Grinch's fourth week on top

The Grinch: Proving popular with all ages

The grumpy, green Grinch has hung on to the top spot in the US box office for a fourth week, taking $18.5m this weekend, making a total of $195.5m.

The Dr Seuss caper, starring the latex and yak-hair covered Jim Carrey, is on track to become the year's highest-grossing film as it approaches Mission: Impossible 2's $215.4m takings.

Top five US films

The Grinch

Vertical Limit

Proof of Life

Unbreakable

Dungeons and Dragons

It is also the second film this year to stay at number one for four successive weekends, joining Universal's Meet the Parents.

It kept mountain-climbing saga Vertical Limit starring Chris O'Donnell, at bay, which took $16m to give it second place.

Ang Lee's limited release

The much talked-about Proof of Life, starring Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan, opened in third place, taking $10.4m.

The other films in the top 10 were Unbreakable, starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson, Dungeons and Dragons, 102 Dalmatians, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, Meet the Parents, Charlie's Angels and Bounce.

Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which has already been tipped as a potential Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, has been given a limited release in the US.