Paramount'saction-adventure Saharaopened top of the North American charts at the weekend, drawing mixed reviewsbut an estimated $18.5m in ticket sales.

The picture,which stars Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz as environmental adventurers,averaged $5,865 on 3,154 screens. It was directed by Breck Eisner, the son ofdeparting Disney chief Michael Eisner, and financed by Phillip Anschutz'sBristol Bay Productions. Summit Entertainment sold international rights.

Dimension's SinCity fell one place tosecond in its second weekend on $14.1m for a $50.7m running total, while Fox'sromantic comedy, the Nick Hornby adaptation Fever Pitch starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallonopened third on $13m.

The Farrellybrothers' picture, which centres on a teacher whose love for baseball rivalshis love for women, opened to decent reviews and averaged on $3,979 on 3,267screens.

Buena Vista'sfamily picture The Pacifier passed $100m in its sixth weekend, falling two places to eighth asit added $3m for $100.5m, while Fox's animated hit Robots fell two to sixth and stands at $111mafter five.

Warner Bros'comedy sequel Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Fabulous fell two to seventh in its third weekendand stands at a disappointing $37.5m. DreamWorks' The Ring 2 ranks ninth on $72.3m after fourweekends.

Next weekend's bigrelease is MGM's horror remake (and final ever release as a distributor) TheAmityville Horror starringRyan Reynolds and Melissa George.

Estimated TopTen US Apr 8-10 2005

Film(Distributor)/International distribution/Estimated weekend gross/Estimatedtotal to date

1 (-) Sahara (Paramount) Summit Entertainment $18.5m -

2 (1) SinCity (Dimension) MiramaxIntl $14.1m $50.7m

3 (-) FeverPitch (Fox) Fox Int'l$13m -

4 (3) GuessWho (Columbia)SPRI/Regency $7.1m $51.1m

5 (2) BeautyShop (MGM) FoxInternational $7.1m $26.4m

6 (4) Robots (Fox) Fox International $4.7m $111m

7(5) Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Fabulous (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Int'l $4.1m $37.5m

8 (6) ThePacifier (Buena Vista)BVI/Spyglass $3m $100.5m

9 (7) TheRing Two (DreamWorks)UIP $2.9m $72.3m

10 (8) TheUpside Of Anger (NewLine) Media 8 Entertainment $2.6m $12.4m