"New Year`s Eve," a star-studded film which is directed by Garry Marshall, who helmed the last holiday-targeted romcom " Valentine`s Day" which debuted in February 2010, is projected to take in 13.7 million U.S. dollars in ticket sales since it debuted in 3,505 locations in the United States and Canada on Friday.
Although the gross is far less than 20 million dollars in receipts the producer New Line Cinema and distributor Warner Bros. had expected it to earn, it turned out enough to nudge aside " Breaking Dawn," the penultimate film of the supernatural romance- fantasy series.
The star-heavy romance featured an ensemble cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel and Halle Berry, chronicling the lives of several individuals in New York City on New Year`s Eve. The film has appealed to moviegoers, as it has earned a B- plus rating, according to CinemaScore.
The majority of the critics see the romance in a generally negative light, with review research firm Rotten Tomatoes giving it a mere 7 percent rating, based on 113 reviews. The verdict is that the film is "shallow, sappy, and dull," which "assembles a star-studded cast for no discernible purpose."
The romance won over many female moviegoers who accounted for 70 percent of the overall audience.
Opening to No.2 this weekend is "The Sitter," an R-rated black comedy distributed by 20th Century Fox, with an estimated 10 million-dollar take. The film, Jonah Hill`s first starring vehicle, deals with a college student who becomes entangled with two psychopathic drug dealers and a wild chase through Manhattan after he was invited to a party. The film is not welcomed by audience, as it garnered a C-plus from CinemaScore.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" has slipped to No. 3, earning 7.9 million dollars in sales for a three-week gross of 259. 5 million dollars from North America.
This weekend represented a time when 78 million dollars, the lowest revenues since September 2008, were recorded. It`s 15 percent down from the same time last year, highlighting the fact the economic downturn has continually cast its somber and depressing spell on the box office.
Rounding out the top ten most popular films in the United States and Canada this weekend are: "The Muppets" (7.1 million dollars), "Arthur Christmas" (6.6 million dollars), "Hugo" (6.1 million dollars), "The Descendants" (4.4 million dollars), "Happy Feet Two" (3.8 million dollars), "Jack And Jill" (3.2 million dollars), and "Immortals" (2.4 million dollars).
Xinhua-OANA
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
