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Arts and Entertainment

Box Office Review: Vantage makes its point

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Hope that video camera fires bullets, Mr. Secret Service! | Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Mediocre political thriller Vantage Point topped the box office this weekend, grossing a solid $24M in its opening frame. It was the only new film to do significant business as hold-overs held the next five spots. Jumper dropped precipitously in its second weekend (-54%) but still managed to make $12.65M ($56.2M). Family picture The Spiderwick Chronicles showed considerably more resilience, dropping only 33% and bringing in $12.6M ($43.5M). After that it was Step Up 2 the Streets ($9.7M/$41.4M), bad romantic comedy Fool's Gold ($6.2M/$52.4M) and better romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe ($5.1M/$21.7M).

Super newcomer Be Kind Rewind ($4.1M) and box-office stalwart Juno ($4.1M/$130.3M) finished in a virtual tie for 7th place while Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins ($3.9M/$35.4M) and double Oscar-winner There Will Be Blood ($2.5M/$34.9M) rounded out the top 10. Witless Protection ($2.1M) and Charlie Bartlett ($1.8M) both struggled in their debuts as American ticket-buyers showed a rare gag reflex for middling fare. In limited release, The Counterfeiters averaged a decent $12,559 in its opening weekend. That number should go up significantly next week after its Oscar win for Best Foreign Language film.

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