Like on the sales chart there were plenty of new releases. However, there was a new number on film on the rental chart as There Will Be Blood opened in first place with $8.54 million. I did find it strange that a critically acclaimed, Oscar winning movie would do better on the rental charts than the sales charts. Usually this happens when people want to try before they buy, but this doesn't seem the type of movie that would happen with.

Alvin and the Chipmunks slipped to second place with $7.22 million in rentals for the week and $15.96 million after two. Lions for Lambs opened in third place with $6.83 million, just ahead of Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, which opened with $6.69 million. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Baker Street rounded out the top five with $6.52 million for the week and $14.59 million after two.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story started its home market run in seventh place with $5.70 million in rentals; this is close to a third of what it earned theatrical during its entire run, and it should match its total before long, but it is still disappointing. Reservation Road and Resurrecting the Champ were neck-and-neck in 11th and 12th places as the pair opened with $4.50 million and $4.20 million respectively. The final new release to chart was P2, which landed in 18th place with $2.83 million.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2008-04-21