The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The demon that first frightened audiences more than three decades ago was at it again over the weekend, and many moviegoers took notice. The Exorcist: The Beginning, a prequel to the 1973 classic, took top spot at the U.S. box office by opening with a gross of $18.2 million. Directed by Renny Harlin, the film tells the story of Father Lancaster Merrin's encounter with the demon Pazuzu years before he saves young Regan MacNeil's soul. The camping comedy Without A Paddle debuted in second place with $13.7 million despite an unknown cast and lukewarm reviews. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement continued to delight audiences in third spot with $13.2 million. Last weekend's champ, Alien Vs. Predator, fell dramatically to fourth place with $12.5 million, about a third of its opening weekend take. Sharks don't have the box office appeal they once did, as Open Water ? the true story of two scuba divers stuck in shark-infested waters ? came in fifth with $11.8 million. Rounding out the top ten were: Collateral ($10.5 million); The Bourne Supremacy ($6.6 million); The Manchurian Candidate ($4.2 million); The Village ($3.68 million); and Garden State ($3.2 million).
