Big budget doesn't always equal big success and small budget doesn't always mean small returns. That's a lesson Hollywood's not quick to pick up on but this weekend one studio profited from it. Sony/Tristar only dropped $30 million for sci-fi venture District 9 but within its first weekend the film took in $37 million and the number one spot at the box office.

Compare that with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra which has struggled under the weight of a massive special-effects laden $175 million budget. After two weekends it still has yet to break the $100 million mark in domestic sales and only thanks to a boost from international moviegoers is it looking to break into the black. The Joes managed $22 million this weekend but not before dropping a painful 60% from last weekend's sales.

The Time Traveler's Wife debuted in third place with $19 million marking the highest cash opening for a film headlining Rachel McAdams. Comedy disappointment The Goods: Live Hard, Sell hard failed to generate laughs and generated even less ticket sales with only $5.3 million. In sixth place it barely beat out 5 week old Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which looks to break the $300 million line by next weekend and overtake Up to be the number two movie of the year to date (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen still has a death grip on number one with nearly $400 million earned domestic).

Acclaimed animator Hayao Miyazaki's latest offering Ponyo, which has already banked $183 million internationally, finally opened in the U.S. this weekend. Showing in fewer than 1,000 theaters it still made $3.5 million taking ninth place.

For the full weekend totals check out the chart below.

1. District 9 * $37,000,000  -  Total: $37,000,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 3,049

2. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra $22,500,000  -  Total: $98,753,000 LW: 1     WR: 2     THTRS: 4,007

3. The Time Traveler's Wife * $19,205,000  -  Total: $19,205,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 2,988

4. Julie & Julia $12,400,000  -  Total: $43,684,000 LW: 2     WR: 2     THTRS: 2,354

5. G-Force $6,908,000  -  Total: $99,049,000 LW: 3     WR: 4     THTRS: 3,065

6. The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard * $5,350,000  -  Total: $5,350,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 1,838

7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince $5,155,000  -  Total: $283,893,000 LW: 4     WR: 5     THTRS: 2,771

8. The Ugly Truth $4,500,000  -  Total: $77,502,000 LW: 6     WR: 4     THTRS: 2,733

9. Ponyo * $3,506,000  -  Total: $3,506,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 927

10. (500) Days of Summer $3,025,000  -  Total: $17,955,000 LW: 9     WR: 5     THTRS: 1,048