Box Office: Of Basterds and Box Offices

Only two of last week's new releases managed to hit the top five. The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Ponyo and Bandslam took sixth, ninth and thirteenth respectively. Here's the top five:

1. District 9: $37.4 million
2. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra: $22.3 million
3. The Time Traveler's Wife: $18.6 million
4. Julie & Julia: $12 million
5. G-Force: $6.9 million

Four more new releases this week:

Inglourious Basterds
What's It All About: Quentin Tarantino's hotly anticipated World War II actioner. Brad Pitt plays a U.S. officer who leads a group of Jewish-American soldiers behind enemy lines to commit acts of retribution.
Why It Might Do Well: Tarantino brought us Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill movies. Also, Rottentomatoes.com gives it 81%.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Tarantino's Death Proof was painfully talky at times.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $28 million

Post Grad
What's It All About: Alexis Bledel plays a recent college grad who finds the real world more challenging than she expected.
Why It Might Do Well: Bledel was adorable on Gilmore Girls and her politically incorrect grandmother is being played by Carol Burnett.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Do moviegoers really want to be reminded of the crappy job market?
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $7 million



Shorts
What's It All About: Robert Rodriguez directs this family comedy about a young boy who finds a rainbow colored rock that grants his every wish.
Why It Might Do Well: This is the guy who brought us the Spy Kids flicks.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Some believe that a film starring that guy from Pretty in Pink from the guy who directed Sin City may dislodge the Earth from its orbit.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $18 million

X Games 3D The Movie
What's It All About: Documentary about the X Games, an annual event that features extreme action sports like skateboarding and freestyle motocross.
Why It Might Do Well: Because it's EXTREEEEME! The 3D should be pretty cool too.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 3D or not, I don't see a documentary being a huge draw.
Number of Theaters: 1,200
Prediction: $4 million

The last time Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino had movies opening at the same time we got the financial flop that was Grindhouse. Will they do better this time? Here's my prediction:
1. Inglorious Basterds
2. District 9
3. Shorts
4. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
5. The Time Traveler's Wife

Thanks to all the good folks who took part in our weekly prediction competition. Here's how we all did:
1. chris: 13
1. Matt: 13
1. WJDR: 13
1. Sully: 13
2. Tony le Stephanois: 11
2. English Gavz: 11
2. greatone: 11
3. NP: 9
3. CParis: 9
3. TheCritic28: 9
3. matt d.: 9
3. Vera: 9
3. Brandon: 9
3. Mike: 9
4. lostinafog: 8
4. Ray: 8
5. VP: 7
5. Gregory Rubinstein: 7
6. silver: 6

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.