Despite a bit of competition from new entries, The Help has beaten them off to top US box office this weekend, adding $14.1 million. While the film has set off a storm of controversy over whether it’s a whitewashing of the realities of life in the segregated US South, it’s undoubtedly touched a chord with audiences and has now become a true hit.
The new entries had to settle for runners up positions, with the Zoe Saldana flick Colombiana in second spot with $10.3 million, followed by the Guillermo Del Toro produced fright flick Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark with $8.6 million. The only other new entry was Our Idiot Brother, which took $6.5 million to place fifth.
However to say whether or not these new films lived up to expectations is slightly unfair, because Hurricane Irene depressed the whole of the box office massively, with thousands of cinemas shut over the weekend on the East Coast, and millions of people hunkered down because of the storm. It’s estimated the hurricane could have knocked $25 million off the weekend box office, and it’s impossible to know how much of that would have added to the new entries (it’s suggested Our Idiot Brother was particularly hit by the lack of East Coast play).
Take a look below for the US box office top 10 for the weekend of August 26th-28th.
| Rank | Title | Weekend Gross (millions) | Total Gross to date (millions) |
| 1 | The Help | $14.1 | $96.6 |
| 2 | Colombiana | $10.3 | $10.3 |
| 3 | Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark | $8.6 | $8.6 |
| 4 | Rise Of The Planet of The Apes | $8.6 | $148.4 |
| 5 | Our Idiot Brother | $6.5 | $6.5 |
| 6 | Spy Kids: All The Time In The World | $5.7 | $21.7 |
| 7 | The Smurfs | $4.8 | $125.9 |
| 8 | Conan The Barbarian | $3.1 | $16.5 |
| 9 | Fright Night | $3.0 | $14.2 |
| 10 | Crazy, Stupid Love | $2.9 | $69.5 |