41,000 huh? Didn't Melinda and Melinda just have 74,000? I mean, for a PTA. Of course M&M got released in only one screen, so that's a bit of a deception.

2000 screens is a mssaive expansion, I don't doubt it will do decently, but if I remember correctly I suggested its release pattern should start will NY and LA, which it did. I feel these two cities are going to be far more receptive to the movie than anywhere else, even other large cities.

The odd thing is, that while I enjoyed it and thought it was a pretty good movie, I could see how many people wouldn't. It taps into a particular sense of humor (including the landlady running like the cartoon roadrunner) that many people won't enjoy. Its also still slapstick. For someone like me that isn't used to that, seeing the landlady crash into a billboard, or that barber assistant that always had his pants hanging half off his butt, were actually some of the odd moments. I enjoyed it most when Chow blared the soundtrack (I really thought it was a tasteful and fun song) and had the sweeping shots of the Axe Gang all decked out in sleek clothing. I appreciated the moments that were more serious, or comic, but not slapstick, much more than the raw physical humor parts. That's a personal disdain for slapstick however, but there aren't very many movies nowadays that keep us familiar with that genre.

Farrelly Brothers tried to do it for awhile, and Jim Carrey does, but I don't necessarily think that all of that audiance is going to see this movie.

The reviews are ok now, but expect them to drop when 2000 screen expansion comes. I enjoyed the movie, but as I said, I could see how many wouldn't.

I still don't see it reaching 15 million for some reason.

My review is up too: http://www.worldofkj.com/Galia-KungFuHustle.php

It has more to do with the non-fighting parts. They're pretty deeply sourced in other media, and people may not get it. Hell, it took me a long time to catch the landlady = jackal from roadrunner cartoons even with the speeding legs and crashing into the billboard. When I was first watching it I didn't think it was all that funny. Only half way through that chase sequence did I realize what was going on. Then I found it incredibly smart, but still as much of that has to do with my appreciation for the cartoon appropriation than it did of my actual enjoyment while sitting through that scene. Its still a section I find the most boring, actually. I just realize what it was trying to do and respect it for that. Others may not.

Its still going to do fairly well, but you have to remember only about 5 international movies ever have broken 20 million here, so getting 12 is still about a top 10-20 movies of all time for imports. That's pretty damn good.

:shock: i really can't believe this. this weekend, Kung Fu Hustle only drop an estimated 1.9% from last weekend. so that's mean it grossed more or less the same like last week. and i want to say this incredible. nest weekend expansion of Kung Fu Hustle is gonna Kick-Ass!!!!

While "Shaolin" distributor Miramax Films started with a strong marketing campaign, it delayed the film's release for about year then booked the film in only 6 theaters. It reached its maximum exposure on only 42 screens.

Chow said he disliked Miramax's English language version and added that "Shaolin Soccer" should have remained in Chinese with subtitles.

"With (Sony Pictures) everything was discussed. It wasn't about them saying, 'We are going to do this and that,' but about hearing my ideas -- a real collaboration," Chow said.