Monday Morning Box Office: Kong Clings For Life, Swats Pesky Narnia Biplanes
What better way to celebrate Christ's Nativity than an evening at the Arclight, whose very name evokes son-of-God virgin birth? Behold, as we lift the miracle holiday weekend numbers to the starry sky, and three wise men look on approvingly (no, not Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen; Munich doesn't go into wide release until Jan. 6).
1. King Kong $31.4 million (4 day)
Although not an undeniable blockbuster like Narnia, Kong is far from a disappointment, especially when overseas box office is taken into account. For example, Loews Skull Island 25 is showing a particularly high per screen average, though the natives also couldn't get enough of Steve Martin's Cheaper by the Dozen 2 antics.
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe $30.1 million
With only a 5% drop in its take from last week, Narnia is indeed proving itself to have serious legs, albeit furry goat ones that appear to be hastily glued on and totally fake.
3. Fun with Dick and Jane $23.5 million
Brian Grazer's ingenious plan to plant a nuclear laugh core at the center of the Fun premiere, resulting in fake laugh shockwaves rippling through the auditorium towards the outer unamused circles, proved so successful, now every screening across America features such a strategically placed laugher. It's usually an unwashed, schizophrenic homeless man in need of some quick dough. Do not be fooled by his dirty-moneyed, scheming cackles!
4. Cheaper by the Dozen 2 $14.77 million
Behold the beautiful paradox that is Steve Martin: is he the droll, literate author of humorous New Yorker pieces and astutely observed novelettes, or the whoring, anything-for-a-buck-and-a-laugh go to man for crapola like Cheaper 2. The answer? Why both, of course!
5. The Family Stone $10.8 million
Sadly, not a single nod to Sly in the soundtrack not even the very Christmas imagery-laden "Thank You (Falettimme Be Mice Elf Agin)".