AFFLECK’S THE TOWN IS A WINNAHH!

It may not have been akin to a Red Sox victory over the Yankees, but the box-office performance of Ben Affleck’s Boston-set police drama, The Town, must have gladdened hearts in Beantown nonetheless. The Warner Bros. film came away with an estimated $23.8 million, far surpassing forecasters’ estimates of $15-20 million. It also gave the box office a needed shot in the arm, helping to lift it 34 percent above last weekend and 5 percent above the comparable weekend a year ago. The Sony comedy Easy A, which had been expected to come out on top, wound up in second place with about $18.2 million — below analysts’ predictions of $20-25 million but above the studio’s expectation of $15 million. In third place was the debut of Universal’s horror flick Devil with $12.6 million, followed by last week’s winner, Resident Evil: Afterlife, which plunged 62 percent to $10.1 million. Rounding out the top five was the poorly reviewed Alpha and Omega, which, despite 3D premium pricing going for it in most locations, earned just $9.2 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Box Office Mojo:
1. The Town, $23.8 million; 2. Easy A, 18.2 million; 3. Devil, $12.6 million; 4. Resident Evil: Afterlife, $10.1 million; 5. Alpha and Omega, $9.2 million; 6. Takers, $3 million; 7. The American, $2.8 million; 8. Inception, $2 million; 9. The Other Guys, $2 million; 10. Machete, $1.7 million.

UPDATE
Final figures for the weekend put The Town on top with $23,808,032. Easy A came in second — and below estimates — with $17,734,040. Devil occupied third place with $12,289,375. In fourth place was Resident Evil: Afterlife, which brought in $10,002,592. The animated musical Alpha and Omega rounded out the top five with $9,106,906.