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By Mormon News Film Editor
Film: 'Oceans Eleven' and 'Behind Enemy Lines' Lead at Box Office
DALLAS, TEXAS -- The big news in film this week was the not
unexpected first place box office performance of "Ocean's Eleven,"
directed by Steven Soderbergh (who received two Best Director Academy
Award nominations last year for "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic").
Although the "Ocean's Eleven" filmmakers are not Latter-day Saints,
two of the eponymous "Eleven" are Mormons.
Non-LDS actors Scott Caan and Casey Affleck play Turk and Virgil
Malloy -- Mormon twins hired by Johnny Ocean to assist in his
simultaneous robbery of three Las Vegas casinos. The inclusion of
these characters may be oddly appropriate, considering the fact that
roughly 2 out of 11 Las Vegas residents are LDS, and the city itself
was founded by Latter-day Saints. This is also Soderbergh's 3rd major
film with LDS characters (after very minor inclusion in "The Limey"
and "Traffic"). Of course, robbing casinos may not qualify the
fictional Malloy brothers as role models, but maybe working with
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts made them
momentarily lose their heads.
"Behind Enemy Lines," written by Mormon writer David Veloz and
inspired by the downing of Utah pilot Scott O'Grady, continued to
draw in large audiences in its 2nd week of release. It was 3rd at the
box office, bringing its total gross to $31 million.
There must be quite a few snowboarding enthusiasts or A.J. Cook fans
out there, because "Out Cold" remained in the top 10 in its third
week of release. With LDS Canadian (now a Utah resident) A.J. Cook as
female lead, the movie has earned over $12 million.
Pixar's "Monsters, Inc" was in 4th place, an impressive showing
considering the film has been playing for five weeks. Mark Andrus'
"Life as a House" was in 11th place nationwide.
Next Week: Mitch Davis's long awaiting Tongan missionary film "The
Other Side of Heaven" opens in Sandy at the Jordan Commons, and in
Orem at the Scera. The following week it will open throughout Utah.
Also: Find out which LDS screenwriter inspired Peter Jackson to make
"The Lord of the Rings."
Weekend Box Office Report (U.S. Domestic Box Office Gross)
Weekend of December 7, 2001
Natl
Rank | Film Title
LDS/Mormon Filmmaker(s) or Actor(s) | Weekend Gross
Total Gross | Screens | Days |
| 1 | Ocean's Eleven (NEW)
LDS characters: Malloy twins | $38,107,822
38,107,822 | 3,075 | 3 |
| 3 | Behind Enemy Lines
David Veloz (screenwriter) | 8,042,009
31,180,676 | 2,844 | 10 |
| 8 | Out Cold
A. J. Cook (female lead) | 1,396,830
12,242,292 | 1,651 | 19 |
| 35 | Mulholland Drive
Joyce Eliason (producer/writer) | 70,755
5,265,058 | 89 | 63 |
| 42 | Joy Ride
Paul Walker (2nd billed star) | 37,795
21,886,577 | 97 | 66 |
| 52 | China: The Panda Adventure
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 19,993
1,614,293 | 21 | 136 |
| 63 | Galapagos
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 11,647
11,949,525 | 9 | 773 |
| 64 | Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 11,123
12,922,604 | 7 | 584 |
| 72 | Island of the Sharks
Alan Williams (composer) | 7,125
10,545,039 | 6 | 955 |
| 82 | All Access
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 4,556
971,694 | 4 | 258 |
| 114 | Mark Twain's America 3D
Alan Williams (composer) | 217
2,136,342 | 1 | 1256 |
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