So Terminator opens to what anyone but me thinks is a low number, while Night kicks so much ass that it charts as Ben Stiller’s biggest open ever, for those of you keeping track of comparative Ben Stiller box office.

In an instructive lesson about box office estimation, however, I did learn that the original Night went on to make eight times its first weekend, a gross violation of the 3x opening rule that I usually use to estimate how close I’ve come to a correct estimation when the opening weekend grosses are announced.  In other words, “nobody knows anything,” least of all me.

But you should totally believe the rest of this preview anyway.

5/29

Wide

UP

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy attaches a bunch of balloons to his house and goes on an adventure with an accidental sidekick.

WILL IT SUCK?
Not likely.  Even if you consider Monsters, Inc. to be one of the weaker Pixar efforts, it’s still a great film, and that film’s director co-directs here with up-and-comer Bob Peterson, who co-wrote Ratatouille and Finding Nemo before penning this.  Put another way: Relax.  It’s Pixar.

Early buzz is sick good.  100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.  Tears at the Cannes screening.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Relax.  It’s Pixar.  $237mil.

DRAG ME TO HELL

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Never turn an evil old woman down for a mortgage extension.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz indicates that Evil Dead II Sam Raimi is back and kicking Spider-Man 3 Raimi’s ass.  Also at 100% on RT as of this writing.  Has that ever happened for two movies on the same opening weekend?  Much less two wide releases?  In the summer?

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Horror can be tricky in the summer.  $45mil.

Limited

DEPARTURES

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy loses job as cellist, becomes mortician.

WILL IT SUCK?
It better not.  Flick cost me my Best Foreign Oscar pick when it upset Waltz With Bashir.  Early buzz is good.  Nabbed a score of other awards, too, including a sweep of the Awards of the Japanese Academy.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Winning Best Foreign doesn’t always guarantee box office.  Especially if you weren’t well-known going into the race.  $1mil.

Next Week: That little bit of trivia about Will Ferrell’s role in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back finally comes in handy.