$65 million for Emmerich's latest end of the world blockbuster as 2012 takes the biggest opening U.S. weekend since July's Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.2012 is actually the second highest opening for a totally original 2009 film after Up (so not including sequels, adaptations, etc). It was a gigantic hit worldwide too with a 3-day hauling of $225 million from a $200 million budget. Reviews have generally been so-so but word of mouth is overwhelmingly terrific and the buzz around my town is that seeing the movie was this weekend's hottest ticket. 2012 would have made just as much money with virtually any actor in the leading role. Sorry John, but it's true. They didn't pay to see you in this. One friend of mine, who is a regular reader of this site, saw it mid-Saturday afternoon with a full to the rafters crowd at his local. He was eager to point out he didn't pay to see it mind you but was taken along on a free pass or something, but anyway the consensus I got was that he enjoyed it for it was. Namely, a special effects thrill ride that doesn't care about anything other than visually stimulating your eyeballs. I'm paraphrasing mind you, but that's what I took from his brief talk with me. Though I should note that the wild clapping of approval at the final credits irked him. It's not the first time I've heard raptures of applause from those who have seen this with a big crowd. I wonder if this has happened everywhere? Elsewhere, Robert Zemeckis' A Christmas Carol dropped 26% with an impressive second week of $23 million (it's on $61 million now from a $200 million budget) but it will need it's festive legs to make any money. Good news for The Men Who Stare At Goats ($6.2 million) and Precious ($6.1 million) whilst the Michael Jackson doc slumped over 60% and Richard Curtis' differently named Pirate Radio (called The Boat That Rocked over here) was nowhere to be seen.