Neeson's "The Grey" Tops Box Office

NEW YORK (AP) — "The Grey" topped the weekend box office with $20 million, continuing Liam Neeson's success as an action star in the winter months.

The Alaskan survivalist thriller opened above expectations with a performance on par with previous Neeson thrillers "Taken" and "Unknown."

January is often a dumping ground for less stellar releases. Also opening were two badly reviewed wide releases: "Man on Ledge," with Sam Worthington; and "One for the Money" with Katherine Heigl.

"One for the Money" fared better, earning $11.8 million, while "Man on Ledge" opened with $8.3 million.

Last week's box-office leader, "Underworld: Awakenings," came in second with $12.5 million.

Oscar favorites "The Descendants," Hugo" and "The Artist" sought to capitalize on their recent Academy Awards nominations. Each expanded to more theaters and saw an uptick in business.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press)