PRAISE FOR "SLEEPING BEAUTY" AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Still from Sleeping Beauty

Andrew O’Hehir at Salon is one of the first to review Julia Leigh’s Sleeping Beauty which is getting a tremendous amount of buzz at the Cannes Film Festival. In the Review, he calls the Australian Film “a strikingly impressive debut”. 

The Toronto International Film Festival’s Cameron Bailey who would is on the look-out to being titles over to Toronto this September, noted on Twitter that “Realized I watched SLEEPING BEAUTY through feminist film theory goggles, but others didn't.” – meaning he “got” it, despite mixed reactions. I’m expecting this one to get a Premiere at TIFF, seeing that Producer Jane Campion has a good relationship with the Festival and that TIFF is never shy of avoiding controversial titles.

"HOP" ON TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from Hop

The Easter Bunny arrives early this year, despite our late Easter this year. Universal Pictures wins the Box Office battle with authority this weekend, taking in $38.1 million from 3,579 theatres. The Russell Brand-voiced Animated Feature also stars handsome and lithe James Marsden, who did a bulk of the promotion for the Film, including radio appearances on Toronto's CHUM-FM last week.

Summit Entertainment's Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal surprisingly made only $15 million in its debut, landing in second spot despite winning rave reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has it pegged at 86% on its Tomatometer.

Horror Flick Insidious debuts in third with $13.5 million for SAW creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Generally, the Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne-starring Film which premiered at TIFF this past September, has received positive reviews.

Last week's champion, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules slips to fourth in its second week with $10.2 million, just ahead of another former Box Office topper, Limitless in fifth with $9.4 million.

Despite landing in second spot last week, Warner Bros.' Sucker Punch slips to seventh this weekend, a change of -68.1% from last weekend.

Rounding out the Top Ten is Battle: Los Angeles which just broke even, surpassing the $70 million mark, the amount for which it was made.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2 "RULES" THE BOX OFFICE

Still from Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2

Although Warner Bros.’ Sucker Punch was expected to top the Box Office this weekend based on Friday night’s numbers, alas Family prevails. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules landed on top with $24.4 million for Fox, already making back its $21 million budget. The Film based on the popular Children’s books, is the second in its series.

Sucker Punch wound up placing second with $19 million. Despite horrendous reviews, the Zack Snyder (The Watchmen) Action-Fantasy still fares respectably. It was made though for $85 million, but just might do well overseas where it has yet to open.

Last week’s champion Limitless slips to third this weekend with $15.2 million, bringing its total earnings domestically to $41.2 million, finishing just ahead of The Lincoln Lawyer which made $11 million in its second week.

Former number one Battle: Los Angeles finds itself in sixth spot with $7.6 million, just surpassing the $70 million market, for which it was made.

Still going strong is The Adjustment Bureau in ninth spot with $4.2 million, after having been in theatres now for seven weeks. It also just made back its production costs for Universal Pictures, having been made for $50 million.