Despite having seven new releases to chart this week, only one of them made it to the top five. However, that film was The Departed and it dominated both the rental and the sales chart. It took in $9.86 million in rentals during its first week of releases pushing Flags of Our Fathers into second place with $6.33 million. Next up was The Marine with $4.27 million; that gives the film $15.81 million after three weeks of release and it will have no trouble topping its theatrical run on the home market, perhaps as early as next week. The same can't be said of Open Season as it has only earned $14.76 million in rentals, including $3.80 million this past week. However, kids movies usually perform better on the sales chart anyway. The final film in the top five was Flicka with $3.58 million this past week and $7.69 million after two.

The best of the rest was Marie Antoinette in seventh place with $3.33 million. School for Scoundrels just missed the top ten with $2.95 million while Half Neslon was one place behind with $2.92 million. While the two films were only $30,000 apart, the latter clearly had the better start as it took in more during its first week on the home market than it did during its entire theatrical run. Zoom was just able to make the top 20 with $2.10 million, which is about average given the film's theatrical run and its target demographic. The only two other new releases to chart were both limited releases and both took in more during their first week than they made theatrically. In 25th place was The U.S. vs. John Lennon with $1.36 million while The Quiet claimed 38th place with $1.01 million.

As already stated, The Departed dominated the sales chart selling more than three times the second place film, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time. That film in turn sold nearly double the third place film, Open Season, which actually rose from fourth to third. Falling the other direction was Flicka while School for Scoundrels rounded out the top five.

Other new releases to chart this week include Marie Antoinette in seventh place, Zoom in eighth, and way down in 17th was The Hills - The Complete First Season.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2007-02-24