Space thriller Gravity has dominated the American box office rankings for the second consecutive weekend. The last weekend (from 11th Oct.) saw the Alfonso Cuarón-directed film rake in an estimated $44.3m (£27.7m), according to BBC News, bringing the movie's total takings to $123.4m (£77.2m) ahead of its November opening in the UK.

Gravity
Gravity Dominates The US Box Office For A Second Weekend.

The movie stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as two astronauts carrying out routine maintenance on a space shuttle before they are hit by high-speed debris. After being sent careering into space, the pair have no other option but to begin a satellite-hopping mission to look for escape pods whilst fighting against depleting oxygen reserves and the prospect of the devastating debris coming back round.

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The film's success most likely stems from its small but strong cast, its awe-inspiring cinematography and its heart-racing plotline which has given it strong word of mouth recommendations. "They say what goes up must come down, but that's not really true with Gravity," said box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "To have opened as big as it did last week and only drop 21% [in revenue], that's really an amazing hold. It's a direct testament to the word of mouth on the movie."

Gravity Movie
Will 'Gravity' Reign Supreme For A Third Weekend?

Much of the film's success could also be attributed to an older demographic choosing to watch the movie in 3D to get the full immersive Gravity experience. Gravity saw 59% of its audience over 35 and scored a 80% from 3D, which rose to 82% in the film's second frame, according to Variety, analysing last weekend's audience statistics.

Captain Phillips
The Highly Rated 'Captain Phillips' Came In At Second.

Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros., described "the perfect storm," saying "Great movies are contagious, especially during a time of year when older audiences haven't been to the movies in a while."

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Gravity's closest competition at this time comes from Tom Hank's' latest highly-regarded cinematic venture, Captain Phillips. The true story about a cargo ship captain who was taken hostage by Somali pirates took $26m (£16.3m) over the last weekend. Meanwhile Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 came third in its third weekend with $14.2m (£8.9m) and Machete Kills debuted with a slightly disappointing $3.8m (£2.4m) and fourth place.

Set to open in the UK on the 10th November, Gravity is sure to exert its irresistible magnetic pull once again and hog the No.1 spot at the box office once again.