The Help Weathers the Storm

The presence of Hurricane Irene sweeping up the East Coast prevented many potential moviegoers from venturing outside and helped last weekend become one of the slowest of the year so far. The Help (weekend gross $14.3 million, total gross $96.6 million) came out on top for the second week in a row, and new releases Colombiana ($10.3 million) and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark ($8.6 million) came in second and third, respectively. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is still chugging along, with its $8.6 million weekend gross bringing its total after nearly a month to $148.4 million. Rounding out the top five was new release Our Idiot Brother, which earned $6.5 million.

Out in limited release were Circumstance ($43,500), Brighton Rock ($29,400), Chasing Madoff ($28,850), Higher Ground ($22,905) and Redemption Road ($19,600).

Out next week—and hopefully dealing with sunnier skies than last weekend’s films—are wide releases The Debt, Apollo 18 and Shark Night 3D and limited releases Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, Love Exposure, Love Crime, La Pivellina, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, InSight, I’m Glad My Mother Is Alive, Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles, Saving Private Perez, Seven Days in Utopia and That Girl in Yellow Boots.