Disney’s ‘Moana’ dominates N. American box office again

The animated sea-faring musical adventure “Moana” charted a winning course for its second straight weekend, topping the North American box office with $28.3 million, industry data showed on Monday.
The Disney film about a brave Polynesian teenage girl on a risky mission to save her people has raked in a total of $120 million since its opening on Thanksgiving Day, Exhibitor Relations said.
The composers of the film’s score include Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics for the smash Broadway hit “Hamilton.”
Harry Potter spin-off “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” retained second spot during its third week in theaters, chalking up $18.1 million for a total of $183 million so far.
Based on a 2001 book by “Potter” novelist J.K. Rowling, the Warner Bros. film stars Eddie Redmayne as a wizard in 1920s New York.
Acclaimed alien invasion movie “Arrival,” starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, jumped from fifth to third place, posting $7.3 million after it received 10 nominations from the Critics Choice Awards, including for best picture, director and actress.
Adams plays a linguist whom the military recruits to communicate with aliens after mysterious spacecraft appear over Earth, which stands on the brink of war.
In fourth place for a second week with $7 million, “Allied” stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard as World War II spies who fall in love during an assassination mission and eventually get married and have a child, but then become pitted against each other.
Dropping from third to fifth place, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” earned $6.7 million for a total of $215.5 million.
The movie, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as neurosurgeon Stephen Strange — whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident — is the 14th film in Disney’s “Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
Rounding out the top 10 films were:
“Trolls” ($4.7 million)
“Hacksaw Ridge” ($3.4 million)
“Bad Santa 2” ($3.3 million)
“Incarnate” ($2.535 million)
“Almost Christmas” ($2.532 million)