Weekend Box Office: July 30-August 1

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Inception - $27.5 million

2. Dinner for Schmucks - $23.3 million

3. Salt - $19.2 million

4. Despicable Me - $15.5 million

5. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - $12.5 million

6. Charlie St. Cloud - $12.1 million

7. Toy Story 3 - $5 million

8. Grown Ups - $4.5 million

9. The Sorcerer's Apprentice - $4.3 million

10. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $3.9 million

The double-punch of Steve Carell and Paul Rudd were no match for Inception's powerhouse combo of great word-of-mouth and repeat viewings as Christopher Nolan's thriller stayed at the top spot for the third straight weekend.

Inception dropped only 35% this weekend, and now stands at a $193 domestic total ($279 million worldwide).  It should cross the $200 million mark before next weekend.  Despite settling for second place, Dinner for Schmucks also opened well with $23.3 million, although it will likely face tough competition when Will Ferell's The Other Guys opens next weekend.

Of this weekend's other new releases, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore was mercifully DOA, coming in fifth place with just $12.5 million, and Zac Efron's Charlie St. Cloud finished along expectations with $12.1 million.  While that seems like a relatively week opening, Efron fans should take note that this was a much better opening than Robert Pattinson's Remember Me, which opened with just $8 million back in March, so Efron seems to be winning the battle of the teenage heartthrobs at the box office this year.

Angelina Jolie's Salt held up well in its second weekend, dropping 47% to earn $19.2 million.  It's earned $70.8 million in less than 10 days.  The insanely adorable Despicable Me also continues its great run, with another $15.5 million to bring its total to $190 million.  Grown Ups had another solid weekend with $4.5 million.

Toy Story 3 edges closer to the $400 million domestic mark this weekend with another $5 million, which must leave Disney somewhat relieved as The Sorcerer's Apprentice has failed to catch on at the box office, fading out of the top ten with just $4.3 million.  Better news for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which at $288 million is now likely to pass New Moon's $296 total.  

The battle of the new releases continues next weekend when The Other Guys and Disney's Step Up 3D arrives in theaters.  Stay tuned.