Remember last weekend's opening of the right-wing fantasy flick "American Carol," starring a who's who of Hollywood Republicans, those brave, brave souls who stand up for America in the European-left socialist colony of California? Know them: Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer, James Woods, among others -- with a special appearance by angry blowhard Bill O'Reilly playing himself. (In another movie with historical flashbacks, Bill would make a good Gestapo officer with a party pin in in his lapel.) In this stinkbomb, a Michael Moore-like figure who hates America and wants to abolish the 4th of July sees the error of his ways through "Christmas Carol"-like visits from George Patton, JFK, and George Washington. (Since when did JFK become a conservative icon? They hated him when he was alive -- I'm old enough to remember. Also, no scenes of the war-loving Patton slapping frightened, shell-shocked soldiers here.)
Well, on the opening weekend, this very unfunny "comedy" came in ninth, grossing about $200,000 more than Bill Maher's "Religulous," which came in tenth. ($3.6 million v. $3.4 million.)
So after a week of buzz, what happened this weekend? Seems that moviegoers aren't very impressed. Religulous grossed $2.095 million, compared to Carol's $1.395. Religulous finished 13th, Carol 15th.
Now here's the important thing: American Carol is showing on 1639 screens nationwide. Religulous is showing on 503. In other words, Religulous is handily outgrossing American Carol, even though it is showing on fewer than a third as many screens.
The public has spoken: American Carol sucks, and is plunging toward oblivion. Look for $2.00 dvds at Wal-Mart.