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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Box Office Review: America taken by Taken

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One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Okay, this picture is from 'The Fog' but Maggie looks hotter here. | Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

The Liam Neeson thriller Taken ended the box office stranglehold of Paul Blart: Loser at Life this weekend by scoring a big win on Super Bowl weekend. Taken pulled in $24.6M to easily outpace the Kevin James non-laugher ($14M/$83.3M) and restore some semblance of sanity to the universe. Crappy re-make The Uninvited tallied up $10.5M in its opening weekend while Hotel for Dogs ($8.7M/$48.2M) managed to hold off the infinitely superior Gran Torino ($8.6M/$110.5M).

Oscar favorite Slumdog Millionaire led off the second half of the top 10 by adding $7.6M to its already bulging coffers ($67.2M). Underworld: Rise of the Lycans was a hair behind at $7.2M ($32.7M) while New in Town was mostly D.O.A. in its debut ($6.7M). My Bloody Valentine 3D continued to do decent business ($4.2M/$44.6M). Inkheart, however, is fading fast and looks to be a bust for Warner Brothers ($3.7M/$12.7M). In limited release, Medicine for Melancholy outperformed expecations ($14,700 per theater).

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