New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Transformers, License to Wed

Yes, I know that this column is usually a fixture of Fridays, but this week nothing is going into wide release on Friday. The only films heading out into theaters this week are hitting on Tuesday, hoping to cash in the July Fourth holiday. This week will also bring us the biggest Tuesday opening ever, I am sure of it. The current record holder is the remake of The Omen which opened last June (6/6/06). Anyway, that leads to the early arrival of this column, and means that it will not be here on Friday. I hope all of you enjoy the holiday at the movies!

Transformers. (2007, 140 minutes, PG-13, science fiction/action, trailer). Michael Bay is on the cusp of having the biggest hit of his career. It is also the first time he has worked with Steven Spielberg, and is the second film since parting ways with Jerry Bruckheimer. Now, Bay catches a lot of flak for his generally soulless explosive films, but if there has ever been a perfect marriage of director and material, this could be it. Who else would be better to make a movie about robots fighting than a director who is great at blowing sh!t up? The trailers have been impressinve, and the fact they got Peter Cullen to voice Optimus Prime, this is looking better and better (Cullen voiced the big rig in the cartoon series).

License to Wed. (2007, 100 minutes, PG-13, comedy, trailer) Opening as a bit of counter programming to the mechanical mayhem of Transformers, is this romantic comedy that brings Robin Williams back to the big screen for the first time since Man of the Year and the first starring role for John Krasinski (The Office). The film pits an engaged couple, played by Krasinski and Mandy Moore, against a priest (Williams) and his pre-wedding class that the two must pass. It actually looks quite funny, and I hope it is as I think Krasinski has a bright future. Ken Kwapis, sitcom veteran (including The Office), directs.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Dynamite Warrior
• Introducing the Dwights
• Joshua
• The Method
• Rescue Dawn

Box Office Predictions
I know that this weeks films are opening just a little bit early, but my guesstimations are only going to comprise the Friday to Sunday weekend, so I will have a lot of time to second guess myself. Anyway, there is no doubt in my mind that Transformers will absolutely rule the weekend, with Ratatouille holding strong in second place. The rest is a little tougher to guess, what with some films showing great legs and others dropping like stones, who knows when the shoe may change feet.

Here is how I think the top ten field will play out:

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Transformers	$62 million
2	Ratatouille	$28 million
3	Live Free or Die Hard	$19 million
4	License to Wed	$17 million
5	Evan Almighty	$7 million
6	Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer	$5 million
7	Knocked Up	$4 million
8	1408	$4 million
9	Ocean's Thirteen	$3 million
10	Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End	$2.5 million

What are you seeing this weekend?