| Rank | Release
| Genre
| Budget
| Running Time
| Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Release Date | Distributor
| Estimated
|
|---|
| 1 | Avatar | - | - | - | $312,128,206 | 3,461 | $749,766,139 | Dec 18 | Twentieth Century Fox | false |
| 2 | Sherlock Holmes | - | - | - | $95,498,566 | 3,626 | $209,028,679 | Dec 25 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 3 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel | - | - | - | $88,567,715 | 3,747 | $219,614,612 | Dec 23 | Twentieth Century Fox | false |
| 4 | The Book of Eli | - | - | - | $74,511,765 | 3,111 | $94,835,059 | Jan 15 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 5 | It's Complicated | - | - | - | $63,735,160 | 2,955 | $112,735,375 | Dec 25 | Universal Pictures | false |
| 6 | The Blind Side | - | - | - | $41,351,487 | 3,407 | $255,959,475 | Nov 20 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 7 | Up in the Air | - | - | - | $39,618,445 | 2,218 | $83,823,381 | Dec 4 | Paramount Pictures | false |
| 8 | The Lovely Bones | - | - | - | $37,687,315 | 2,638 | $44,114,232 | Dec 11 | DreamWorks | false |
| 9 | Daybreakers | - | - | - | $29,423,555 | 2,523 | $30,101,577 | Jan 8 | Lionsgate Films | false |
| 10 | Legion | - | - | - | $29,022,786 | 2,476 | $40,168,080 | Jan 22 | Screen Gems | false |
| 11 | Tooth Fairy | - | - | - | $26,104,387 | 3,345 | $60,022,256 | Jan 22 | Twentieth Century Fox | false |
| 12 | Leap Year | - | - | - | $24,734,590 | 2,512 | $25,918,920 | Jan 8 | Universal Pictures | false |
| 13 | The Princess and the Frog | - | - | - | $23,948,118 | 3,475 | $104,400,899 | Nov 25 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | false |
| 14 | The Spy Next Door | - | - | - | $21,539,771 | 2,924 | $24,307,086 | Jan 15 | Lionsgate Films | false |
| 15 | Edge of Darkness | - | - | - | $17,214,384 | 3,066 | $43,313,890 | Jan 29 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 16 | Youth in Revolt | - | - | - | $14,890,330 | 1,873 | $15,281,286 | Jan 8 | - | false |
| 17 | When in Rome | - | - | - | $12,350,041 | 2,456 | $32,680,633 | Jan 29 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | false |
| 18 | Extraordinary Measures | - | - | - | $10,445,568 | 2,549 | $12,068,313 | Jan 22 | CBS Films | false |
| 19 | Invictus | - | - | - | $9,538,846 | 2,170 | $37,491,364 | Dec 11 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 20 | Nine | - | - | - | $9,356,735 | 1,412 | $19,676,965 | Dec 18 | The Weinstein Company | false |
| 21 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | - | - | - | $9,303,034 | 4,124 | $296,623,634 | Nov 20 | Summit Entertainment | false |
| 22 | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | - | - | - | $9,200,041 | 2,718 | $29,580,087 | Dec 18 | Sony Pictures Releasing | false |
| 23 | The Young Victoria | - | - | - | $6,302,381 | 476 | $11,001,272 | Dec 18 | Apparition | false |
| 24 | Crazy Heart | - | - | - | $6,176,179 | 1,361 | $39,464,306 | Dec 16 | - | false |
| 25 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | - | - | - | $5,617,594 | 607 | $7,689,607 | Dec 25 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 26 | A Single Man | - | - | - | $4,036,945 | 354 | $9,176,000 | Dec 11 | The Weinstein Company | false |
| 27 | 2012 | - | - | - | $3,203,846 | 3,444 | $166,112,167 | Nov 13 | Sony Pictures Releasing | false |
| 28 | 3 Idiots | - | - | - | $3,146,284 | 156 | $6,532,874 | Dec 23 | Reliance Big Pictures | false |
| 29 | Precious | - | - | - | $2,879,900 | 1,003 | $47,566,524 | Nov 6 | Lionsgate Films | false |
| 30 | To Save a Life | - | - | - | $2,569,955 | 441 | $3,777,210 | Jan 22 | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | false |
| 31 | Broken Embraces | - | - | - | $2,395,806 | 202 | $5,014,305 | Nov 20 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 32 | Brothers | - | - | - | $2,321,378 | 2,088 | $28,544,157 | Dec 4 | Lionsgate Films | false |
| 33 | Fantastic Mr. Fox | - | - | - | $1,729,989 | 2,304 | $21,002,919 | Nov 13 | Twentieth Century Fox | false |
| 34 | Old Dogs | - | - | - | $1,713,049 | 3,425 | $49,492,060 | Nov 25 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | false |
| 35 | Planet 51 | - | - | - | $1,559,606 | 3,035 | $42,194,060 | Nov 20 | Sony Pictures Releasing | false |
| 36 | The Road | - | - | - | $1,542,878 | 396 | $8,117,000 | Nov 25 | - | false |
| 37 | An Education | - | - | - | $1,142,950 | 763 | $12,574,914 | Oct 9 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 38 | Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | - | - | - | $959,578 | 3,119 | $124,870,275 | Sep 18 | Sony Pictures Releasing | false |
| 39 | A Christmas Carol | - | - | - | $952,520 | 3,683 | $137,855,863 | Nov 6 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | false |
| 40 | Couples Retreat | - | - | - | $878,750 | 3,074 | $109,204,945 | Oct 9 | Universal Pictures | false |
| 41 | Where the Wild Things Are | - | - | - | $873,895 | 3,735 | $77,233,467 | Oct 16 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 42 | Ninja Assassin | - | - | - | $738,905 | 2,503 | $38,122,883 | Nov 25 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 43 | Law Abiding Citizen | - | - | - | $579,186 | 2,890 | $73,357,727 | Oct 16 | Overture Films | false |
| 44 | Under the Sea 3D | - | - | - | $573,585 | 108 | $36,262,926 | Feb 13 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 45 | The White Ribbon | - | - | - | $565,166 | 106 | $2,222,862 | Dec 30 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 46 | Armored | - | - | - | $490,636 | 1,919 | $15,988,876 | Dec 4 | Screen Gems | false |
| 47 | Veer | - | - | - | $454,902 | 92 | $527,193 | Jan 22 | Eros Worldwide | false |
| 48 | The Men Who Stare at Goats | - | - | - | $439,172 | 2,453 | $32,428,195 | Nov 6 | Overture Films | false |
| 49 | The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day | - | - | - | $371,149 | 524 | $10,273,188 | Oct 30 | Apparition | false |
| 50 | The Last Station | - | - | - | $314,063 | 354 | $6,617,867 | Jan 15 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 51 | Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon | - | - | - | $299,417 | 82 | $34,137,524 | Sep 23 | IMAX | false |
| 52 | Space Station 3D | - | - | - | $283,070 | 64 | $93,383,953 | Apr 19 | IMAX | false |
| 53 | Me and Orson Welles | - | - | - | $279,487 | 134 | $1,190,003 | Nov 25 | Freestyle Releasing | false |
| 54 | Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans | - | - | - | $217,667 | 96 | $1,702,112 | Nov 20 | First Look International | false |
| 55 | Astro Boy | - | - | - | $173,196 | 3,020 | $19,551,067 | Oct 23 | Summit Entertainment | false |
| 56 | Chance Pe Dance | - | - | - | $168,643 | 68 | $168,643 | Jan 15 | UTV Motion Pictures | false |
| 57 | A Serious Man | - | - | - | $130,332 | 262 | $9,228,768 | Oct 2 | Focus Features | false |
| 58 | The Messenger | - | - | - | $129,958 | 50 | $1,109,660 | Nov 13 | Oscilloscope | false |
| 59 | Paranormal Activity | - | - | - | $125,965 | 2,712 | $107,918,810 | Sep 25 | Paramount Pictures | false |
| 60 | Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure | - | - | - | $124,373 | 252 | $23,746,066 | Oct 5 | National Geographic Entertainment | false |
| 61 | Fish Tank | - | - | - | $115,753 | 15 | $374,675 | Jan 15 | IFC Films | false |
| 62 | Coco Before Chanel | - | - | - | $114,273 | 307 | $6,113,834 | Sep 25 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 63 | Preacher's Kid | - | - | - | $103,572 | 109 | $515,065 | Jan 29 | 8x Entertainment | false |
| 64 | Creation | - | - | - | $91,090 | 12 | $341,323 | Jan 22 | Newmarket Films | false |
| 65 | The Fourth Kind | - | - | - | $89,320 | 2,530 | $25,486,040 | Nov 6 | Universal Pictures | false |
| 66 | Crazy on the Outside | - | - | - | $88,335 | 75 | $88,335 | Jan 8 | Freestyle Releasing | false |
| 67 | Red Cliff | - | - | - | $87,573 | 42 | $627,047 | Nov 18 | Magnolia Pictures | false |
| 68 | Deep Sea | - | - | - | $75,982 | 47 | $46,412,757 | Mar 3 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 69 | La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet | - | - | - | $68,666 | 25 | $567,493 | Nov 4 | Zipporah Films | false |
| 70 | The Boat That Rocked | - | - | - | $68,361 | 883 | $8,017,917 | Nov 13 | Focus Features | false |
| 71 | Dolphins and Whales 3D: Tribes of the Ocean | - | - | - | $65,412 | 42 | $7,714,996 | Feb 15 | 3D Entertainment | false |
| 72 | That Evening Sun | - | - | - | $58,638 | 10 | $281,350 | Nov 6 | Freestyle Releasing | false |
| 73 | The Maid | - | - | - | $57,158 | 19 | $576,608 | Oct 16 | Elephant Eye Films | false |
| 74 | The Private Lives of Pippa Lee | - | - | - | $49,625 | 26 | $337,356 | Nov 27 | Screen Media Films | false |
| 75 | A Town Called Panic | - | - | - | $47,723 | 10 | $165,509 | Dec 16 | Zeitgeist Films | false |
| 76 | The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry | - | - | - | $45,490 | 135 | $1,355,079 | Sep 18 | Five & Two Pictures | false |
| 77 | The Girl on the Train | - | - | - | $40,006 | 10 | $208,023 | Jan 22 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 78 | Amelia | - | - | - | $38,510 | 1,070 | $14,246,488 | Oct 23 | - | false |
| 79 | House | - | - | - | $38,178 | 7 | $209,765 | Jan 15 | Janus Films | false |
| 80 | Sweetgrass | - | - | - | $36,752 | 9 | $207,473 | Jan 6 | The Cinema Guild | false |
| 81 | The Box | - | - | - | $26,698 | 2,635 | $15,051,977 | Nov 6 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 82 | Until the Light Takes Us | - | - | - | $25,812 | 3 | $130,441 | Dec 4 | Variance Films | false |
| 83 | Killing Kasztner | - | - | - | $21,975 | 5 | $112,313 | Oct 23 | Sky Island Films | false |
| 84 | 35 Shots of Rum | - | - | - | $18,399 | 5 | $177,511 | Sep 16 | The Cinema Guild | false |
| 85 | 44 Inch Chest 2010 Re-release | - | - | - | $17,428 | 5 | $39,033 | Jan 15 | Image Entertainment | false |
| 86 | The Yes Men Fix the World | - | - | - | $17,404 | 16 | $194,533 | Sep 25 | Shadow Distribution | false |
| 87 | Bitch Slap | - | - | - | $17,365 | 3 | $17,365 | Jan 8 | Freestyle Releasing | false |
| 88 | The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers | - | - | - | $16,740 | 12 | $453,993 | Jan 29 | First Run | false |
| 89 | The Polar Express 2009 IMAX Release | - | - | - | $16,722 | 21 | $514,354 | Nov 6 | Warner Bros. | false |
| 90 | Galapagos | - | - | - | $16,458 | 14 | $18,630,372 | Oct 29 | IMAX | false |
| 91 | The Little Traitor | - | - | - | $14,933 | 5 | $402,088 | Oct 23 | - | false |
| 92 | Police, Adjective | - | - | - | $14,782 | 8 | $53,206 | Dec 23 | IFC Films | false |
| 93 | The Horse Boy | - | - | - | $14,630 | 5 | $156,612 | Sep 30 | Zeitgeist Films | false |
| 94 | North Face | - | - | - | $14,559 | 36 | $711,421 | Jan 29 | Music Box Films | false |
| 95 | Saint John of Las Vegas | - | - | - | $12,171 | 14 | $102,645 | Jan 29 | IndieVest Pictures | false |
| 96 | Seraphine | - | - | - | $9,833 | 24 | $884,613 | Jun 5 | Music Box Films | false |
| 97 | Wonderful World | - | - | - | $9,309 | 4 | $9,309 | Jan 8 | Magnolia Pictures | false |
| 98 | The Damned United | - | - | - | $8,679 | 45 | $449,865 | Oct 9 | Sony Pictures Classics | false |
| 99 | Mystery Team | - | - | - | $8,609 | 4 | $89,442 | Aug 28 | Roadside Attractions | false |
| 100 | Good Hair | - | - | - | $7,220 | 466 | $4,157,223 | Oct 9 | Roadside Attractions | false |
| 101 | Amreeka | - | - | - | $7,105 | 40 | $627,436 | Sep 4 | National Geographic Entertainment | false |
| 102 | The Missing Person | - | - | - | $6,926 | 3 | $17,896 | Nov 20 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 103 | Waiting for Armageddon | - | - | - | $6,817 | 1 | $10,501 | Jan 8 | First Run | false |
| 104 | Four Seasons Lodge | - | - | - | $6,539 | 3 | $58,334 | Nov 11 | First Run | false |
| 105 | The End of Poverty? | - | - | - | $6,260 | 5 | $57,805 | Nov 13 | Cinema Libre Studio | false |
| 106 | The Weathered Underground | - | - | - | $6,226 | 22 | $140,091 | Jan 26 | Indican Pictures | false |
| 107 | The Sun 2009 Re-release | - | - | - | $5,866 | 4 | $77,303 | Nov 18 | Lorber Films | false |
| 108 | The Beaches of Agnès | - | - | - | $5,726 | 7 | $239,711 | Jul 2 | The Cinema Guild | false |
| 109 | Misconceptions | - | - | - | $5,432 | 2 | $6,892 | Jan 22 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 110 | Off and Running | - | - | - | $5,127 | 1 | $18,262 | Jan 29 | First Run | false |
| 111 | Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers | - | - | - | $4,744 | 2 | $9,677 | Jan 8 | Cinema Purgatorio | false |
| 112 | Watercolors | - | - | - | $4,592 | 2 | $6,305 | Jan 22 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 113 | Mississippi Mermaid | - | - | - | $4,514 | 1 | $33,216 | Jul 10 | The Film Desk | false |
| 114 | Le combat dans l'île | - | - | - | $4,407 | 1 | $50,039 | Jun 12 | The Film Desk | false |
| 115 | Departures | - | - | - | $3,832 | 27 | $1,498,210 | May 29 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 116 | The September Issue | - | - | - | $3,683 | 143 | $3,820,067 | Aug 28 | Roadside Attractions | false |
| 117 | The Wedding Song | - | - | - | $3,456 | 4 | $31,160 | Oct 9 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 118 | Big Fan | - | - | - | $3,109 | 15 | $234,540 | Aug 28 | First Independent Pictures | false |
| 119 | The Slammin' Salmon | - | - | - | $2,667 | 11 | $41,587 | Dec 11 | Anchor Bay Films | false |
| 120 | Under Our Skin | - | - | - | $2,576 | 6 | $98,548 | Jun 19 | Shadow Distribution | false |
| 121 | Small Change | - | - | - | $2,395 | 2 | $38,296 | Nov 24 | The Film Desk | false |
| 122 | Crude | - | - | - | $2,311 | 7 | $170,295 | Sep 9 | First Run | false |
| 123 | Cloud 9 | - | - | - | $2,247 | 8 | $91,675 | Aug 14 | Music Box Films | false |
| 124 | The Wild Child | - | - | - | $2,192 | 2 | $65,051 | Nov 7 | The Film Desk | false |
| 125 | Harmony and Me | - | - | - | $2,192 | 1 | $20,099 | Sep 18 | - | false |
| 126 | Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg | - | - | - | $2,127 | 25 | $1,134,623 | Jul 10 | International Film Circuit | false |
| 127 | The Fall | - | - | - | $2,116 | 111 | $2,266,905 | May 9 | Roadside Attractions | false |
| 128 | Endgame | - | - | - | $1,942 | 14 | $9,645 | Nov 6 | Monterey Media | false |
| 129 | Ajami | - | - | - | $1,866 | 23 | $622,403 | Feb 3 | Kino International | false |
| 130 | Fashion Victim | - | - | - | $1,705 | 2 | $3,346 | Jan 22 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 131 | $9.99 | - | - | - | $1,683 | 4 | $52,384 | Dec 12 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 132 | Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love | - | - | - | $1,626 | 7 | $172,225 | Jun 12 | Shadow Distribution | false |
| 133 | Drool | - | - | - | $1,403 | 1 | $1,403 | Jan 22 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 134 | Bliss 2009 Re-release | - | - | - | $1,224 | 3 | $40,349 | Aug 7 | First Run | false |
| 135 | Trucker | - | - | - | $1,086 | 13 | $52,429 | Oct 9 | Monterey Media | false |
| 136 | The Headless Woman | - | - | - | $1,078 | 3 | $100,177 | Aug 19 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 137 | The Wonder of it All | - | - | - | $906 | 39 | $781,016 | Jul 17 | Indican Pictures | false |
| 138 | Peter and Vandy | - | - | - | $734 | 3 | $11,495 | Oct 9 | Strand Releasing | false |
| 139 | Yuri Gagarin Conspiracy: Fallen Idol | - | - | - | $703 | 2 | $14,471 | Oct 2 | Indican Pictures | false |
| 140 | The Cove | - | - | - | $695 | 56 | $857,005 | Jul 31 | Roadside Attractions | false |
| 141 | Monsieur Verdoux | - | - | - | $665 | 2 | $64,636 | Mar 14 | The Film Desk | false |
| 142 | Home | - | - | - | $377 | 2 | $15,925 | Nov 27 | Lorber Films | false |
| 143 | Falling Awake | - | - | - | $363 | 2 | $1,978 | Jan 29 | IFC Films | false |
| 144 | The Blue Tooth Virgin | - | - | - | $237 | 2 | $2,762 | Sep 25 | Regent Releasing | false |
| 145 | From Mexico with Love | - | - | - | $57 | 279 | $548,787 | Oct 9 | Roadside Attractions | false |
