"RIO" MAKES IT TWO-FOR-TWO

Still from RIO 3-D

20th Century Fox's RIO 3-D makes it two-for-two at the Box Office this Easter weekend, with $26.8 million from 3,842 theatres. Showing no signs of stopping, perhaps we can expect it on-top for a third?

It always amazes me how loyal Tyler Perry's following is and their support along got him to second spot this weekend with the tenth installment of his Madea Franchise, Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family bringing in $25.7 million from 2,288 theatres. The Film ranks as the Director/Screenwriter's fourth-highest grossing opening ever.

Water for Elephants makes it two Films in the Top Three for 20th Century Fox with the Romantic Drama earning $17.5 million. The Film starring Reese Witherspoon and Twilight Hunk Robert Pattinson, was made for $38 million, looking to be a profitable venture for the Studio.

Former Champion Hop from Universal Pictures fares well still in its fourth week of release, landing in fourth with $12.4 million, doubtedly aided by the fact that it is Easter weekend and it is an Easter-themed Film. To-date it has made $147.7 million worldwide.

The Weinstein Co.'s Scream 4 places fourth this weekend with $7.1 million. Thus far in its two-week run, its tally is $31.2 million in North America and it was made for $40 million.

Disney's African Cats fares well in its debut, showing in only 1,220 theatres, but still landing in sixth spot. The Documentary narrated by Samuel L. Jackson has fared well with Critics, earning a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Summit Entertainment's well-reviewed Source Code rounds out the Top Ten this week with $5 million this weekend in its fourth week of release.

"HOP" STILL ON TOP

Hop lands on-top for a second week in a row at the Box Office for Universal Pictures.  Earning $21.8 million this weekend, Brit Comedian Russell Brand earned himself a rare one-two, also starring in second-placing Arthur from Warner Bros.  Arthur, a Remake of the 1982 Comedy starring Dudley Moore however, fared below expectations earning $12.5 million. 

Teenage Girls were our in full-force at the Box Office this weekend, with two competing Titles to choose from, Focus Features' Hanna  starring Saoirse Ronan as a Teen Assassin and also Sony Pictures' Soul Surfer, based on the true story of an amputated Teen Surfer.  They placed third and fourth respectively, with Hanna earning $12.2 million and Soul Surfer with $10.5 million.

Disappointing particularly is Universal Pictures' raunchy Medieval Comedy Your Highness, which despite being made for $50 million, only made $9.6 million it its debut. Yikes.  Above this, its Oscar-caliber Cast  including Natalie Portman and James Franco even could not save this one.

Slipping dramatically in its second week was Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal, landing in seventh spot this weekend after a debut at number two.  To date it has earned $22 million, still $12 million shy if recouping its $34 million budget.

"HOP" ON TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from Hop

The Easter Bunny arrives early this year, despite our late Easter this year. Universal Pictures wins the Box Office battle with authority this weekend, taking in $38.1 million from 3,579 theatres. The Russell Brand-voiced Animated Feature also stars handsome and lithe James Marsden, who did a bulk of the promotion for the Film, including radio appearances on Toronto's CHUM-FM last week.

Summit Entertainment's Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal surprisingly made only $15 million in its debut, landing in second spot despite winning rave reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has it pegged at 86% on its Tomatometer.

Horror Flick Insidious debuts in third with $13.5 million for SAW creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Generally, the Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne-starring Film which premiered at TIFF this past September, has received positive reviews.

Last week's champion, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules slips to fourth in its second week with $10.2 million, just ahead of another former Box Office topper, Limitless in fifth with $9.4 million.

Despite landing in second spot last week, Warner Bros.' Sucker Punch slips to seventh this weekend, a change of -68.1% from last weekend.

Rounding out the Top Ten is Battle: Los Angeles which just broke even, surpassing the $70 million mark, the amount for which it was made.

SOURCE CODE - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Source Code

Combining Sci-Fi with a small bit of Action, Source Code delivers a refreshing spin on a story which could have been plagued by the banality often seen in the genre. Director Duncan Jones, Son of David Bowie, speaks with a clear, crisp narrative which keeps his audience engaged endlessly. And this is only his second Feature.

The Film centers around a decapitated Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) who finds himself in a secret Government experiment called The Source Code. Colter is given the ability to enter the body of a Man killed in a Chicago Train Bombing. Over and over he must re-enter the body of the Man with a time limit of eight minutes per entry. He must search for clues aboard the Train, with a mission to derail the bombing and also locate its Mastermind.

Along the way, he meets the beautiful Christina (Michelle Monaghan) whom he is enamored with, which both pushes him towards solving this mystery and also pulls him back in his own distraction. He soon realizes that she too would have been killed in the Disaster. Thus, in circumventing this Bombing, Colter not only is saving the lives of passengers aboard the Train and millions of people in Chicago, but also he is saving the life of the one Woman he is absolutely smitten with.