As four new movies failed to do much business, box-office phenomenon “The Blind Side” dominated the traditionally slow weekend after Thanksgiving and “Up in the Air” soared in limited release.

Over the weekend, the unemployment-themed “Up in the Air,” which stars George Clooney and which garnered largely positive reviews, sold a studio-estimated $1.2 million worth of tickets at 15 theaters in the US and Canada. Its average sales per venue of $79,000 were the third highest for any movie this year behind “The Princess and the Frog” and “Precious,” setting it up well as Paramount Pictures expands the film over the next few weeks and aims for a long run during awards season, when it is expected to score multiple award nominations.

According to Hollywood.com, total box-office receipts rose 23 percent from the same weekend last year although the four new movies to open nationwide—“Armored,” “Brothers,” “Everybody’s Fine,” and “Transylmania”—all grossed less than $10 million. That continues the industry’s record-breaking year that has driven domestic box-office revenue up nearly 9 percent this year despite the economic downturn.

(article and photo source: the Los Angeles Times)