‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’, a movie about talking dogs topped the weekend box office, trampling Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe’s ‘Body of Lies’ based on Iraq and the mess called the Middle East, proving movie stars seem to have lost their ability to rake in theatre audiences.  The terrorism thriller only managed to collect an anaemic $13.1-million, despite starring DiCaprio and Crowe, who are considered two of the biggest draws in the movie business.

At $70-million, Body of Lies adapted from a best selling novel about a CIA agent, pursuing a terrorist leader all the way from USA to Iraq , Turkey and Jordan , was an expensive movie to produce, and like other movies focused on the Iraq war, failed to perform despite big-name stars like Tom Cruise and Reese Witherspoon.

The market free fall on Wall Street ensured escapism ruled the weekend, as Walt Disney Pictures Beverly Hills Chihuahua, amassed an estimated $17.5-million in tickets over the weekend, occupying the No. 1 slot second week in a row, grossing $52.5 million overall.  Sony/Screen Gems horror film - Quarantine, sold $14.2-million tickets, coming in at second place, another escapist entry that appealed mostly to the younger moviegoers.

Body of Lies came in third, with Eagle Eye secured fourth place, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist came fifth, while the historical saga The Duchess starring Keira Knightley as an 18th century aristocrat stuck in a loveless marriage, clambered into the Top 10 slot, coming in at No. 9.

Two British limited release movies, one Guy Ritchie’s crime romp - RocknRolla starring Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson, and Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky starring Sally Hawkins made a good start at the box office..in the Top Ten-- that are

1.      Beverly Hills Chihuahua - $17.5 million.

2.      Quarantine - $14.2 million.

3.      Body of Lies - $13.1 million.

4.      Eagle Eye - $11 million.

5.      Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - $6.5 million.

6.      The Express - $4.7 million.

7.      Nights in Rodanthe - $4.6 million.

8.      Appaloosa - $3.34 million.

9.      The Duchess - $3.32 million.

10.  City of Ember - $3.2 million.