Lakeview Bullies Box Office

Marvel-Disney movie shatters domestic box office record

(NEWSER) - The Hunger Games is looking a little anemic this weekend: The Avengers swooped in and grabbed a record-bursting opening weekend of $200.3 million, reports the Hollywood Reporter , easily thumping the $169.2 million that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 took in last year in the previous record holder. The Marvel-Disney partnership is headed quickly for the $1 billion mark, already with $641.8 million globally, and it grabbed the biggest Saturday gross ever, with $69.1 million. "It's been a fantastic weekend on every single front," says a Disney exec. More»

(NEWSER) - Inglourious Basterds had a glorious opening weekend, scalping the box office for $37.6 million to give Quentin Tarantino the best opening of his career, USA Today reports. District 9 continued its strong showing in second place with $18.9 million, while GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra ($12.5 million), The Time Traveler's Wife ($10 million), and Julie & Julia ($9 million) rounded out the top five. More»

Spike Lee's new war film barely breaks Top 10

(NEWSER) - Eagle Eye flew into first at the weekend box office by grossing $29.2 million, Variety reports. The Diane Lane-Richard Gere romantic drama Nights in Rodanthe swooned into second place with $13.6 million, while Lakeview Terrace ranked a neighborly third by banking $7 million. Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna opened with a disappointing $3.5 million, barely clearing the top ten. More»

Porn, as we learned from Mr. Bickle, is not a good idea

(NEWSER) - "The difference between marital bliss and a train wreck of a relationship is the difference between Charlie Wilson's War and Saw IV, " writes Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle. There's no overestimating the power of that first-date movie. How to walk the tightrope:

• Bad isn't bad: Think brainless Matthew McConaughey bad, not brain-exploding Dane Cook bad.

Comedy thriller records biggest opening ever for Coen brothers

(NEWSER) - The Coen brothers' Burn After Reading led an unexpectedly strong box office weekend by nabbing top spot with $19.4 million, Variety reports. With overall sales up 35% over this frame last year, Tyler Perry’s The Family that Preys took second with $18 million, followed by Righteous Kill ($16.5 million), The Women ($10 million), and The House Bunny ($4.3 million). More»