ELI IMPRESSES, BUT AVATAR DEVASTATES

Unbelievable. In its fifth consecutive week on top of the Box Office, Avatar is still devastating the competition, taking in $41.3 million this weekend from 3,285 screens. Is there anybody left on this planet who hasn't seen this film yet? Without any major blockbusters coming next week, I'll bet it'll be hanging on for seventh week on top. Make no mistake about it, this will be the biggest grossing film ever.

Denzel Washington-headlined action film debuted this weekend in second with an excellent showing with $31.5 million from 3,111 screens. The Warner Bros. film was made for $80 million and is well on its way to making all of that back considering it has not yet opened internationally yet.

Paramount's The Lovely Bones, which I reviewed earlier, performed very well with $17 million in earnings in third in its first week in wide release. Despite terrible reviews, the novel's loyal following has shown its support. Whether or not it will make back the $100 spent in production is another story though.

Jacky Chan's action comedy The Spy Next Door from Lions' Gate Films pulled in $9.7 million, good enough to land it in sixth place for its debut.

Leap Year, which I enjoyed very much, slips to eighth spot this week, bringing its total earnings to $17.5 million, just shy of the $19 spent in production for the film.

REVIEW: LEAP YEAR

Director Anand Tucker has been pretty quiet since his 2005 project Shopgirl, but despite terrible reviews for his latest work Leap Year, I loved this film.  The romantic comedy starring one of my new favourite actresses Amy Adams (Doubt, Julie & Julia) and strapping Brit Matthew Goode, turns the tables on convention with its premise of instead having the woman to propose to the man.  After having dated her boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott) for four years, Anna (Adams) has yet to receive a proposal from him.  Jeremy is sent to Dublin for work and to follow a family tradition, Anna decides to fly from Boston to propose to him on February 29th, which is recognized as the one day a woman can propose to a man.

Along the way, Anna meets barkeeper Declan as her flight to Dublin is detoured.  Declan offers to drive Anna to Dublin and though their personalities clash and several misfortunes happen along the way, the sparks between the two go a-flying.  This of course, throws a wrench into Anna's plans to propose to Jeremy.

Let me say, the pairing of Adams and Goode is just perfect.  The chemistry between these two is magical and genuinely, I was in tears when it came down to the crunch in Dublin and reality had to kick in again for Anna.  Though the same bloody story has been told time and time again in some form or another, Leap Year is special.  At the end of the day, its message is still empowering and refreshing - we all deserve love and if we aren't happy with what we have, there are questions we need to ask and evaluations we need to make.

Adams is absolutely beautiful and I could not keep my eyes off her.  Also, despite being a bit of a cynical grouch most of the film, I challenge you not to develop at least a little crush on Goode after seeing him here. Newton Thomas Sigel's incredible cinematography is romantic and breathtaking.  It sure makes me want to go to Ireland!  Leap Year from Universal Pictures is now in theatres and is the perfect date movie or movie for girls' night out.  Grade: B+

AVATAR, UNSTOPPABLE

Avatar is unstoppable.  Pulling in $48.5 million this weekend at the Box Office, it is now only a question of how many weeks it will be before it gets toppled by another film.  It's been on top for four weeks now, which is pretty much a rarity in this day and age.

In second position was Sherlock Holmes, which still brought in a healthy $16.6 million in its third week, which on any other week would be enough to place it on top.

Lions Gate Films' Daybreakers was the top debut in fourth this week, taking in $15 million.  The well-reviewed vampire action film stars Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke and is well on its way to recouping back its $20 million budget.

Leap Year starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode debuted in sixth this weekend with $9.2 million in earnings.  The film set in Ireland has a Transatlantic appeal with its American in Europe theme and should do well overseas when it sees a release there.  Read my review of it here.

The Weinstein Co.'s Youth in Revolt starring Canadian Michael Cera opened in ninth with $7 million.  The film which may have seen further revisions since its premiere at TIFF in September, has also received great reviews.