Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Ice Cube Kicks Quentin Tarantino's Ass (In A Box Office Sort Of Way)
()
I am in shock. Despite a ton of promotion, great reviews and legions of Quentin Tarantino fans, Grindhouse opened in only fourth place. That would be $3.4 million behind the "former ghetto rapper heads to the burbs" comedy Are We Done Yet? and only $1.5 million ahead of the "I'm Hilary Swank, and I've won two Oscars, so I can star in whatever piece of poorly conceived commercial dreck I want to" horror film The Crapping. Excuse me, I mean The Reaping.
Estimated Weekend Box Office Totals for the April 6-8, 2007
1. Blades of Glory - $23 million
2. Meet the Robinsons - $17 million
3. Are We Done Yet? - $15 million
4. Grindhouse - $11.6 million
5. The Reaping - $10.1 million
6. 300 - $8.8 million
7. Wild Hogs - $6.9 million
8. Shooter - $5.8 million
9. TMNT - $4.9 million
10. Firehouse Dog - $4 million
In case you’re wondering what the hell #9 is, it's The Weinstein Company’s clever experiment to see if they can trick Americans into seeing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. (Bob: Yo, Harv. Maybe if we use an acronym everyone will forget the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a totally played out franchise from decades ago. Harvey: Tubular idea, bro! But I think you're like totally confusing acronym with initialism.) It's also a half-hearted attempt to revive a moribund kids' franchise with slick CG. The TMNT were around when I was a teenager in the mid to late 90s and babysitting all sorts of turtle-loving little rugrats. I gotta think the kids these days more sophisticated. Aren’t they all born with RFID chips implanted in their necks, cell phones attached to their hips and a joystick for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City clasped betwixt their chubby little fingers? Were the teeming masses of today's youth crying out for another set of anthropomorphized animal superheroes, just different enough to feel new but recognizable enough to feel comforting? I guess so, because TMNT has earned something like $35 million in two weeks.
Support for LAist comes from
What do I know? (That was a rhetorical question. Answer: not much.) I'm the kind of person who thinks it's a sacrilege that Escape from New York is A) being remade and B) being remade without Kurt Russell.
As always, props to Variety for posting the box office figures in such a timely manner.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist