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Are you listening, Ghost of Cubby Broccoli

Kim Hollis: Transporter 2 opened to $20.1 million over the 4 day Labor Day period. It currently stands at $30.1 million after 10 days. Obviously, it's not got any legs. Is its performance thus far impressive?

David Mumpower: Well, its already outgrossed the original by $5 million, so yes, I am impressed.

Reagen Sulewski: I think that's right on the money for it, or maybe even a bit of an overachiever.

Tim Briody: It's already $5 million over what The Transporter made and it's in the black. That's decent enough.

Kim Hollis: It's already beaten the first one and made its budget back. While perhaps not "impressive", I think it's more than satisfactory.

David Mumpower: *tests for echo*

David Mumpower: What I think this represents is the first demonstrable impact of the DVD marketplace. The Transporter does not get a sequel if not for its performance in the emerging market.

Joel Corcoran: I think it's impressive enough. It has outpaced the original Transporter from three years ago, but I have the feeling that the people backing the film were expecting much more.

David Mumpower: Since it did well there, it's a low risk prospect for a follow-up with any box office receipts gravy.

Kim Hollis: And on a similar note, I'm sure the sequel will do just fine on DVD as well.

David Mumpower: That's right. These films are also marketed as well as anything the industry has done. The keyhole cam commercial from the original is still memorable three years later. The sequel's "hold on while I take off my jacket" spot is one of the funniest of the year.

David Mumpower: It's a damn shame Jason Statham isn't prettier, because he would make for an engaging James Bond.

Reagen Sulewski: He jumped a car across a parking garage. That's pretty damn impressive (and quite Bondian).

Joel Corcoran: I think he'd make a find James Bond as he is, David. He really hits that deeply troubled psychology underlying the Bond character.

Kim Hollis: He's interesting looking, which in my opinion is more important than "pretty". Though of course, he's certainly not in the running with the Broccolis.

David Mumpower: I think the problem with that involves the expectations of the Bond audience. As my oldest brother has always said, Timothy Dalton was unquestionably the perfect embodiment of Ian Fleming's vision for Bond. Audiences emphatically rejected him.

Joel Corcoran: I agree -- because Dalton came off as too serious most of the time. I think Statham could bring a certain amount of cynical humor to the role that would appeal to Bond fans, which is something that Dalton lacked.

'Cos, otherwise, see, weeds grow!

Kim Hollis: The constant Gardener has earned $19.1 million in 10 days. How happy should Focus Features be with this result?

David Mumpower: I simply do not understand the need for constant gardening.

Kim Hollis: Its budget was right at $25 million, so it's going to be in the black, at least. For a movie that always felt "small", I don't think there's anything wrong with its performance.

David Mumpower: How many vidalia onions does one man need?

Tim Briody: I thought the decline this weekend was a little steep but I'll give it a mulligan because we're coming off a holiday weekend. Another 40% drop and it's game over.

Reagen Sulewski: For a film that could very easily have been stuck in limited and not broken double digits, I think you've got to be pleased with the results.

David Mumpower: That's an excellent point, Tim. The holiday inflation makes all of the weekly declines a bit erratic and trickier to judge.

Joel Corcoran: I think Focus Features should be extremely happy with The Constant Gardener so far, but if I was an exec there, I'd be concerned about the box office drop in the next few weeks.

Reagen Sulewski: I think this performance has also jammed its name into Oscar discussion. Best Picture is a long shot, but other consideration is very likely.

Kim Hollis: Hell, even the Virgin fell 40%. I don't think a larger drop this weekend is that out of line.

David Mumpower: In the end, it's at the breakeven point at the moment and will stay that way unless it gets end-of-year awards attention. That can swing it over into the winner's column, but I am dubious about this possibility.

Joel Corcoran: You're right, Reagen. It was a risk to take this movie wide, though I'm glad Focus decided to do so.

David Mumpower: Exactly, Joel. It's better that more people have a chance to see this so that they might be swayed from seeing The Man.

In which Mr. Levy enters the Bad Lines Delivered Badly Hall of Fame

Kim Hollis: The Man opened to $4.0 million this weekend. Are you more satisfied with its failure or angry at the hundreds of thousands of consumers who spent money for this dreck?

Joel Corcoran: Can I take all of the above, Kim?

Reagen Sulewski: Ironically, someone who was The Man at New Line is going to get The Pinkslip.

David Mumpower: Samuel L. Jackson needs to learn how to say no. Jenna Jameson is more selective.

Kim Hollis: To my mind, it's $4 million more than it should have made. I earnestly request of Eugene Levy that he do nothing except Christopher Guest movies in the future.

Reagen Sulewski: I'm impressed this made so little, considering the faith-shaking performance of White Chicks last year.

Tim Briody: I still retain a small amount of faith in humanity based on The Man's performance.

Tim Briody: New Line probably couldn't care less though as they're counting their millions from Wedding Crashers.

David Mumpower: I have a driving urge to grab a bullhorn, head into a screening of this film and shout "Who's the man?" until the cops pepper spray me.

Reagen Sulewski: The flaw in that plan is that odds are there'd be no one to annoy.

Joel Corcoran: I'll gladly meet you at the station and arrange your bail, David.

Joel Corcoran: I just wonder how many people who went to see The Man did so because they were so disappointed in Undiscovered.

David Mumpower: But if there are any people in attendance, maybe I can stand close enough to them to get them pepper sprayed as well.

David Mumpower: And -they- deserve it.

Reagen Sulewski: I think that's a very tiny overlap on the Venn Diagran, Joel.

Kim Hollis: They're the same people who made Bringing Down the House a hit, you know. It's just that a lot of people actually learned some lessons since then.

David Mumpower: You got me straight trippin', boo!

Joel Corcoran: Maybe the only people in that Venn Diagram are Generation Y fans of Eugene Levy.

Reagen Sulewski: You guys are talking crazy. There was no movie called Bringing Down the House, and it never earned over $100 million. You got that? Never. Happened.

David Mumpower: I don't understand why Steve Martin tries to hurt me so. My love for him is true.

Tim Briody: Just keep saying to yourself how great Shopgirl will be.