Weekend Receipts: Twilight Takes Top Slot for Third Week in a Row

Breaking Dawn sparkled to the top slot yet again on the quietest weekend of the season, but just take a gander at the healthy size of Shame's art house opening! Meanwhile, the latest offerings from Martin Scorsese and Alexander Payne enjoyed a boost. But I've got to ask: What happened to the Muppets' mojo?

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

Gross: $16,900,000 ($247,300,000)

Screens: 4,046 (PSA $4,177)

Weeks: 3

Breaking Dawn surpassed the half-billion mark worldwide earlier this week, so at this point it's just adding more cash to the money pile. Still, $16 million in its third week is impressive indeed, and speaks to the lasting power of the YA franchise.

2. The Muppets

Gross: $11,200,000 ($56,137,000)

Screens: 3,440 (PSA $3,256)

Weeks: 2 (Change: -61.7 %)

Unfortunately, stamina is something The Muppets seems to lack, evidenced by a 61.7 percent drop off from last weekend's strong opening. Was Muppets Mania a Thanksgiving week phenomah-na-mah-na, so to speak? Where are your second-wave Muppets spoof marketing materials now, Disney?

3. Hugo

Gross: $7,625,000 ($25,188,000)

Screens: 1,840 (PSA $4,144)

Weeks: 2 (Change: -32.9 %)

All things considered, Martin Scorsese's Hugo fared decently in its second week, following a weak debut that had awards-watchers and fans concerned. Even adding 500+ screens to its theater count, Hugo had just a smidge more than half of the reach of The Muppets, for instance. So keep cheering the 3-D adventure on as it, along with other family-oriented offerings, struggle to keep a foothold in the coming weeks.

4. Arthur Christmas

Gross: $7,350,000 ($25,292,000)

Screens: 3,376 (PSA $2,177)

Weeks: 2 (Change: -39.1%)

Speaking of which, we come to Arthur Christmas. The Aardman Animation pic earned great reviews and is timed to capitalize on holiday cheer, but audiences have yet to discover its delights on a larger scale. Give it a few weeks for tot-toting moviegoers to figure out they still haven't seen the one movie of the season that has the word "Christmas" in its title.

5. Happy Feet Two

Gross: $6,000,000 ($51,785,000)

Screens: 3,536 (PSA $1,697)

Weeks: 3 (Change: -55.2%)

Oh, the sad saga of Happy Feet Two. Pour out some hot buttered rum for this one as it continues its slide down the top 10.

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-- Shame

Gross: $361,000 (new)

Screens: 10 (PSA $36,100)

Weeks: 1

Let's hear it for the NC-17 Fassbender flick, which opened in limited release to a sizable per-screen average! Expect this one to swell and enlarge as it engages in further rendezvous with the art house crowd.

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