'This Is It' retains Aus box office lead

Michael Jackson's This Is It has topped the Australian box office for the second week running.

The music documentary narrowly holds off new entry The Time Traveler's Wife to retain the chart crown, while Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol opens in a disappointing third. Couples Retreat and Mao's Last Dancer round out the top five.

Elsewhere, Richard Kelly's thriller The Box maintains its position at number eight, while Meryl Streep comedy Julie & Julia falls three places to ten.

The box office top ten in full (figures in Australian dollars):

1. (1) This Is It - $1,878,725
2. (-) The Time Traveler's Wife - $1,877,447
3. (-) A Christmas Carol - $1,244,552
4. (3) Couples Retreat - $624,379
5. (2) Mao's Last Dancer - $599,378
6. (4) The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus - $468,590
7. (5) The Final Destination - $335,478
8. (8) The Box - $308,036
9. (7) Saw VI - $297,519
10. (6) Julie & Julia - $277,855