50 FIRST DATES, the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore starrer, collected another $20.4M worth of hugs and kisses over the weekend ended Feb. 22, 2004 to finish first at the box office. So far, the Sony romantic comedy has garnered $71.7M over two weekends. Disney's CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN (with vfx by Intelligent Creatures) debuted in second place with $9.3M. Disney's MIRACLE held the third spot with $7.8M and a cume of $50.3M. Fox's WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT debuted in fourth with $6.77M. DreamWorks' EUROTRIP debuted right behind in fifth place with $6.71M. MGM's BARBERSHOP 2: BACK IN BUSINESS fell to sixth with $6.2M and $53.2M to date. MYSTIC RIVER got the best Oscar bump of the weekend, hopping from ninth to seventh with $3.09M and $79.2 to date. Paramount's AGAINST THE ROPES (with vfx from C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures) debuted in the eighth spot with $3.03M. New Line's THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (with vfx by Schminken Studio and Toybox) came in ninth with $2.9M and $53.2M. And last - but certainly not least - New Line's THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (with more amazing vfx from Weta Digital) slipped to 10th with $2.8M and a phenomenal $361.1M and still counting with its anticipated Oscar coronation on Sunday. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
