Libertas wonders why Mel Gibson's Apocalypto was singled out by Variety for its lack of box office "legs", when other, much more expensive productions aren't performing any better:

There are many disappointing box office stories to tell. Why this film (which exceeded expectations)? Why not the obvious ones? Variety can defend it’s choice by saying the article’s true. But that’s the last defense of the biased. Bias is more often found in what is and what is not covered. I’m no Gibson defender. I’m a bias hater. The real story this year is the poor box office results and audience rejection of left-leaning message films not disguised by animation.

I guess cocktail party invites are more important to Hollywood journalists than a real story.