Audiences Flock to Madagascar

Dreamworks' 3-D stunner stuck with one-dimensional storyline

(NEWSER) - Monsters Vs. Aliens looks amazing on screen, but grownups may find the thin jokes and the storyline of Dreamworks' animated spoof of '50s flicks a little grating, say critics.

• James Rocchi, Redbox: The movie "has amazing 3D, solid gags, wacky concepts and great animation; I just wish that at some point along the way someone had been as passionate about the story as they were about the spectacle."

(NEWSER) - Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa brings back the on-the-run New York menagerie, and DreamWorks hasn't monkeyed much with the first movie's winning, if slightly tired, formula, say critics. The celebrity-voiced animals' new adventure "is aimed mostly at children and should score a direct hit," Kirk Honeycutt writes in the Hollywood Reporter. More»

Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Saw V round out top 3

(NEWSER) - High School Musical 3 strutted its way to the top of the box office despite Halloween’s usual decimation of Friday ticket sales, Variety reports. Now in its second week, the teenage singalong bagged $15 million this weekend, with Zack and Miri Make a Porno opening to $10.7 million. The Halloween-friendly Saw V came in third with $10.1 million. More»

'Project X' takes second, beating 'Act of Valor' and 'Safe House'

(NEWSER) - The tree-loving furry thing in Dr. Seuss' The Lorax helped set a 2012 box office record by opening with $70.7 million this weekend, trouncing The Vow's $41 million open last month, the Los Angeles Times reports. Raunchy party flick Project X took second place with a solid $20.8 million debut. Filling out the top five were holdovers Act of Valor ($13.7 million), Safe House ($7.2 million), and Tyler Perry's Good Deeds ($7 million). Also, The Artist made its best showing so far with $3.9 million after winning the Best Picture Oscar last Sunday. More»

Fey-Carell vehicle wins down-to-the-wire weekend battle

(NEWSER) - Steve Carell and Tina Fey held off a challenge from a horde of 3D Greek gods as Date Night recorded a narrow preliminary victory over Clash of the Titans at the weekend box office, Variety reports. The mistaken-identity caper raked in $27.1 million to $26.9 million for the action fantasy flick. In third place, the animated How to Train Your Dragon ($25.4 million) turned in another solid performance. More»