Warner’s Where the Wild Things Are topped Paramount’s Paranormal Activity in an extremely close race for first place at the daily box office on Monday. Where the Wild Things Are won the day by just $6,358 with a daily gross of $1.974 million. The Spike Jonze directed adaptation of the popular 1963 children’s book was down 76 percent from Sunday. That marked a stronger daily hold than those experienced by fellow family films currently in wide release, but a weaker daily hold than those experienced by wide releases aimed at older audiences. Where the Wild Things Are has grossed $34.67 million through four days of release, but needs to hold up well given its production budget of over $90 million.

Runner-up Paranormal Activity grossed $1.968 million for the day. The low-budget horror film held up very well yesterday, as it fell 61 percent from Sunday and was up 49 percent from last Monday. Though Paranormal Activity is playing in 600 more locations than it was last week, its percentage increase over last Monday is especially impressive given that last Monday’s performance was inflated from Columbus Day business. Paranormal Activity easily boasted the day’s top per-location average with a figure of $2,589 and has grossed $35.14 million in 25 days. With the film to receive a major expansion on Friday, the long term prospects for Paranormal Activity are significantly brighter than they are for Where the Wild Things Are.

Overture’s Law Abiding Citizen also continued to perform well. The R-rated action-thriller starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler had a strong third place showing with $1.70 million, which represented a 66 percent decrease from Sunday. As is also currently the case with Universal’s Couples Retreat, Law Abiding Citizen is proving to be critic-proof at the box office. Despite poor reviews Law Abiding Citizen has exceeded expectations with a four-day start of $22.74 million. That places the film 23 percent ahead of the pace of 2007’s The Kingdom.

Couples Retreat remained in fourth place with $1.08 million. The PG-13 comedy was down 71 percent from Sunday and down 73 percent from last Monday’s Columbus Day performance. Couples Retreat has also exceeded expectations with an 11-day start of $63.70 million, though the film is displaying fairly average holding power thus far in the days following its strong opening weekend.

Sony claimed spots five through seven on Monday with its line-up of Zombieland, The Stepfather and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Zombieland was down 69 percent from Sunday with $0.59 million, The Stepfather was down 74 percent with $0.57 million and Meatballs was down a sharper 84 percent with $0.36 million. Respective cumes for Zombieland, The Stepfather and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs stand at $61.23 million, $12.15 million and $108.56 million.