Aniston film tops US box office

The chart topper also stars Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Connolly

Romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You, which stars Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson, has topped the North American box office.

The film, which follows a group of 20 and 30-somethings trying to work out the rules of dating, took $27.5m (�18.6m)in its opening weekend.

Based on a best-selling book inspired by Sex and the City, it pushed kidnap thriller Taken into second place.

Animated adventure Coraline, starring Dakota Fanning, came third.

It was the best performing of the two Fanning films opening this weekend.

Sci-fi thriller Push, in which the 14-year-old plays a clairvoyant on the run from a secret organisation, took $10.2m (�6.9m) to come sixth.

Steve Martin's critically-derided follow up to his Pink Panther remake was the fourth most watched film.

NORTH AMERICAN BOX OFFICE 1. He's Just Not That Into You - $27.5m 2. Taken - $20.3m 3. Coraline - $16.3m 4. The Pink Panther 2 - $12m 5. Paul Blart: Mall Cop - $11m Source, Media by Numbers

However, it opened weakly compared to the 2006 film, taking a little more than half the amount that film managed in its first weekend.

Former number one Paul Blart, Mall Cop rounded out the top five.

Strong start

Defying the credit crunch, cinema revenues were up by 19.4% in North America compared to the same period last year.

Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media by Numbers which compiles the figures said: "I've not seen the start of a year this strong in my entire career."

Jennifer Aniston's previous film Marley and Me also topped the North American box office on its release at Christmas.

Producers of He's Just Not that Into You hope the romantic comedy will also benefit from the Valentine's Day audience next weekend.

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