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Around the World Roundup: 'Simpsons' Edge Out 'Harry Potter'

In a close call, The Simpsons Movie kept Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at bay to lead the foreign box office for the third straight weekend. The cartoon comedy's $24.12 million narrowly topped Potter's $24.1 million.

'Rush Hour 3' Packs Less Punch

Kicking off with less than two thirds the attendance wallop of its predecessor, Rush Hour 3 drew $49.1 million on approximately 5,200 screens at 3,778 theaters, topping the weekend box office. New Line Cinema's action comedy sequel starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, which reportedly cost $140 million to make, saw initial popularity closer to the first Rush Hour than Rush Hour 2. Will SmithMartin Lawrence

Third Rush Still Fun

Six years after their last movie, the cross-cultural chemistry is still present between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 3 but, with less Chan action, the pendulum swings in favor of Tucker's humor. The picture's an amusing action-comedy romp but it's also a slapdash affair that doesn't pack as much fun and thrills as its predecessors. Brett Ratner

'Back to the Future' Ride, 'Dynasty,' 'Hawaii Five-O' on DVD

Burbank, California—It was Back to the Future at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California, where the powers that be have decided to close the popular attraction on Sept. 3, replacing it next year with a ride based on Fox's animated television show The Simpsons. The theme park is also giving away a 1981 DeLorean (less than 10,000 cars were made.)

Around the World Roundup: 'Simpsons' Tops in Second Frame

At the foreign box office, The Simpsons Movie easily retained weekend top spot with a sturdy estimated $47.3 million. The cartoon comedy, which has accumulated $190 million, had more huge openings and its holdovers didn't drop as precipitously as it did domestically.

'Bourne Ultimatum' Accepted

Though the camera work is shaky as ever, Jason Bourne remained steady in his third outing, delivering the best initial grosses of the series. The Bourne Ultimatum commanded $69.3 million on approximately 5,200 screens at 3,660 theaters, driven by the good will and intrigue that its predecessors generated and a marketing campaign that promised a thrilling closure.

Third Bourne Satisfies

Neither as taut nor as intelligent as the 2002 original, The Bourne Identity, and an improvement over the 2004 sequel, The Bourne Supremacy, director Paul Greengrass's The Bourne Ultimatum pieces together plenty of well-earned thrills. Matt Damon returns as Jason Bourne—not his real name, revealed in the previous installment as David Webb—and he's still stoic. Joan AllenJulia Stiles

'Viva Las Vegas' and Sin City Travel Notes

Burbank, California—For a giddy, mid-20th century good time, it doesn't get better than Warner Bros.' Deluxe DVD Edition of Viva Las Vegas, starring the incomparable Elvis Presley. It's part of a tidal wave of Elvis DVD releases, none of which are great motion pictures. But Elvis in Vegas is naughty, cheesy fun.

A Bland Sequel is Bourne

Not quite picking up where the exciting original, The Bourne Identity, left off, The Bourne Supremacy deposits runaway lovers Marie (Franka Potente) and Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) somewhere in India, still pondering his true identity, leafing through notes and sketches and looking over their shoulders for armed and dangerous remnants of the Treadstone project. Joan AllenJulia StilesBrian CoxPaul Greengrass

Around the World Roundup: 'Simpsons' Super in Debut

The global appeal for The Simpsons Movie unveiled itself over the weekend as the cartoon opened to $96.9 million from 71 markets. It was by far the largest opening ever for an American comedy and even topped the final tally of Wedding Crashers. The Simpsons's 18-year history on television equated to huge awareness and a built-in audience. Adam Sandler

'Simpsons' Leaps to Big Screen Success

Cashing in on 18 years of pop cultural prominence, The Simpsons Movie drew a stellar $74 million on approximately 5,500 screens at 3,922 theaters over the weekend. The $75 million animated feature helped propel the weekend to the highest attendance on record for the final frame of July. Adam Sandler

Comedy-Drama Made to Order

"Sometimes, life isn't made to order" goes the line for No Reservations starring Catherine Zeta-Jones—but this pat, predictable comedy-drama certainly is and it still cooks a surprisingly delightful meal with Zeta-Jones as the main dish. Aaron Eckhart

Ulrich Muhe Dies, Disney Bans Smoking

Burbank, California—My first reaction upon hearing the news that 54-year-old actor Ulrich Muhe, who played the precise communist tool in The Lives of Others, had died of stomach cancer was shock, followed by a flush of sadness. Having recently watched the movie on DVD, scheduled for an Aug. 21 release, it is easy to see that the late actor is outstanding in the role. His appearances on the disc's features, already chilling given his personal survival of communist control, will undoubtedly receive increased scrutiny in the wake of his death. Adam Sandler

Around the World Roundup: 'Harry Potter' Commands Second Frame

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix took a sizeable hit over the weekend while still adding remarkable openings from new territories. The fifth entry in the boy wizard franchise had steeper drops than its predecessors in some markets, while others saw better holds than the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. All told, Order of the Phoenix conjured $102.5 million from 58 territories for a $353.2 million total.

'Chuck & Larry' Can't Stop 'Hairspray' Sheen

{lnk44345}I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry{/lnk} and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix led the weekend box office, but Hairspray was the word, delivering the biggest opening on record for a musical, even when ticket price inflation is taken into account. John TravoltaAdam Sandler

Around the World Roundup: 'Harry Potter' Conjures Massive Debut

Despite playing in less than half the territories of both Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in their openings, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix generated $193 million from 44 territories over five days, the third highest-grossing foreign debut ever. It topped the overall debuts of all previous Harry Potter movies, a feat never before seen by a fifth picture in a franchise, and easily ranked first everywhere it opened.

Light Musical Can't Stop the Beat

Light as a feather, unrelenting and infectious, Hairspray is an exhausting ensemble vehicle with ample rewards. Great tunes and emotional depth are not among them, but this remake (I did not see previous incarnations) has enough highly charged numbers for a hundred high school musicals. James MarsdenMichelle PfeifferQueen LatifahChristopher WalkenJohn TravoltaAdam ShankmanAmanda Bynes

'Harry Potter' Flies with the 'Phoenix'

The Harry Potter series once again exerted its box office might with its fifth entry, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Though the picture had by far the smallest opening weekend of the franchise, due to its Wednesday debut burning off demand, it handily conjured the best five-day start.

Around the World Roundup: 'Transformers' Ratchets Up

At the foreign box office, Transformers charged the weekend top spot, raking in $47.2 million from 29 markets, an expansion of 19, for a $97.2 million total.

Interview: 'Hairspray's James Marsden

James Marsden, 33, talks about singing and dancing in the musical Hairspray, dressing in drag for an audition and fan response to the demise of his X-Men character Cyclops. Hugh JackmanAdam ShankmanJohn TravoltaMichelle PfeifferSarah Jessica ParkerJohnny DeppAdam SandlerSusan SarandonJohn WayneKatharine Hepburn
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