Sony, Sandler "Click" at top

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sony's "Click" controlled the box office in North America this past weekend with a $40 million debut and the top spot.

While the

Adam Sandler starrer easily topped the charts at the box office, the opening proved to be the fourth-best for the comedian. On the flip side, the debut was Sandler's fifth film to open to $40 million or more. Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios produced the PG-13-rated film, helmed by Frank Coraci, which centers on a man who finds a television remote control that controls his life.

Buena Vista's animated "Cars" found some traction at the box office on its third lap in theaters, pulling into the pit in the second spot with $23.3 million -- some $800,000 better than early estimates. The G-rated Pixar film dropped a mild 31 percent from a week earlier, advancing the cumulative gross to $156.7 million. "Cars" still lags Pixar's "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo" at this same point of release, but just edged out "Monsters, Inc.," which had grossed $156.3 million by the end of its third weekend.

Paramount's "Nacho Libre" took a hit from "Click" at the box office as the PG-rated

Jack Black starrer placed third with $12.7 million, up $600,000 from early estimates but down a steep 55 percent from its sterling debut a week ago. The comedy has taken in $53.2 million in its first 10 days.

'DRIFT' INTO FOURTH

Universal's "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" also pulled in about $600,000 more than what was originally estimated, and in the process bumped Rogue Pictures' "Waist Deep" out of the fourth spot. "Tokyo Drift" raced off with $9.8 million to grab fourth place, but was slowing down as the third film in the franchise dropped a sharp 59 percent from its debut. The action-thriller has garnered $43.1 million so far.

Even though it slipped a notch in the weekend rankings from early estimates, "Waist Deep" had a strong bow in the fifth slot with $9.4 million from just 1,004 locations, averaging a robust $9,367 per theater. The R-rated action-thriller, starring Tyrese Gibson,

Larenz Tate,

Meagan Good and The Game, played mostly to urban moviegoers. Vondie Curtis-Hall directed the film, which has been likened to an updated African-American Bonnie and Clyde story.

Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Lake House" checked into the sixth slot with $8.8 million, down a moderate 35 percent on its second weekend in theaters. After 10 days in release, the romantic drama has accumulated $29.8 million.

Overall, it was another up weekend at the box office as the total for the 120 films tracked by The Hollywood Reporter came to $140.4 million -- up a noteworthy 10 percent from the comparable frame last year. The box office has been quietly outpacing 2005 for 13 out of the past 14 weekends, leading the year-to-date total to a 5 percent increase. Estimated admissions, thanks to modest ticket price increases, are up 3 percent from the corresponding period last year.

"Click" may have to work to hold on to its audience in the next few weeks, as a lukewarm 87 percent of moviegoers gave the film a positive nod, according to CinemaScore.

Kate Beckinsale,

Christopher Walken and

Henry Winkler co-star in the comedy, which pulled in males and females in nearly equal numbers.

Universal's "The Break-Up" reached the $100 million milestone this past weekend, collecting $6.6 million to place seventh. The comedy-drama, starring

Jennifer Aniston and

Vince Vaughn, has $104.2 million in boxoffice escrow to date.

Sony's "The Da Vinci Code" also reached a milestone in the past week as its cume climbed past the $200 million mark. The mystery-thriller landed in the 10th slot this past weekend with $4.1 million, advancing the cume to date to $205.6 million.

Lionsgate's "Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" opened in one theater in New York and tuned into $17,130. The documentary is directed by Lian Lunson and features performances by U2,

Nick Cave and

Rufus Wainwright, among others.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter