#9. Waitress
Nothing makes a critic feel worse than the emotional badgering of self-styled “feel-good” comedies. But this one I found pretty darned lovable. Keri Russell is the pregnant piemaker who is abused by her husband and attracted to her McDreamy OB-GYN. Writer-director Adrienne Shelly (who was randomly murdered before the film’s release) mixes the comic and social ingredients to make a film that’s bumptious, scrumptious fun.
According to Box Office Mojo Waitress hit the DVD charts at #3 during it’s first week of release.
| Movie Title | Weekly Gross | Gross-to-Date | Wk # | |
| 1 | Live Free or Die Hard | $10.26 | $ 22.68 | 2 |
| 2 | Shrek the Third | $ 7.44 | $ 27.55 | 3 |
| 3 | Waitress | $ 6.81 | $ 6.81 | 1 |
| 4 | Hairspray (2007) | $ 6.68 | $ 16.28 | 2 |
| 5 | Ocean’s Thirteen | $ 5.32 | $ 19.72 | 3 |
| 6 | Rescue Dawn | $ 5.31 | $ 11.74 | 2 |
| 7 | I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry | $ 4.73 | $ 27.90 | 4 |
| 8 | Spider-Man 3 | $ 3.96 | $ 33.17 | 5 |
| 9 | Mr. Bean’s Holiday | $ 3.94 | $ 3.94 | 1 |
| 10 | The Namesake | $ 3.92 | $ 3.92 | 1 |
20th Century Fox Film Distributors and over 50 participating cinemas nationally will also be hosting special PINK RIBBON PREVIEWS of the new romantic comedy WAITRESS on Sunday October 21. Tickets will be a flat $10 per person, with all proceeds going to The Cancer Council. WAITRESS stars Keri Russell (best known as TV’s Felicity), as a diner waitress stuck in a lousy marriage whose only solace is baking out-of-this-world pies. When the awkwardly charming Dr Pomatter comes to town, she’s inspired to mix-master her life into something much more satisfying! WAITRESS opens nationally on October 25.
20th Century Fox has 2 prize packs to giveaway each includes all 12 Pink DVDs from THE PINK RANGE and also a double pass to see the new film WAITRESS to giveaway.
PLUS, we have 20 runner up double passes to see the film WAITRESS.
20th Century Fox has teamed up with Pink Ribbon Day [in Australia], announcing two national fund raising initiatives to support The Cancer Council’s work in breast cancer research, support and education.
See the new romantic comedy WAITRESS at any of the special Pink Ribbon Previews on Sunday October 21 and all proceeds (less GST) from the $10 ticket price will go to The Cancer Council. Full cinema and session details below.
Released nearly 21 weeks ago, the film ‘Waitress’ has brought in more than $19 Million domestically and over $20 million worldwide.
‘Waitress’ is still showing in cinemas in the US and has started showing in other countries. The DVD is expected to be available in the US from the 31st of October and Canada from the 27th of November.
Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced comedy Waitress which stars Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines, and Nathan Fillion. The disc will be available to own from the 31st October, and should retail at around $29.98.
Extras will include:
Completing the package will be 3 Fox Movie Channel Presents features with Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines and Nathan Fillion, and a message from Keri Russell about the Adrienne Shelly Foundation.
Actor Nathan Fillion is soon to appear on our TV screens in ‘Desperate Housewives’ and is filming in the new independent movie ‘Trucker’, yet he still makes time to do something he hopes will make a difference. Fillion is collaborating with author PJ Haarsma and a team of volunteers to help get books into libraries with limited resources.
Friendship, writing, getting kids to read, Halo… The tables are turned and Nathan Fillion asks the questions… Nathan & PJ talk about how PJ started writing and why they’re both passionate about the “Kids Need to Read” project finishing up with some fun Halo discussion which includes an audio link..
The Kids Need to Read project, led by sci-fi author PJ Haarsma and supported by actor Nathan Fillion and many volunteers has been officially launched.
One of the goals of this charitable program is to encourage active literacy in reluctant young readers. It is difficult for books to compete against the constant bombardment of advertising for television, movies, video games and other electronics aimed at children. Add to that a young person who finds reading difficult and there is little incentive for them to pick up a book. Mr. Haarsma’s imaginative and fast-paced book, The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1, has proven to be immensely appealing to children who have lost interest in books. It will be the first book Kids Need to Read donates to libraries in need. The commitment of Kids Need to Read is to expand the project to include other books, authors and celebrities so that more children will be exposed to the enrichment that reading can bring to their lives. The names of libraries that would benefit from book donations can be submitted at the Kids Need to Read website.
To raise funds, this program sells special packages, the total profits of which are used to buy books for needy schools and libraries. The package prices start as low as $5 and range up to $95. Of special interest to Nathan Fillion fans is a spectacular fan package filled with an amazing array of items. Among the many items included are copies of The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1, signed by both PJ and Nathan; autographed limited edition collector’s cards and a CD featuring Nathan’s awesome audio recording of the first three chapters of The Softwire. But there’s even more than that - you can find out what goodies are available at the Kids Need to Read website www.kidsneedtoread.org.
The preview screenings will take place at 6.30pm (film starts 7.00pm) on Tuesday 7 August and 6.00pm (film starts 6.30pm) on Wednesday 8 August.
How To Get Your Free Tickets
Click here and enter in the code 820038 to claim your free tickets.
Participating cinemas:
Vue Longwell Green 7th August 6:30pm (starts 7:00pm)
Odeon Birmingham 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Bournemouth 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Brighton 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Cardiff 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Colchester 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon East Kilbride 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Edinburgh KP 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Gateshead 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Leeds/Bradford 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Leicester 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Switch Island 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Norwich 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Panton Street 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Printworks 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Greenwich 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Swansea 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Odeon Whiteleys 8th August 6:00pm (starts 6:30pm)
Shelly’s husband, Andrew Ostroy, said he hoped the film would raise money for a foundation he created in his wife’s name to provide grants and scholarships to young women filmmakers.
“Obviously it’s incredibly bittersweet,” Ostroy said in an interview. “It’s been a real benefit to the foundation to be able to ride the wave of success and awareness that the film has given the foundation.”
Waitress registered the second-highest US box-office takings per screen on its opening weekend, second only to Spider-Man 3. The film is due for wider release in Australia on October 4.
Waitress has been an outstanding success bringing in over $17 Million having played in theaters across the country for 10 weeks (following several weeks of free screenings in various states) and remaining in the box office top 20 with 3 weeks spent in the top 10.
| Week# | Weekend | Rank | W’end Gross | Theaters | Average | Gross to Date | |||
| 1 | 04 | - | 06 | May | 36 | $92,034 | 4 | $23,008 | $111,708 |
| 2 | 11 | - | 13 | May | 17 | $656,988 | 65 | $10,107 | $808,932 |
| 3 | 18 | - | 20 | May | 12 | $1,081,022 | 116 | $9,319 | $2,122,601 |
| 4* | 25 | - | 28 | May | 5 | $4,005,008 | 510 | $7,852 | $6,522,396 |
| 5 | 01 | - | 03 | Jun | 6 | $2,012,857 | 605 | $3,327 | $9,441,911 |
| 6 | 08 | - | 10 | Jun | 9 | $1,600,600 | 707 | $2,263 | $11,967,049 |
| 7 | 15 | - | 17 | Jun | 11 | $1,258,470 | 615 | $2,046 | $14,071,871 |
| 8 | 22 | - | 24 | Jun | 13 | $941,899 | 528 | $1,783 | $15,763,789 |
| 9 | 29 | - | 01 | Jul | 17 | $469,384 | 314 | $1,494 | $16,761,797 |
| 10 | 06 | - | 08 | Jul | 19 | $387,020 | 227 | $1,704 | $17,447,571 |
*Memorial Day weekend
THE Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to be a blockbuster in 2007 with an
outstanding selection of films from around the world and more free outdoor community screenings
than ever before. BIFF’s ticketed programme, which will run from 2 to 12 August, will bring together more than 100 films from across the world, as well as a selection of home-grown Australian titles.
****SPOILER**** Some of these points may contain spoilers
Living up to predictions of being this year’s independent hit, Waitress reached Weekend Gross #5 at the box office this weekend.
| Movie | W’kend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | |
|
1
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End |
$115,057,000
|
4362
|
$129,057,000
|
|
2
|
Shrek the Third |
$53,011,000
|
4172
|
$203,349,000
|
|
3
|
Spider-Man 3 |
$14,200,000
|
3723
|
$303,842,000
|
|
4
|
Bug |
$3,310,000
|
1661
|
$3,310,000
|
|
5
|
Waitress |
$3,075,000
|
510
|
$5,592,000
|
|
6
|
28 Weeks Later |
$2,585,000
|
2013
|
$23,706,000
|
|
7
|
Disturbia |
$1,921,000
|
1632
|
$74,431,000
|
|
8
|
Georgia Rule |
$1,856,000
|
1904
|
$16,281,000
|
|
9
|
Fracture |
$1,200,000
|
907
|
$36,724,000
|
|
10
|
Wild Hogs |
$1,092,000
|
426
|
$162,919,000
|
|
11
|
Away from Her |
$750,000
|
256
|
$2,371,000
|
|
12
|
The Invisible |
$603,000
|
457
|
$18,712,000
|
|
13
|
Blades of Glory |
$525,000
|
317
|
$116,249,000
|
|
14
|
Delta Farce |
$500,000
|
833
|
$7,192,000
|
|
15
|
Hot Fuzz |
$496,000
|
462
|
$22,171,000
|
Waitress came in at number 2, second to Spider-Man 3, this weekend based on average per screen with a limited release in just 4 cinemas. Waitress has also been seen in other cinemas around the country through special events, festivals and free screenings.
| Movie Title | Studio | Average | Weekend Gross | Total Gross |
| Spider-Man 3 | Sony | $34,807 | $148,000,000 | $148,000,000 |
| Waitress | FoxS | $22,875 | $91,500 | $111,000 |
| Paris, je t’aime | First | $18,900 | $37,800 | $37,800 |
| Away from Her | LGF | $14,000 | $56,000 | $56,000 |
May 13th is Mother’s Day. Why not take this opportunity to see Waitress and receive a free gift bag for your mom.
Special Mother’s Day screenings will be taking place across the country on May 13th. You can purchase tickets and send your mother an invitation through the Fox Searchlight moviewithmom.com website.
2007 SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS (2007-04-23)
The Sarasota Film Festival Competition and Audience Awards were announced at a reception hosted by Metro Coffee & Wine, on Saturday afternoon, April 22nd, 2007.
The awards were introduced by Festival Director of Programming, Tom Hall and Festival Programmer, Holly Herrick and were presented by each of the competition category jurors. The Audience Awards were presented by Hall and Herrick…..
The 2007 Narrative Feature Competition Award was presented to “Waitress,†directed by Adrienne Shelly.
The award carries a $5,000 cash prize.
Fox Searchlight is conducting free Waitress screenings across the country. To find out if there is a screening near you, visit this page.
Closing Night - Waitress - 18 April 2007
The Philadelphia Film Society is dedicated to the presentation of film and video in the Greater Philadelphia area as a powerful form of artistic expression and a unique force for cultural diversity and international understanding. Its mission is to engage the diverse communities of the region by producing major film events and other year-round programming.
The 16th Philadelphia Film Festival, 5-18 April 07, comes to a close with a ceremony announcing the Jury and Audience Awards, followed by the East Coast Premiere of Waitress – a touching, bittersweet drama of hope and redemption – screening at The Prince Music Theater.
Screening at 7:30 - Prince Music Theater
Tickets on sale: Mon, Mar. 19