DRIVE BY BARKING: This chihuahua seems to say, “Don’t mess with my No. 1 spot at the box office, or I’ll tinkle on your slippers!” Beverly Hills Chihuahua plays at the Fairmount Cinema 6.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES
SEBRING, October 13, 2008 – And you thought a chihuahua was a nervous little dog that could be scared off! Not at the box office.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua jealously, growlingly, held onto its No. 1 spot at the North American box office the weekend of Oct. 10-12, pulling in $17.5 million to fend off all the weekend’s newcomers. In two weeks, the film has grossed almost $53 million, a nice chunk for a release this time of year.
Sci fi/horror thriller Quarantine finished No. 2. It drew out teens and young adults in droves to its creepy, gory story and pulled in $14.2 million.
Spy game film Body of Lies, the Leonardo DiCaprio – Russell Crowe starrer, finished weaker than expected but still came in at No. 3 and pulled in $13.1 million. The story, acting, and point are excellent. We may not like Russell Crowe as a person, but he is the perfect chauvinistic manipulator in this film.
The other thought-provoking thriller, Eagle Eye, continues to do well. It finished at No. 4 with $11 million, dropping only 37% from week 2 or release to week 3.
All those films play locally at the Fairmount Cinema 6. No other film posted double digits.
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist finished fifth with $6.5 million. Its per theater average was low, however. It plays at the Regal Eagle Ridge and the Carmike.
The excellent Christian film Fireproof continues to do well. It fell out of the top 10 to No. 11, grossing $3.2 million. Keep in mind, however, that it is only playing in 875 theaters nationwide. Its per theater average this past weekend was $3,645 – better than any film in the Top Ten except the top three and double that of Nights in Rodanthe, with Richard Gere and Diane Lane, which is playing at 2,575 theaters!
The other Christian film, Billy: the Early Years, the biopic of Billy Graham, did poorly. That may reflect Christians’ distrust of and disgustedness with Hollywood. Unlike Fireproof, Billy was not made by an independent, Christian company.
God bless, and see you at the movies!!!
