The ailing economy apparently had an effect on the box office this weekend, hitting a ten-year low. Most movies suffered, but new releases Nobel Son, Cadillac Records and Punisher: War Zone felt particular pain, unable to unseat the Thanksgiving releases from their respective places at the top.

Four Christmases spread holiday comedy to audiences ranking it number one for the second week in a row, grossing an estimated $18.2 million. It appeared on 4,700 screens in approximately 3,335 theaters. After 12 days, its total stands at $70.8 million, proving its light-hearted plot is just what audiences want around the stressful holiday season. Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn star in the comedy about a couple who, instead of their traditional tropical Christmas vacation, must actually visit their families during the holidays. 

Twilight continued to hold onto its icon status and second place this weekend with $13.2 million, even though it had a 50 percent decrease from the previous weekend. The novel-turned movie has already grossed $138.6 million, earning triple its budget of $37 million. However, we can’t help but wonder if obsessed fans seeing the movie more than once are the bulk of the audience.

Bolt’s bark is yet again weak this week, placing it third behind insanely popular Twilight again.  The computer-animated family feature earned $9.7 million this weekend, and just doesn’t have what it takes to be top dog.

Australia remained a miss this weekend, grossing a mere $7.0 million, despite its whopping budget of $130 million. So far the movie has grossed a modest $30.9 million after 12 days in theaters. With an average earning of $2,573 per screen, this hopeful epic appears to be more forgettable than not.

Quantum of Solace holds on this week to the number 4 spot with $6.6 million. After four weeks it has grossed a total of $151.5 million. It had a 65 percent drop this weekend, but suffered no more than most films in this post-holiday weekend box-office slowdown.

Punisher: War Zone debuted on 2, 700 screens in 2, 508 theaters and earned only $4.0 million, ranking it 8th this weekend. The film hoped to have fresh start from the 2004 bomb of the original Punisher, but War Zone marked the smallest opening ever for a Marvel Comics-based movie. Also, Lionsgate released Transporter 3 last week, which may be stealing some of the Punisher’s action audience.

Another new release that flopped was Cadillac Records. It grossed only $3.5 million, though playing in 686 theaters. It made nearly as much as Punisher: War Zone playing on less than half the screens.  Nobel Son did even worse, earning $371, 000 in 893 theaters.

Milk and Slumdog Millionaire ranked in the top 12 this weekend, with their numbers continuing to increase.  Milk grossed $1.7 million in just 99 theaters, which is a 16.2 increase from last weekend. And Slumdog Millionaire earned $1.4 million appearing in 78 theaters, a 4.5 percent increase from the previous weekend.

Lastly, Frost/Nixon had a very limited showing in just three theaters, but managed to pull in $180,000, showing this high-profile story could be one to watch out for as it expands to 39 theaters on December 12th and to 350 on Christmas day.

 —Jessica Delli Santi