The Last Samurai: Tom Cruise's latest starring turn, The Last Samurai, landed easily atop the weekend box office - with an estimate approaching $25 million. While leading the weekend pack, the total was still a bit disappointing - even falling short of the take managed by the opening of the rather dismal Vanilla Sky.

Most pundits and studio heads are quick to blame the relatively low turn-out on the snowstorms in New York and the east coast. Mostly, it appears, that the storms accounted for the largest drop-off on Saturday.

In the number two spot, Honey proved that the target demographic (teens) has no sense whatsoever when it comes to heading to the theater despite the brutal winter weather -- especailly in the east.

The Last Samurai was released December 5th, 2003 and stars Ken Watanabe, Tom Cruise, William Atherton, Chad Lindberg, Ray Godshall Sr., Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Masato Harada. The film is directed by Edward Zwick.