Mutts, Adam Sandler and the most curious movie weekend of the year

By Steven Zeitchik

Update: Maybe you can cram every big release into the end of December and have it work. Coming into this hectic period, the conventional wisdom was that at least one or possibly several worthy wide releases would falter; there simply weren't enough moviegoing dollars to accomodate all of the pics.

But the early weekend strength held up, with "Marley" topping $50 million and both "Button" and "Bedtime Stories" landing near $40m. Even "Valkyrie" hit the $30 million mark, pretty impressive given that that threshold was considered a lock only for top earners like "Marley."

And what's true for big releases proved true for specialty films too, as "Doubt" went wide and scored solid per-screen averages, while "Slumdog," "Milk" and "Wrestler" all held their own. What this all means (apart from the backslapping and victory laps): even more late December releases next year. Hey, if the play keeps gaining yardage, why stop calling it?

Saturday PM: Halfway through one of the most sprawling and crucial movie weekends of the year, we've learned a few things: Critics don't matter, and they matter a ton. Blockbusters come from unexpected places, and from the expected ones.

Here's half the commercial verdict -- and the entirety of the critical one -- from this weekend, in all its jumbled, messy glory:

"Marley & Me" -- What must have seemed to Fox like a trifle of a holiday release is turning into "The Devil Wears Prada"  -- an unassuming comedy that's one of the year's biggest hits (of course "The Devil Wears Prada" didn't seem like the "The Devil Wears Prada" until after it came out either).  The Pico studio had earlier this year been banking on the more obvious hopefuls: "Australia," an "X-Files" sequel, new movies from M. Night and Eddie Murphy. But it's the dog that saves it in the end.

'Marley has earned about $29 million through Friday and looks like it will break the $50 million barrier for the weekend, rare for any comedy that isn't Farrelly-ish broad and even rarer on a busy weekend like this. So what if the pic has earned middling reviews from print critics even though it's about two print reporters (though glamorized, richer versions -- a prize to anyone who finds a metro  reporter who looks like Owen Wilson). The film follows the First Rule of Canine Pictures -- any movie with a dog will be written off by reviewers but embraced by filmgoers. The tail-wagger didn't seem like it could possibly hold on to the #1 slot through the weekend. But it seems to be doing just that. Can you say 'Give David Frankel a long-term deal?'

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" -- Could the uber-long exploration of mortality actually best Adam Sandler on an opening weekend? With a a group of diverse constituencies -- filmgoers who want the arthouse seriousness and Pitt fans who want to see him brood, not to mention  an overall concept that's appealing and easy to explain (though Par is flogging the love story more than the novel premise) -- the movie has sprung to a surprise second place, earning $22 million in two days of release.

The tastemakers are liking it too -- outside of an oddly harsh diss by Kenneth Turan, the reviews have been largely strong. A.O. Scott  called it  "a lush, romantic hothouse bloom...the puzzles it invites us to contemplate — in consistently interesting, if not always dramatically satisfying ways — are deep and imposing." Rotten Tomatoes gives it 73%. And while "Slumdog" continues to be the so-called Oscar favorite, don't be surprised if there's a reversal of fortune in the coming weeks as "Button" takes that mantle, especially as Paramount unleashes its flood of awards advertising.

"Bedtime Stories" -- Bet you don't think Adam Sandler's Rotten Tomatoes score could get lower than 15%, which "Stories" drew. Well, it can -- "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" landed a prestigious 12%. It's no matter, though, because Sandler's attempt to take his manchild schtick to kids with this group of comic episodes has largely worked, with the film earning $21 million through its first two days. The film is on pace to land only in the mid-30's, which would roughly tie it with "Chuck & Larry" as Sandler's lowest comedy opening since 2000's "Little Nicky." Of course low for a Sandler comedy is still high for everyone else.

"Valkyrie"- Box-office experts have said a $15-20 million weekend was the minimum that was expected (and necessary) for the film. With $17 million through just two days, it's on its way to numbers well beyond that. The marketing eschews the historical aspects in favor of all-out July-style pulse-stoppers ("the most exciting movie of the year," as one particularly flashy television commercial has it). And while reviewers have been lukewarm toward the characterization of the hero (he may have wanted to kill Hitler but he strongly supported the Reich), they've been kind to Cruise's performance, providing vindication on that front too.

"The Spirit" -- Too narrow for a general audience, too uninspiring to hardcore fans (we won't get into critics), the Frank Miller comic-book adventure film has pretty much an uphill climb back since its Comic-Con debut this summer. The movie has eked out $7 million through two days. But the real question will be whether Miller-- whose standing had previously sat at cult status -- endures or takes a hit in the fan community.  So many subplots, so little time.