Show Saw IV takes twisted path to top Josh Friedman Los Angeles T Times mes Trick or treat Welcome to the era of the perpetual film franchise for better or worse The horror sequel Saw IV carved up the weekend competition at the box office to the delight of bloodthirsty horror fans and the dismay of cringing social commentators The rated R-rated sequel took the No 1 slot with an estimated million in US U.S. and Canadian receipts distributor Lions Gate Entertainment said Sunday Despite a growing outcry from critics over sadistic and grisly torture porn movies like the Saw and Hostel series this was the third consecutive No 1 I opener for the franchise that quickly has become a season Halloween Halloween trad tion And it was the third in a arow arow arow row to open at more than 30 million brand loyalty for you said Steve Rothenberg president of theatrical distribution for Lions Gate There definitely will be a Saw V next Halloween The modestly budgeted Saw IV scored the highest opening weekend of the fall season and the third No 1 for Lions Gate which released the Western 3 10 to Yuma in early September and the comedy- comedy drama Tyler Perrys Perry's Why Did I Get Married earlier this month The Steve Juliette Carell-Juliette romantic comedy Dan in Real Life was No 2 for the weekend grossing about I 21 million for forWalt forWalt forWalt Walt Disney Co Last weekends weekend's top film Sony Pictures' Pictures vampire thriller 30 Days of Night fell 58 percent to place No 3 with 67 million Overall industry results were down for the sixth straight weekend from the thc same period in 2006 according to research firm Media by Numbers A stream of downbeat and politically dramas has sparked little audience interest Lions Gate surveys showed that 89 percent of Saw IV patrons had seen all three previous films in inthe inthe inthe the series cither either at theaters or on home video The film played to a young crowd Sixty-eight Sixty percent of the audience was younger than 25 Like most horror movies the series has been generating much of its business inthe inthe in inthe the first weekend If Saw IV has wobbly legs like the previous films it wont won't be a blockbuster but will end up grossing a solid 80 million to 90 million domestically When rated R-rated horror films including Hostel Part II and Captivity flopped this summer analysts questioned whether the genre had run nun its course or become But the lie films have fared better of late including Weinstein Co and filmmaker Rob Zombies Zombie's new version of Halloween Dan in Real Life starring Carell as a widower who falls for his brothers brother's girlfriend opened at the higher end of expectations after garnering generally warm reviews In limited release the heist botched-heist thriller Before the Devil Knows Youre You're Dead totaled a promising at two theaters Directed veteran Sidney Lumet and starring co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman Ethan Hawke and Albert Finney the critically acclaimed picture willbe will willbe willbe be more seriously tested in the next few weeks as rolls it out Bella an audience- audience award winner from the 2006 Toronto film festival also got off to a solid start At theaters the movie grossed 13 million averaging some per venue An English language English language movie starring Mexican heartthrob Eduardo Bella has captivated the faith audience through its inspirational story about love and redemption said Howard Cohen co- co president of distributor Roadside Attractions roots Grass-roots marketing has targeted Hispanic and churchgoing consumers but Cohen says the picture has breakout potential There are a lot of dark depressing movies out there he said This is ismore ismore ismore more of a harbinger of what audiences in America and Middle America not just want to see sec Indeed while dramas such as Rendition and Things We Lost in the Fire have tanked audiences have been searching out upbeat alternatives Disney's family comedy The Game Plan has shown plenty of stamina this fall and could end up approaching million domestically Sony's musical Across the Universe a love story featuring Beatles' Beatles tunes owns a cult following and has grossed million in the United States and Canada Hollywoods Hollywood's fall box- box office slump could finally be reversed this coming weekend as two major films are poised to open at 40 million or more analysts say Targeting different audiences are Universal Pictures' Pictures gritty crime thriller American Gangster starring Denzel Washington and Dream Yorks Animation comedy Bee Movie created and co- co written by Jerry |