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It would have been funny if *Mork* ran for president

Kim Hollis: The second new opener this weekend, Robin Williams' Man of the Year, opened to $12.6 million. Do you feel that Universal should have done a better job of capitalizing on campaign season hijinks?

Tim Briody: They did about as well as they could; this was the opener I saw the most ads for. People just don't want satire or social commentary in their mindless entertainment.

Reagen Sulewski: I think they made the simplest, one-note "satire" out of this concept, so this opening amount is probably the best case scenario.

David Mumpower: Well, I am afraid to totally write this off yet considering how RV started with only $16.4 million but wound up with $71.4 million. But I do think Man of the Year's commercials indicated that other than a mildly chuckle-worthy premise, the movie didn't offer any laughs. Judging by the reviews, I suspect that's the case.

Kim Hollis: Honestly, I think there's pretty much a threshold for Robin Williams these days and it doesn't much matter what you do. Good marketing can get you to the top of that watershed, but you're not going much further.

Reagen Corcoran: I think most people go to the movies to escape the real world events, so this movie seems a little ... "off" somehow.

Reagen Sulewski: I'm sure I've said this before, but looking at Williams's C.V., it's astonishing how many out and out bombs he's had. It's amazing he still has a career.

David Mumpower: It always looked like Wag the Dog for Stupid People. Since that one only made $43 million and had a sensational cast, this performance doesn't strike me as poor.

Reagen Corcoran: No pun intended, but Man of the Year just doesn't have the same satirical bite as Wag the Dog, which I think was a brilliant little film.

Tim Briody: Careful, Joel. I like the movie too, but those are fighting words around Reagen.

Reagen Sulewski: Heh. I almost said Wag the Dog is Wag the Dog For Stupid People.

David Mumpower: Like Reagen, I didn't care for the self-serving nature of Wag the Dog, but I don't think either of us is going to question that Man of the Year is low-brow by comparison.

Reagen Sulewski: I will give them credit for getting this much money out of recycling jokes from Robin's standup routine.

John Cena was sort of right. It's not that you *can't* see him, it's that you don't want to.

Kim Hollis: The Marine opened to an estimated $7 million in 2,545 venues. This is $2.4 million more than the WWE's first effort, See No Evil. Should they be pleased with this result?

Tim Briody: John Cena hatred incoming!

Reagen Sulewski: That's a pretty big opening weekend for a TNT movie.

David Mumpower: Considering that See No Evil opened in half the venues (1,257), not really. Both of these titles are like the XFL. Vince McMahon has tried this nonsense and it hasn't worked. Let's hope he moves along and doesn't bother us any more.

Joel Corcoran: I'm tempted to say "Who is John Cena?" but I'll just agree with David. I'm sure The Marine would've made a fine Saturday afternoon dalliance on the USA Network, but other than that, I agree with David.

Kim Hollis: Given the fact that even wrestling fans hate John Cena, I'm stunned it did this well.

David Mumpower: Kim, the key is that Cena has a strange following among pre-teen girls. So, this is like a mini (mini, mini, mini) version of Titanic.

Kim Hollis: But...he's ugly. And, well, ugly.

Joel Corcoran: Are you saying that John Cena is like a mini-me to Leonardo DiCaprio?

Reagen Sulewski: I officially don't understand pre-teen girls.

David Mumpower: His only real career option these days is the cover of Shirtless Boys Lacking Charisma Monthly.

Cue the Celine Dion music

Kim Hollis: The Departed had a strong second weekend, earning another $18.7 million. The star-studded action drama has earned $56.6 million in ten days. What do you think of the performance?

Reagen Sulewski: That's a pretty fantastic result these days. It's good to see a big name, highly hyped, critically acclaimed film actually perform up to expectations.

David Mumpower: This is the biggest hit of the fall to date and should stand alongside Saw III as the top performers between summer and the start of the holiday season. I would not be surprised to see it stand up as a strong awards contender, either. The Departed could wind up being the A Few Good Men of 2006.

Reagen Corcoran: I can definitely see that, David.

Kim Hollis: I really expect it to be right up there as far as awards movies go. There are a lot of actors the Academy loves right there.

David Mumpower: The biggest surprise here is that The Departed had genuinely nasty buzz in the months leading up to its release. Seeing it flip into the best reviewed film of 2006 is a startling reversal of (mis)fortune.

Reagen Sulewski: I hope Leo can finally shed his undeserved pretty-boy image because of this.

Kim Hollis: Agreed, Reagen. I really think he's the finest young actor in the business.

David Mumpower: He's no John Cena.

Joel Corcoran: Truer words have never been spoken.