Four Christmases Shoots Up The Punisher

New Line/Warner Bros.' Four Christmases remained in the top spot with an estimated $18.2 million, a drop in sales of just 41.5% from last weekend. The holiday comedy, starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, has earned an impressive $70.8 million in two weeks and cost about $80 million to make.

The second spot belonged to Summit Entertainment's Twilight, which added $13.2 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to $138.6 million. Based on the Stephenie Meyer novel, the Catherine Hardwicke-directed film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It cost only $37 million to make.

In third place, Walt Disney Pictures' animated comedy adventure Bolt collected $9.7 million to push its three-week total to $79.3 million.

Baz Luhrmann's Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, made $7 million in the fourth spot. 20th Century Fox's $130 million epic has earned $30.9 million in two weeks.

Sony/MGM's Quantum of Solace rounded out the top five with $6.6 million, taking the 22nd James Bond film to $151.5 million domestically in four weeks. Directed by Marc Forster and starring Daniel Craig, the 007 film cost $200 million to make.

DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa added $5.1 million in its fifth weekend in sixth place. Made for $150 million, the animated hit has reached $165.7 million so far.

In seventh, Lionsgate Transporter 3, starring Jason Statham, made $4.5 million in its second weekend and has earned $25.4 million.

Newcomer Punisher: War Zone, directed by Lexi Alexander and starring Ray Stevenson, bombed out of the gate with just $4 million from 2,508 theaters, a low average of $1,595 and good for only eighth place. It is less than a third of what the studio's first "Punisher" film opened to in 2004.

TriStar Pictures' new drama Cadillac Records, featuring Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright and Beyoncé Knowles, fared better in the ninth spot, as it opened in only 686 theaters yet managed to earn $3.5 million, an average of $5,102 per site.

There was no interest in indie release Nobel Son, which opened in 893 theaters, but only made $371,000. On the other hand, director Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon, starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, took in an impressive $180,000 from just three theaters - an average of $60,000 per theater, the second biggest of the year.

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Santa came earlier fo(u)r Christmases

The domestic box office flourished over the long Thanksgiving sesh, ending slightly ahead of last year. Better yet, all sorts of films did well, further indication that going to the movies is becoming more and more appealing as worried consumers cut back on more expensive forms of entertainment, including eating out.

Biggest victor in terms of sheer grosses went to Warner Bros/New Line's Vince Vaughn-Reese Witherspoon comedy "Four Christmases." Pic -- opening Wednesday and coming in far ahead of expectations -- grossed an estimated $46.7 million from 3,310 runs for the five-day frame, and $31.7 million for the three-day weekend, according to Rentrak.

The most anticipated Thanksgiving film was 20th Century Fox's adult-leaning epic "Australia," from director Baz Luhrmann, which also debuted Wednesday. Film grossed an estimated $20 million from 2,642 runs for the five days, and $14.8 million for the three-day weekend, to place squarely No. 5.

After a soft Wednesday debut, "Australia" noticeably picked up the pace as adults were sprung from holiday duties. Film logged a 96% bump Friday -- considered the biggest single moviegoing day of the year -- the largest uptick among non-family titles.

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