Sunday, March 27, 2011

Blu-ray 22nd March Releases

The Tourist (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Sony / 2010 / 103 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 22, 2011






Genres: Thriller, suspense, espionage
Starring: Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie
Director:  Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Plot Synopsis: Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie use their star power to help propel The Tourist to its ultimate, satisfying destination. It just takes a little while to get there. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) sets a leisurely pace for The Tourist, which lets the film be equal parts mystery, romance, thriller, and comedy. But because of its lush cinematography and location-based shooting, The Tourist is perhaps first and foremost a valentine to the city of Venice. Jolie plays Elise, an international woman of mystery, somehow caught up with a glamorous thief who's double-crossed a gangster, Shaw (Steven Berkoff, splendidly menacing). On a train from Paris to Venice, Elise meets Frank (Depp), a schlumpy math teacher from Wisconsin on holiday. Before the train hits Venice, poor Frank has become entangled in a dangerous web that he can't begin to understand. As the plot unfolds, a group of stone-headed thugs dashes after Frank and Elise, darting through canals, across tile rooftops, and into some of the most beautiful hotel rooms in the world. The cinematography of John Seale and the score by James Newton Howard set an immersive tone. Depp and Jolie do a respectable job with their roles, though perhaps because of the mysteries in the plot, as a couple, Elise and Frank lack a certain oomph. But the supporting actors, including Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, and Rufus Sewell, are uniformly excellent, and the story (based on the French film Anthony Zimmer) wraps up nicely. Yet the true star of The Tourist is enchanting Venice--and anyone dreaming of a romantic getaway will not want to miss this trip.

Disc Features:

Director Commentary
Canal Chats
A Gala Affair
Action in Venice
Bringing Glamour Back
Tourist Destination-Travel the Canals of Venice
Outtake Reel

Yogi Bear (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Warner Brothers / 2010 / 80 Minutes / Rated G
Street Date: March 22, 2011





Genres: Animation, family, kids
Starring: Eric Balfour and Donald Faison
Director:  Eric Brevig

Plot Synopsis: Everyone’s favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear brings his meal-mooching ways to movies in this live-action/CG-animated adventure starring Dan Aykroyd as the voice of Jellystone Park’s famed troublemaker Yogi Bear and Justin Timberlake as the voice of Yogi’s faithful pal Boo Boo. Jellystone has been losing business, so conniving Mayor Brown has decided to shut it down and sell the land. Faced with the loss of his home, Yogi must prove he really is “smarter than the average bear” as he and Boo Boo join forces with Ranger Smith to find a way to save the park from closing forever. Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh, TJ Miller and Andrew Daly co-star in this wonderful new incarnation of Hanna-Barbera’s classic cartoon.

Disc Features:
Spending A Day at Jellystone Park
Yogi Bear Mash-Up
Looney Tunes Short: Rabid Rider
Are You Smarter Than The Average Bear? Game


Skyline [Blu-ray]

Universal / 2010 / 94 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 22, 2011








Genres: Sci-fi, thriller, action
Starring: Eric Balfour and Donald Faison
Director:  Greg Strause Colin Strause

Plot Synopsis: It was supposed to be a simple birthday weekend in Southern California. But when sunrise arrives two hours early in the form of a haunting light from an unknown source, a group of friends watch in terror as people across the city are drawn outside and swept into massive alien ships that have blotted out the L.A. skyline. From tankers to drones and hydra-like extraterrestrials, the aliens are inescapable and seemingly indestructible. Now, it will take every survival instinct the group has to elude capture in this riveting, action-packed sci-fi adventure starring Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Donald Faison ("Scrubs") and Scottie Thompson (Star Trek).



Other releases/ Back catalog releases:







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Thursday, March 24, 2011

'Limitless' Limits Its Box Office Crown Earnings.




          Last weekend, the paranoia-fueled action thriller Limitless led a trio of new releases and opened at number one with a sturdy debut. The crime drama The Lincoln Lawyer and the road comedy Paul both attracted respectable business landing in the top five but the overall marketplace once again failed to match up to last year's levels.
          Relativity Media's new distribution operation scored its first top spot bow with the Bradley Cooper drama Limitless which premiered on top with $18.9M, according to final studio figures, finishing a few notches above industry expectations. The fast-paced thriller about a washed up writer who finds wealth and success after taking a top-secret drug that unleashes the full power of his brain averaged a solid $6,860 from 2,756 theaters and played well to adults of both genders. Produced for $30M, the PG-13 film marked the first hit for Cooper as a leading man after numerous wins at the box office in ensemble pics, most notably 2009's sleeper smash The Hangover. Robert De Niro co-starred.
          Audience research showed that cross-gender appeal was strong as females only slightly outnumbered males with 52% of the crowd. 60% was 25 and over while 57% was non-Caucasian. Despite heavy competition for adults right now, Limitless connected with its target audience thanks to an effective marketing push that included a high-profile TV spot during the Super Bowl over a month ago.
          Holding steady in second place in its third weekend of play was Johnny Depp's animated comedy Rango which slipped only 33% to $15.1M. After 17 days the Paramount release has tallied an impressive $92.3M and will break nine digits by the end of the week becoming the bankable actor's sixth $100M+ hit over the last eight years.
          Depp and Cooper will again face each other over Memorial Day weekend when The Hangover II opens against the second session of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The debut of Kung Fu Panda 2 over the sequel-filled holiday will put Paramount in the mix too with another toon.
          With three new male-led films entering the marketplace, the military actioner Battle: Los Angeles took a huge hit tumbling 59% to $14.5M for third place. Produced for $70M, the Sony release has amassed an impressive $60.5M in its first ten days and looks headed for the $80-90M range.
          Matthew McConaughey's courtroom drama The Lincoln Lawyer opened to respectable results in fourth with $13.2M playing to an older adult audience. Lionsgate's R-rated pic averaged $4,879 from 2,707 theaters and was well-liked by critics which helped its chances at the box office given its older skew. Ryan Phillippe, Marisa Tomei, and William H. Macy also were part of the cast. The distributor won some industry press with its promotion with discount finder Groupon which allowed users to buy tickets for only $6. For the sake of box office reporting, Lionsgate used full ticket values and not the actual discounted price paid by consumers.
          The alien comedy Paul debuted close behind in fifth with $13M from 2,802 sites for a decent $4,655 average. Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead fame, the R-rated road picture also featured Seth Rogen voicing the title character. Studio research showed that the audience was 56% male and 58% 25 and older. Reviews were generally positive. Universal began the global release a month ago with its United Kingdom bow and has grossed $28.1M overseas so far.
          The fairy tale remake Red Riding Hood fell 49% to $7.2M in its second weekend giving Warner Bros. $25.9M in ten days. A final total of around $40M seems likely. Matt Damon's The Adjustment Bureau followed with $5.8M, off 50%, putting Universal at $48.6M to date.
          After a weak opening, the 3D toon Mars Needs Moms enjoyed a good sophomore hold slipping only 23% to $5.3M thanks to no new competition. But the Disney film stands at just $15.4M after ten days and looks set to end its run with only $30M.
          Off only 36% in ninth was the teen drama Beastly with $3.2M followed by the raunchy flick Hall Pass with $2.6M dropping 49%. Totals are $22.2M for the CBS Films pic and $39.6M for the Warner Bros. comedy.
          In limited release, Fox Searchlight debuted the critically acclaimed Paul Giamatti comedy Win Win in just five theaters and grossed $150,362 for a strong $30,072 average. Focus expanded its period drama Jane Eyre from four to 26 locations and delivered $466,409 for a sturdy $17,939 average. The total stands at $719,514.

# Title Mar 18 - 20


Weeks
Cumulative Distributor










1 Limitless $ 18,907,302


1
$ 18,907,302 Relativity
2 Rango 15,076,575


3
92,338,691 Paramount
3 Battle: Los Angeles 14,538,429


2
60,540,135 Sony
4 The Lincoln Lawyer 13,206,453


1
13,206,453 Lionsgate
5 Paul 13,043,310


1
13,043,310 Universal
6 Red Riding Hood 7,188,131


2
25,895,514 Warner Bros.
7 The Adjustment Bureau 5,772,510


3
48,619,550 Universal
8 Mars Needs Moms 5,316,620


2
15,400,434 Disney
9 Beastly 3,198,478


3
22,183,943 CBS Films
10 Hall Pass 2,568,334


4
39,557,940 Warner Bros.










11 Gnomeo & Juliet 2,298,908


6
93,587,290 Disney
12 Just Go With It 2,245,115


6
97,964,324 Sony
13 The King's Speech 2,034,151


17
132,476,381 Weinstein Co.
14 Unknown 1,279,351


5
61,094,903 Warner Bros.
15 I Am Number Four 1,015,059


5
52,616,849 Disney
16 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son 708,210


5
36,407,678 Fox
17 Tangled 616,057


17
197,714,178 Disney
18 Cedar Rapids 521,961


6
5,475,316 Fox Searchlight
19 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 470,465


6
72,209,363 Paramount
20 Jane Eyre 466,409


2
719,514 Focus
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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Blu-ray 15th March Releases

The Fighter (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Paramount / 2010 / 115 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: March 15, 2011

4 out of 5 A must own BD




Genres: Drama, sports, biography
Starring: Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg
Director:  David O.Russell

Plot Synopsis: Academy Award® Nominees Mark Wahlberg (The Departed), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) and Amy Adams (Doubt) star in this “remarkable” film*. Based on a true story, two brothers, against all the odds, come together to train for a historic title bout that has the power to reunite their fractured family and give their hard-luck town what it's been waiting for: pride. Micky Ward (Wahlberg) is a struggling boxer long overshadowed by his older brother and trainer, Dicky (Bale), a local legend battling his own demons. Their explosive relationship threatens to take them both down - but the bond of blood may be their only chance for redemption.
Disc Features:
DISC 1
Feature Film (with Commentary by Director David O. Russell) HD
The Warriors Code: Filming The Fighter HD
Keeping the Faith HD
Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary*) HD
DISC 2 (Combo Pack)
DVD Feature Film (English Only)
Digital Copy


Hereafter (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Warner Brothers / 2010 / 129 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 15, 2011



4.5 out of 5 Highly recommended




Genres: Drama, thriller, supernatural
Starring: Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard
Director:  Clint Eastwood

Plot Synopsis: George (Matt Damon) is a blue-collar American with a special connection to the afterlife dating from his childhood. French journalist Marie (CĂ©cile de France) has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when London schoolboy Marcus (Frankie and George McLaren) loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each seeking the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe might – or must – exist in the hereafter.

Disc Features:
Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon lead a journey into Hereafter to explore the world of skeptics, psychics and mediums, and the
possibility of life after death.
Featuring 9 Focus Points:
 - Tsunami! Recreating a Disaster
 - Is There Life After Death?
 - Clint on Casting
 - Delving into the Hereafter
 - Twin Bonding
 - French Speaking French
 - Why The White Light?
 - Hereafter's Locations - "Casting" the Silent Characters
 - The Eastwood Experience
The Eastwood Factor: 90 minute documentary in HD

The Switch [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2010 / 101 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 15, 2011








Genres: Romantic comedy
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden
Director:  Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Plot Synopsis: Jennifer Aniston stars alongside Jason Bateman in this offbeat comedy as Kassie, a smart, fun-loving single woman who, despite her neurotic best friend Wally’s (Bateman) objections, decides it’s time to have a baby – even if it means doing it herself…with a little help from a charming sperm donor (Patrick Wilson). But, unbeknownst to her, Kassie’s plans go awry because of a last-minute switch that isn’t discovered until seven years later…when Wally gets acquainted with Kassie’s cute – though slightly neurotic – son. From the people behind Little Miss Sunshine and Juno comes The Switch.


Disc Features:
• Deleted scenes
• "The Switch Conceived" - behind-the-scenes featurette
• Exclusive to Blu-ray: Alternate ending with introduction by the directors
• Exclusive to Blu-ray: Additional deleted scenes with introduction by the directors
• Exclusive to Blu-ray: Bloopers


Other releases/ Back catalog releases:






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Battle Los Angeles Conquers Box Office




Release Date:March 11th, 2011


          Last weeked, Sony ruled the North American box office with its fourth number one opening of the year as the alien invasion thriller Battle: Los Angeles debuted on top attracting a sizable action crowd. The stylish fairy tale pic Red Riding Hood bowed in third grossing less than expected while the animated adventure Mars Needs Moms struggled to find families with a poor launch in fifth place. The overall marketplace continued to fall behind year-ago levels as the entire weekend box office for all films in release fell below the top ten from last year.
         Male action fans, missing in action for so long, turned up for the military actioner Battle: Los Angeles which topped the charts with $35.6M, according to final studio figures, marking the year's second biggest opening behind last weekend's $38.1M for Rango. The PG-13 alien attack flick averaged a strong $10,411 from 3,417 locations and performed much like Sony's 2009 hit District 9 which bowed to $37.4M. That film opened in the summer and earned much better reviews, but also carried an R rating and boasted no starpower. Battle received weak marks from critics but featured recognizable cast members like Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, and singer-actor Ne-Yo.
         The studio's marketing efforts worked wonders making the disaster film seem like an exciting action vehicle that could also play to sci-fi fans. Males made up 68% of the crowd according to studio research while 55% were over 25. With two cartoons and little red riding hood in the top five, this audience had little else to rally behind. Filmed in Louisiana and produced for $70M after tax rebates, the global destruction pic topped the box office in many overseas territories too. The film grossed an estimated $16.7M from 33 markets including top spot bows in Russia, Korea, the U.K., India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Columbia. The worldwide opening weekend stood at $52.3M.
          Johnny Depp's animated comedy Rango dropped from first place to the runner-up spot this weekend but held up well grossing $22.6M. Off just 41%, the PG-rated toon boosted its ten-day tally to an impressive $68.2M and is performing much like another March toon anchored by a big celebrity name - 2005's Robots. That Robin Williams-led pic debuted this very weekend six years ago to $36M (close to Rango's $38.1M bow) and slipped 42% in its sophomore frame to $21M and a $66.1M gross in ten days on its way to a $128.2M final. Rango should make it past the $120M mark as well.
          Young women didn't show up in the expected numbers for the period thriller Red Riding Hood which opened in third with $14M from 3,030 theaters. Averaging a mediocre $4,622, the PG-13 pic starring Amanda Seyfried in a stylish reworking of the classic fairy tale got butchered by film critics and also failed to satisfy opening day patrons as its CinemaScore grade was a disappointing B-. There was not much direct competition for young females so Warner Bros. had that demographic to itself. But having a slick look, a teen love triangle, a star that's popular with the target demo, and the Twilight director wasn't enough.
          Matt Damon's latest offering The Adjustment Bureau dropped a moderate 45% in its second weekend taking in $11.6M. Universal has collected $38.6M in ten days and should find itself with roughly $65M by the end of the domestic run. Overseas activity has not been too spectacular with an estimated $8.9M collected this weekend from 31 territories for an international cume of $24M.
          The 3D animated adventure comedy Mars Needs Moms from producer Robert Zemeckis was shunned by family audiences and debuted to only $6.9M. Averaging a sluggish $2,218 from 3,117 theaters, including a very aggressive 211 IMAX screens, the Disney release earned the best reviews of the frame's new wide releases but failed to spark any excitement with its intended audience. Plus with rival toons Rango and Gnomeo & Juliet in the top ten collecting $26M in combined ticket sales, Mars struggled to stand out as a must-see pic. Produced for a reported $150M, the PG-rated film is a pricey misfire for Zemeckis'       ImageMovers which was recently shut down. Its previous film, A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey, grossed $325M worldwide but was also a very expensive project with a budget near the $200M mark making profitability on motion-capture CGI films difficult.
          Two films followed with $5M each. CBS Films saw a 49% drop for its teen romance Beastly which has banked $16.9M in ten days on its way to $26-28M overall. The Farrelly brothers comedy Hall Pass enjoyed another good hold slipping just 43% for a mild 17-day total of $34.8M.
          Adam Sandler's Just Go With It followed with $4M, down 38%, raising the cume to $94M making it the second highest-grossing 2011 release after the $97.5M of The Green Hornet. Both are Sony titles. The hit 3D animation entry Gnomeo & Juliet suffered the worst decline in the top ten thanks to another toon entering the marketplace and tumbled 50% to $3.6M. With $89.1M to date, the sleeper comedy ranks as the year's third highest grosser. With its Oscar glow fading, The King's Speech fell 43% to $3.6M for The Weinstein Co. for a $129M total.
          Focus enjoyed a scorching debut for its period drama Jane Eyre which platformed in New York and Los Angeles in a pair of theaters in each city ringing up $182,885 for a sensational $45,721 average. Headlined by Mia Wasikowska who had a banner year in 2010 playing the title character in the megahit Alice in Wonderland and starring in the Oscar-nominated The Kids Are All Right, the PG-13 film attracted solid reviews and expands to eight additional markets next weekend before going much wider on March 25. Also in limited release, the mob thriller Kill the Irishman had a strong start debuting to $145,430 from five locations for a sturdy $29,086 average for Anchor Bay.

# Title Mar 11 - 13


Weeks
Cumulative Distributor










1 Battle: Los Angeles $ 35,573,187


1
$ 35,573,187 Sony
2 Rango 22,602,847


2
68,206,101 Paramount
3 Red Riding Hood 14,005,335


1
14,005,335 Warner Bros.
4 The Adjustment Bureau 11,597,335


2
38,589,595 Universal
5 Mars Needs Moms 6,914,488


1
6,914,488 Disney
6 Beastly 5,021,232


2
16,911,633 CBS Films
7 Hall Pass 5,011,020


3
34,842,289 Warner Bros.
8 Just Go With It 4,019,266


5
94,000,847 Sony
9 Gnomeo & Juliet 3,617,255


5
89,102,365 Disney
10 The King's Speech 3,573,112


16
129,010,235 Weinstein Co.










11 Unknown 3,366,339


4
58,410,845 Warner Bros.
12 I Am Number Four 2,260,314


4
50,455,723 Disney
13 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 1,378,830


5
70,955,641 Paramount
14 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son 1,306,504


4
35,162,958 Fox
15 Take Me Home Tonight 1,272,239


2
5,891,092 Relativity
16 Cedar Rapids 921,038


5
4,597,332 Fox Searchlight
17 Tangled 640,753


16
196,675,983 Disney
18 The Fighter 576,083


14
92,931,288 Paramount
19 Yogi Bear 476,341


13
98,677,804 Warner Bros.
20 Black Swan 440,504


15
105,928,217 Fox Searchlight



















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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Blu-ray 8th March Releases

The Walking Dead: Season One [Blu-ray]

Starz/Anchor Bay / 2010 / Unrated
Street Date: March 08, 2011

Overall Grade 4 out of 5 Must grab




Genres: TV series, thriller, suspense, horror
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden
Director:  Frank Darabont

Plot Synopsis: After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone - ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as 'the dead' stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another? AMC’s The Walking Dead is an epic, survival adventure series from the director of The Shawshank Redemption and the producer of The Terminator and Aliens.

Disc Features:
Extra Footage and Featurettes including The Making Of THE WALKING DEAD
Inside THE WALKING DEAD Episodes 1-6
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
Behind the Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
Convention Panel with Producers
THE WALKING DEAD Trailer


The Next Three Days (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Lionsgate / 2010 / 122 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 08, 2011

Overall Grade 3.5 out of 5 Recommended



Genres: Thriller, drama
Starring: Liam Neeson and Russell Crowe
Director:  Paul Haggis

Plot Synopsis: Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison. Refusing to be deterred by impossible odds or his own inexperience, John devises an elaborate escape plot and plunges into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, ultimately risking everything for the woman he loves. Lionsgate presents a Hwy 61 Films / Lionsgate production. The Next Three Days stars Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Brian Dennehy, Olivia Wilde and Liam Neeson, and is directed by Paul Haggis from a screenplay by Paul Haggis. The Next Three Days is produced by Michael Nozik and Paul Haggis, and Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier.

Disc Features:
• Making The Next Three Days
• The Men of The Next Three Days
• True Escapes for Love
• Cast Moments
• Deleted Scenes
• Extended Scenes
• Full-Length Bump Key Video


Jackass 3 (Two-Disc 3D DVD / Blu-ray Combo + Digital Copy

Paramount / 2010 / 99 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: March 08, 2011






Genres: Comedy, live action
Starring: Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O
Director:  Jeff Tremaine

Plot Synopsis: 3 times the laughs. 3 times the stupid. 3 times the pain. The jackass guys are back for their wildest round of mischief and mayhem yet! You’ll laugh ‘til your bladder pops or your spleen spleens as Johnny Knoxville goes roller-skating in a buffalo herd, Bam Margera barrels through a hallway of high-voltage stun guns, and Steve-O takes to the skies in a fully-loaded porta-potty. Get ready to go AC or DC with your choice of theatrical or unrated version, loaded with all the outrageous footage not shown in theaters. So brace yourself for uncensored, unbelievable and totally explicit stunts from the idiots you’ve come to know and love from a safe and sanitary distance!


Inside Job [Blu-ray]

Sony / 2010 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 08, 2011

Overall Grade 4 out of 5 Highly recommended




Genres: Documentary
Starring: Matt Damon
Director:  Charles Ferguson

Plot Synopsis:  From Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker, Charles Ferguson (NO END IN SIGHT), comes INSIDE JOB, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, INSIDE JOB traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia.

Other releases/ Back catalog releases:





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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Rango Tops Box Office. Depp Did It Again!

          Last weekend three new releases targeting different audience segments successfully connected with their crowds and took the top spots at the North American box office. Leading the way with older kids and families was Johnny Depp's animated comedy Rango followed by Matt Damon's sci-fi romance thriller The Adjustment Bureau which played to mature adults. Debuting in third was the romance Beastly which catered to teen girls. The weekend's fourth new release, the raunchy 80s comedy Take Me Home Tonight, opened poorly just outside of the top ten.
          Paramount generated the biggest opening of the year so far with its first-place launch of the animated Western Rango which debuted to $38.1M this weekend, according to final studio figures. The PG-rated toon about an eccentric pet lizard who accidentally finds himself in an Old West town full of unusual animals averaged a strong $9,722 from a very wide release in 3,917 theaters. Depp flexed his starpower as the film's marketing campaign was focused around the popular star who voices the title character. The pricey $135M toon played to families but skewed a little bit older due to the more sophisticated tone. The audience was fairly broad with females making up 54% and those over 25 also at 54%.
          The studio reported that admissions were higher than those for the debut of its last March toon How To Train Your Dragon which enjoyed 3D surcharges helping it bow to $43.7M. With most studio animated films being presented in 3D now, Rango was that rare 2D entry to still attract moviegoers. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive however paying audiences were not as happy with the product as its CinemaScore grade was a discouraging C+. Dragon earned a robust A and ended up grossing five times its opening weekend tally. Still, animated films in the spring tend to have good legs and Depp is a major draw overseas so the road ahead could be promising.
          Audiences chased after Matt Damon as his new fate-based thriller The Adjustment Bureau premiered in second place with $21.2M. Universal averaged a sturdy $7,450 from 2,840 locations with this PG-13 offering and bested the openings of most recent starring vehicles for the actor outside of his Bourne franchise. 2009's The Informant! opened to $10.5M while last year's Green Zone and Hereafter bowed to $14.3M and $12M, respectively. The studio had experienced shaky box office results with adult dramas over the last few years, but this time the marketing offered an exciting thrill ride while starpower from Damon, Emily Blunt, and Mad Men's John Slattery provided some muscle. The opening was just a few notches below the $23.8M of last fall's Ben Affleck crime drama The Town.
          Reviews were generally good for Adjustment with critics pleased by the chemistry between the two leads, but audiences were just moderately pleased as indicated by the film's B CinemaScore grade. The story of a New York politician whose fate gets adjusted to keep him away from the woman he loves played older than most current movies and did well with both genders. 73% of the audience was 30 years and older while 53% was female. Universal acquired rights for North America plus several overseas territories for $62M. Bureau launched in 21 international markets and grossed an estimated $10.5M this weekend from 1,957 playdates.
          Opening in third place with respectable results was the teen romance Beastly with $9.9M from 1,952 theaters for a good $5,047 average. The PG-13 update on the Beauty and the Beast story played to a young female audience as expected and scored a B+ grade from CinemaScore, the best rating among the four new films. Reviews, on the other hand, were mostly negative. Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame starred alongside Alex Pettyfer who appeared again in the top ten with his holdover action pic I Am Number Four. Released by CBS Films, Beastly boasted the smallest theater count of the frame's new titles and had a targeted marketing campaign that was not too expensive so the results were encouraging.
          Last weekend's number one film Hall Pass held up well in its second weekend dipping only 35% to $8.9M. But with $26.8M in ten days, the Warner Bros. release is not exactly posting muscular numbers and looks to finish its run with around $50M.
          After three weeks of better-than-expected numbers, the hit 3D toon Gnomeo & Juliet suffered a larger drop thanks to the arrival of a new animated movie and fell 46% to $7.2M. Disney has banked $84M to date. Close behind was Liam Neeson's action thriller Unknown with $6.5M, down 48%, for a $53M sum for Warner Bros.
          Adam Sandler's comedy Just Go With It dropped 39% to $6.4M and raised Sony's total to $88.1M. Ranking behind it with $6.2M was The Weinstein Co. with its Oscar champ The King's Speech which dipped only 15%. With an impressive $123.5M thus far, the Colin Firth drama has become the top-grossing film ever for the distributor surpassing the $120.5M of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
          Falling 48% to ninth place was the sci-fi pic I Am Number Four which took in $5.8M upping the tally to $46.5M in 17 days. The concert biopic Justin Bieber: Never Say Never rounded out the top ten with $4.3M, off 54%, and a solid $68.8M cume.
          Opening to weak results in eleventh place was the R-rated comedy Take Me Home Tonight which bowed to $3.5M from 2,003 sites for a disappointing $1,730 average. Set in the late 1980s, the Topher Grace-Anna Faris pic played to older teens and young adults and met with bad reviews.

# Title Mar 4 - 6


Weeks
Cumulative Distributor










1 Rango $ 38,079,323


1
$ 38,079,323 Paramount
2 The Adjustment Bureau 21,157,730


1
21,157,730 Universal
3 Beastly 9,851,102


1
9,851,102 CBS Films
4 Hall Pass 8,861,053


2
26,846,808 Warner Bros.
5 Gnomeo & Juliet 7,240,315


4
84,022,325 Disney
6 Unknown 6,520,232


3
53,029,496 Warner Bros.
7 Just Go With It 6,431,246


4
88,131,316 Sony
8 The King's Speech 6,230,227


15
123,546,104 Weinstein Co.
9 I Am Number Four 5,750,190


3
46,488,606 Disney
10 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 4,277,128


4
68,828,539 Paramount










11 Take Me Home Tonight 3,464,679


1
3,464,679 Relativity
12 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son 3,281,157


3
33,250,835 Fox
13 Drive Angry 2,225,659


2
9,103,951 Summit
14 The Fighter 1,118,397


13
92,037,546 Paramount
15 Black Swan 1,012,346


14
105,118,886 Fox Searchlight
16 True Grit 975,388


11
168,681,088 Paramount
17 Cedar Rapids 821,124


4
3,391,035 Fox Searchlight
18 Tangled 790,248


15
195,784,588 Disney
19 The Roommate 585,489


5
36,845,772 Sony
20 The Grace Card 464,774


2
1,697,615 Samuel Goldwyn
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