Scorsese owns your soul...

The final numbers are in and thankfully for Joe Scott, The Departed opened at #1. (If you don't know why I'm referencing to dear Joe, please listen to Thursday's broadcast a few scrolls down, and towards the end you'll hear of a certain promise Joe made to listeners in the depressing event that The Departed did not open at #1.)

Not only did Scorsese open at the top spot... his film raked in a career best for the veteran actor... an impressive 26.9 million dollars. (Impressive especially considering the R-rating.) But considering the cast, the marketing, and the movie itself, how could such a glorious first weekend gross not occur? Scorsese's previous best opening weekend happened way back in 1991 when his remake of the film Cape Fear opened with 10. 3 million.

The other crap films opening this weekend included The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Employee of the Month.

Employee opened with a respectible (aka WAY TOO HIGH) 11.4 million in the #4 position and our dear friend Leatherface gave us the most profitible film of the weekend (when considering costs to make) with 18.5 million in the #2 spot. If either of these films fell off the charts after these disappointingly, but not surprisingly, high draws, I personally would consider it a miracle.

With The Grudge 2 opening wide this Friday, I'm not anticipating that The Departed will remain #1, but I will until the day I die, plead that it SHOULD.

Full box-office tallies listed below:

1. The Departed $26.9 Million
2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning $18.5 Milliioin
3. Open Season $15.6 Million
4. Employee of the Month $11.4 Million
5. The Guardian $9.57 Million
6. Jackass Number Two $6.52 Million
7. School For Scoundrels $3.43 Millioin
8. Fearless $2.29 Million
9. Gridiron Gang $2.24 Millioin
10. The Illusionist $1.89 Million