LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Monster movie "Cloverfield," about a giant lizard's attack on Manhattan, debuted atop the North American box office on the US three-day holiday weekend, according to preliminary figures Monday.
The low-budget depiction of the fictional attack, filmed as if captured on a hand-held video camera, pulled in some 46 million dollars, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Wedding comedy "27 Dresses," about a woman's frantic search for the perfect bridesmaid's frock, came in second place with 27.2 million dollars.
In third place was "The Bucket List" at 16.1 million dollars, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as elderly cancer patients on a quest to whittle down their life-long wish list before they "kick the bucket."
In fourth place was "Juno," the acclaimed independent comedy-drama about a teenager attempting to cope with an unplanned pregnancy, which took in 12 million dollars at US and Canadian movie houses.
"First Sunday," starring rapper Ice Cube, about a deadbeat dad scrambling to come up with bundle of quick cash, earned 9.4 million dollars for fifth place.
Nicolas Cage's action film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" slid to sixth place with 9.3 million dollars in ticket sales, taking its five-week total past 199 million dollars.
Debuting in seventh place was "Mad Money," an American remake of a British TV movie starring Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah, at 9.2 million dollars.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks" came in eighth place with 9.2 million dollars.
"I Am Legend," starring box office icon Will Smith came in ninth place with 5.7 million dollars and "Atonement," the movie based on Ian McEwan's book by the same name, rounded out the top 10 with 5.6 million dollars.
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