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The Labor Day weekend is typically a slow time for the movie business as everyone makes one final attempt to catch some elusive summer magic (e.g. sleep with unattainable lust object). As such, The Final Destination was the best of a weak bunch as it nabbed $12.4M ($47.5M) to top the weekend box office. Terrible newcomer All About Steve finished a reasonably close second ($11.2M) just ahead of the steady Inglourious Basterds ($10.8M | $91M). Gamer disappointed in its debut ($9M) as audiences showed a rare flash of sound judgment.
Sleeper hit District 9 finished out the top 5 ($7M | $101.2M) , topping the flaccid Halloween II ($5.6M | $25.6M) and the surprising Julie & Julia ($5.2M | $78.8M). People are still going to see G.I. Joe: Rise of Whatever for some odd reason ($5.1M | $139.4M). I'm equally surprised by the continuing success of the middling The Time Traveler's Wife ($4.2M | $54.5M) which managed to hold off the very funny Extract ($4.1M). The limited release crowd was, uh, limited to Amreeka which performed well ($12,500 per theater).