'Nim' Takes No. 1 Again

21 Aug, 2008 By: Thomas K. Arnold

Nim's Island

Home video buyers and renters had island fever for the second consecutive week. With no big new theatrical features hitting shelves, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Nim’s Island remained on top of the national video sales and rental charts its sophomore week in stores.

The family adventure topped both the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart and Home Media Magazine’s rental chart for the week ended Aug. 17.

The lack of new hit movies opened the sales chart to a rash of TV DVD season sets and smaller films that might not have debuted as high had there been any theatrical competition. On the First Alert sales chart, for example, Paramount’s South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season bowed at No. 2, while Fox’s season-three set of “Prison Break” debuted at No. 4. HBO’s The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season came in at No. 6, while Disney/Miramax’s Smart People, a satiric film about academia, debuted at No. 7.

Meanwhile, on Home Media Magazine’s rental chart, Smart People bowed at No. 2, chalking up 93% as much action in rental stores as Nim’s Island.

On the Blu-ray Disc front, Warner’s Batman Begins remained on top of the sales chart as fans continue to flock to theaters to see its sequel, The Dark Knight. Lionsgate’s The Bank Jobwas the No. 2 seller, while Sony Pictures’ 21slipped a notch to No. 3 from No. 2.