here an article on it!
source: YAHOO.COM
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Smith's 'Hitch' Still Tops at U.S. Box Office
Sunday February 20 1:26 PM ET
Will Smith's romantic comedy "Hitch" led the North American box office for a second consecutive weekend, narrowly fending off a strong challenge from the new Keanu Reeves sci-fi thriller "Constantine," according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.
With overall business buoyed by the U.S. Presidents Day holiday on Monday, "Hitch" earned about $31.8 million for the three days beginning Feb. 18, while "Constantine" opened at No. 2 with $30.5 million.
Hitch," released by Sony Corp.'s Columbia Pictures, stars Smith as a date coach who has trouble getting his own romantic life in order. After 10 days, the $70 million budgeted film has earned $90.1 million, and should hit $150 million, said Rory Bruer, Columbia's president of distribution.
He attributed the film's strong hold to both its romantic element as well as to the broad comedic dynamic between Smith's character and that played by Kevin James, who portrays a corpulent client trying to lure a woman way out of his league.
"Constantine," based on the relatively obscure "Hellblazer" comic book series, stars Reeves in the title role as an exorcist who must send Satan's minions back to hell. Distributor Warner Bros., the film's domestic distributor, said the opening exceeded expectations, noting that Reeves' 1999 blockbuster "The Matrix" opened with $27 million. But critics blasted the dark tone and confusing narrative.
The film, budgeted at under $100 million, was a joint venture between Time Warner Inc.-owned Warner Bros. Pictures and Australia's Village Roadshow Ltd .
The top 10 contained two other new entries: the family film "Because of Winn-Dixie" opened at No. 3 with $10.9 million, followed by the kids comedy "Son of the Mask" at No. 4 with $7.7 million.
"Because of Winn-Dixie" revolves around a lonely young girl (newcomer AnnaSophia Robb) and an orphaned dog in a small town. Jeff Daniels plays her father. The $14 million movie was released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc .
"Son of the Mask," a sequel to the 1994 hit Jim Carrey film "The Mask" stars Jamie Kennedy as the father of a child who is born with the Mask's special powers. Carrey was not associated with the followup, which was released by Time Warner's New Line Cinema.
Actor/director Clint Eastwood's Oscar-nominated film "Million Dollar Baby" rounded out the top five, falling one place to No. 5 with $7.2 million; the total for the Warner Bros. release rose to $54.7 million.
Illustrating the limited appeal of the best picture nominees before the Feb. 27 Academy Awards, Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" has been the most popular contender, with a box office haul of $88.1 million after 10 weekends. The Howard Hughes biopic is currently at No. 9 after a $4.2 million weekend. It was released in the United States by Walt Disney Co.'s Miramax Films, and in Canada by Warner Bros.