"SAFE HOUSE" RISES TO THE TOP IN SECOND WEEK: NARROWLY BEATS "THE VOW"

Still from Safe House

Although final numbers for the U.S. President's Day weekend won't be out till end of day Monday, Universal Pictures rises the top of the Box Office narrowly with Action-Thriller Safe House in its second week with $24 million. Starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, it edges-out two releases from Sony Pictures with Romantic-Drama The Vow which was number one last week,  earning $23.6 million this weekend.  In two weeks, it has pulled-in $90 million - extremely solid.

The other Film from Sony is a sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance 3-D starring Nicolas Cage and Idris Elba (currently in Toronto), which opens to the tune of $22 million.  The Action Flick was made for $75 million, although it has yet to open overseas, where its predecessor fared strongly back in 2007, going on to make $112 million there alone.

Warner Bros.' Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3-D seems to have cornered the Family market this Holiday weekend, slipping in fourth with $20.8 million in its second week of release, a two-week total of $59 million for the Brad Peyton-directed Adventure.

Debuting in fifth surprisingly is 20th Century Fox's This Means War with $17.5 million, which despite an all-star Cast including Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy and Chelsea Handler - opening in 3,189 theatres - still is garnering lower numbers than expected.  The entertaining Action/Rom-Com offered Sneak Previews on Valentine's Day, although that doesn't seem to boost its numbers by much.

The Secret World of Arriety from Walt Disney Motion Pictures despite extremely positive reviews (93% at Rotten Tomatoes), only manages a ninth-place debut this weekend with $6.4 million. It only is showing in 1,522 theatres, knowing its place against its competition.  This however, isn't really that much of a disgrace considering that it already has earned a whopping $126 million overseas.

Former champ The Grey rounds out the Top Ten this weekend with $3 million in this fourth week of release for Open Road in the U.S. and eOne Films in Canada.

"CHRONICLE" GRABS SPOTLIGHT FROM "THE WOMAN IN BLACK"

Still from Chronicle

In an unexpectedly tight battle, 20th Century Fox lands on-top of the Box Office with their sleeper hit Chronicle. The Sci-Fi from 26-year-old Director Josh Trank is about three Friends who discover superpowers, only the find themselves growing more distant as a result of this.  It opens with $22.2 million from 2,907 theatres.

A v. close second is Daniel Radcliffe's first self-headlining Film outside the Harry Potter franchise, The Woman in Black. The Horror opened in 52 less theatres than Chronicle, getting edged-out ever so slightly for CBS Films, with $21.5 million. Both Top Two Films have opened to positive reviews overall, the former standing a 82% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer, while the latter earned a 62%.

Last week's champion The Grey slips to third spot with $9.8 million, now earning an impressive $35 million total, ahead of debuting Action/Adventure flick Big Miracle starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski with $8.5 million in fourth.

Underworld: Awakening drops to fifth spot with $5.8 million, earning a total $54.6 million in three weeks for Sony Pictures, which is expected to take it all next weekend with The Vow starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams.

Meanwhile, in its twelfth week of release, Fox Searchlight's The Descendants is still in the Top Ten with $4.5 million this weekend. To-date, it has pulled in an impressive $65.3 million.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close also is showing some incredible staying power, rounding out the Top Ten with $3.8 million, for Warner Bros.

LIAM NEESON TAKES TOP OF BOX OFFICE WITH THIRD MOVIE IN-A-ROW

Still from The Grey

Liam Neeson finds himself atop the North American Box Office yet again, proving that older Men too can draw a crowd at the theatres. In fact, five of his last nine films to be released since 2010 have all debuted in the Top Two including his last three, The Chronicles of Naria: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Unknown and now this $25-million Action-Thriller The Grey earning $20 million from 3,185 theatres in its debut.

Underworld: Awakening which topped the Box Office last weekend, slips to second spot this weekend with $12.5 million, aheead of One for the Money, an Adaptation of the Janet Evanovich novel, opening in third with $11.8 million for Lionsgate Films from 2,737 theatres. Starring Katherine Heigl, the Action-Comedy was made for $42 million and fared well among older Women. Ticket sales also were driven by a partnership with Groupon in the U.S., offering tickets for just $6 and $12 for a pair of tickets, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last week's runner-up Red Tails slips to third with $10.4 million.

Man on a Ledge from Summit Entertainment (recently acquired by Lionsgate Films in the U.S.), debuts in fifth spot with $8.3 million. The Action-Thriller starring Sam Worthington, edges-out Best Picture nominees Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close in sixth spot earning $7 million and also The Descendants in seventh with $5.7 million; both received a boost with Oscar nominations being announced last week.