Beverly Hills Chihuahuas bark up an upset for second No. 1 position

By Keith Williams

DiCaprio: Rare bomb

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/12/08 — Proof that the Hadron Reactor must have created a quirk in reality as we know it, Chihuahuas scared off Zombies and Middle-Eastern Spies to retain their no 1 position in the Top Ten, gobbling up an estimated $17.5 million over the Columbus Day weekend.

Shuffling deathlessly into second position, Quarantine, a virtual shot-for-shot remake of the Spanish horror hit “(Rec)”, surprised many by consuming $14.2 million at 2461 apartment blocks, a triumph not only for corpses but also Screen Gems who specialise in these quickie B-movie horror flicks. Attracting one would suspect the same shakey-cam crowd that embraced Cloverfield earlier this year, with the best per-screen-average in the top ten, play-off should be quick but lucrative, at least until Saw V comes a-buzzing into torture chambers in a few weeks time.

Body of Lies on the other hand turned out to be the real shocker of the week, extorting an eyebrow-raising $13.1 million from 2710 war zones. Providing evidence yet again that mainstream audiences have virtually no interest in dramas or thrillers set in the Middle East, this new attempt by Sir Ridley Scott to get them involved with contemporary issues failed miserably, not helped by a trailer that bore a blurred familiarity with his brother’s earlier Spy Game by suggesting nothing new. Big Budget, Big Stars, Major Marketing, Major Director – Major Bomb. Don’t look to Europe for salvation as they’re just as cheesed off with dreary stories such as these, saving their diminishing pension funds for High School Musical 3 when it opens later this month.

Of the week’s other new releases, The Express found itself in the slow lane scoring a dismal $4.7 million from 2808 sports stadiums. Plot? Been there. New Angle? Hardly. After this, should Dennis Quaid ever consider giving up acting, he could mint a fortune becoming a football coach given all the practise he’s had so far in similar efforts.

City of Ember, the latest attempt by Walden to exploit kiddie literature for adult gain died horrifically, barely scraping in at no 10 to scratch $3.2 million from 2022 underground citadels. Some reach the surface and emerge into the light, like Harry Potter and Narnia. Others, such as The Dark is Rising remain buried. A shame as it’s won much critical acclaim for its inventive visuals, but attracted derision for its story-telling. For people at Fox, it must be further proof they’ve been hexed and nothing less than a sinking ship or unheralded epic can now save them. Could this be Australia?

In hold-overs, Eagle Eye declined 37.8% to add $11 million to the kitty, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist dropped 42.5% for $6.5 million, Nights in Rodanthe 37.4% for $4.6 million, and Appaloosa 33.9% for $3.3 million. Entering at no 9, after four weeks in limited release, The Duchess seduced $3.3 million out of 1207 palaces, causing farewell parties to be held for Fireproof, Lakeview Terrace, Burn After Reading and An American Carol all now gracing the lower depths of the charts. Chances are, those in the upper reaches will soon find their precarious places challenged as well when Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla and Mike Leigh’s Happy Go Lucky open wider on release having scored excellent figures on single digit screens.

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Buena Vista)
$17.5 million | 3,218 | $52.5 million | 2

2. Quarantine (Sony / Screen Gems)
$14.2 million | 2,461 | $14.2 million | 1

3. Body of Lies (Warner Bros.)
$13.1 million | 2,710 | $13.1 million | 1

4. Eagle Eye (Paramount (DreamWorks))
$11.0 million | 3,614 | $70.6 million | 3

5. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Sony / Columbia)
$6.5 million | 2,421 | $20.8 million | 2

Weekend Estimates courtesy boxofficemojo.com