Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Big Hero 6 led the way at the box office last weekend with $56.22 million. That gave the 3D computer animated film a comfortable win in its battle with Interstellar to kick off the holiday movie season. Big Hero 6 opened in line with lofty expectations and is set to represent another strong recent performer for Disney, joining the likes of last year’s Frozen, 2010’s Tangled and 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph. Big Hero 6 opened an impressive 15 percent stronger than the $49.04 million debut of Wreck-It Ralph.

Baymax (l) and Hiro from Big Hero 6. (Photo: Walt Disney Animation Studios)

Paramount Studios’ Interstellar was considered the favorite by many heading into the weekend, but ultimately had to settle for second place with $47.51 million. The highly anticipated Christopher Nolan directed sci-fi film has grossed $49.66 million to date, after an additional two days of limited release on Wednesday and Thursday. It appears that the high level of anticipation for Interstellar among Nolan’s fanbase didn’t really transfer over outside of the fanbase. The film’s mixed critical reviews likely played a significant part in that.

With the weekend’s box office being dominated by the battle between Big Hero 6 and Interstellar, holdovers took a clear backseat. In addition, holdovers were especially bunched together, as just $833,859 separated third place and seventh place last weekend.

Twentieth Century Fox’s Gone Girl claimed third place with $6.21 million. The critically acclaimed David Fincher directed film continued to hold up well as it was down just 27 percent from the previous weekend. The hold was especially impressive given the new competition from Interstellar. Gone Girl has grossed an impressive $145.54 million in 38 days, which leaves it $4.46 million away from reaching the $150 million domestic mark.

Ouija followed closely behind in fourth with $5.87 million. The low-budget horror film from Universal Pictures and Platinum Dunes was down a respectable 45 percent. After opening on the low end of expectations a few weeks ago, Ouija has held up surprisingly well for a horror film. The 17-day total for the film stands at $43.33 million.

Sony Pictures’ Fury rounded out the weekend’s top five with $5.63 million. The World War II film starring Brad Pitt was down a solid 36 percent from the previous weekend. Fury is on the verge of clearing the $70 million mark with a 24-day take of $69.39 million.

The Weinstein Co.’s St. Vincent placed sixth with $5.41 million. The well-received comedy starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy had another strong hold last weekend, as it was down only 25 percent. Thanks in part to continued strong word of mouth, St. Vincent has grossed $27.05 million to date.

On the heels of its close second place start a week ago, Open Road’s Nightcrawler fell to seventh place last weekend with $5.37 million. The critically acclaimed crime thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal was down 49 percent, which suggests that the film isn’t going over as well with audiences as it has with critics. Nightcrawler has grossed $19.62 million in 10 days, which is in line with expectations.

It was an extremely close race for first place last weekend between Universal Pictures’ Ouija and Open Road Films’ Nightcrawler. Ouija ultimately led the way with $10.74 million, while Nightcrawler followed in second with $10.44 million.

Ouija remained in first at the box office last weekend, barely beating out Nightcrawler. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

With the aid of Halloween, Ouija remained in first place last weekend and was down just 46 percent from the previous weekend. The low-budget PG-13 horror film from Platinum Dunes didn’t hold up all that well during the midweek, but rebounded on Halloween and maintained momentum throughout the rest of the weekend. Ouija has grossed a very solid $34.80 million through 10 days of release.

Nightcrawler trailed Ouija by just $299,380 for the frame. The critically acclaimed crime thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal appeared set to lead the weekend after a close second place finish on Friday, but Friday’s $3.2 million performance ultimately wasn’t affected by Halloween as much as anticipated. Nightcrawler was able to open in line with pre-release expectations, which were boosted a bit by the film’s strong reviews and relatively strong online activity over the past few weeks.

It was a tight race for places three through seven last weekend, as third place and seventh place were separated by just $1.59 million. Holdovers in general held up well last weekend, thanks in part to the limited amount of new competition.

Sony Pictures’ Fury claimed third place with $8.82 million. The David Ayer directed World War II film starring Brad Pitt held up nicely last weekend, as it was down 34 percent from the previous weekend. Fury surpassed the $60 million mark last weekend and has grossed $60.16 million in 17 days. The film continues to perform in line with the lower end of expectations.

Twentieth Century Fox’s Gone Girl placed in fourth with $8.48 million. The critically acclaimed David Fincher directed film starring Ben Affleck held up very well, as it was down just 23 percent from the previous weekend. Last weekend’s hold was especially impressive given the added competition the film faced from Nightcrawler. Gone Girl has grossed a very impressive $136.28 million in 31 days. The film is already the highest grossing film of Fincher’s career and is now just $13.72 million away from reaching the $150 million mark.

The Book of Life rounded out the weekend’s top five with $8.21 million. Twentieth Century Fox’s modestly budgeted computer animated film was down a slim 18 percent from the previous weekend. Like Ouija, The Book of Life received a boost from the holiday weekend, although its boost was on Saturday. The film also likely received an added boost from moviegoers who wanted to catch it before Walt Disney Entertainment’s Big Hero 6 arrives in the marketplace next weekend. The Book of Life surpassed the $40 million mark last weekend and has grossed a solid $40.43 million in 17 days.

John Wick took sixth place with $7.99 million. The Keanu Reeves led action thriller from Lionsgate Entertainment did lose a bit of momentum over the weekend, as it was down 45 percent from the previous weekend. With that said, John Wick is still performing on the high end of expectations with $27.53 million in 10 days.

The Weinstein Co.’s St. Vincent placed in seventh with $7.23 million. The low-budget comedy starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy held up especially well last weekend, as it was down just 7 percent from last weekend. St. Vincent was helped out last weekend by strong word of mouth and from expanding into an additional 270 locations. The film has grossed $19.00 million to date and will hope to continue to hold up well going forward.

The weekend’s other two new wide releases were both dead on arrival. Clarius’ Before I Go to Sleep debuted on the very low end of its already low expectations with $1.84 million, while Lionsgate’s Saw 10th Anniversary opened with a very disappointing $650,051. That gave Before I Go to Sleep and Saw 10th Anniversary respective per-location averages of just $953 and $315 for the frame.

On the limited front, Fox Searchlight’s Birdman took in $2.39 million from 231 locations. That gave the critically acclaimed Alejandro G. Iñárritu directed film starring Michael Keaton a healthy, but not exceptional, per-location average of $10,348 for the frame. Birdman has grossed $4.88 million through 17 days of platform release.

Universal Pictures’ Ouija led the way last weekend with a first place debut of $19.88 million. The low-budget PG-13 horror film debuted on the low end of pre-release expectations. While it didn’t reach the opening weekend heights of other Platinum Dunes horror films, Ouija still marks another solid performer for the production company. Ouija was no doubt helped out a bit by opening in close proximity to Halloween, but was also likely hurt a bit by arriving so soon after the breakout success of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Annabelle.

Five teens contact evil spirits that killed their friend using a ouija board in Ouija. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

John Wick debuted in second place with $14.42 million. The Keanu Reeves led action thriller from Lions Gate Entertainment opened towards the higher end of expectations, which had risen in recent weeks due in part to surging online activity for the film. John Wick represented just the second wide release for Reeves since 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still with the other being last year’s 47 Ronin and showcases that Reeves still has some drawing power after being out of the spotlight in recent years.

Sony Pictures’ Fury was down two spots and a sizable 44 percent from the previous weekend’s first place debut to claim third with $13.36 million. The David Ayer directed World War II film starring Brad Pitt had held up nicely during the midweek, but took a bit of a hit over the weekend from the added presence of John Wick. Fury may also be relatively weekday heavy in general based on its performance thus far. The film has grossed a solid $46.41 million in 10 days.

Twentieth Century Fox’s Gone Girl continued its impressive run with a fourth place take of $11.04 million. The critically acclaimed David Fincher directed film starring Ben Affleck was down a solid 37 percent from the previous weekend. Gone Girl continues to distance itself from pre-release expectations with a 24-day take of $124.04 million. The film is now on the verge of surpassing the $127.51 million final domestic gross of 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to become the highest grossing film of Fincher’s career.

Fellow 20th Century Fox release The Book of Life rounded out the weekend’s top five with $10.05 million. The modestly budgeted 3D computer animated film was down 41 percent from the previous weekend’s debut. The Book of Life may have taken a bit of a hit from the PG-13 rated Ouija this weekend and producer Guillermo del Toro’s involvement may have also led to some additional front-loading. The Book of Life has grossed a solid $30.16 million in 10 days. That is towards the lower end of expectations and is 6 percent below the recent $32.09 million ten-day take of The Boxtrolls.

In its first weekend of wide release, The Weinstein Co.’s St. Vincent was off to a promising sixth place performance with $7.75 million. The low-budget comedy starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy received a larger expansion last weekend than was initially expected. The move paid off, as St. Vincent opened towards the higher end of expectations and took in a respectable per-location average of $3,395 for the frame.

Based on the true story of the greatest hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action drama focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys – seven museum directors, curators, architects and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 – possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements.

John Goodman (l to r), Matt Damon, George Clooney, Bob Balaban and Bill Murray leave a mine containing stolen artwork in The Monuments Men. (Photo: Sony Pictures)

In late 1944 and early 1945, as the tide was turning against the Axis, the Nazis were still pillaging Europe’s greatest paintings and sculptures to fill Adolf Hitler’s hoped-for Führer Museum.

Hitler, a frustrated painter, was the most prolific art collector since Napoleon. He acquired his stash of sculptures, paintings and monuments as did Napoleon by conquering nations and claiming the treasure. Some of the art — particularly from antiquity – was intended to fill a museum in his hometown of Linz, Austria; the rest — including modern art and art by Jews — he planned to burn, like his least favorite books. Toward the end of World War II as the Germans were being beat back, Hitler issued his Nero Decree: if he were to die, all the art the Nazis had stolen and hidden must be destroyed.

The Monuments Men, based on the book by Robert Edsel and Bret Witter, is writer/director George Clooney‘s version of a group of middle-aged intellectuals who often had to skirt U.S. Army policy even as they tried to save Europe’s culture.

New York art historian Frank Stokes (Clooney) convinces President Franklin Roosevelt to let him assemble a small team of architects and scholars to rescue whatever culture they can from the Third Reich. In reality, the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) section was made up of 365 museum curators, art historians and others from 13 countries, who recaptured and protected the treasures Germany had stolen from invaded nations and its own Jewish citizens. Thanks to the men and women of the MFAA, more than 5 million pieces of artwork were saved, and many of those were returned to their rightful owners or their surviving kin.

Stokes puts together a band of men that includes his pal from New York Metropolitan Museum of Art curator James Granger (Matt Damon); architect Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), theater impresario Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban); sculptor Walter Garfield (John Goodman); British professor Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville); French art dealer Jean Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin) and German Jew Sam Epstein (Dimitri Leonida), a soldier recruited for his ability to drive and speak German.

Once they stumble through basic training, the team disperses to locate missing masterpieces, most crucially Michelangelo’s sculpture Madonna of Bruges and the Ghent altarpiece — a piece Stokes calls the anchor of Christendom.

Granger heads off to Paris to coax intel out of a suspicious Clair Simone (Cate Blanchett), a curator at the Jeu de Paume – France’s repository of Impressionist masterpieces — who secretly kept a record of the Nazi’s transactions. Jeffries makes his way to Bruges, Belgium, to a church where he may find the Michelangelo. While the others set off in pairs across Europe to find Picassos in mineshafts and wrest Bruegels from the barbarians.

How many heels does it get?

Clooney (who co-wrote the film with Grant Heslov) gives The Monuments Men a jaunty bounce and lots of comedy like a light, sophisticated heist movie. Except this isn’t a light subject — people were dying, in the camps and on the front lines. Although The Monuments Men acknowledges this, it never really resonates. There is a lack of nail-biting sequences and a sense of epic scale. There are ultimate sacrifices, intrigue and striking images of bombed-out cities, but there’s danger missing. The movie has its share of startling moments – a visit to the dentist that leads to an Impressionist cache and the revelation of mountains of German gold appropriated from the teeth of exterminated Jews. But rather than juicing each element to blockbuster volume, Clooney delivers it in the tone of a lecture. They all take a backseat to a story just amazing enough to be made for the movies. Rated PG-13. Opens Feb. 7, 2014.

My rating: 4 out of 5 Heels

2014 is one month old already and the days are getting longer. The big event of the weekend, of course, is Super Bowl XLVIII when the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks. But if you aren’t into football (or the two teams vying for #1) or the commercials, it’s not the only thing going on this weekend.

Metro continues its work this weekend. Green Line trains will operate a regular weekend schedule. Trains on the Blue, Orange and Yellow lines will operate every 24 minutes and Red Line trains will run every 24 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont, with additional trains providing service from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. between Farragut North and Silver Spring.

The Super Bowl XLVIII footballs in MetLife Stadium. (Photo: NFL)

Super Bowl XLVIII

Quarterback Peyton Manning, 37, leads the Denver Broncos against quarterback Russell Wilson, 25, and the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. The winner takes home the Vince Lombardi Trophy. But the Super Bowl isn’t all about the game, it’s about the entertainment too. Singer Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will star in the halftime show. Opera singer Renée Fleming will sing the national anthem. Before that, Queen Latifah and the New Jersey Youth Chorus will sing America the Beautiful. And you can’t forget the commercials (which cost $4 million for 30 seconds) — many people watch for them alone. This year promises not to disappoint with a Full House reunion from Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt reuniting , released a teaser trailer promoting a Super Bowl ad featuring Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), Jesse Katsopolis (Jon Stamos) and Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). Also, the movie studios will movie debut previews their upcoming blockbuster releases including Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 along with others from Disney and Lionsgate, which haven’t been announced. Rumor has it Disney will preview either Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Guardians of the Galaxy and Lionsgate will hype the Expendables 3. Many bars and restaurants in the DMV will be showing the game on big screens and offer food and drink specials.

Feb. 2 with kickoff at 6:25 p.m. Fox will broadcast the game live from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. with its pregame show beginning at 2 p.m. Locally, it can be seen on Fox 5.

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby (Photo: Wenn)

Bill Cosby, the lovable Heathcliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show and frequent visitor to Ben’s Chili Bowl, is one of the most influential stars in America today. Whether it be through concert appearances or recordings, television or films, commercials or education, he has the ability to touch people’s lives. His humor often centers on the basic cornerstones of our existence, seeking to provide an insight into our roles as parents, children, family members, and men and women. Don’t miss his premiere engagement at the Music Center at Strathmore, with his hilarious, dead-pan humor.

Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Admission is $49.50-$89.50 and available here. Only 10 seats remained at presstime.

Kenneth Whalum III

Kenneth Whalum III (Photo: Kennedy Center)

Bandleader, composer, arranger and tenor saxophonist, New York City based jazz musician Kenneth Whalum III has set a new direction in music that can be described as creatively engaging, intense and artistically real, to push the conventional boundaries of contemporary emerging artists. Whalum fuses together straight-ahead jazz,pop, soul, gospel, R&B, blues, and country. Whalum has performed and recorded along side this generation’s most renowned entertainers, singers, and musicians; including R&B crooner Maxwell, rap star Jay Z and jazz stars Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, and his own uncle, Grammy-award winning musician Kirk Whalum. In this performance, he brings band and bold, creative artistry to D.C.

Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, 2700 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Dollars for Dainty Burlesque Show

Dollars for Dainty burlesque show benefits the George Washington University’s LGBT Health Program. (Photo: Black Cat)

The most talented performers in the DMV have gathered for this fundraiser benefiting the George Washington University’s LGBT Health Program. The program showcases two of local burlesque performer Dainty Dandridge’s favorite things: burlesque and drag. Dandridge has charmed her way into our hearts with her sensational burlesque and extraordinary singing talents. When she’s not prancing in all things glittery, campy and queer, she has her head in the books! Now, she needs your help. Dollars for Dainty is a special show to raise funds to keep the GW LGBT Health Program going strong. The program trains current and future healthcare leaders to develop strategies addressing health issues and reducing health disparities for the LGBT population. Students like Dandridge will graduate with a general knowledge of the psychological, medical and policy-based issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) individuals. This is a one of kind program in the country, but it has lost its funding. By coming to the show you are supporting the LGBT Health Program.

Feb. 1 at 8:30 and 11:45 p.m. at the Black Cat’s Backstage Concert Room, 1811 14th St. NW. Admission is $15 here or at the door (cash only at the door).

Weird, Wild Stuff

“The President’s Own” Marine Corps Band presents Weird, Wild Stuff: Music That Thinks Outside the Box (Graphic by Staff Sgt. Brian Rust)

“The President’s Own” Marine Corps Band presents Weird, Wild Stuff: Music That Thinks Outside the Box. Over the past few centuries, composers have become ever bolder and more creative in how they use music to represent the world around them. It has often been the composers who dared to try something new in their works that are best remembered. In the process, a mash-up of artistic ideals from seemingly disparate worlds has ensued, and this program highlights a few composers who have not always chosen the road well-traveled. The performance includes Leonard Bernstein’s Prelude, Fugue and Riffs and David Rakowski’s Ten of a Kind. The concert will also feature selections by Charles Ives, Jonathan Newman, and Ottorino Respighi.

Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College’s Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts center, 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria. Admission is FREE! Parking is $6.

Mandrágora Circus

Juan Cruz Bracamonte (left) and Mariana Silva. (Photo: Kennedy Center)

In this performance, Mariana Silva and Juan Cruz Bracamonte use a combination of circus skills, music and aerial acrobatics to tell their story in as wordless theatrical performance. Mandrágora Circus started its activity as a theater company in 2002 in Trelew, Patagonia Argentina. In 2003, the company premiered the play Mandrágora Circus that combines different kind of artistic expression shaping this theatrical play. Using techniques of circus as a part of the plot in a story that goes beyond the skills.

Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, 2700 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!

2014 Washington Auto Show

The new 6.2-liter engine, 455 horsepower Chevrolet Corvette Stringray is on display at the 2014 Washington Auto Show. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the 2014 vehicles, you still have a few more days to visit the 2014 Washington Auto Show with more than 700 new cars and trucks from 42 automakers on two floors. The second floor is where Buick, GMC, Chevrolet, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Fiat, Toyota, Scion and Ford are located with the big, revolving displays. Hurry, this is your last chance until the 2015s come out.

Through Feb. 2 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW from noon-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Tickets are available here online or at the convention center box office. Military, veterans and seniors 65 and older receive $4 off weekdays and $2 off weekends. Discount tickets are only available at the box office.

Bill Murray in 2011 (Photo: Georges Biard)

Bill Murrary Appreciation Day

Every day should be Bill Murrary Appreciation Day, but then we’d be reliving Groundhog Day, wouldn’t we? To cap off Superbowl Sunday, Satellite Room honors the beloved actor with an evening of his films. Fans who attend the celebration, which falls on Groundhog Day, can enjoy Murray-inspired food such as meatballs and drink specials, like the boozy Stay Puff Marshmallow Man milkshake or Froze Gopher.

Feb. 2 at 2047 Ninth St. NW directly behind the 9:30 Club starting at 10 p.m. Admission is FREE.