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Box Office Review: Record Breaker!
Despite a mediocre critical reception, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland demolished Avatar's opening weekend record for a 3-D film by taking in a mammoth $116.3M at the box office. Fellow newcomer Brooklyn's Finest was a very distant second with $13.5M, just edging previous stalwart Shutter Island ($13.3M | $95.8M). After that it was the painful Cop Out ($9.1M | $32.3M) and heavyweight Avatar ($7.7M | $720.1M).
The second half of the top 10 was led by the effective The Crazies ($7M | $27.4M) followed by the resilient Percy Jackson & The Olympians: Very Long Title ($5.1M | $78M), the creepy Valentine's Day ($4.2M | $106.4M), the super Crazy Heart ($3.3M | $29.5M) and the sappy Dear John ($2.8M | $76.6M). The limited release crowd was led by stealth Oscar nominee The Secret of Kells ($40,000 per venue).
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
