Wow. I figured the latest Fast & Furious franchise entry would open well, but I had no idea it would have the strength to shatter the April opening record. Seriously, it was not by a little bit that it took the top spot. The Vin Diesel action vehicle took in nearly $71 million, besting the previous record holder Anger Management, which opened to the tune of $42.5 million. Not only that, it made more in its opening weekend than the prior entry, Tokyo Drift, made in its entire run. It also looks to be on track to top the $144 million take of the original 2001 film. I wonder, is this enough to jump start Vin Diesel's and Paul Walker's careers?
Slipping to second place is Monsters vs. Aliens with a tally of $32 million. The animated feature is doing well with families, but I wonder just what sort of legs it will have? I suspect it will do decently and end up in the $165 million range, helped by the next couple of weeks not offering a lot in the way of competition.
Third place is held by the haunted house tale The Haunting in Connecticut. The more I think back on the film, the more affection I have for it. It is no classic by any stretch, but it is quite effective in setting a mood. The jump scares were a bit much, but when I wasn't guessing them, I was drawn to the creepiness.
Knowing is holding strong in fourth place. This is one of the year's best surprises in terms of intelligent filmmaking. I am glad to see that people are still going out for this one, I would have suspected it to drop a lot faster than it has.
Fifth place plays host to I Love You, Man this week. This comedy is quite funny and well worth your time. Is it perfect? Of course not, but it goes a long way towards being something original, something we always need in a comedy.
Adventureland debuts in sixth place, which means this comedy will likely not be around for long. I did not get the chance to see it this past weekend, but hope to do so soon. It looks pretty funny, and from what I hear is considerably different than what is shown in the ads.
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