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SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
Summit Entertainment's “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” earned about $142.8 million over the weekend. The figure, which includes about $26.3 million in midnight showings and about $72.7 million in opening day showings (both new records), means the flick has the third highest-grossing opening ever, behind only “The Dark Knight” at “Spider-Man 3.”
The second installment of the film series based on Stephanie Meyer's novels picks up as vampire Edward Cullen (Robbert Pattinson) abandoning Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in his world. Edward's absence leads Bella to a life of risky behavior and sends her straight into the arms of werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Pictures' “The Blind Side” fared quite well in second-place with about $34.1 million. Sandra Bullock portrays Leigh Anne Tuohy, a woman who takes in a homeless African American teenager named Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron). As Michael overcomes his past, he excels on the football field to eventually become an All-American offensive left tackle.
Last weekend's top-earner Columbia Pictures' “2012” tumbled to third-place with about $26.4 million. Its two-weekend total comes to about $108.1 million. Consistent with real Mayan prophecy, planetary alignment brings about global cataclysm in the movie, which features John Cusak, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Oliver Platt.
Newcomer TriStar Pictures' “Planet 51” landed in fourth-place with about $12.3 million. Dwayne Johnson voices Capt. Charles “Chuck” Baker, an astronaut who lands on a distant planet and encounters aliens happily living in a world reminiscent of 1950s America. However, as Chuck explores the strangely familiar planet, he is faced with the fact that it is he who is considered the alien.
Walt Disney Pictures' “A Christmas Carol,” in which Jim Carrey portrays Ebenezer Scrooge, stuffed about $12.3 million into its stocking this weekend in fifth-place. Its total take so far is now about $79.8 million. Scrooge resigns himself to a grave Christmas until the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey.
Rounding out this weekend's top 10 were Lionsgate Films' “Precious” ($10.9 million), Overture Films' “The Men Who Stare at Goats” ($2.8 million), Universal Pictures' “Couples Retreat” ($1.9 million), Universal Pictures' “The Fourth Kind” ($1.7 million) and Sony Pictures Entertainment's “This is It” ($1.6 million).
Box Office Results for Nov. 20-22, 2009
1. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” $142.8 million
2. “The Blind Side,” $34.1 million
3. “2012,” $26.4 million
4. “Planet 51,” $12.3 million
5. “A Christmas Carol,” $12.3 million
6. “Precious,” $10.9 million
7. “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” $2.8 million
8. “Couples Retreat,” $1.9 million
9. “The Fourth Kind,” $1.7 million
10. “This is It,” $1.6 million
*Click movie titles for full reviews.
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