Buzzworthy “Gravity” demonstrated the value of word-of-mouth this weekend. The well-reviewed–and well-received–film dipped only 20% from its dominant opening weekend gross for an impressive $44.3 million grab in its second frame.
A strong total, it was more than enough to fend off competition from “Captain Phillips,” which mustered $26 million. Though far from a runaway hit, “Phillips” did provide Tom Hanks’ best opening weekend since 2009. It, like “Gravity,” received rave reviews from critics and moviegoers.
Holdover “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” slipped to number 3, besting the disaster that was “Machete Kills.” The tepidly-rated film garnered just $3.8 million for a fourth place finish.
“Runner Runner” earned $3.7 million for fifth.
