Top 10 at the (3-Day) Weekend Box Office

Notes:

• Even though the Labor Day holiday extends the weekend, the movie industry still tallies the traditional 3-day weekend from Friday through Sunday. After opening on Wednesday with $1.7 million, Focus Features’ The American starring George Clooney leads the weekend with $13 million. That translates to a $16.1 million total since its early opening on Wednesday.
• In second place is last week's champ -- Takers -- with $11.5 million, a solid 44% second weekend hold and a domestic total to date of $37.9 million. Close behind in third place is Fox’s Machete with its $11.3 million debut.
• Meanwhile, romantic comedies continue to struggle. Warner Bros.' Going the Distance had to settle for $6.9 million and fifth place in its debut.
  
• Overall, sales were weak -- and are expected to remain so for the next few weeks as the studios release their projected under-performers so that they can focus on prestige pictures catering to awards voters later this fall.
  
• Reviews of Going the Distance, Eat Pray Love, The Other Guys, Inception and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• Sources: Hollywood.com, AP, Hollywood Reporter