Box Office: Room for dreamy stake of INCEPTION and SALTy fast food of Jolie's bullets

Once the almost across-the-board solid reviews for Inception came in, the first hurdle for Warner Bros. to climb was in finding a large opening audience for a highly complex, thinking man's movie that year in, year out - continue to be tough sells for the Type A movie-goer. Type A movie-goer, aka 'Joe Popcorn', is the individual that 99% of the films you see this summer are aimed at. They are the 18-34 year old male/females & their friends who are just looking for a good time on a Friday night. Pure entertainment thrills is all they are after. Inception did that. They came, they enjoyed, it made them think more than usual but it clearly passed. All smiles at WB. Second hurdle to pass was whether Type A movie-goer would - via word-of-mouth - convince friends/family of the smart movie-goer (i.e. type B) to see the movie on it's second weekend and beyond. Type B movie-goers are usually older, with kids/responsibilites and who would prefer to watch the film 'hassle-free' at home on DVD and might visit the cinema less than a dozen times a year. Well they came for this, the mid-week Inception numbers are proof of that. The third hurdle was to again convince the Type A movie-goer, those who were busy last weekend or snubbed their nose at it initially, to pass up the chance of seeing a Joe-Popcorn friendly experience in Salt - a seemingly mindless movie that these wretched souls are happy to see dozens of times a year - and instead jump out of their stereotype and see Inception. And my friends, it did just that... Inception stays top for week two of release, grossing $44 million, dropping only 31% from it's first weekend. That's unprecedented for a blockbuster in this environment and it's encouraging for us that an original idea managed to stay the course when so many overly hyped big name franchises have stumbled and fallen once the giddy fanboys had made their trips to the cinema. Domestically, Inception is on $143.6 million. Still in the red, but it'll get there fine. (there being $200 million to be in the green, $300 million to really be considered a huge movie at WB). Worldwide, it's on $227 million. Angelina Jolie's Salt earned $36.5 million at second, and should be on course for $100 million domestic and change, I'd say. I think Salt might have actually benefited from Inception's large opening because I've had one or two Type B's say the trailer had peaked their interest - which I personally thought was akin to saying I went to a Gordon Ramsey restaurant, was happy with my tender, succulent and delicious steak, but I was anxious to try the happy meal at the McDonald's I saw down the road. Hmmm. A further point; I'm eager to see Salt because Ebert ('a damn fine thriller') A.O. Scott and others have actually, amazingly, praised the film - despite all admitting it's mindless fare and seemingly looking like everything that has been wrong with summer actioners since Die Hard in '89. Character, concept and importantly - logic. Didn't we all praise Inception because it made us think, and then a week later we are ready to say down with the cerebral, up with the loud bullets & boobs? So soon, really?