The Kevin James comedy “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” secured the top spot of the weekend box office with a $39.2 million take. Last week’s box office champ, Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” pulled into second with $25.6 milloin, edging out the third-place, 3D thriller “My Bloody Valentine” at $24.1 million. Following its Golden Globe wins, “Slumdog Millionaire” returned to the top 10, pulling in more than $7 million for the weekend.

RANK
Title
Studio
Weekend Gross
Jan 16-18
Total Gross
Thru Jan 18

1
PAUL BLART: MALL COP
SONY PICTURES
$39,234,238
$39,234,238

2
GRAN TORINO
WARNER BROS.
$25,606,399
$76,603,810

3
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
LIONSGATE
$24,103,962
$24,103,962

4
NOTORIOUS
FOX SEARCHLIGHT
$23,393,472
$23,393,472

5
HOTEL FOR …

In its first weekend of wide release, Clint Eastwood’s latest drama “Gran Torino” ruled the box office for the weekend of January 9-11, bringing in nearly $29.5M. Industrywide, the first weekend of the 2009 boxoffice year marked a 4% improvement over the same frame last year with $146 million in collective grosses, according to Nielsen EDI data. More at The Hollywood Reporter.

RANK
Title
Studio
Weekend Gross
Jan 9-11
Total Gross

1
GRAN TORINO
WARNER BROS.
$29,484,388
$40,524,518

2
BRIDE WARS
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
$21,058,173
$21,058,173

3
THE UNBORN
UNIVERSAL
$19,810,585
$19,810,585

4
MARLEY & ME
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
$11,391,425
$123,751,596

5
BENJAMIN BUTTON
PARAMOUNT
$9,212,515
$94,092,395

6
BEDTIME STORIES
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
$8,802,120
$97,432,093

7
VALKYRIE
MGM STUDIOS
$6,617,065
$71,464,448

8
YES MAN
WARNER BROS.
$6,032,337
$89,288,024

9
NOT EASILY BROKEN
SONY PICTURES
$5,314,278
$5,314,278

10
SEVEN POUNDS
SONY …