‘Star Wars’ wins, but ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks,’ ‘Sisters’ also had fans

Cartoon chipmunks and the dynamic duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler had their own force with them in the box office battle against “Star Wars.”

While countless moviegoers this weekend opted for either the dark or light side in watching “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” others flocked to the two less-anticipated newcomers: 20th Century Fox’s “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” and Universal’s “Sisters.”

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Though neither could top the record-breaking $238 million Disney blockbuster, both films showed considerable strength as the weekend’s second- and third-place finishers, respectively.

The trio of Alvin, Simon and Theodore, in the fourth installment of the franchise, pulled in an estimated $14.4 million in the U.S and Canada. Playing in over 3,600 theaters, the high-pitched creatures voiced by Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney, respectively, hit the road to Miami to stop their owner from proposing to his girlfriend.

Audiences and critics split on the film’s likability. According to polling firm CinemaScore, “Alvin” received an A- grade from audiences, with an A-plus from those under 25 years old. Critics on the site Rotten Tomatoes were more sour, giving the feature a 14% positive rating.

Coming in right behind Alvin and crew was Fey and Poehler, portraying mismatched siblings in their second starring vehicle together, “Sisters.” The comedy, in which the pair throw one last house party before their parents sell their family home, grossed an estimated $13.4 million in its debut.

On perhaps any other weekend, a film featuring the combined force of Fey and Poehler might have topped the box office. The two hosted this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” and have co-hosted the Golden Globes for the last three years. Audiences were upbeat, giving “Sisters” a CinemaScore grade of a B, but critics were less jolly, giving it only a 61% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Not surprisingly, “Sisters’ performed well among women overall (79%), and under 30 (58%).

Rounding out the top five at the box office was Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 2” ($5.7 million), which dropped to fourth place in its fifth week, and Warner Bros.’ “Creed” ($5.1 million) in its fourth week.

Highlights on the limited-release front include both UTV Communications’ “Dilwale” and Eros Entertainment’s “Bajirao Mastani.” “Dilwale,” an Indian action film starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, placed ninth with $1.9 million on just 268 screens. “Bajirao Mastani,” a Bollywood romance set in 18th century India, placed tenth with $1.7 million on 304 screens.

A crowded marketplace gets even more crowded later this week with the wide release expansion of Paramount’s “The Big Short” on Wednesday. Four new films hit wide release debuts on Christmas Day (Friday): Warner Bros.’ “Point Break,” Sony’s “Concussion,” Fox’s “Joy” and Paramount’s “Daddy’s Home”. Two other highly anticipated films -- the Weinstein Co.’s “The Hateful Eight” from director Quentin Tarantino and Fox’s “The Revenant” from Oscar-winning director Alejandro Inarritu (“Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance.”)

Though “Star Wars” is expected to continue its box office hold, some analysts suggest the film attracted consumers who haven’t been to a theater in a long time – welcome news to theater owners who have seen their attendance stagnate in recent years. Whether that theory is true is yet to be seen.

Follow me on Twitter: @TrevellAnderson.