Sarah Michelle Gellar

The Grudge 2

Halloween comprises approximately 3% of the October calendar yet the box office month is always built around its presence. 2006 takes this philosophy to its logical extreme with three different top notch horror productions anchoring the schedule. The top two films of the month appear to be safer bets than the third one, but the reality is that this October lacks that true heavyweight to dwarf the rest of the contenders.

Getting the slight nod for top performer of October is Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return to the eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head role that became her third $100 million earner (how quickly we forget Scooby-Doo and Scream 2). What all of these titles have in common is that they would have succeeded with pretty much anyone else in her part (okay, maybe not Kathy Bates but you get my point). The Grudge 2 promises more of the same with Amber Tamblyn taking on the role of the Gellar character’s sister. Presumably, she will uncover the same otherworldly shenanigans that emotionally crippled her sibling. Whereas the first film offered one of the sleekest, creepiest trailers in recent memory, its successor focuses upon reminding people that pale-faced Japanese children are scary. Color me unimpressed. I just don’t see it making more money than the original, but it should still scare up more than enough to guarantee a third title in the franchise.