The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "Eagle Eye" ($29.2 million)
#2 "Nights in Rodanthe" ($13.6 million)
#3 "Lakeview Terrace" ($7 million)
#4 "Fireproof" ($6.5 million)
#5 "Burn After Reading" ($6.1 million)
In "Eagle Eye," stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan find out that no matter where they go or what they do, they're constantly being watched by an unseen audience.
And you know something? $29.2 million dollars is a whole lot of reasons to be OK with it.
The paranoia thriller, which pits two ordinary folks against the combined power of the U.S. Surveillance Infrastructure (Capital Letters for Capitol Capabilities), dominated the weekend to the tune of nearly $30 million. More interesting, the win cements LaBeouf as something of a star in his own right, and not simply a tag-along content to ride Keanu Reeves'/ Will Smith's/ Harrison Ford's/ Optimus Prime's coattails. But forget "Y: The Last Man," the actor's long-rumored follow-up with "Eagle Eye" director D.J. Caruso. I think LaBeouf should use his new cred to start work on "Holes 2." (I bet you think I'm kidding but, honest to goodness, there's an actual "Holes 2.")
Here's a fun game: Take the $13.6 million made by second-place finisher "Nights in Rodanthe" and divide by the combined age of its stars, Richard Gere and Diane Lane. That gives you about $133,000 per year! The lesson, as always, is that old people will pay to see anything.
In third place, comic book heroes Nick Fury, Alicia Masters and Nite Owl continued to do low-level surveillance in the neighborhood of "Lakeview Terrace." Even without the costumes, the trio managed to grab $7 million, bumping their two-week total to $25.7 million.
The power of Christ compelled many this weekend to see "Fireproof," the Kirk Cameron-starring, "intelligently designed" ode to marital life, pushing the small film into the top five with a very surprising $6.5 million. I didn't see the film, although, in its honor, I did eat a banana.
The Coen brothers' laugher "Burn After Reading," starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, rounded out the top five with $6.1 million, bringing its three-week total to $45.5 million.
Among other new releases, Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna" kinda tanked, earning just $3.5 million in its debut frame. This is what you get, Spike, for messing with Clint.
In sadder news, "The Dark Knight" finally fell out of the top 10 this week, its 11th in release. Batman will now have to be content with crying himself to sleep on his half-a-billion-dollar pile of money.
‘Eagle Eye’: Flight Control, By Kurt Loder
Shia LaBeouf, ‘Eagle Eye’ Co-Stars Remind Us That We’re All Being Watched
T.I. “Likes” Making Hot 100 History
(E! Online)
