'Contagion' spreads among audiences, lands #1 spot

By Sarah Sluis

The infectious Contagion finished in first place at the box office with $23.1 million. The drama-thriller features an all-star ensemble cast, with each character offering a different perspective on a global epidemic. The Steven Soderbergh-directed tale performed evenly throughout the weekend, and with little competition on the horizon, it should perform well in coming weeks, though Rotten Tomatoes reports that audiences were cooler to the movie than critics, with just 69% liking the movie, compared to 82% of reviewers.

The Help experienced the biggest drop of its run, diving 40% from its outsized Labor Day weekend gross to a mere seven-figure sum, $8.6 million. With $137 million earned in just five weeks, the Civil Rights-era drama is one of this summer's biggest adult-centered successes.

Despite positive reviews, Warrior suffered a one-round knockout. The mixed martial arts film finished with just $5.6 million. 86% of critics and 94% of audiences liked the movie, according to Rotten Tomatoes, so it appears this movie didn't get a fair fight at the box office. Perhaps the movie will stage a comeback in coming weeks, but it may have been the victim of a grave marketing miscalculation by Lionsgate.

Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star finished outside the top ten with an embarrassing $1.4 million and fifteenth place finish. The story of an awkward teen boy who becomes a porn star didn't receive much marketing support and the concept is cringe-worthy. This movie will probably see a lot more action on the rental market.

This Friday will be fueled by Drive, a riveting noir-action starring Ryan Gosling. Working mothers can vent by watching I Don't Know How She Does It, and Straw Dogs promises to be a harrowing Southern thriller. Also, Disney will be re-releasing The Lion King in 3D during a time where there's little family fare at the box office.