Marquee History

Weeks 28-29, 2016

By Max Braden

July 19, 2016

I see no aliens here!

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Welcome to Marquee History, the column that takes you back to a time when you - or your parents - were younger. Prepare to become nostalgic (and shocked) at how much time has passed when you recall what was new in theaters 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years ago.

This edition features the 20th anniversary of Trainspotting, 25th anniversary of Boyz n the Hood and Point Break, and 30th anniversary of Aliens.

Here are the movies that premiered on theater marquees this week...

10 years ago

Little Man - July 14, 2006
This Wayans Brothers comedy stars Shawn Wayans and Kerry Washington as an unsuspecting couple who adopt a baby-sized thief played by a cgi-shrunken Marlon Wayans. While Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest held #1 for its second week, Little Man opened at #2 with $21.6 million from 2,533 theaters. That was a slightly better opening than the Wayans comedy White Chicks two years earlier, but Little Man earned less in the long run with a domestic total of $58 million.

You, Me, and Dupree - July 14, 2006
This comedy stars Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson as a newly married couple whose work life and home life is disrupted by Owen Wilson’s well-meaning but bumbling friend, Randy Dupree. Dupree was close behind Little Man at #3 with $21.5 million, which was probably fan memory of Wedding Crashers the previous summer outweighing weak reviews. The film earned $75 million domestically.

Monster House - July 21, 2006
This family-friendly CGI thriller from producers Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg features a trio of kids who face off against a haunted house in their neighborhood. Pirates of the Caribbean was #1 again in its third weekend with $35 million, but good reviews helped Monster House land at #2 with $22.2 million. It eventually earned $75 million as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.




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Lady in the Water - July 21, 2006
Four films after the blockbuster success and thrills of The Sixth Sense, audience support of director M. Night Shyamalan started to wane. The Village star Bryce Dallas Howard stars in this fantasy as a water-born creature (named “Story”) in the pool of Paul Giamatti’s writer character. Other characters with on-the-nose names represent traditional elements of story craft. Reviews were poor, and weak audience response put Lady in the Water at #3 with $18 million. Its opening weekend and total of $42 million remain the weakest box office performance numbers of Shyamalan’s career as of 2016.

Clerks II - July 21, 2006
It took a while, but writer/director Kevin Smith finally made a sequel to the 1994 low-budget popular comedy that began his career. Dante Hicks and Randal Graves return (with Jay and Silent Bob), this time as workers at Mooby’s fast food restaurant. Rosario Dawson co-stars as their manager. As in the first movie, the characters debate topics like sex and work and Stars Wars vs. Lord of the Rings fanboys, to comedic and vulgar effect. Unlike the first film, this one is in color. Clerks II opened at #6 with $10 million (triple the total gross of the first film) and went on to earn $24 million.

My Super-Ex Girlfriend - July 21, 2006
Ivan Reitman’s light comedy stars Luke Wilson as a regular guy whose relationship with co-worker Anna Faris is disrupted by his super jealous ex, who is a superhero named G-Girl. My Super Ex opened at #7 with $8.6 million and went on to earn a not-so-super $22.5 million. As of 2016 that’s the weakest box office performance of Reitman’s career.

Also in limited release: Parker Posey in The OH in Ohio, Depardieu and Deneuve in Changing Times, Edward Burns in The Groomsmen, Nikki Reed in Mini’s First Time, and Cuba Gooding Jr. in Shadowboxer.



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