'Super 8' is No. 1 with $37 mil

'Super 8' is No. 1 with $37 mil: "It might be a stretch to call its opening 'super,' but the sci-fi flick 'Super 8' enjoyed a solid start with $37 million this weekend, according to studio estimates. The $50 million movie, which was directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, fell just a bit short of other recent original sci-fi flicks such as 'District 9' ($37.4 million) and the Abrams-produced 'Cloverfield' ($40.1 million), but performed better than this year's Battle: Los Angeles' ($35.6 million). With a story that's set in 1979 and a tone that emulates Spielberg's own pictures during that era, the well-reviewed film particularly appealed to older moviegoers. According to Paramount, a whopping 71 percent of 'Super 8's' audience was at least 25 years old. IMAX theaters accounted for 12 percent of the PG-13 film's gross, and CinemaScore moviegoers gave it an overall 'B+' rating, which could bode well for its staying power. By comparison, 'Cloverfield' received a 'C' grade from CinemaScore audiences, and then plummeted 68 percent in its second weekend.

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