Weekend Receipts: Inception Still Living The Dream At Number One

For the third weekend in a row, Inception topped the box office charts, a feat not accomplished since the last Shrek flick. Steve Carrell had to settle for number two, while poor 'ol Cats & Dogs and Zac Efron duked it out for the fifth and sixth spot, respectively. Your weekend receipts are here.

1. Inception

Gross: $27,520,000 ($193,348,000)

Screens:3,545 (PSA: $7,763)

Weeks: 3 (change: -35.6%)

I went to see Inception for the second time this past week and good news everybody! It still holds up the second time round and I think you gain a greater understanding of it as well. But the interesting thing is that I went to a random midday Tuesday showing and the place was packed. This thing ain't leaving the top ten anytime soon.

2. Dinner for Schmucks

Gross: $23,300,000 (new)

Screens: 2,911 (PSA: $8,004)

Weeks: new

At the press conference for this movie, Paul Rudd was being needled by a reporter from as Jewish publication, asking him, as a Jew, to comment on the title -- "schmuck" being Yiddish slang for male genitals. After a good three minutes back and forth with the reporter trying to make a controversy out of not much, an exasperated Rudd finally exclaimed "It means penis, alright?!? Penis! PENIS! Is that what you're looking for?"

3. Salt

Gross: $19,250,000 ($70,800,000)

Screens: 3,612 (PSA: $5,329)

Weeks: 2 (change: -46.5%)

Ouch. While it's not a terrible decline from last week, it seems like Mmse. Jolie's latest may struggle to cross the century mark, and almost certainly won't gross as much as her last action flick, Wanted. Pity, as it really is an excellent, excellent movie.

4. Despicable Me

Gross: $15,543,000 ($190,349,000)

Screens: 3,602 (PSA: $4,315)

Weeks: 4 (change: -34.4%)

This thing is doing gangbusters and may even outgross the lackluster Shrek sequel this year. Look for a surfeit of minion costumes this Halloween -- including the inevitable "sexy minion" costume for the ladies.

5. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Gross: $12,525,000 (new)

Screens: 3,705 (PSA: $3,381)

Weeks: new

Oh, Roger Moore. Timothy Dalton does Doctor Who and Hot Fuzz in his post-Bond days. You get this hunk of crud and some Jean-Claude Van Damme foot-punchy movie. Some might call this karma for starring in Octopussy.

6. Charlie St. Cloud

Gross: $12,136,000 (new)

Screens: 2,718 (PSA: $4,465)

Weeks: new

Each time I saw a new trailer for this, a little more of the plot was revealed -- his brother is dead! He's found a new girlfriend! Only he can rescue her from aquatic peril! But in every permutation there was a constant: there was always a scene where he was shirtless or in a wet clingy shirt. You can't fault Charlie St. Cloud for not knowing its target audience.

[Numbers via Box Office Mojo]