SHOW BIZ: Weekend Movie Box Office Update: December 18 - December 20, 2009

 

Rank	Film	Distributor	Weekend Total	# Of Screens	Weeks Playing	Cumulative Box Office
1	Avatar	20th Century	$77,025,481	3,452	1	$77,025,481
2	The Princess and the Frog	Disney	$12,185,949	3,475	4	$44,717,721
3	The Blind Side	Warner Bros.	$10,021,280	3,407	5	$164,725,525
4	Did You Hear About the Morgans?	Sony	$6,616,571	2,718	1	$6,616,571
5	Twilight Saga: New Moon	Summit Entertainment	$4,407,598	3,035	5	$274,598,319

For more information, access the complete chart on boxofficemojo.com.

1. "Avatar:" A paraplegic ex-marine finds a new life on the distant planet of Pandora, only to find himself battling humankind alongside the planet's indigenous Na'vi race in this ambitious digital 3D sci-fi epic from Academy Award-winning Titanic director James Cameron. The film, which marks Cameron's first dramatic feature since 1997's Titanic, follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a war veteran who gets called to the depths of space to pick up the job of his slain twin brother for the scientific arm of a megacorporation looking to mine the planet of Pandora for a valued ore. Unfortunately the biggest deposit of the prized substance lies underneath the home of the Na'vi, a ten-foot-tall, blue-skinned native tribe who have been at war with the security arm of the company, lead by Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Because of the planet's hostile atmosphere, humans have genetically grown half-alien/half-human bodies which they can jack their consciousnesses into and explore the world in. Since Jake's brother already had an incredibly expensive Avatar grown for him, he's able to connect with it using the same DNA code and experience first-hand the joys of Pandora while giving the scientific team, led by Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore), some well-needed protection against the planet's more hostile forces.  On a chance meeting after getting separated from his team, Jake's Avatar is rescued by Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a Na'vi princess, who brings him into her tribe in order to give the humans a second chance at relating to this new environment. When word gets out of his increasing time with the alien species, Quaritch enlists Jake to do some reconnaissance for the company, as they'd like to persuade the tribe to move their home before taking more drastic measures to harness the treasure hidden below. Yet as Jake becomes one with the tribe and begins to understand the secrets of Pandora, his conscience is torn between his new adopted world and the wheelchair-bound one awaiting him when the psychic connection to his Avatar is broken. Soon battle lines are drawn and Jake needs to decide which side he will fight on when the time comes. - Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

2. "The Princess and the Frog:" Walt Disney Animation Studios presents the musical 'The Princess and the Frog,' an animated comedy set in the great city of New Orleans. From the creators of 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Aladdin' comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana. 'The Princess and the Frog' marks the return to hand-drawn animation from the revered team of John Musker and Ron Clements, with music by Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman.

3. "The Blind Side:" Taken in by a well-to-do family and offered a second chance at life, a homeless teen grows to become the star athlete projected to be the first pick at the NFL draft in this sports-themed comedy drama inspired by author Michael Lewis' best-seller The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Michael Oher was living on the streets when he was welcomed into the home of a conservative suburban family, but over time he matured into a talented athlete. As the NFL draft approaches, fans and sports radio personalities alike speculate that Oher will be the hottest pick of the year. Sandra Bullock stars in a film written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Rookie, The Alamo). - Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

4. "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" A bickering New York couple on the verge of divorce is placed in the Witness Protection Program and relocated to Wyoming after witnessing a murder. Meryl and Paul Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant) have all the money a couple could want -- it's love they're running short on. Upon witnessing a contract killing and being targeted by the triggerman, the couple find themselves at the mercy of the feds, who hastily send them packing for an extended stay in the Rockies. Could a peaceful life away from the city be just the thing to bring Meryl and Paul back together, or will the deafening silence of nature only serve to amplify the bickering couple's painful peccadillos and drive them further apart than ever before? Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, and Wilford Brimley co-star in a comedy from writer/director Marc Lawrence (Miss Congeniality, Music and Lyrics). - Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

5. "The Twilight Sage: New Moon:" In the second installment of Stephenie Meyer's phenomenally successful 'Twilight' series, the romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of -- only to find herself in greater peril than ever before. Following Bella's ill-fated 18th birthday party, Edward Cullen(Robert Pattinson) and his family abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school, numb and alone, she discovers Edward's image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks. With the help of her childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella refurbishes an old motorbike to carry her on her adventures. Bella's frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own. When a chance encounter brings Bella face to face with a former nemesis, only the intervention of a pack of supernaturally large wolves saves her from a grisly fate, and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edward's true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is a far cry from the one she'd hoped for. With more of the passion, action and suspense that made 'Twilight' a worldwide phenomenon, 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' is a spellbinding follow-up to the box office hit. --Moviephone.com