Normally, movies open on Friday, giving the film three days to rack up sales. Recently, however, anticipated blockbusters debut earlier in the week, skewing comparisons to titles going the more conventional route.

Prince, for instance, opened on a Wednesday and did much of its business in the first few days. Its Friday-Sunday haul of just over $77 million would rank it only 20th among the biggest summer debuts of all time.

Which movies hold the top spots?

Here’s the list, according to boxofficemojo.com.

1. The Dark Knight — $158,411,483 (7/18/08)
2.  Spider-Man 3 — $151,116,516 (5/04/07)
3.  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest — $135,634,554 (7/07/06)
4.  Shrek the Third — $121,629,270 (5/18/07)
5.  Spider-Man — $114,844,116 (5/03/02)
6.  Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End — $114,732,820 (5/25/07)
7.  Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen –$108,966,307 (6/24/09)
8.  Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith — $108,435,841 (5/19/05)
9.  Shrek 2 — $108,037,878 (5/19/04)
10.  X-Men: The Last Stand — $102,750,665 (5/26/06)

To see the rest, and to catch more cool movie lists, visit boxofficemojo.com.

Oscar nominations day is a strange affair in Hollywood. When you don’t get a phone call right after 5:30 in the morning, you end up wishing you had. (That’s the ungodly hour, West Coast time, when the nominations are revealed.)

Here at the GetListy Film Desk, we were up bright and early to see who was in, who was out, and who might be a little bent out of shape about the whole thing. With only a half cup of coffee to go on, we were awakened by a surprise or two.

The folks at Yahoo! Movies obviously felt the same way. Here’s their list of this year’s top Oscar snubs:

– Best Picture: The Dark Knight

– Best Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

– Best Actor in a Leading Role: Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

– Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married

– Best Actor in a Supporting Role: James Franco, Milk

– Best Picture: Doubt

– Best Actress in a Leading Role: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

– Best Actor in a Leading Role: Benicio del Toro, Che

– Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Kristin Davis, Sex and the City

– Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Ben Kingsley, The Wackness

To read more about these Oscar omissions, and to see a slide show, visit Yahoo! Movies.

SPONSORED LISTS:

iTunes list feeds

• iTunes 25 New Releases
• Top songs
• Top TV episodes
• Top video rentals
• Top free applications

Advertisement

Directors Guild of America Third Vice President Taylor Hackford announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2008. The winner will be named at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday evening, January 31, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

DANNY BOYLE — SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
(Fox Searchlight Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

• Mr. Boyle’s Directorial Team:
• Unit Production Manager: Sanjay Kumar
• First Assistant Director: Raj Acharya
• Second Assistant Director: Avani Batra
• Second Second Assistant Director: Sonia Nemawarkar

This is Mr. Boyle’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

DAVID FINCHER — THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
(Paramount Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

• Mr. Fincher’s Directorial Team:
• Unit Production Manager: Daniel M. Stillman
• First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
• Second Assistant Director: Allen Kupetsky
• Second Second Assistant Directors: Pete Waterman, Stephen F. Lonano

This is Mr. Fincher’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Commercial Award for Speed Chain (Nike), Gamebreakers (Nikegridiron.com), and Beauty for Sale (Xelibri Phones) in 2003.

RON HOWARD — FROST/NIXON
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Howard’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Manager: Kathleen McGill
• First Assistant Director: William M. Connor
• Second Assistant Director: Kristen Ploucha
• Second Second Assistant Director: Scott R. Meyers

This is Mr. Howard’s fourth DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Cocoon in 1985, and won the Award in 2001 for his direction of A Beautiful Mind and in 1995 for Apollo 13.

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN — THE DARK KNIGHT
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Nolan’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Managers: Kevin De La Noy, Susan Towner, Jan Foster
• First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
• Second Assistant Director: Brandon Lambdin
• Additional Second Assistant Director: Jessica Franks
• Second Second Assistant Director: Greg Pawlik
• Location Manager: James R. McAllister

This is Mr. Nolan’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Memento in 2001.

GUS VAN SANT — MILK
(Focus Features)

Mr. Van Sant’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Manager: Barbara A. Hall
• First Assistant Director: David Webb
• Second Assistant Director: John R. Saunders
• Second Second Assistant Director: Ian Calip
• Additional Second Assistant Director: Cindy A. Taylor

This is Mr. Van Sant’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Good Will Hunting in 1997.

The winner in the Feature Film category will be announced at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner and ceremony on Saturday evening, January 31, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

Source Directors Guild of America

Advertisement

Slumdog Millionaire was the big winner with five wins for Best Picture, Best Director for Danny Boyle, Best Writer for Simon Beaufoy, Best Young Actor/Actress for Dev Patel and Best Composer for A.R. Rahman. Sean Penn and Milk received two awards, Best Actor and Best Ensemble. Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) and Meryl Streep (Doubt) tied in the lead actress category, marking only the second tie in a lead actor category.

WINNERS OF THE 14TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR: Sean Penn – Milk

BEST ACTRESS: – Tie: Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married and Meryl Streep – Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kate Winslet – The Reader

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Milk

BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST WRITER (Original or Adapted Screenplay): Simon Beaufoy – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Wall-E

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS (Under 21): Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTION MOVIE: The Dark Knight

BEST COMEDY: Tropic Thunder

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION: John Adams

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Waltz With Bashir

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Man On Wire

BEST SONG (performer/writer, film): “The Wrestler” – Bruce Springsteen/Bruce Springsteen – The Wrestler

BEST COMPOSER: A.R. Rahman – Slumdog Millionaire

JOEL SIEGEL AWARD: Richard Gere

For a complete list of winners, celebrity interviews from the red carpet and to see the full televised broadcast, go to VH1’s “Critics’ Choice Awards” site.

Source: VH1

With early buzz fueled by talk of the performance of the late Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight had all the makings of a hit. The film delivered, too, earning critical acclaim and a stampede at the box office, making the latest installment of the Batman series 2008’s runaway box office winner.

Who else made the most money in the just-completed year?

BoxOfficeMojo has the numbers. Here are the final Top 10, with domestic gross only:

1. The Dark Knight: $530,917,814
2. Iron Man: $318,313,199
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: $317,023,851
4. Hancock: $227,946,274
5. WALL-E : $223,783,432
6. Kung Fu Panda: $215,434,591
7. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: $176,934,000
8. Twilight: $176,815,000
9.  Quantum of Solace: $166,800,000
10. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!: $154,529,439

Favorite Movie: The Dark Knight

Favorite Comedy Movie: 27 Dresses

Favorite Movie Drama: The Secret Life of Bees

Favorite Family Movie: WALL-E

Favorite Independent Movie: The Secret Life of Bees

Favorite Action Movie: The Dark Knight

Favorite Cast: The Dark Knight

Favorite On-Screen Matchup: Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Favorite Male Movie Star: Will Smith

Favorite Female Movie Star: Reese Witherspoon

Favorite Male Action Star: Will Smith

Favorite Female Action Star: Angelina Jolie

Favorite Leading Man: Brad Pitt

Favorite Leading Lady: Kate Hudson

Favorite Super Hero: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman

Favorite TV Drama: House

Favorite TV Comedy: Two and a Half Men

Favorite New TV Drama: The Mentalist

Favorite New TV Comedy: Gary Unmarried

Favorite Animated Comedy: The Simpsons

Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show: Heroes

Favorite Competition/Reality Show: Dancing with the Stars

Favorite Game Show: Deal Or No Deal

Favorite Male TV Star: Hugh Laurie

Favorite Female TV Star: Christina Applegate

Favorite Talk Show Host: Ellen DeGeneres

Favorite Scene-Stealing Guest Star: Robin Williams on Law & Order: SVU

Favorite TV Drama Diva: Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Favorite Male Singer: Chris Brown

Favorite Female Singer: Carrie Underwood

Favorite Group: Rascal Flatts

Favorite Combined Forces: “No Air” by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown

Favorite Hip-Hop Song: “Low” by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain

Favorite Rock Song: “All Summer Long” by Kid Rock

Favorite Country Song: “Last Name” by Carrie Underwood

Favorite R&B Song: “No One” by Alicia Keys

Favorite Pop Song: “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry

Favorite Song from a Sound Track: “Mamma Mia!” by Meryl Streep from Mamma Mia!

Favorite Funny Male Star: Adam Sandler

Favorite Funny Female Star: Tina Fey

Favorite User Generated Video: Barack Roll

Favorite Online Sensation: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Advertisement

Each of the Top 10 money makers grossed $130 million or more. The top three went over the $300 million mark.

So, who cleaned up the most?

Here’s the list, by way of Yahoo and BoxOfficeMojo, with figures based on the summer season ending Aug. 24.

10. Wanted — $133.7 million

  9. The Incredible Hulk — $134.4 million

  8. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – $141.5 million

  7. Sex and the City — $152.3 million

  6. Kung Fu Panda — $212.6 million

  5. Wall-E — $216.2 million

  4. Hancock — $226.3 million

  3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — $315.3 million

  2. Iron Man — $317.5 million

  1. The Dark Knight — $489.4 million

Source: Yahoo and BoxOfficeMojo.com

Advertisement

Usually, how a film opens will give you a pretty good idea of how well it eventually will do. After that first weekend, word of mouth goes a long way toward determining continued success, and negative comments can drive a film to the second-run houses before you can say “Love Guru.”

The Dark Knight had no such issues. In its first weekend of release, Batman’s latest joust with Joker earned $155.34 million, making it the biggest opening ever. 

Who else has produced some of the biggest summer debuts of all time? Here’s a list of the other movies movies that brought in $100 million or more in that all-important debut weekend:

1. Spider-Man 3 (2007): $151,116,516

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006): $135,634,554

3. Shrek the Third (2007): $121,629,270

4. Spider-Man (2002): $114,844,116

5. Pirates of the Caribbean (2007): At World’s End: $114,732,820

6. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005): $108,435,841

7. Shrek 2 (2004): $108,037,878

8. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006): $102,750,665

9. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): $100,137,835

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

Advertisement

A performance so weirdly magnetic that it can make you set aside thoughts of the actor’s real-world fate — despite the fact that the role is all about  darkness and sudden, senseless loss — certainly deserves whatever recognition comes its way. If the Oscar folks can manage not to split their votes on the Actor/Supporting Actor issue, they’ll certainly have precedents for nominating an actor after his death.

As this list in Cleveland’s Plain Dealer points out, there have been a few. Follow the link for details:

– Peter Finch

– Jeanne Eagels

– James Dean

– Spencer Tracy

– Sir Ralph Richardson

– Massimo Troisi

Advertisement