Cinefantastique Online

This weekend, 20th Century Fox proved that star power, combined with a strong promotional campaign, can overcome bad reviews. Despite a lowly 22% rating at Rotten Tomatoes (based on only 28 favorable reviews out of 129 tallied), THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL landed at the apex of the box office. The sci-fi remake, starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, made its debut on 3,560 North American screens, earning an estimated $31-million.

A few other science fiction, fantasy, and horror films managed to hold onto slots in the Top Ten.

TWILIGHT, after a precipitous second-week drop made it look like a one-week wonder, has held on better than expected in its third and now fourth weekends. The teen-vamp romance declined from second to third place, sinking its teeth into another $8-million. Four-week total is now $150.1-million.

BOLT is considerably less successful, but it is still hanging in better than expected after its disappointing debut. Disney’s computer-animated adventure-comedy set in fourth place, down one from the previous weekend, fetching $7.5-million. Its four-week total is now $88.89-million.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE slid from #5 to #6, adding $3.5-million to its five-week total of $157.67-million.

Finally, the DreamWorks computer-animated comedy MADAGASCAR 2: ESCAPE TO AFRICA roamed from sixth place to eighth place, devouring another $3.25-million. After six weekends, the N.A. total is $170-million, making it the biggest film so far this holiday season.