Fox Searchlight: Covering all the bases

The indie subsidiary that other companies appear to want to emulate certainly proved itself worthy of imitation again. Fox Searchlight was on top of its game with two high-profile acquisitions: The satiric "Thank You for Smoking" grossed nearly $25 million, and the dysfunctional family comedy "Little Miss Sunshine," was released in a steadily widening marketing blitz that saw it reach nearly $60 million. Searchlight's horror release "The Hills Have Eyes" also was a hit with a $42 million gross. The studio didn't have as much luck with "Trust the Man," or its original production "Fast Food Nation." The final accounting on "The Last King of Scotland" will depend on the accolades for lead actor Forest Whitaker, who already has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Idi Amin.