Getting Off "Cheap"

Brandon Gray, of Box Office Mojo has posted the latest numbers in the ongoing derby between the current players jockeying for the coveted top film in the land. Over the extended holiday weekend that ended yesterday, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe edged out King Kong by a mere $1.2 million. The two epic fantasy films have been running neck and neck for the past 3 weeks or so.

Meanwhile, my final movie-going experience of 2005 turned out to be Cheaper By The Dozen 2, a better than expected follow-up to the 2003 remake of the original film from 1950. The sequel brings back Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt and the rest of the "Baker Clan" as they take one last family vacation together before a few of the older birds leave the nest. When a rival family, led by Eugene Levy, makes an issue of the Baker's parenting skills, this means war...The film is lightweight fluff that has oodles of charm and fun--despite a predictable-sit-com like script. Hunt gets off the film's funniest lines, as Levy and Martin are in charge of pulling off the physical comedy.