'Smithsonian' wins the weekend battle

May 25, 2009 Battle of the Smithsonian fought to the top of a competitive heap during the long Memorial Day weekend, opening with a rousing $70 million in estimated domestic boxoffice. Warner Bros.' sci-fi actioner "Terminator Salvation" -- the fourth "Terminator" pic and the first in six years -- performed ably, if unspectacularly, with $53.8 million in second place on the four-day frame and a $67.2 cume since bowing Thursday. The improvement would be even more dramatic if not for seasonal calendar fluctuations yielding one less weekend in the current boxoffice year.

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