flick made $4.5 million and earned a spot at number eight.

Not far behind with $4 million was Old School.

The award for poorest performance from this weekendis new films belongs to Boat Trip. Slammed by critics and gay-and-lesbian groups with equal might, the film earned $3.7 million and a spot at number 10.

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