Starring E! movie dude Ben Lyons

Beat Ben @ the Box Office: Monday Bloodbath!

Mon., Oct. 22, 2007 12:39 PM PDT by Ben Lyons

With the overall box office down 20 percent from this time last year, and the worst October performance in years, what the heck is going on, people?

Go see a movie!

20th Century Fox

Yes, the studio films have been lousy (The Comebacks, The Game Plan), while the limited released "Oscar fare" isn't expanding quickly. Beyond Into the Wild, few flicks have really performed well enough to graduate into wider release. Some good flicks, too: Michael Clayton, The Darjeeling Limited, Things We Lost in the Fire, Lars and the Real Girl.

Even the traditionally lucrative horror genre is tanking, as 30 Days of Night came in way under industry expectations, and Saw IV is tracking slowly.

Now add the dark, great Gone Baby Gone to the mix, and it's no surprise that despite strong word of mouth and positive reviews, Ben Affleck's first time directing was not a bigger draw at the box. It took in only $6 million, proving that I was a bit off the mark in this week's Beat Ben @ the Box Office.

Merie W. Wallace /Touchstone Pictures

Gritty, tough, violent—not an easy sell for those women who love seeing Ben and baby Violet in the rag mags. But you people: Turn off the football and get off the couch. There is great stuff at the movies, and the audiences are missing out. Tyler Perry, Sean Penn and Affleck all have films they've directed in theaters, and there's a great performance from Steve Carell in Dan in Real Life on the horizon.

Another reason you need to go see a movie? It helps me keep my job. Thanks!