Sometimes little movies with great stories that get less credit than they deserve tank at the box office. Sometimes they just barely make it. This Labor Day weekend a worthy movie that would usually get overlooked is continuing to win big. It's perhaps fitting that The Help is ruling the Labor Day box office, but it's most certainly deserving. The little film that could remained on top for a third weekend in a row; even more impressive, the $14 million it added this weekend showed no drop from last weekend despite that fact most movies drop 40-50%. Then again, that may not be such a surprise given the new competition.

The action thriller genre took a beating this weekend with two new entries, Apollo 18 and Shark Night 3D , each earning only $8 million to land in third and fourth places respectively. The only newcomer worth its ticket price, The Debt, only just topped them, banking $9 million to eek out second place.

Tomorrow Americans will show whether after this summer's up and down economic conditions they're still comfortable spending their hard earned holidays and hard earned money at the movies. Check back tomorrow for the four day Labor Day weekend totals.

For now, check out the regular three day weekend estimate results below:

1. The Help $14,209,000 Total: $118,600,000 LW: 1     WR: 4     THTRS: 2,843

2. The Debt * $9,677,000 Total: $11,579,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 1,826

3. Apollo 18 * $8,700,000 Total: $8,700,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 3,328

4. Shark Night 3D * $8,640,000 Total: $8,640,000 LW: N     WR: 1     THTRS: 2,806

5. Rise of the Planet of the Apes $7,800,000 Total: $160,025,000 LW: 3     WR: 5     THTRS: 3,193

6. Colombiana $7,400,000 Total: $21,962,000 LW: 2     WR: 2     THTRS: 2,614

7. Our Idiot Brother $5,182,000 Total: $15,417,000 LW: 5     WR: 2     THTRS: 2,555

8. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark $4,941,000 Total: $16,382,000 LW: 4     WR: 2     THTRS: 2,780

9. Spy Kids: All the Time in the World $4,637,000 Total: $29,036,000 LW: 6     WR: 3     THTRS: 3,007

10. The Smurfs $4,000,000 Total: $131,953,000 LW: 7     WR: 6     THTRS: 2,706