It was an interesting weekend at the box office with Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan defying estimations by pulling in $26.4 million on only 837 screens. Look for it to go much wider this week.

Opening much wider, Tim Allen's The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause put $20 million in the stockings of Walt Disney Pictures. Considering that we are almost two months away from Christmas, this film should have a healthy life throughout the holiday season.

It was thought that Flushed Away might get the toilet treatment from viewers, but it's $19.1 million take over the weekend fell in line with DreamWorks' expectations.

Saw III continued to cut it up at the box office with a weekend take of $15.5 million. Made for $10 million, this film is currently at $60 and could perhaps pass the $100 million mark if the positive audience attendance continues.

Martin Scorsese's The Departed passed the $100 million mark bringing in $8 million during it's fourth week of release. This film will easily be the highest grossing picture the director has ever made.

Christopher Nolan's The Prestige continued to cast a spell conjuring up $7.8 million. MovieWeb's Brian, Timmy, and myself actually had a chance to contribute to this film's success last weekend, and we all agreed that this movie was one of the best of 2006.

Flags of Our Fathers raised $4.5 million to bring it's box office take to $26.6 million thus far. Made for $53 million, one has to wonder if this movie's performance has DreamWorks a tad nervous about their other World War II film helmed by Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima?

Man of the Year managed to chalk up a few more laughs for Robin Williams taking in $3.8 million.

Taking in $3.1 million, Open Season had to make Columbia Pictures smile bringing it's total to a little over $80.1 million.

Lastly, in only 387 theaters The Queen, starring Helen Mirren, grossed $3.0 million bringing it's total take thus far to $10.1. Made for $15 million and with the awards season beginning to get underway, I think it's highly likely that this movie will continue to rack up more royal dough.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was released November 3rd, 2006 and stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Luenell, Pamela Anderson, Bob Barr, Mitchell Falk, Alan Keyes, Jean-Pierre Parent. The film is directed by Larry Charles.