surpassing such recent hits

Film Having expanded to more screens in the US, Woody's Midnight In Paris is on course to become his most successful film ever.

In the last week (it) surpassed all of the 75-year-old filmmaker’s releases since 1986 at the box office, selling a total of $28.6 million worth of tickets, including $4.5 million this past weekend. That is Allen’s highest mark since 1986’s “Hannah and Her Sisters,” surpassing such recent hits as 2008’s “Vicky Christina Barcelona” and 2005’s “Match Point,” both of which took in just over $23 million each.

More typical for Allen recently has been soft performers such as 2010’s “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” ($3.2 million) and 2009’s “Whatever Works” ($5.3 million).

These numbers are just weird.

The reviews were the usual mix of gratitude and disdain and the advertising campaign as ever sold it to a much older audience.Which means that either that older audience has come out in droves even in non-metropolitan areas, or the word of mouth has been good amongst young people.

As ever the film has yet to have been gifted a release date here which means we'll be waiting the usual twelve months -- even the Czech Republic is getting it before us the lucky people -- but expect a far more inclusive advertising campaign with even more Owen Wilson and less Van Gogh.

In other news, neither Whatever Works or You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger have been gifted with a blu-ray releases in the UK ... yet.  So after the Vicky Cristina debarkle -- where I bought the DVD only for the BD to turn up six months later, I think I'm going to wait and see.