In the US: Very little change in the Top 10 this week, but the Oscar-buzz around Danny Boyle's low-budget SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE helps it creep in at #10 on wider release... and religious drama DOUBT, about a nun investigating an abusive priest, limps in at #9...US TOP 10
(1) 1. Marley & Me $24.3m
(2) 2. Bedtime Stories $20.5m
(3) 3. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button $18.7m
(4) 4. Valkyrie $14.1m
(5) 5. Yes Man $13.9m
(6) 6. Seven Pounds $10.1m
(7) 7. The Tale Of Despereaux $6.94m
(8) 8. The Day The Earth Stood Still $5.05m [review]
(-) 9. Doubt $5m
(-) 10. Slumdog Millionaire $4.69m
In the UK: Similarly, not much real change in the Top 10 (just a few swaps of position), but Frank Miller's THE SPIRIT makes an inauspicious debut at #6 following turgid reviews... WWII drama THE READER, starring Kate Winslet, goes straight in at #7... and Steven Soderbergh's biopic CHE: PART ONE (the second part will be along next month) sneaks in at #9, despite only being on limited release...
UK TOP 10
(1) 1. Yes Man £2.2m
(2) 2. Bedtime Stories £1.8m
(4) 3. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa £1.6m
(3) 4. Australia £1.5m
(5) 5. Twilight £1.3m
(-) 6. The Spirit £1.3m
(-) 7. The Reader £671k
(6) 8. The Day The Earth Stood Still £434k [review]
(-) 9. Che: Part One £429k
(8) 10. Inkheart £351k
UK RELEASES THIS WEEK
Bride WarsRom-com. Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day.
Director: Gary Winick Starring: Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt & Steve Howey
Tomatometer: 12% (Rotten; based on 59 reviews)
Role ModelsComedy. Two men are sentenced to 150 hours mentoring children.
Director: David Wain Starring: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse & Elizabeth Banks
US Box Office: $66 million
Tomatometer: 76% (Fresh; based on 134 reviews) "Role Models is a frequently crude, always funny comedy with the cast providing solid work throughout."
Sex DriveComedy. A high school senior drives cross-country with his friends to meet his internet lover.
Director: Sean Anders Starring: Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Clark Duke, James Marsden, Seth Green & Alice Greczyn.
US Box Office: $8.4 million
Tomatometer: 46% (Rotten; based on 104 reviews) "Sex Drive has some hilarious moments and is well made for a raunchy teen film, but will appeal to few beyond that demographic."
Slumdog MillionaireRomantic drama. An impoverished Indian teenager becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and discovers that he knows the answer to all the questions from his life experiences...
Director: Danny Boyle Starring: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor & Freida Pinto
US Box Office: $29 million
Tomatometer: 94% (Fresh; based on 178 reviews) "Visually dazzling and thematically conscious, Slumdog Millionaire is a story both entertaining and powerful."
