New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Traitor, Hamlet 2, Babylon AD, College, Disaster Movie

Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope that many of you get to have a nice long weekend, I know we all could use a bit of a break. Perfect time to see the movie, don't you think? This weekend has five new films entering theaters around the nation. Of course, two of them arrived this past Wednesday, looking to get something of a head start. Now, none of them have any great pedigree behind them and none are likely to win any awards, but I am sure at least a couple of them have some redeeming values.

Traitor. (2008, 110 minutes, PG-13, thriller, trailer) This film brings together quite the impressive cast, including Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and Jeff Daniels. It centers on a former Special Ops agent (Cheadle) who know works aiding terrorists and an FBI agent (Pearce) in charge of a new task force whose investigations point towards Cheadle. I know, not much to go on. I really have not seen that much on it, other than I want to see Cheadle and Pearce.

Hamlet 2. (2008, 92 minutes, R, comedy, trailer) This looks very funny. Steve Coogan stars as a failed actor turned high school drama teacher, turns out he isn't good at that either. To save the department and his job he must put on a play. That play is a politically incorrect musical Hamlet 2. Sounds good to me!

Babylon AD. (2008, 90 minutes, PG-13, sci-fi/action, trailer) It cannot be good when the director bad mouths his own film on the eve of its release, but that is what is happening here. The production has been fraught with problems all the way through. Budget problems, location problems, studio problems, you name it. The last news I heard was that Fox cut 15 minutes out just so that it would be 90 minutes long, nothing else. This science fiction actioner starring Vin Diesel should be interesting to say the least.

College. (2008, 94 minutes, R, comedy, trailer) Wow, this looks bad. I may actually skip this one. It is the story of three high school friends who go on a weekend high school visit where they get hooked up a rowdy fraternity. Okay.

Disaster Movie. (2008, 94 minutes, PG-13, comedy, trailer) From the makers of Meet the Spartans comes another movie I am planning on skipping. This low brow spoof takes on all manner of big budget productions, including Hancock and Iron Man. No thanks. I like bad movies but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Sukiyaki Western Django
• Young People F**king

Box Office Predictions
This weekend will see the grosses continue to dip, despite getting a holiday bump on Monday. This will lead directly into next weekend as one of the weakest box office performers of the year. Will Vin Diesel rise to the top of the box office? Does he have a better chance than Jason Statham last week? I am sure I could be in for a surprise and I am completely wrong once again. Nothing new for me.

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

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Babylon AD	$17.5 million
2	Disaster Movie	$14 million
3	Tropic Thunder	$10 million
4	The Dark Knight	$7 million
5	The House Bunny	$7 million
6	College	$6 million
7	Death Race	$6 million
8	Traitor	$5 million
9	Hamlet 2	$3.5 million
10	Mamma Mia!	$3 million