"Inglourious Basterds," the latest stylized action flick from director Quentin Tarantino, took the top spot at the North American box office over the weekend, industry figures showed Monday.

Starring Brad Pitt, the film, about a roving Jewish-American militia that kills and scalps Nazis in occupied France, earned 37.6 million dollars in its first week of release, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Falling to second place was "District 9," which tells the story of a race of extraterrestrial refugees who are granted asylum in South Africa but have to fight off a nefarious corporation seeking to harness their alien technology.

The well-reviewed action thriller earned 18.2 million dollars in box office receipts in its second week of release.

Also falling one place was "G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra," which took the number three spot in its third week in theaters. The action movie based on the popular toy franchise pulled in 12.2 million dollars over the weekend.

"The Time Traveler's Wife," starring Rachel McAdams as the wife of a man with a genetic anomaly that causes him to move back and forward through time involuntarily, earned the number four spot, with receipts of 9.7 million dollars in its second week of release.

At the number five spot was "Julie and Julia," a movie about famed cook Julia Child, who is known for introducing French cooking to Americans, and Julie Powell, a woman who spends a year cooking recipes from Child's most famous cookbook.

In its third week in theaters, the feature starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, earned 8.8 million dollars.

In at number six was new release "Shorts," which tells the story of a boy who discovers a magic wishing stone. The family movie earned 6.4 million dollars in box office receipts.

Down two spots to number seven was "G-Force," an action-comedy about a crack squad of guinea pig spies, which earned 4.1 million dollars. A host of Hollywood stars, including Penelope Cruz and Steve Buscemi, voiced characters in the movie, which has taken in 107.3 million dollars in five weeks.

In its sixth week of release, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment of the franchise, fell one spot to number eight, earning 3.4 million dollars.

At number nine was "The Ugly Truth," starring Katherine Heigl as a romantically challenged producer looking for love, which took in 2.7 million dollars in its fifth week in theaters.

Rounding out the top 10 was "Post Grad," a comedy about a college graduate who moves back in with her eccentric family while she tries to find a job. It earned 2.6 million in its first week in theaters.

Source: AFP