Oscar nominee "The Descendants" hits $70 mln mark

PanARMENIAN.Net - In its 13th week of release, "The Descendants" continued its strong run at the box office this weekend, taking in $3.5 million - enough to put it No. 9 in North America, according to The Wrap.

Alexander Payne's R-rated film, nominated for five Oscars, has now grossed $70.7 million, and is about to surpass "Sideways" as Fox Searchlight's fourth highest-grossing movie ever - and as the director's highest-grossing movie ever. That movie grossed $71.5 million domestically.

It is extremely rare for a movie to be in the top 10 after 13 weeks. The movie played on 1,581 screens, for an average of $2,214. It was the only best picture nominee in the top 10.

The Weinstein Company's "The Artist," also nominated for best picture, grossed $2.3 million in its 12th weekend of release, for a total of $24 million.

"In Darkness," nominated for the best foreign language film Oscar, opened at three locations. The Polish language film released by Sony Pictures Classics grossed $27,563, according to Rentrak. That's $9,188 per location.

In its second week, The Weinstein Company's "W.E.," directed by Madonna, expanded from four locations to 17, taking in $57,660 -- a per-location average of $3,392. The movie now has grossed $121,807.

"Albert Nobbs," from Roadside Attractions, took $279,000 in its third week of release. The movie, which earned three Academy Award nominations, including one for star Glenn Close, has grossed a total of $2 million.