`MESSAGE' TOPS GIBSON AT BOX OFFICE.Byline: Dave McNary McNary may refer to:
``Message in a Bottle'' lured romance-minded moviegoers to the nation's multiplexes with an estimated $15.5 million at 2,538 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period, studio sources said Sunday Sunday: see Sabbath; week. . The opening of Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .' love story, starring Kevin KEVIN Keepers of the Eternal Vigilance of the Islamic Nation (fictional, from White Teeth by Zadie Smith) Costner and Robin Wright Penn, met industry expectations as the studio aimed its promotional campaign at female patrons and the date crowd to take advantage of traditionally solid business leading up to Valentine's Day Valentine's Day: see Saint Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day Lovers' holiday celebrated on February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of two 3rd-century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. . ``Message,'' which has received mixed reviews, could see its cumulative gross approach $20 million today, since many moviegoers will be off work in observance of Presidents Day. Film analyst Arthur Rockwell said it made sense for Warner to schedule the movie this weekend. ``The studio kind of lucked out on the calendar this year,'' he added. ``I don't see this movie as having great legs beyond this weekend.'' Last weekend's winner, Paramount's ``Payback Payback The length of time it takes to recover the initial cost of a project, without regard to the time value of money. ,'' finished a close second with $14.5 million at 2,751 theaters to give Mel Gibson's project $40.8 million after 10 days. ``The results prove that Gibson continues to be a huge draw,'' Rockwell said. Disney's opening of ``My Favorite Martian My Favorite Martian is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963 to September 4, 1966 for 107 episodes (75 in black and white 1963-1965, 32 color 1965-1966). The show starred Ray Walston as Uncle Martin (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. ,'' starring Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is a three-time Emmy Award-winning American character actor. in an update of the 1960s sitcom, came in third with $8.4 million at 2,275 sites in a respectable showing that matched forecasts. Miramax's third weekend of ``She's All That'' followed with $7.7 million at 2,654 screens to top $40 million overall. Miramax's ``Shakespeare in Love'' continued its strong performance with $7.3 million at 1,556 theaters as the studio nearly doubled the screen count following last week's 13 Academy Award nominations. Overall gross has almost hit $45 million after 10 weeks and should remain solid through the March 21 Oscar ceremonies. `` `Shakespeare in Love' is basically art-house fare doing big business, which is what you pray for with those films,'' Rockwell said. ``The word of mouth should keep carrying it even though the title will scare some people away.'' New Line's opening of romantic comedy ``Blast From the Past,'' with Brendan Fraser as a young man who has emerged from a lifetime in a fallout fallout, minute particles of radioactive material produced by nuclear explosions (see atomic bomb; hydrogen bomb; Chernobyl) or by discharge from nuclear-power or atomic installations and scattered throughout the earth's atmosphere by winds and convection currents. shelter, posted lukewarm luke·warm adj. 1. Mildly warm; tepid. 2. Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent: gave only lukewarm support to the incumbent candidate. results in sixth with $7 million at 2,542 locations. DreamWorks SKG's ``Saving Private Ryan,'' relaunched last weekend, came in seventh with $3.7 million at 1,140 theaters to push its cumulative take to $199.7 million. The epic is already the 25th-highest domestic grosser of all time and should remain a solid performer due to its 11 Oscar nominations. Disney's much-praised ``Rushmore,'' though snubbed in Academy Awards voting, drew well in eighth with $2.93 million at 563 theaters as the studio added 460 screens. The prep-school comedy edged Universal's eighth weekend of med-school comedy ``Patch Adams'' with $2.9 million at 2,110 sites, giving the latter $126.3 million overall. Paramount's fifth weekend of ``Varsity Blues'' finished 10th with $2.7 million at 2,036 theaters as the comedy topped a pair of Best Picture contenders - Miramax's ``Life Is Beautiful'' with $2.2 million at 644 screens and 20th Century Fox's ``The Thin Red Line'' with $1.5 million at 1,306 theaters. Miramax added 443 sites for ``Life'' while ``Line'' lost 357 locations as the much-acclaimed war drama continued to face a tough sell at the box office. Three entries open Friday, none with blockbuster block·bust·er n. 1. Something, such as a film or book, that sustains widespread popularity and achieves enormous sales. 2. A high-explosive bomb used for demolition purposes. 3. potential - Fox's comedy ``Office Space,'' Sony's teen horror-comedy ``Jawbreakers'' and Universal's drama ``October Sky.'' Final results for the Friday-Monday period will be released Tuesday. TOP MOVIES Here are estimated grosses at North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. theaters for Friday through Sunday: 1. ``Message in a Bottle,'' $15.5 million. 2. ``Payback,'' $14.5 million. 3. ``My Favorite Martian,'' $8.4 million. 4. ``She's All That,'' $7.7 million. 5. ``Shakespeare in Love,'' $7.3 million. 6. ``Blast From the Past,'' $7 million. 7. ``Saving Private Ryan,'' $3.7 million. 8. ``Rushmore,'' $2.93 million. 9. ``Patch Adams,'' $2.9 million. 10. ``Varsity Blues,' $2.7 million. CAPTION(S): box Box: Top movies (see text) |
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