The new Madagascar film dominated the box office, achieving the seventh strongest opening for an animated film ever, with the raunchy Role Models settling into second. Soul Men proved soul-less, missing the top five entirely and taking sixth. Here's the top five:

1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: $63 million
2. Role Models: $19 million
3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year: $9 million
4. Changeling: $7.2 million
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno: $6.2 million

The other studios no doubt fear 007's license to kill, so there's only one major release this week:

Quantum of Solace
What's It All About: The latest in the long-running James Bond franchise and the hotly anticipated followup to the series' stylish reboot Casino Royale. Daniel Craig returns as Agent 007 in this globe hopping adventure that takes the super spy to Austria, Italy and South America.
Why It Might Do Well: For new releases, this is the only game in town this week, and it's a BIG honking release. Rottentomatoes.com is giving the film an 80% fresh rating and Casino Royale pulled in over half a billion ($594.2 million) worldwide, leaving ticket takers both shaken and stirred.
Why It Might Not Do Well: What, you're kidding, right?
Number of Theaters: 3,400
Prediction: $55 million

As expected, High School Musical 3 hung in there forcing the new Kevin Smith/Seth Rogan comedy to settle for second place. Clint Eastwood's Changeling expanded into wider release allowing it to take fourth place, and last week's other newbie The Haunting of Molly Hartley joined Saw V in scaring the crap out of America over the Halloween weekend. Here's the top five:

1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year: $15.3 million
2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno: $10 million
3. Saw V: $9.7 million
4. Changeling: $9.3 million
5. The Haunting of Molly Hartley: $5.4 million

And this week we've got three new releases:

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
What's It All About: Animated followup to 2005's Madagascar in which our heroes attempt to make their way back to New York City but instead find themselves in Africa where they meet others of their respective species for the first time.
Why It Might Do Well: The original took in $193 million domestically and $339 million foreign, and the sequel is pulling in a 71% fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Ben Stiller voices Alex and his presence still gives me Zoolander flashbacks.
Number of Theaters: 3,900
Prediction: $38 million

Role Models
What's It All About: Comedy in which Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott play two men who are ordered to take part in a big brother program in lieu of jail time.
Why It Might Do Well: Rottentomatoes.com doesn't have a rating for this one yet, but they list several encouraging reviews.
Why It Might Not Do Well: I personally question the logic of allowing the youth of America to be given guidance by two guys who can barely stay out of prison.
Also, while both stars have been in some hit comedies neither is a box office draw.
Number of Theaters: 2,700
Prediction: $17 million

Soul Men
What's It All About: Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson play soul singers who haven't seen each other in 20 years and have to travel cross country to perform at a tribute to their former band leader.
Why It Might Do Well: Bernie Mac was a funny guy and I'm betting his fans will want to see him perform one last time.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Mac and Jackson are doing their own musical performances. Is this a good thing?
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $11 million

For next week I think it will go a little like this:

1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
2. Role Models
3. Soul Men
4. High School Musical 3
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Not one, not even two, but three perfect scores last week. Boo-yeah! Congrats to Josh, hitesh choudhary and cough (who now has two consecutive perfect scores) and thanks to everyone else for taking part in the fun. Here's how we all did:
1. Josh: 16
1. hitesh choudhary: 16
1. cough: 16
2. Pat Campbell: 13
3. Matt: 12
3. Ray: 12
3. AJ Wiley: 12
3. Vera: 12
3. Bradford Oman: 12
3. NP: 12
4. Alex Farquharson: 11
5. I Eat Robots: 8
5. davebaster1989: 8
5. Herff: 8
5. greatone: 8
6. Gregory Rubinstein: 7
7. AJ: 5

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

The sequels were king this past weekend with High School Musical 3 and Saw V pulling in large groups from wildly different demographics (or at least one hopes so). Last week's other new release Pride and Glory came in with a less than stellar fifth place. Here's the top five:

1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year: $42 million
2. Saw V: $30 million
3. Max Payne: $7.6 million
4. Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $6.8 million
5. Pride & Glory: $6.2 million

We've got two new releases this week hoping to pull in both laughs and shrieks. We've also got a couple expanding into wider release.

The Haunting of Molly Hartley
What's It All About: After surviving a murder attempt committed by her psychotic mother, Molly Hartley tries for a new lease on life at a new private school, but she learns that something truly evil is in store for her on her 18th birthday.
Why It Might Do Well: Hellooo! Halloween?
Why It Might Not Do Well: Star power is limited to veterans of teen fair like 90210 and Gossip Girl which doesn't give the film broad appeal.
Number of Theaters: 2,250
Prediction: $12 million

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
What's It All About: Kevin Smith wrote and directed this comedy about two down on their luck platonic friends (Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks) who decide the answer to their money problems is to make a porn film together.
Why It Might Do Well: Smith is the guy behind the Clerks movies, Chasing Amy and Dogma, and Rogen has Knocked Up, Superbad and The 40 Year Old Virgin on his resume.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The last time Smith did a film without Jay and Silent Bob we got Jersey Girl.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $22 million

And Expanding into Wider Release:
Changeling
What's It All About: Clint Eastwood directs and Angelina Jolie stars in this story based on true events. Jolie plays a mother in 1928 Los Angeles who confronts corrupt police after her son is kidnapped and another child is returned in his place.
Why It Might Do Well: High powered people on both sides of the camera and a plot that will tug at the heart strings. Also, when it went into limited release last week it had the highest per screen average of the week.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 52% at Rottentomatoes.com is nothing to brag about.
Number of Theaters: 1,800
Prediction: $9 million

RockNRolla
What's It All About: Guy Ritchie directs this comedy/crime drama about a London real estate scam and the various felons mixed up in it.
Why It Might Do Well: The trailer pleases and 60% at Rottentomatoes.com is within the Fresh range.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Still a pretty small release.
Number of Theaters: 800
Prediction: $6 million

As a Kevin Smith fan I was hoping Zack and Miri would get a number one release, but I think High School Musical 3 has got the legs to hold the top spot for another week. Also, this being Halloween weekend, we can probably expect the horror flicks to have an edge. Here's my prediction.

1. High School Musical 3
2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
3. Saw V
4. The Haunting of Molly Hartley
5. Changeling

For the first time in awhile we've got not one but TWO perfect scores, so congrats to Pat Campbell and cough. This week was a bit easier to call so overall the scores were higher. Here's the rundown:
1. Pat Campbell: 16
1. cough: 16
2. NP: 13
2. dtzamaras: 13
2. lostinafog: 13
2. Ray: 13
2. VP: 13
2. Gregory Rubinstein: 13
3. Matt: 12
3. hitesh choudhary: 12
3. AJ Wiley: 12
4. Bradford Oman: 11
4. Alex Farquharson: 11
4. Herff: 11
4. Harless?: 11
4. I Eat Robots: 11
5. Vera: 9
5. Tristan: 9
6. Chris: 6
6. DarkAgair: 6
7. jeff romagnuolo: 4

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

Of last week's four new releases the video game inspired Max Payne took top honors with The Secret Life of Bees and W. taking third and fourth place respectively. Bees, incidentally, had the highest per screen average of the week. Sex Drive took in only $3.6 million, taking ninth for the weekend.

1. Max Payne: $17.6 million
2. Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $11.4 million
3. The Secret Life of Bees: $10.5 million
4. W.: $10.5 million
5. Eagle Eye: $7 million

Three new releases and one re-release this week:

High School Musical 3: Senior Year
What's It All About: This third installment of the popular series brings the clean cut musical shenanigans to the big screen. It's senior year, and a group of friends reflect upon their past and future as they prepare for their last Spring musical together.
Why It Might Do Well: This one comes with a built in fan base and a huge release. Definitely the number one move next week.
Why It Might Not Do Well: How can you ask that? Have you no soul?
Number of Theaters: 3,400
Prediction: $45 million

Those furry little buggers took us by surprise and Beverly Hills Chihuahua hung on to the number one spot for two consecutive weeks. Body of Lies surprised too, taking third place despite formidable star power before and behind the camera. Here's the top five:

1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $17.5 million
2. Quarantine: $14.2 million
3. Body of Lies: $12.8 million
4. Eagle Eye: $10.9 million
5. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: $6.4 million

Four more new ones this week starting with:

Max Payne
What's It All About: In this video game adaptation, Mark Wahlberg plays a widowed cop with an attitude investigating a series of killings.
Why It Might Do Well: Director John Moore has obviously seen Sin City, so maybe some of Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez's dark and gritty neo noir cool will rub off. Based just on the number of theaters I'm betting this takes the number one spot.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Despite having enjoyed Resident Evil, I still cringe at the idea of a movie based on a video game.
Number of Theaters: 3,200
Prediction: $24 million

Despite having six new wide releases last week, only Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist cracked the top five. In its third week of release, Appaloosa expanded into an additional 1,031 theaters, allowing it to take the number five spot. Here's the top five.

1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $29.3 million
2. Eagle Eye: $17.7 million
3. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: $11.3 million
4. Nights in Rodanthe: $7.3 million
5. Appaloosa: $5 million

Body of Lies
What's It All About: In this Ridley Scott film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a CIA agent tracking terrorist activity in Jordan, with Russell Crowe playing the veteran agent who helps him infiltrate the terrorist underground.
Why It Might Do Well: This film reteams DiCaprio with William Monahan, the screenwriter behind The Departed, and the flick is sporting a 70% fresh rating at rottentomatoes.com.
Why It Might Not Do Well: This being an election year, there are already enough lies kicking around.
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $26 million

Box office numbers were way down this week, letting Bangkok Dangerous take the top spot with a figure that is frankly nothing to brag about. Here's the rundown:

1. Bangkok Dangerous: $7.8 million
2. Tropic Thunder: $7.2 million
3. The Dark Knight: $5.5 million
4. The House Bunny: $5.5 million
5. Traitor: $4.2 million

We've got five new releases this week. Will any of these be able to bolster a sagging box office? Let's see.

Burn After Reading
What's It All About: In the newest film from Ethan and Joel Coen, Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand star as health club employees who find a CD full of classified information left behind by a CIA agent played by John Malkovich. George Clooney also stars.
Why It Might Do Well: This is an awesome cast and those are the No Country For Old Men guys behind the camera. The film also scored a 75% Fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Jennifer Aniston's followers may not have forgiven Brad yet.
Number of Theaters: 2,300
Prediction: $12 million

Movie tickets were a tough sell for labor day weekend, as Babylon A.D and Traitor were the only two of last week's four new releases to finish in the top five. Disaster Movie took seventh place and College took fifteenth, allowing Tropic Thunder to hold the number one spot for a third week. Here's the top five:

1. Tropic Thunder: $11.5 million
2. Babylon A.D.: $9.4 million
3. The Dark Knight: $8.6 million
4. The House Bunny: $8.3 million
5. Traitor: $7.8 million

The summer movie season is over and Hollywood is pausing to breath before moving on. We've only got one wide release this weekend.

Bangkok Dangerous:
What's It All About: Directors Oxide Pang Chun and Danny Pang remake their own 1999 Thai film. Nicolas Cage stars as a hitman who travels to Bangkok for four assassinations.
Why It Might Do Well: If you're jonesing for a new release, this is the only act in town.
Why It Might Not Do Well: One might assume that dumping a movie on the weekend after Labor Day represents a vote of no confidence from the studio.
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $14 million.

Tropic Thunder held onto the top spot for two weeks in a row, followed by The House Bunny and Death Race. Last week's two other newbies The Longshots and The Rocker took the number 10 and 13th spots respectively. Here's what the top five looked like:

1. Tropic Thunder: $16.2 million
2. The House Bunny: $14.5 million
3. Death Race: $12.6 million
4. The Dark Knight: $10.5 million
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: $5.6 million

Babylon A.D.
What's It All About: Vin Diesel stars in this futuristic actioner as a bodyguard charged with delivering a young woman from Russia to the U.S. Little does he realize that she is hosting an organism that a cult hopes to use to create a new messiah.
Why It Might Do Well: While not on a par with this Summer's biggest flicks, Babylon A.D. represents the last gasp of the season's eye candy movies and it's getting a really wide release.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Those thinking this might be a big screen version of Babylon 5 may be in for a disappointment. Also, with five reviews in, Rottentomatoes.com is giving this 0% rotten as of this writing.
Number of Theaters: 3,200
Prediction: $23 million

College
What's It All About: Drake Bell from Nikolodeon's Drake and Josh plays one of several high school kids on a college visit looking to party. Hijinks and projectile vomiting ensue.
Why It Might Do Well: Someone must feel nostalgic for those bowl-hugging college days.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Because part of me wants to believe there is justice in the universe.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $5 million

Disaster Movie
What's It All About: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the writer/director team behind Meet the Spartans, Epic Movie and the Scary Movie franchise go to the well once again with a flick that parodies disaster movies, super hero flicks and various pop culture icons.
Why It Might Do Well: Like them or not, Friedberg and Seltzer's movies tend to make a respectable if not stellar profit.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Maybe the public has had enough of these things. I can dream, can't I?
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $11 million

Traitor
(opens Wednesday)
What's It All About: Don Cheadle stars in this tale of international intrigue as a deep cover CIA agent under investigation by the FBI as a possible terrorist.
Why It Might Do Well: In addition to Cheadle the impressive cast includes Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Fresh off the Summer blockbuster season, will audiences want a film about such weighty matters?
Number of Theaters: 2,054
Prediction: $9 million

Box office predictions become a much wilder and woolier proposition once blockbuster season ends, making it all the more exciting if you ask me. Here's what I think next week's top five will be:
1. Babylon A.D.
2. Disaster Movie
3. Traitor
4. Tropic Thunder
5. Death Race

Last week's top five took us all by surprise. Most didn't think Tropic Thunder would take another week at number one, and many expected The Rocker to do better. Here's how we all did:
1. LostinaFog: 7
2. I Eat Robots: 6
2. Romel: 6
2. Smiggy: 6
2. Victor de la torre: 6
2. Mike: 6
2. Adam P: 6
2. Vera: 6
3. Matt: 4
3. Chris: 4
3. Alex: 4
3. Liz: 4
3. Vega: 4
3. Zctop: 4
3. NP: 4
3. Ray: 4
3. VP: 4
3. AJ Wiley: 4
3. Greatone: 4

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

After four weeks as the top movie in America, The Dark Knight finally yielded the spot to the action comedy Tropic Thunder despite the threat of boycotts. Here's the top five:

1. Tropic Thunder: $25.8 million
2. The Dark Knight: $16.4 million
3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: $14.6 million
4. Mirrors: $11.2 million
5. Pineapple Express: $9.8 million

Four more new releases this week. Will any of them be able to knock Tropic Thunder's, um, thunder? Let's see:

Death Race
What's It All About: Jason Statham stars in this reimagining of Roger Corman's Death Race 2000. In the not too distant future prison inmates are given a chance for freedom by taking part in a brutal cross-country race that can have only one survivor.
Why It Might Do Well: The summer blockbuster season is on the wane, and since this is the only action flick coming out this week, Death Race may benefit from the public's need to see things blow up. Also, Statham does have his admirers.
Why It Might Not Do Well: You can only watch so many spectacular car wrecks.
Number of Theaters: 2,400
Prediction: $15 million

It's starting to look like the only way we're going to get the bats out of the top five is to call an exterminator. Chalk up another $26 million for billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his war on crime as The Dark Knight hangs on to first place for a fourth week in a row. Seth Rogen's stoner comedy came in respectably at second, taking in only $3 million less than the Batman Begins sequel. Here's the break down:

1. The Dark Knight: $26.1 million
2. Pineapple Express: $23.2 million
3. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: $16.4 million
4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: $10.6 million
5 Step Brothers: $9.1 million

We've got four new releases this week:

Mirrors
What's It All About: Directed by Alexandre Aja of High Tension fame, Mirrors stars Kiefer Sutherland as an ex-cop turned security guard who discovers something evil in the mirrors of an old museum. This scare flick is a remake of a Korean movie.
Why It Might Do Well: Who doesn't like a good scare, and Sutherland is a strong lead who is familiar to millions thanks to his work on 24.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The momentum for Asian horror remakes must be slowing by now, although every time I say that a new one pops up.
Number of Theaters: 2,600
Prediction: $12.5 million

Brendan Fraser's third outing as a mummy wrangler did OK, but not well enough to unseat The Dark Knight which has held the number one sport for three weeks now. Here's the top five:

1. The Dark Knight: $42.6 million
2. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: $40.5 million
3. Step Brothers: $16.5 million
4. Mamma Mia!: $12.6 million
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth: $6.6 million

We've got two new releases this week, both of which are arriving in theaters today in hopes of building buzz for the coming weekend (and to avoid the start of the Olympics). Also, neither of them is directly targeting the same audience as The Dark Knight, which, even in its fourth week of release, is still the one to beat.

Pineapple Express
What's It All About: A stoner (Seth Rogen) and his dealer (James Franco) find themselves on the run after seeing a cop commit murder. Rogen wrote the script with Evan Goldberg, and this is the writing team behind Superbad.
Why It Might Do Well: Judd Apatow isn't directing, but he's on board as producer and he's got a story credit, so hopefully his magic touch will be in evidence. Also, most theaters provide comfortable seating with easy access to snacks, so the stoner crowd should feel right at home.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The aforementioned stoners might be saving their money for the recently announced Cheech and Chong reunion.
Number of Theaters: 3,072
Prediction: $24 million

Last weekend, the box office exploded with The Dark Knight, which broke the opening weekend record, while Mamma Mia! did what it could in the shadow of bat wings and Space Chimps couldn't reach the top five with its $7.2 million. Matt was almost spot-on with his predictions last week, but I'll try to hold down the fort this week while he's away.

The top five totals:

1. The Dark Knight: $158,411,483 *
2. Mamma Mia!: $27,751,240
3. Hancock: $14,040,178
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth: $12,340,435
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army: $10,117,815

There's two new wide releases this week -- one for laughs, and one for those who yearn to believe.

Step Brothers
What It's All About: It's the typical new-family scenario with a much older twist. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star as spoiled adults who live at home and are less than pleased when their parents meet and get married. Quickly, however, they become best friends who indulge in all the fun things kids do. You know, whispering after lights out, making things... But then their folks have had enough and want to kick them out, spoiling their fun.
Why It Might Do Well: It's Ferrell and Reilly acting like kids, the bunk beds scene is flipping hilarious, and the two actors have a solid following.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The duo's shtick could be getting old, and it still has to face the roaring-forward Dark Knight.
Number of Theaters: 2,800+
Prediction: $23 million

It's a good time to be a cinematic super hero, and Jules Verne proved that his work still has legs 103 years after his death, but Eddie Murphy's Meet Dave died a thousand deaths pulling in a mere $5.2 million and not even making the top five. Here are the totals:

1. Hellboy II: The Golden Army: $34.5 million
2. Hancock: $32 million
3. Journey to the Center of the Earth: $21 million
4. Wall-E: $18.7 million
5. Wanted: $11.9 million

Three new releases this week, and in the very broadest of terms we have one for the guys, one for the gals and one for the kids.

The Dark Knight
What's It All About: Do I really need to explain this one? Christian Bale returns to the role of Batman in the sequel to the series rebooting Batman Begins, with Christopher Nolan once again in the director's chair. There's a new crime boss in Gotham City and he's called The Joker (Heath Ledger). The two clash, things blow up, awesomeness ensues.
Why It Might Do Well: This will be the movie to beat this Summer. Batman is so ingrained into American pop culture that he's bonded to our collective DNA. Batman Begins grossed $205 million domestically and $371 million worldwide. The Dark Knight is scoring 88% over at Rottentomatoes.com and Cinematical's own James Rocchi had some good things to say about it.
Why It Might Not Do Well: There remains the possibility that people with a fear of bats will join forces with those with a fear of clowns and boycott the film, which of course means more popcorn for the rest of us.
Number of Theaters: 4,300
Prediction: $125 million

It was a good weekend at the box office for both of last week's newbies, marking the first time in history that two films opening on the same weekend pulled in over $50 million each. Here's the top five:

1. Wall-E: $63 million
2. Wanted: $50.9 million
3. Get Smart: $20.2 million
4. Kung Fu Panda: $11.7 million
5. The Incredible Hulk: $9.6 million

Only one major release this week, but we've also got one going into wider release.

Hancock
What's It All About: Will Smith plays Hancock, a hard drinking anti-social superhero, and a PR agent played by Jason Bateman sets out to repair Hancock's public image.
Why It Might Do Well: Will Smith may not always have the Midas touch (I Am Legend left me cold) but he's got quite a few successful blockbusters under his belt, and people are loving the superhero flicks these days. I've liked Bateman's work a lot since Arrested Development, and I'm always glad to see him. Also, Cinematical's own Kim Voynar has given the film her seal of approval.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Unlike most big-budget superhero movies, this one doesn't originate from another media like comic books, so it doesn't come with the core fanbase of an Iron Man or an Incredible Hulk. Also, the 36% fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com is not encouraging.
Number of Theaters: 3,900
Prediction: $45 million

And going into wider release this week...