There wasn’t really any doubt which movie would be number one during the weekend… it was just a matter of by how much… “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” pulled in $112 million for the weekend and $201 million since its Wednesday opening. “Transformers 2″ set a new high for a June weekend, its also the highest-grossing non-holiday, highest grossing non-Friday opening weekend and becomes the seventh opening weekend overall.   “The Dark Knight” is still the biggest 5-day opening all time ($203.8 million).

“Transformers 2″ boosted the entire box office 35% more than last weekend and at $194.97 million, it marks the biggest weekend of the year.  “Up” has passed “Star Trek” as the biggest movie of 2009 with $250 million so far.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” - $112.00 million ($201 million total) (1st week)

2. “The Proposal”  – $18.47 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 45% from last week)

3. “The Hangover” - $17.22 million
(4th week, was #2 last week, lost 36% of audience from last week)

4. “Up” – $13.05 million  ($250 million total)
(5th week, was #3 last week, lost 45% from last week)

5. “My Sister’s Keeper” – $12.03 million (1st week)

6. “Year One” - $5.80 million
(2nd week, was #4 last week, lost 70% from last week)

7. “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ - $5.40 million
(3rd week, was #5 last week, lost 55% from last week)

8. “Star Trek” – $3.61 million  ($246 million total)
(8th week, was #7 last week, lost 35% from last week)

9. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $3.50 million
(6th week, was #6 last week, lost 55% from last week)

10. “Away We Go” – $1.68 million
(4th week, was #13 last week, added 93% moving into wide release after 3 weeks in limited release)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” poster courtesy Paramount

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

Audiences said yes to Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds’ “The Proposal”… the romantic comedy easily beat “The Hangover” and “Up”… “Year One” opened in 4th place, but is likely to start dropping quickly.

“Star Trek” is still the best holdover movie, losing the least of its audience (13.8%) and adding to its overall total, now at $239 millon.   The weekend’s offerings actually propped up the box office – up almost 7% from last week, making $140.6 million, a total that will easily be surpassed next weekend as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” opens on Wednesday.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “The Proposal”  – $34.11 million (1st week)

2. “The Hangover” - $26.86 million
(3rd week, was #1 last week, lost 18% of audience from last week)

3. “Up” – $21.34 million  ($224.11 million total)
(4th week, was #2 last week, lost 31% from last week)

4. “Year One” - $20.20 million (1st week)

5. “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ - $11.30 million
(2nd week, was #3 last week, lost 52% from last week)

6. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $7.30 million
(5th week, was #4 last week, lost 24% from last week)

7. “Star Trek” – $4.70 million  ($239.44 million total)
(7th week, was #7 last week, lost 14% from last week)

8. “Land of the Lost” – $3.98 million
(3rd week, was #5 last week, lost 56% from last week)

9. “Imagine That” - $3.10 million
(2nd week, was #6 last week, lost 44% from last week)

10. “Terminator Salvation” – $3.07 million
(5th week, was #8 last week, lost 36% from last week)

—-

11. “Angels & Demons” - $2.80 million
(6th week, was #9 last week, lost 32% from last week)

13. “Away We Go” – $0.90 million
(3rd week of limited release, was #14 last week, added 61% in 87 more theaters from last week)

14. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $0.61 million
(8th week, was #12 last week, lost 35% from last week)

15. “My Life in Ruins” – $0.45 million
(3rd week, was #11 last week, lost 74% from last week)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“The Proposal” poster courtesy Touchstone Pictures

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

The word of mouth and solid reviews (read mine) for “The Hangover” is keeping the buzz going for the R-rated comedy, with “Up” close behind, new movies “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ and “Imagine That” were 3rd and 6th respectively.

“Star Trek” dropped just two spots with the weekend’s two new movies, still losing just 33% of its audience and adding to its overall total, now at $231 millon.   But the weekend box office was down 17% from last week, making $131.97 million, the 2nd lowest total in the 7 weeks of the summer season so far.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “The Hangover” - $32.79 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 27% of audience from last week)

2. “Up” – $30.76 million  ($187.43 million total)
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 30% from last week)

3. “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ - $23.37 million (1st week)

4. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $9.62 million  ($143.46 million total)
(4th week, was #4 last week, lost 34% from last week)

5. “Land of the Lost” – $8.99 million
(2nd week, as #3 last week, lost 52% from last week)

6. “Imagine That” - $5.50 million (1st week)

7. “Star Trek” – $5.45 million  ($231.88 million total)
(6th week, was #5 last week, lost 34% from last week)

8. “Terminator Salvation” – $4.79 million
(4th week, was #6 last week, lost 42% from last week)

9. “Angels & Demons” - $4.11 million  ($123.21 million total)
(5th week, was #8 last week, lost 37% from last week)

10. “Drag Me To Hell” – $3.93 million
(3rd week, was #7 last week, lost 44% from last week)

—

11. “My Life in Ruins” – $1.71 million
(2nd week, was #9 last week, lost 47% from last week)

12. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $0.93 million  ($176.15 million total)
(7th week, was #11 last week, lost 52% from last week)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“The Hangover” poster courtesy Warner Bros.

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

R-rated comedy “The Hangover” ($44.98 million) burst the balloons of ”Up” ($44.14 million) to win the weekend, “The Hangover” was estimated to lose by less than a million behind last weekend’s number one movie.  But when the final results came in, “The Hangover” was the winner by $800,000.

Will Ferrell’s “Land of the Lost” ($19.5 million) was a distant and disappointing third… by more than $23 million.  “My Life in Ruins” barely made the top 10 in its debut weekend with $3.2 million.  “Star Trek” held onto to the 5th spot despite three new movies… as its slower descent keeps it near the top, adding more to its overall total (now $222 millon).

Overall, the weekend pulled in an estimated $160.14 million, down just a half-percent from last weekend.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “The Hangover” - $44.98 million (1st week)

2. “Up” – $44.14 million  ($137.31 million total)
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 35% of audience from last week)

3. “Land of the Lost” – $19.52 million (1st week)

4. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $14.65 million  ($127.34 million total)
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 40% from last week)

5. “Star Trek” – $8.40 million  ($222.80 million total)
(5th week, was #5 last week, lost 33% from last week)

6. “Terminator Salvation” – $8.18 million
(3rd week, was #3 last week, lost 50% from last week)

7. “Drag Me To Hell” – $7.34 million
(2nd week, was #4 last week, lost 54% from last week)

8. “Angels & Demons” - $6.5 million  ($116.13 million total)
(4th week, was #6 last week, lost 43% from last week)

9. “My Life in Ruins” – $3.23 million (1st week)

10. “Dance Flick” - $2.0 million
(3rd week, was #7 last week, lost 58% from last week)

—

11. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $1.86 million  ($174.28 million total)
(6th week, was #8 last week, lost 52% from last week)

13. ”The Brothers Bloom” (LIMITED RELEASE) – $0.43 million
(4th week of limited release (173 theaters), was #11 last week, lost 32% from last week, added 25 theaters)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Up” poster courtesy Dinsey-Pixar

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“Up” beat other newcomer “Drag Me To Hell” easily, but its estimated $68.20 million also beat last week’s number one “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” ($16.63 million) by more than 2-to-1.  “Star Trek” is still slowing its descent, losing the least of its audience and falling slower than the rest of the top 10 movies… a trend not as strong, but reminiscent of “Iron Man” last summer.  We’ll have to see if “Star Trek” can hold on another 16 weeks and/or earn another $118 million to match “Iron Man”… or if this summer’s blockbusters are just too much to keep it around long enough.

Overall, the weekend pulled in an estimated $162.99 million, that would make it the 3rd best weekend so far, but down 4% from the memorial day weekend that stands as the biggest weekend of 2009 (actual $169.81 million).

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Up” – $68.20 million (1st week)

2. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $25.50 million  ($105.29 million total)
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 53% of audience from last week)

3. “Drag Me To Hell” – $16.63 million (1st week)

4. “Terminator Salvation” – $16.14 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 62% from last week)

5. “Star Trek” – $12.80 million  ($209.50 million total)
(4th week, was #3 last week, lost 44% from last week)

6. “Angels & Demons” - $11.20 million  ($104.76 million total)
(3rd week, was #4 last week, lost 48% from last week)

7. “Dance Flick” - $4.9 million
(2nd week, was #5 last week, lost 54% from last week)

8. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $3.90 million  ($170.87 million total)
(54th week, was #6 last week, lost 52% from last week)

9. “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – $1.91 million
(5th week, was #7 last week, lost 51% from last week)

10. “Obsessed”  – $0.67 million
(6th week, was #8 last week, lost 66% from last week)

—

11. “The Brothers Bloom” (LIMITED RELEASE) – $0.65 million
(3rd week of limited release (148 theaters), was #15 this week, gained 70% from last week, added 96 theaters)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Up” poster courtesy Dinsey-Pixar

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” clobbered “Terminator Salvation”… by more than $10 million during the 4-day holiday weekend (Friday-Monday), “Night at the Museum 2″ pulled in a estimated $70.0 million while “Terminator 4″ made an estimated $53.8 million.

Last week’s number one “Angels & Demons” dropped to 4th with $27.7 million… while “Star Trek” shows its staying power, actually moving up one spot to 3rd at $29.4 million.  The worst movie of the year, “Dance Flick” opened in 5th with $13 million.

Friday-Sunday of Memorial weekend was the biggest weekend of 2009 so far, with the top 12 movies pulling in $169.44 million… a 29% increase over last weekend and nearly $5 million more than the previous best of $164.76 million during the 3rd weekend of January (that included “Paul Blart: Mall Cop”).

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (4-day estimated results):
1. “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” – $70.00 million (1st week)

2. “Terminator Salvation” – $53.83 million (1st week)

3. “Star Trek” – $29.40 million
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 32% of audience from last week)

4. “Angels & Demons” - $27.70 million
(2nd week, was #1 last wek, lost 40% from last week)

5. “Dance Flick” - $13.10 million (1st week)

6. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $10.10 million
(4th week, was #3 last week, lost 31% of audience from last week)

7. “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – $4.84 million
(4th week, was #4 last week, lost 27% of audience from last week)

8. “Obsessed”  – $2.50 million
(5th week, was #5 last week, lost 46% of audience from last week)

9. “Monsters vs. Aliens” – $1.90  million
(9th week, was #7 last week, lost 40% from last week)

10. “17 Again” – $1.28 million
(6th week, was #6 last week, lost 62% from last week)

—

11. “The Soloist” – $1.08 million
(5th week, was #8 last week, lost 55% from last week) 

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” poster courtesy 20th Century Fox

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“Angels & Demons” was number one with $48.00 million, but the second Dan Brown novel-turned-movie made almost $30 million less than “The DaVinci Code” (2006), which opened with $77.07 million.

It didn’t take long for “Star Trek” to crack the $100 million mark… with $147.61 million, its now the biggest earner ever for the franchise… passing the $109.71 million mark held by “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986).

“Monsters vs. Aliens” is still holding strong in its 8th week of release, actually moving up one spot from 8th to 7th as the rest of the field mostly moved down one spot.    Overall, the weekend earnings ($132 million) were down for a second straight weekend… 7% lower… but next weekends’ big openings of action franchiser ”Terminator Salvation” and the family friendly ”Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” should turn that trend around.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Angels & Demons” - $48.00 million (1st week)

2. “Star Trek” – $43.00 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 43%of audience from last week)

3. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $14.80 million
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 44% of audience from last week)

4. “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – $6.86 million
(3rd week, was #3 last week, lost 33% of audience from last week)

5. “Obsessed”  – $4.55 million
(4th week, was #4 last week, lost 31% of audience from last week)

6. “17 Again” – $3.40 million
(5th week, was #5 last week, lost 20% from last week)

7. “Monsters vs. Aliens” – $3.00  million
(8th week, was #8 last week, lost 8% from last week)

8. “The Soloist” – $2.43 million
(4th week, was #7 last week, lost 39% from last week) 

9. “Next Day Air” – $2.28 million
(2nd week, was #6 last week, lost 45% from last week)

10. “Earth” – $1.68 million
(4th week, was #9 last week, lost 37% from last week)

—

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Angels & Demons” poster courtesy Sony Pictures

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

(Updated 5/12/09) With $72.50 million “Star Trek” becomes the biggest opening weekend ever for the franchise and if you add in the $4 million on Thursday, its already the 5th highest grossing movie in the franchise, and easily on track to be just the 2nd to crack the $100 million mark. (See more on the Star Trek franchise at the box office below)

The comedy “Next Day Air” opened in 6th with just $4 million at the box office.

Returns for “The Chaos Experiment”, were limited at just two Grand Rapids area theaters over the weekend with just 225 tickets sold for the R-rated thriller.

Overall, the weekend offerings were actually down 6% at the box office from last weekend’s huge $150 million weekend.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Star Trek” – $76.50 million (includes $4.0 million Thursday) (1st week)

2. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $27.00 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 68% of audience from last week)

3. “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – $10.45 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 32% of audience from last week)

4. “Obsessed”  – $6.60 million
(3rd week, was #3 last week, lost 45% of audience from last week)

5. “17 Again” – $4.41 million
(4th week, was #4 last week, lost 30% from last week)

6. “Next Day Air” – $4.00 million (1st week)

7. “The Soloist” – $3.61 million
(3rd week, was #6 last week, lost 36% from last week)

8. “Monsters vs. Aliens” – $3.38  million
(7th week, was #5 last week, lost 42% from last week)

9. “Earth” – $2.49 million
(3rd week, was #7 last week, lost 43% from last week)

10. “Hannah Montana The Movie” – $2.41 million
(5th week, was #9 last week, lost 42% from last week)

—

Breakdown of Star Trek movies historically at the box office:

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE  (December 7, 1979)
Opening Weekend:  $11,926,421
Domestic Total Gross: $82,258,456

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN  (June 4, 1982)
Opening Weekend:  $14,347,221
Domestic Total Gross: $78,912,963

STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK  (June 1, 1984)
Opening Weekend:  $16,673,295
Domestic Total Gross: $76,471,046

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME  (November 26, 1986)
Opening Weekend:  $16,881,888
Domestic Total Gross: $109,713,132* Highest grossing for franchise

STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER  (June 9, 1989)
Opening Weekend:  $17,375,648
Domestic Total Gross: $52,210,049

STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY  (December 6, 1991)
Opening Weekend:  $18,162,837
Domestic Total Gross: $74,888,996

STAR TREK: GENERATIONS  (November 18, 1994)
Opening Weekend:  $23,116,394
Domestic Total Gross: $75,671,125

STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT  (November 22, 1996)
Opening Weekend:  $30,716,131
Domestic Total Gross: $92,027,888

STAR TREK: INSURRECTION  (December 11, 1998)
Opening Weekend:  $22,052,836
Domestic Total Gross: $70,187,658

STAR TREK: NEMESIS  (December 13, 2002)
Opening Weekend:  $18,513,305
Domestic Total Gross: $43,254,409

STAR TREK  (May 5, 2009)
Opening Weekend:  $72,500,000* Biggest opening for franchise
Domestic Total Gross: $76,500,000* so far

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“Star Trek” poster courtesy Paramount Pictures

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“X-Men Origins Wolverine” was easily number one at the weekend box office with $87 million, but didn’t make as much as expected ($95 million).  The romantic-comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” debuted at 2nd with $15.33 million.  The animated action/adventure “Battle for Terra” was a distant 12th with just $1.06 million.

The weekend offerings gave the box office a 46% increase from last weekend, a big jumpstart to the summer movie season.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – $87.00 million (1st week)

2. “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – $15.33 million (1st week)

3. “Obsessed”  – $12.20 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 57% of audience from last week)

4. “17 Again” – $6.36 million
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 45% from last week)

5. “Monsters vs. Aliens” – $5.80  million
(6th week, was #5 last week, lost 32% from last week)

6. “The Soloist” – $5.60 million
(2nd week, was #4 last week, lost 42% from last week)

7. “Earth” – $4.18 million
(2nd week, was #5 last week, lost 53% from last week)

8. “Fighting” – $4.17 million
(2nd week, was #8 last week, lost 62% last week)

9. “Hannah Montana The Movie” – $4.08 million
(4th week, was #8 last week, lost 37% from last week)

10. “State of Play” - $3.66 million
(3rd week, was #7 last week, lost 47% from last week)

— 

11. “Fast and Furious” – $2.73 million
(5th week, was #9 last week, lost 56% of audience from last week)

12. “Battle for Terra” – $1.06 million (1st week)

13. “Taken” - $0.82 million
(14th week, was #20 last week, gained 129% from last week, adding 44 theaters)

14. “I Love You, Man” – $0.72 million
(7th week, was #11 last week, lost 63% from last week)

15. “Knowing” – $0.55 million
(7th week, was #12 last week, lost 72% from last week)

CLICK HERE FOR LAST WEEK’S BOX OFFICE REPORT 

“X-Men Origins Wolverine” poster courtesy 20th Century Fox

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

I waited to write this review, because as a fairly die hard fan of X-Men, I have to say this prequel has me going back and forth on how great it is… or isn’t, mostly because some of the things I thought I knew about the characters in the X-Men universe were quite different in this movie.

After walking out of the theater when the end credit clip was finished (you should stay to the very end), I had the movie rated an 8.5… but I’ve decided that’s too high.

The action is great, the fighting sequences are solid, the story is well crafted, the special effects and editing and photography are good and most of the casting is spot-on.

For the fanboys: Ryan Reynolds was a great choice as the wisecracking Wade Wilson (Deadpool), Liev Schreiber is good as Victor Creed (Sabretooth), Danny Huston does well as the younger Col. William Stryker, Daniel Henney was good as David North (Agent Zero), Kevin Durand does well as Frederick J. Dukes (The Blob), and Will i Am does well as John Wraith.

I’m not saying Taylor Kitsch was bad as Remy LeBeau (Gambit), he just wasn’t the loner with a cajun accent and rebel attitude that I’m used to.

There’s a lot of creative licenses the filmmakers took with several storylines (and obviously timelines) that had me puzzled… and will have other fans scratching their heads.  For example the relationship between Wolverine and Sabretooth, the progression of Wade Wilson’s character, the physical difference between Sabretooth in this movie and the less intelligent, more feral one played by Tyler Mane in the original “X-Men”, etc.

It was cool to see some fun cameos by characters from the other “X-Men” movies.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Because of some of the character confusion and too many characters jumping and flying around… I give it 7.5 out of 10 … its a good entry into the series, its slightly better than “X-Men 3″, but not as solid as 1 and 2.   The “X-Men” franchise is built on characters with unique and individual abilities, this one seems to suffer somewhat from an identity crisis.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”

(2009) (rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some partial nudity.) (1 hr, 47 min)

Starring: Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth), Dominic Monaghan (Bolt), Lynn Collins (Silver Fox), Danny Huston (Col. William Stryker), Daniel Henney was good as David North (Agent Zero), Taylor Kitsch (Gambit), Kevin Durand (The Blob), Tim Pocock (Scott Summers), Tahyna Tozzi (Emma Frost),
Scott Adkins (Weapon XI), Will i Am (John Wraith)

Director: Gavin Hood

Genre: Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Comic Book/Superhero

The Plot: Wolverine lives a mutant life, seeks revenge against Victor Creed (who will later become Sabertooth) for the death of his girlfriend, and ultimately ends up going through the mutant Weapon X program.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” poster courtesy 20th Century Fox

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