LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Adam Sandler (news) and Jack Nicholson (news) ruled the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend with their hit comedy "Anger Management," while a slew of new films opened with mostly strong results, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

"Anger Management" sold about $25.6 million worth of tickets during the three days beginning April 18. The film, released by Sony Corp (news - web sites).'s Columbia Pictures, has grossed $80.2 million in its first 10 days, and is likely to hold onto the crown next weekend as well.

The comedy stars Sandler as a mild-mannered New Yorker forced to receive counseling from a hothead anger management guru played by Nicholson. Marisa Tomei (news) co-stars.

The family adventure "Holes," starring Sigourney Weaver (news) and Jon Voight (news), led the newcomers, opening at No. 2 with $17.1 million -- a figure that exceeded industry expectations.

Based on an acclaimed children's book by Louis Sachar, the film revolves around a gang of rambunctious boys sentenced to dig holes at a penal facility. It was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co .

The comedy "Malibu's Most Wanted," starring Jamie Kennedy (news) as a rich, white kid who thinks he's a gifted rapper, opened at No. 3 with $13.1 million. The film, which cost only $15 million to make, was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of AOL Time Warner Inc .

"Bulletproof Monk," a martial arts drama starring Chow Yun-Fat and Seann William Scott (news), opened at No. 4 with $8.6 million, a figure termed disappointing by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. . Since opening on Wednesday, to take advantage of the Passover and Easter holidays, the film has earned $13.1 million.

Two other new films, both playing in far fewer theaters, opened just out of the top 10.

"Chasing Papi," a comedy targeted at the burgeoning Latino market, vied with the critically acclaimed folk music comedy spoof "A Mighty Wind" for the No. 12 spot, with both reporting about $2.2 million. However "Papi" played in 585 theaters vs. 133 for "Wind." Most of the movies in the top 10 were in more than 2,000 theaters each, with "Anger Management" top of the list in 3,670 theaters.

"Chasing Papi" was released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc . "A Mighty Wind" was released by Warner Bros. Their respective totals since opening on Wednesday were $3.0 million and $2.8 million.

Fox's Colin Farrell (news) sniper thriller "Phone Booth" rounded out the top five with $8.6 million in its third weekend. Its total now stands at $35.1 million.

The top 12 films grossed $90.2 million, according to tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. The tally represented a 7.1 percent gain from last weekend, and a 3.1 percent decline from the year-ago weekend.

New releases next Friday include the ensemble thriller "Identity," the family comedy "It Runs in the Family," starring Michael and Kirk Douglas (news), the spring break documentary "The Real Cancun," and the crime thriller "Confidence."

The top movies in North America -- April 18-20

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the final data for the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the April 18-20 weekend, according to studio figures released Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

Film Three-day Cumulative

1. Anger Management .......... $25.01 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $80.04 million

2. Holes .......... $16.30 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $16.30 million

3. Malibu's Most Wanted .......... $12.62 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $12.62 million

4. Bulletproof Monk .......... $8.65 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $11.75 million

5. Phone Booth .......... $5.68 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $35.12 million

6. What a Girl Wants .......... $4.50 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $27.23 million

7. Bringing Down the House .......... $3.28 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $122.68 million

8. A Man Apart .......... $2.80 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $22.76 million

9. House of 1,000 Corpses .......... $2.52 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $7.12 million

10. Chicago .......... $2.50 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $160.74 million

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

John L.:  Anger Management continues to dominate over all newcomers. 

Hollywood seems to not have any confidence in having an Asian actor carry a movie by them self as the star without having an American sidekick. It is starting to bother me that these Hong Kong action stars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Chow Yun Fat who dominate in their Chinese speaking films are relegated to quick one liners and ancient philosophic nonsense when they make English speaking films. Usually a cop or a some mystical Asian person has to come to the United States and solve a crime and they can't do it unless they find the fastest talking cop or crook with the heart of gold to team up with and stop the evil white guy, half asian guy, or guy who used to be best friends with the Asian protagonist. Rush Hour 2, Shanghai Knights, Cradle to the Grave, and now Bulletproof Monk continue this tradition. These movies are entertaining, but it would be nice to see the formula drastically changed. Bulletproof Monk is concerned with Chow Yun Fat as a monk with no name who must protect a scroll that has a fountain of youth type secret. He is given his mission during World War II when he defended the temple from invading Nazis, and now 60 years later looking like he did 60 years ago, he must find a new chosen one to protect the scroll while still running away from the neo Nazis of 2003. Even though Fat has done well for himself for more than half a century including playing secret hero to rescue people in burning buildings, he still needs some wisecracking help to get through the day. That help comes in the form of Steven Stifler, uhh, I mean Kar, played by Seann William Scott. He is a pickpocket who has a secret martial arts trainer at the Golden Palace that helps him fight off gangs he he has made angry. After Kar lifts the scroll off of Fat, he becomes fully connected to stopping the forces out to use the scroll's power for evil. Bulletproof Monk is a very predictable if somewhat entertaining martial arts movie. It is very Americanized since wire-fu as it is called looks very fake when used on actors who don't really know how to fight for real, and that includes Chow Yun Fat who is known more for his gunwork and not his footwork. Seann Scott is funny as Kar, but he is still doing his classic American Pie character. His lack of range is exposed greatly. Even when he is supposed to get emotional, you still wait for the smirk and the giggle. When you see one of his movies now, you expect to see those mannerisms, but it is becoming boring. This character needed a harder edge to look right, and it is never shown. Jamie King (formerly James) shows up as Jade, a rich girl wanting to be bad. King is quite fetching as a potential chosen one and is worth seeing the movie just to watch her move. You never really believe that she could kick anyone's ass, but she looks so cute doing whatever she is trying to do, I forgive her. She has potential to break out as a major star if given a chance. The Nazi villainy is quite cliched, but no worse than what the average Indiana Jones adventure has. There are two in this movie that stand out, Strucker (Karel Roden) and Nina (Victoria Smurit [ha, I love that name, Smurfette]). Roden is the main Nazi after the no named Monk, and he gets to have the big fight scene with the good guys. If he had a mustache, he would have been twirling it non stop. Smurfit gets to do more as the lead young Nazi of the day. She is a tall blonde who gets to play patty cake with Jamie King. Their fight scene is chaotic, but brief. Nina reminds me a lot of Alison Doody from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I was waiting for Nina to say "how dare you keese me" at any moment. The movie is just for a quick entertainment fix. It is funny, action packed, and for the most part the good guys win. There is nothing here bad enough to say not to go see it if you like these Asian/American buddy movies. Final Review: 2 1/2 stars out of 5; 6 out of 10; B-; thumbs up.