Pamela McClintock of Variety:
Sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still” delivered a much-needed win for 20th Century Fox in grossing an estimated $31 million from 3,560 runs to come in No. 1 at the domestic box office.
Overseas, the special-effects actioner starring Keanu Reeves grossed an estimated $39.5 million, bringing the film’s worldwide cume to $70 million. Fox says the movie cost $80 million to produce.
Stateside, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” had little competish among new wide entries. Overture Films’ “Nothing Like the Holidays” grossed an estimated $3.5 million from 1,671 locations to come in No. 7.
The specialty side made its own headlines in the wake of Golden Globe nominations.
Despite a crowded playing field, the combined performance of a number of titles delivered one of the best weekends ever for the specialty box office.
Among openers, Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” grossed an estimated $284,000 from six theaters in L.A. and New York for a per location average of $47,340--the best of the entire weekend. Eastwood both directed and stars in the Warner Bros.. film.
Miramax’s Meryl Streep-Philip Seymour Hoffman drama “Doubt” scored a per location average of $35,002--the second best of the frame--as it debuted in 15 theaters with an estimated gross of $525,030. John Patrick Shanley directed and wrote the bigscreen adaptation of his stage play.
Steven Soderbergh’s two-part film “Che” bowed to an estimated $60,100 in its one-week awards run in New York and L.A., posting a per screen average of $30,050.
The Weinstein Co.’s Kate Winslet-Ralph Fiennes starrer “The Reader,” directed by Stephen Daldry and opening in eight theaters, grossed an estimated $170,000 for a per screen average of $21,250.
Holdover specialty titles remained vibrant.
Focus Features’ “Milk” stayed on the top 10 chart as it aggressively expanded by 229 theaters. The Harvey Milk biopic grossed an estimated $2.6 million from 328 locations in its third week for a per screen average of $8,035, the second-best of the top 10 films after “Day the Earth Stood Still.”
“Milk,” upping its cume to $8 million, didn’t seemed hampered by the fact that it only received one Golden Globe nominations for Sean Penn’s performance.
“Slumdog Millionaire,” which received multiple Globe noms, also expanded aggressively with success. The Fox Searchlight film grossed an estimated $2.2 million from 169 locations for a per screen average of $13,018 and a cume of $8.1 million in its fifth sesh. Film grew its run by 91 screens.
Michelle Williams topliner “Wendy and Lucy” translated its award buzz into a per screen average of $10,717 as it opened in two theaters to an estimated gross of $21,434. Pic, released by Oscilloscope, has cumed $28,643 since its launch last Wednesday....
Amy Wilkinson of EW:
Keanu Reeves' sci-fi remake takes over as box office champ; ''Gran Torino'' revs up in limited release...
Thank goodness it's gonna most likely be knockrd out of the top slot next week.
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