Moviegoers got just what they wanted this Christmas – an adorable pooch, the kind that can change people’s lives for the better and make them truly appreciate what they have before it’s gone. Friends star Jennifer Aniston, the focus of the promotional effort for “Marley & Me,” top dog at the box office over Christmas, also got the big break she had been waiting since the 2006 hit “The Break-Up.”

Oscar contender “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” starring Aniston’s former husband Brad Pitt, also performed very well, coming in third, immediately after Adam Sandler’s “Bedtime Stories.” While critics could not fail to appreciate the irony of this situation, industry watchers explain this twist was more than expected, since over the holidays, people are more inclined to see happy, cheery, family films than dramas that plant intriguing existential problems.

“Marley & Me,” starring Owen Wilson next to Aniston, grossed an additional $37 million over the weekend, to the record $14.7 it brought on Christmas day, making for a total of $51.7 million in four days, clearly much over initial expectations. Adam Sandler’s flick also held tight onto its position for a second week, bringing in $28.1 million over the weekend, and a total of $38.6 million for four days. Brad Pitt’s latest film, “Benjamin Button,” proved that the initial hype was not for nothing, grossing $27 million over the weekend, for a total of $39 million for the four days.

Curiously enough, the war drama “Valkyrie” also performed unexpectedly well, despite being panned by the larger public way before it was even completed. Coming to prove that Tom Cruise has still not burned all his bridges with his fans, the movie grossed $21.5 million for the weekend and $30 million over four days.

The rest of the top ten best selling movies at the box-office over the weekend includes Jim Carrey’s “Yes Man” ($16.4 million) on the fifth position, “Seven Pounds” starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson ($13.4 million), “The Tale of Despereaux” ($9.4 million), “The Day The Earth Stood Still” ($7.9 million), “The Spirit” ($6.5 million), and Meryl Streep’s own Oscar vehicle “Doubt” at ten, with $5.7 million.