BOX OFFICE TUMBLES AGAIN

The box office could have used a few more Facebook friends over the weekend as it fell 15 percent below the total for the comparable week last year. As it was, The Social Network, the movie about the founding of Facebook, produced just about the only solid result — $15.5 million, down just 31 percent from a week ago. With the movie performing strongly during midweek, its 10-day total stood at $46 million. (But a year ago, Couples Retreat earned $34.3 million when it opened on the comparable weekend.) While there was something aimed at every demographic group, nothing else connected. The romantic comedy Life as We Know It, targeting women, opened with just $14.5 million to place second. The family film Secretariat trotted out with only $12.7 million to place third. But by far the most dispiriting debut of the weekend was registered by Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take, which earned only $6.8 million — despite a 3D surcharge for jumping-out-atcha scares — to wind up in fifth place. It was the worst showing so far this year for a 3D movie, and it magnified some analysts’ conclusions that the 3D novelty is nearing the end of its current cycle.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Box Office Mojo (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):
1. The Social Network, Sony, $15,451,991, 2 Wks. ($46,021,161); 2. Life as We Know It, Warner Bros., $14,506,464, (New); 3. Secretariat, Disney, $12,694,770, (New); 4. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Warner Bros., $6,888,019, 3 Wks. ($39,273,984); 5. My Soul to Take, Universal, $6,842,220, (New); 6. The Town, Warner Bros., $6,411,008, 4 Wks. ($73,847,527); 7. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, 20th Century Fox, $4,603,123, 3 Wks. ($43,644,701); 8. Easy A, Sony, $4,289,418, 4 Wks. ($48,228,201); 9. Case 39, Paramount, $2,680,305, 2 Wks. ($9,650,005); 10. You Again, Disney, $2,512,782, 3 Wks. ($20,769,995).