Canine comedy 'Marley & Me' surprise pick of the litter, gave Hollywood just what it wanted for Xmas. The story of a newly wed couple and their rambunctious pet fetched a whopping $51.7-million over four days after its' Christmas Day release. A big win for man's best friend, as wells as, 'Friend(s)' Jennifer Aniston, who was a big part of the movie's promotional effort.

While, Marley led the pack by a comfortable margin, Adam Sandler's 'Bedtime Stories' came in at No. 2 ($38.6-million over four days), with Oscar contender 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' finishing just behind at No. 3. In spite of skepticism about its fate, World War II drama 'Valkyrie showed Tom Cruise can hold his own with moviegoers.

'The Spirit' notched in to the Top Ten at No. 9 spot, and despite competition from four strong new releases Jim Carrey's 'Yes Man' fared best at No. 5, with Will Smith's 'Seven Pounds' held well with only a 10% drop since its release, and 'The Tale of Despereaux' keeping pace held on.

The very limited opening of Leonardo DiCaprio - Kate Winslet reunion, ' Revolutionary Road ' did surprisingly great, boding well for its eventual wide release. The other Oscar aspiring drama 'Doubt', starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, hit the Top Ten in its first weekend.

Though holiday retail sales plunged, the nation turned to the big screen for comfort in these times of economic bleakness.