娱乐英语新闻:"Where The Wild Things Are" notches up top place in North America box office

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Adapting from popular children literature has been a rage prevailing in Hollywood latelywith bountiful reward: "Where The Wild Things Are", an adaptation by the Warner Bros. rose to the No.1 place in American and Canadian screenings this weekend, grossing 32.5 million dollars in ticket sales over three days beginning Friday, preliminary estimates released by North America box office authorities Sunday show.

    Billed as director Spike Jonze's first foray into children's cinema, the live action earned the director his strongest opening weekend ever. Based on a popular 1963 children story by novelist Maurice Sendak, the film deals with an adventure where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world--a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler. Reception of the film have been generally favorable.

    As one of the weekend's other debuts, "Law Abiding Citizen", a thriller by the Overture Films starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler, landed the second place. Although the reviews it has received are mostly negative, it is still expected to fetch 21.3 million dollars worth of tickets. It tells a story about a man who decides to exact revenge on his family's killers, as well as the criminal justice system.

    Paramount's "Paranormal Activity", No. 5 from the last weekend, rose two notches to third this weekend with 20.2 million dollars, bringing in an estimated 33.7 million dollars during its four weeks at the box office. The micro-budget thriller was shot within one week and costs merely 11,000 dollars.

    Universal's "Couples Retreat," last week's No.1 slid to the fourth spot, and is expected to bring in 18 million dollars this weekend. It will harvest an estimated total of 63.3 million dollars during its two-week run.

    "The Stepfather," a Sony remake of a 1987 horror film that based itself on the real-life happenings of a man accused of murdering his wife, mother and three children, debuted in the fifth spot opening with an expected 12.3 million dollars at the box office.