The Sun-Herald

WHO WE ARE: The films Australia loved

List of the 150 highest-grossing movies of all time, and list of the 65 movies seen by the greatest number of Australians, prepared by David Dale from data provided by the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia. Last updated November 30, 2009.

For the latest media trends, bookmark blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare

Top flicks of 2009: Avatar $20.2 million in 8 days on 588 screens; Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince $40.5m; Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen $40.2m; New Moon $38m; Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs $29.7m; Up $28m; The Hangover $21.2m; Monsters Vs Aliens $20.5m; 2012 $20m; Wolverine $18.5m; Angels and Demons $18m; Night At The Museum 2 $17m; Gran Torino $17m; Fast and Furious $17m; The Proposal $16.5m; Star Trek $16m; Mao's Last Dancer $15m; Inglourious Basterds $14.0m; Terminator Salvation $15m; He's Just Not That Into You $14.6m; Yes Man $13.5m; 17 Again $12.5m; Bruno $12m; Bride Wars $11.5 m; Bolt $11.5m; Charlie and Boots $3.7m; Samson and Delilah $3.2m.

Chart 1: The Australian box office
1. Titanic (1997) $58 million
2. Shrek 2 (2004) $50.5m
3. The Return of the King (2003) $49.5m
4. Crocodile Dundee (1986) $48m
5. Fellowship of the Ring (2001) $47.5m
6. The Dark Knight (2008) $46m
7. The Two Towers (2002) $46m
8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) $42.5m
9. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) $40.3m
10. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $40.2m
11. Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace (1999) $39m
12. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) $38 m
13. Finding Nemo (2003) $37.5m
14. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) $37.5m
15. Australia (2008) $37m (US$50m, world $US205m)
16. Babe (1995) $37m
17. New Moon (2009) $38m
To read and discuss the complete charts, go to The culture

18. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) $36m
19. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) $35.5m
20. Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005) $35m
21. The Chronicles of Narnia (2005) $35m
22. Meet The Fockers (2005) $35m
Avatar (2009) $20m so far, will probably end up around here
24. Star Wars 2: Attack of the Clones (2002) $34m
25. E.T. (1982) $33m
26. Matrix Reloaded (2003) $34m
27. Shrek The Third (2007) $34m
28. Jurassic Park (1993) $33m
29. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) $33m
30. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) $33m
31. Shrek (2001) $32m
32. Casino Royale (2006) $32m
33. The Simpsons Movie (2007) $31.5m
34. Happy Feet (2006) $31.5m
35. Mamma Mia! (2008) $31.5m
36. Gladiator (2001) $31m
37. Spider-Man (2002) $31m
38. Forrest Gump (1994) $30.5m
39. Star Wars (1977) $30m
40. Quantum of Solace (2008) $30m
41. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) $30m
42. Independence Day (1996) $29.5m
43. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) $29.5m
44. The Sixth Sense (1999) $29m
45. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) $28m
46. Moulin Rouge (2001) $28m
47. UP (2009) $28m
48. Transformers (2007) $27.5m
49. The Lion King (1994) $27m
50. The Incredibles (2005) $27m
51. The Da Vinci Code (2006) $27m
52. Sex and the City $27m
53. Mrs Doubtfire (1993) $26m
54. Pretty Woman (1990) $26m
55. Kung Fu Panda (2008) 26m
56. Monsters Inc (2001) $25.5m
57. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) $25.5m
58. Madagascar (2005) $25m
59. Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $25m
60. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) $25m
61. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) $24.5m
62. Saving Private Ryan (1998) $24m
63. Spider-Man 2 (2004) $24m
64. Spider-Man 3 (2007) $24m
65. A Night At The Museum (2007) $24m
66. Twister (1996) $23.5m
67. Troy (2004) $23m
68. The Full Monty (1997) $23m
69. The Matrix (1999) $23m
70. Men in Black (1997) $23m
71. I Am Legend (2008) 23m
72. Mission Impossible 2 (2000) $22.5m
73. What Women Want (2000) $22.5m
74. Bridget Jones Diary (2001) $22.5m
75. Strictly Ballroom (1992) $22m
76. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) $22m
77. Ocean's 11 (2002) $22m
78. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) 22m
79. Twilight (2008) 21.5m
80. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) $21.5m
81. King Kong (2005) $21.5m
82. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 21.5m
83. Ghost (1990) $21m
84. Meet the Parents (2000) $21m
85. Liar Liar (1997) $21m
86. Notting Hill (1999) $21m
87. War of the Worlds (2005) $21m
88. The Hangover (2009) $21.2m
89. Sister Act (1992) $20.5m
90. Bruce Almighty (2003) $20.5m
91. Hancock (2008) $20.5
92. Ice Age (2002) $20.5m
93. Monsters Vs Aliens (2009) $20.5m
94. 2012 (2009) 20.0
95. Toy Story 2 (1999) $20m
96. Cast Away (2000) $20m
97. The Mask (1994) $20m
98. Stuart Little (2000) $20m
99. The Lost World (1997) $20m
100. A Bug's Life (1998) $20m
101. Dances With Wolves (1991) $20m
102. Miss Congeniality (2000) $20m
103. The Day After Tomorrow (2004) $20m
104. There's Something about Mary (1998) $20m
105. Slumdog Millionaire (2009) $20m
106. Mr and Mrs Smith (2005) $20m
107. Iron Man (2008) $20m
108 A Beautiful Mind (2002) $19.5m
109. Bean (1997) $19m
110. American Beauty (2000) $19m

111. Charlie's Angels (2000) $19m
112. As Good As It Gets (1998) $19m
113. Pearl Harbor (2001) $19m
114. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) $19m
115. Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle (2003) $19m
116. Terminator 3 (2003) $19m
117. Chicago (2003) $19m
118. Grease (1978) $18.5m
119. Die Another Day (2002) $18.5m
120. Borat (2006) 18.5m
121. Love Actually (2003) $18.5m
122. Matrix Revolutions (2003) $18m
123. Wall-E (2008) $18m
124. The Mummy (1999) $18m
125. Fatal Attraction (1987) $18m
126. Aladdin (1993) $18m
127. The Bodyguard (1993) $18m
128. Speed (1994) $18m
129. Batman Forever (1995) $18m
130. The Dish (2000) $18m
131. The Mummy Returns (2002) $18m
132. Scooby Doo (2002) $18m
133. Bridget Jones 2: The Edge of Reason $18m
134. Cars (2006) 18m
135. Ocean's 13 (2007) $18m
136 Wolverine (2009) $18m
137 Alvin and the Chipmunks (2008) $17.5m
138 Men in Black II (2002) $17.5m
139 Erin Brockovich (2000) $17m
140 Three Men and a Baby (1988) $17m
141 My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) $17m
142 Man From Snowy River (1982) $17m
143 Deep Impact (1998) $17m
144 Casper (1995) $17m
145 The Wedding Singer (1998) $17m
146 Wild Hogs (2007) $17m
147 Mr Bean's Holiday (2007) $17m
148 X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006) $16.5m
149 Dr Dolittle (1998) $16.5m
150 Wedding Crashers (2005) $16.5m
151 Cats and Dogs (2001) $16.5m
152 Ghostbusters (1984) $16.5m
153 Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994) $16.5m
154 Dumb and Dumber (1994) $16.5m
155 X-Men 2 (2003) $16.5m
156 Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (1991) $16.5m
157 8 Mile (2003) $16.5m
158 The Devil Wears Prada (2006) $16.5m
159 Hairspray (2007) $16.5m
160 Death At A Funeral (2007) 16.0m
161 The Bourne Supremacy (2004) $16m
(The Bourne Identity (2002) $13m; Grease (1978) $15.2; Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) $13.9m; Jaws (1975) $13.6m; The Sound of Music (1965) $13.0m)

In 2008: Box office total was $946 million, up 6 per cent on 2007 and up 4 per cent on the previous record set in 2004. To compare Australia's tastes with the world's, go to international box office.

David Dale is the author of The Little Book of Australia -- A snapshot of who we are (Allen and Unwin). For daily updates on Australian attitudes, bookmark blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare. For further observations of Australian attitudes and behaviour, go to Who we are.

Films seen by the greatest number of Australians
(estimated from box office total adjusted for ticket price that year)
1 The Sound of Music (1965)
2 Crocodile Dundee (1986)
3 Star Wars (1977/97)
4 Gone With The Wind (1939)
5 Titanic (1997)
6 E.T (1982)
7 Dr Zhivago (1966)
8 South Pacific (1958)
9 Grease (1978)
10 My Fair Lady (1964)
11 The Ten Commandments (1958)
12 Babe (1995)
13 Ben Hur (1959)
14 Mary Poppins (1964)
15 Shrek 2 (2004)
16 The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
17 Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)
18 The Robe (1953)
19 Jaws (1975)
20 The Sting (1973)
21 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
22 The Dark Knight (2008)
23 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
24 Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
25 Ryan's Daughter (1971)
26 Jurassic Park (1993)
27 Lawrence of Arabia (1963)
28 The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
29 Bridge on the River Kwai (1958)
30 Crocodile Dundee Two (1988)
31 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)
32 Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
33 Forrest Gump (1994)
34 A Clockwork Orange (1971)
35 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
36 The Godfather (1972)
37 Finding Nemo (2003)
38 Pretty Woman (1990)
39 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
40 Independence Day (1996)
41 Tom Jones (1964)
42 Cleopatra (1963)
43 The Lion King (1994)
44 The Towering Inferno (1974)
45 Australia (2008)
46 Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
47 Mrs Doubtfire (1993)
48 Gladiator (2000)
49 Star Wars 2: Attack of the Clones (2002)
50 The Man From Snowy River (1982)
51 Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
52 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
53 The Sixth Sense (1999)
54 The King and I (1956)
55 Paint Your Wagon (1970)
56 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1970)
57 The Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
58 The Poseidon Adventure (1973)
59 Meet The Fockers (2005)
60 Around The World in 80 Days (1968)
61 Shrek (2001)
62 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
63 Matrix Reloaded (2003)
64 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
65 Return of the Jedi (1983/98)
66 Ghostbusters (1984)
67 Happy Feet (2006)
68 Casino Royale (2006)
69 Moulin Rouge (2001)
70 Superman (1978)
71 Shrek The Third (2007)
72 Mad Max II (1981)
73 Spider-Man (2002)
74 My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
75 Ghost (1990)
76 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
77 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
78 The Simpsons Movie (2007)
79 Midnight Cowboy (1963)
80 What's Up Doc (1972)
81 Irma La Douce (1963)
82 To Sir With Love (1967)
83 The Great Race (1965)
84 Love Story (1971)
85 The Full Monty (1997)
86 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
87 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1968)
88 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1971)
89 Saving Private Ryan
90 Fatal Attraction (1987)
91 Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
92 Mamma Mia! (2008)
93 Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) $30m
94 Gallipoli (1981)
95 Strictly Ballroom (1992)
96 Twister (1996)
97 Earthquake (1974)
98 The Exorcist (1974)
99 Tootsie (1983)
100 Three Men and a Baby (1988)
101 Flying High (1980)
102 Blazing Saddles (1974).

The most successful Australian films of the 21st century: 1 Australia $37m; 2 Moulin Rouge $27.7m, 3 Mao's Last Dancer $13.5m; 4 Lantana $12.3m, 5 Crackerjack $8.6m, 5 Man Who Sued God $8.5m, 6 Croc Dundee in Los Angeles $7.8m, 7 Kenny 7.6m, 8 Rabbit Proof Fence 7.5m, 9 Wolf Creek 6.1m; 10 Dirty Deeds 5.1m, 11 Japanese Story 4.5m, 12 The Crocodile Hunter 3.9m, 13 Charlie and Boots $3.7m 14 Little Fish 3.7m, 15 Fat Pizza 3.6m, 16 Ten Canoes 3.3m, 17 Kokoda 3.1m, 18 Boy Town 3.1m, 19 Samson and Delilah 3.1; 20 Look Both Ways 3.0m, 21 The Hard Word 2.9m, 22 Romulus My Father 2.5m; 23 The Black Balloon 2.2m