Box Office Update: "Lorax" Speaks for the Green

I feel bad for a film like "The Artist", which spends the entire season an underdog with unnecessary groans from the vast majority, defeats those to take home five strong Academy Awards last Sunday, and still can't grind out a large enough audience. It's not that the film is of too high prestige. I'd argue that it plays for as many giddy laughs as the big comedies out there, with just as much heart and investment from the cast and crew. I feel like plenty of large audiences would love it if they gave it a shot. The fact that they haven't only serves to disappoint me. Are audiences today really that cynical to refuse a loving ode to the past and progression of cinema? Is "The Lorax" really worth the $70.7 million it took home this weekend?

Perhaps it's unfair to pull a punch against a film I haven't seen, but all the advertisements have seemed so desperately cutesy, to the point of a brain aneurysm. I suppose you can't blame kids for knowing what they want, but they could've chosen much better. But it's hard to gripe at the continuing progression of this box office season. It's not at all a bad thing that people are once again so passionate to go to the movies. I just wish they were being offered something better than "Project X" as an outlet. In fact, I'm somewhat surprised the college comedy didn't bring more in this weekend. It seemed like so many people were chomping at the bit to see that one, only for it to not take that much above average. But overall, films held well, and the box office continued to truck along. It may sag a bit next weekend with the coming of "John Carter", or it may just surprise in a positive manner.

1. "The Lorax" ($70.7 million; First Weekend)

2. "Project X" ($20.8 million; First Weekend)

3. "Act of Valor" ($13.7 million; Second Weekend)

4. "Safe House" ($7.2 million; Fourth Weekend)

5. "Good Deeds" ($7 million; Second Weekend)

6. "Journey 2" ($6.9 million; Fourth Weekend)

7. "The Vow" ($6.1 million; Fourth Weekend)

8. "This Means War" ($5.6 million; Third Weekend)

9. "Ghost Rider" ($4.7 million; Third Weekend)

10. "The Artist" ($3.9 million; Fifteenth Weekend)