UPDATE 1-Aniston, Pitt reunited atop box office

(Recasts throughout with focus on awards contenders)

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES, Jan 4 (Reuters) - "Marley & Me," a canine comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, led the North American box office for a second weekend on Sunday, becoming the first Christmas holiday picture to hit $100 million.

Twentieth Century Fox's adaptation of the bestselling John Grogan memoir about a lovable Labrador retriever earned $24.1 million during the three days beginning Friday, taking its 11-day haul to $106.5 million. It marks Aniston's second consecutive $100 million-plus movie, following 2006's "The Break-Up," which finished with $118.7 million.

The rankings of the top seven pictures were unchanged from last weekend as no new films opened in wide release.

The Adam Sandler family comedy "Bedtime Stories" was No. 2 with $20.3 million, and a total of $85.4 million. Aniston's former husband Brad Pitt followed with the ageing-backward fable "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which earned $18.4 million, and a total of $79.0 million. As with "Marley & Me," they were released on Christmas Day.

A pair of Nazi-themed films opened in two theaters each. "Defiance," a Jewish resistance picture starring Daniel Craig, earned a strong $121,000 during the weekend, ahead of its national launch on Jan. 16. Less promising was the Viggo Mortensen vehicle "Good," with just $9,300.

CLINT REVS UP "GRAN TORINO"

The focus is now shifting to Oscar hopefuls that are preparing to expand into national release as awards season heats up. Among them are actor/director Clint Eastwood's suburban drama "Gran Torino," which goes wide on Friday, and actor Mickey Rourke's comeback vehicle "The Wrestler," which will enter the national ring on Jan. 23.