Two new releases were able to top the rental chart this week with first place Australia generating about 20% more revenue than second place Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Body of Lies fell to third place, just ahead of the direct-to-DVD In the Electric Mist. Call that a 'try-before-you-buy' phenomenon, as the film was a lot weaker on the sales chart. Rounding out the top five was Changeling.

The only other new release to reach the top 30 was Personal Effects, which managed to slip beneath my radar while landing in 15th. On the other hand, I've Loved You So Long placed 36th in its opening.

Overall the rental market plummeted again, this time down 10% to $145.5 million. This is 7% lower than the same weekend last year, but this is in fact an improvement from last week. That's hardly reason to celebrate, but it might be best to look at the bright side of bad news.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2009-03-17