WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

1) Avatar - $48.5 million

2) Sherlock Holmes - $16.6 million

3) Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel - $16.3 million

4) Daybreakers - $15 million

5) It's Complicated - $11 million

6) Leap Year - $9 million

7) The Blind Side - $7.7 million

8) Up In The Air - $7.1 million

9) Youth In Revolt - $7 million

10) The Princess and the Frog - $4.7 million

Not a lot has change in the top three spots on the charts in the last month as James Cameron's 3D outer-space epic Avatar continues to set records and earned another $48.5 million at the box office this weekend. The film, which was in 3,422 theaters made $14,173 per theater bringing it's total domestic gross up to roughly $429 million making it the highest grossing film of 2009, surpassing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. It is also now the seventh highest grossing domestic film of all-time and the number two highest grossing film worldwide of all-time right behind Cameron's Titanic, making Cameron arguably the most successful director worldwide of all-time. While, the film shows no signs of slowing down any time soon it may not ultimately be able to surpass Cameron's last film as it will have to make at least another half a billion dollars worldwide in order to come close. Continuing strong at second place for a third week in a row is the Guy Ritchie adapted, film of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle novels, Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role along with Jude law as his partner Watson and Rachel McAdams. The film, which saw a drop of over 50% from last week still managed to make $4,581 per each of the 3,626 theaters it was shown in order to earn another $16 million this week bringing it's total gross to $165 million in just three weeks, cementing Downey's place as an international movie-star.

The third spot on the charts hasn't changed since Christmas week either as Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel, a sequel to the popular 2007 film starring the singing critters, which stayed at number three for a third week in a row. The film, which also had over a 50% drop from last week was seen in 3,641 theaters and made $4,477 per theater for a weekend total of roughly $16.3 million bringing its total gross to around $178 million a good $100 million over it's initial production cost. The only new film to break into the top five this week was the sci-fi vampire film Daybreakers starring Ethan Hawke, Sam Neil and Willem Dafoe. The movie managed to take a small bite out of the box office earning $5,954 in each of the 2,523 theaters that it was shown in for a total of $15 million, just shy of it's $20 million budget, in its opening week. Rounding off the top five this week and falling one place back from last week was the Nancy Myers' directed, romantic-comedy It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. The film, which dropped 41.5% from last week made $3,725 per each of the 2,955 theaters that it was shown in this weekend earning an additional $11 million and bringing its total gross to $76.3 million, just shy of its $85 million budget, in its third week on the charts.

Unfortunately, none of the other new releases were able to crack the top five this week as the Amy Adams romantic comedy vehicle Leap Year, co-staring Matthew Goode only made $3,625 per each of the 2,511 theaters that it was shown in for a disappointing opening weekend total of only $9 million. Also having a disappointing weekend was the coming-of-age comedy Youth In Revolt starring Michael Cera, Ray Liotta and Zach Galifinakis. The film, which was shown in over 1,800 theaters, only made roughly $3,700 per theater for a less than spectacular opening weekend total of $7 million. Finally, the Tim Allen directed film Crazy On The Outside, which reunites Allen with his Galaxy Quest co-star Sigourney Weaver and is loosely based on the comedians own life failed to score with audiences. The film, which was shown in only 75 theaters made roughly $1000 per theater for an extremely under-whelming opening weekend total of just $75,400.

Next weekend will see only two new films enter into wide release with one film opening in limited release. Oscar winner Denzel Washington returns to the action genre in the new post-apocalyptic action film The Book Of Eli directed by The Hughes Brothers and co-starring Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis. Also in wide release next week is the action/comedy family-film The Spy Next Door starring international film star Jackie Chan. Finally in limited release is the IFC Film Fish Tank starring Michael Fassbender from Inglorious Basterds. Check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week.