Business is abysmal at local moviehouses. Weekend attendance was off 27 percent from the 2004 low reached the previous weekend.
The opening of the SouthSide Works Cinemas 10 on Friday should more than make up for the permanent closing last Sunday of the 10-screen Showcase East in Wilkins and the four-screen Denis in Mt. Lebanon, both of which had been struggling for years.
But incoming movies will have to pick up a lot of slack because only one picture out there now, "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," is doing anything, and it's the sort of movie that peters out after opening weekend.
"Resident Evil: Apocalypse" easily tops the local and national charts, but the zombie sequel is strictly a short-term fix for the September blues.
"Cellular," a thriller with Kim Basinger, debuts in second place on both charts, ranking that high by default in a barely functioning marketplace.
"Without a Paddle" is No. 3 here, off 46 percent.
"Hero" takes fourth, sliding 39 percent.
No. 5 is "Collateral," down 40 percent.
"The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" is able to hold on to sixth place by virtue of a slight 35 percent drop.
"Wicker Park" is taking the biggest tumble of the week -- 62 percent -- in its fall from second place to seventh.
"Vanity Fair" is in eighth place with a 53 percent decline in attendance.
"The Manchurian Candidate" ranks ninth, off 54 percent.
Finishing 10th is "Paparazzi," fading 52 percent.
The lifelines arriving here Friday will be "Stander," "Wimbledon," "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," "National Lampoon's Gold Diggers," "What the Bleep Do We Know," "Mr. 3000," "Bright Young Things" and "Code 46."
10th life of 'Cats'
"Cats," a musical that has been here on tour 10 times, played to 63 percent of capacity in its eight-performance return to the Benedum Center, Downtown. It grossed $631,227 on the strength of 14,211 patrons.
