'Zero Dark Thirty' tops box office

"Zero Dark Thirty," Kathryn Bigelow's controversial movie about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, stormed to the top spot at the North American weekend box office, figures showed Monday. The Oscar-tipped film took in $24.4 million (RM73 million) in its first weekend on national release, and as its star Jessica Chastain won the best actress award at the Golden Globes on Sunday. Second and third places went to newcomers, the comedy "A Haunted House" and the Sean Penn crime saga "Gangster Squad," with $18.1 million (RM54 million) and $17.1 million (RM51 million) respectively. They were trailed by Quentin Tarantino's blood-soaked spaghetti Western tribute "Django Unchained," which won two Globes on Sunday and earned $11 million (RM33 million) according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Musical adaptation "Les Miserables" took fifth place, raking in $9.6 million(RM28 million) . On Sunday the movie won best musical/comedy film as well as acting Globes for Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the long-awaited first part of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" prequel trilogy, was in sixth spot, racking up $9.2 million (RM27 million), for a total of $278 million (RM838 million) so far. Steven Spielberg's multiple Oscar-nominated "Lincoln," starring Daniel Day-Lewis, was in seventh place in the standings, taking in $6.3 million (RM19 million) for a total of $152.6 million (RM458 million) so far. Day-Lewis took the best actor Globe Sunday night, but that was the only win out of seven nominations for the movie, which is competing in no fewer than 12 categories at next month's Academy Awards. In the number eight spot, "Parental Guidance," a comedy starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, earned $6.1 million. "Texas Chainsaw 3D," the latest offering in the horror franchise first launched in 1974 but now presented in 21st century 3D gore, came in ninth, taking in $5.3 million (RM15 million). Rounding out the top 10 was "Silver Linings Playbook," a dark romantic comedy with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence -- who won the best comedy actress Globe. The movie earned $5 million (RM15 million) at the weekend box office.