1. Quantum of Solace - $67.5M
Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M interrogate Mr. White who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.<br><br> Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille, a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene, a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organization.<br><br> On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world\'s most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land.<br><br> In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene\'s sinister plan and stop his organization.
2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - $35.0M
In 2008\'s MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA, the endearing New York City zoo animals of the original hit movie return for another zany round of CGI adventures abroad. Leaving the island of the title by way of a ramshackle penguin-designed aircraft, the quartet of Alex the Lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), along with unlikely friends such as King Julien the Lemur (Sacha Baron Cohen), crash-land on the African savannah, setting in motion a whole new series of exploits, involving Alex\'s long-lost parents (Bernie Mac and Sherri Shepherd) and a stranded group of tenacious NYC human tourists.<br><br>Reuniting directors Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell, as well as all the principal cast members of the first film, MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA takes full advantage of its sweeping setting, making room for beautifully expansive landscapes amidst the mammal mayhem. While the leads are in fine form, they are ably assisted by series newcomers, including the late Mac, Shepherd, and Alec Baldwin, who plays a scheming rival lion. Though various plotlines get increasingly ridiculous as the movie goes on (see the return of MADAGASCAR\'s aggressive Grand Central Station granny), the good-natured main characters and their silly support players (particularly lemurs and penguins) keep ESCAPE 2 AFRICA entertaining no matter how far the story strays off the wildlife reserve.
3. Role Models - $11.2M
Director David Wain (WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER) capably mixes the saucy and the sentimental in the bawdy boys-to-men comedy ROLE MODELS. Stuck-in-a-rut Danny Donahue (Paul Rudd) and womanizing man-child Wheeler (Seann William Scott) work together promoting Minotaur energy drink to high school students. But when Danny\'s girlfriend Beth (Elizabeth Banks) dumps him because he lacks maturity, his lashing out threatens to land him and Wheeler in jail. Their only way out is to act as mentors at Sturdy Wings, a Big Brother-esque organization run by reformed addict--and unrepentant flirt--Gayle Sweeny (Jane Lynch). There, Danny is paired with the decidedly dorky Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) while Wheeler is the latest victim to take on foul-mouthed Ronnie (Bobb\'e J. Thompson). After a bumpy beginning, both Danny and Wheeler connect with their kids over everything from sword-and-sorcery role playing to the chick-scoring power of the band Kiss. But when these two presumptive adults put their charges\' well-being in jeopardy, they face both jail time and the loss of everyone\'s respect. With their own friendship on the brink of ruin, Danny and Wheeler--not to mention a little help from the magic of Kiss--must reach deep inside to prove to the world how responsible they can truly be. In the spirit of films like KNOCKED UP and THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN, ROLE MODELS features a healthy dose of sharp humor and juvenile gags balanced by a feel-good message that growing up doesn\'t mean giving up what makes each of us special.
4. High School Musical 3: Senior Year - $5.7M
The East High Tigers dance their way from the Disney Channel to the silver screen in this feature film. In HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) realize that high school--and their closeness--may not last forever, so they decide to produce one last musical before graduation.
5. Changeling - $4.3M
At first, Clint Eastwood\'s CHANGELING could appear to be following too closely in the footsteps of his earlier Oscar winner, MYSTIC RIVER, since both films center on a missing child. But while his previous film was based on a Dennis Lehane novel, CHANGELING carries a particular weight because it is based on a true story, and one that isn\'t largely known. Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a single mother working in 1928 Los Angeles when her son goes missing. A boy is returned to her months later by the police, but she is shocked and disheartened when she realizes that the boy isn\'t her son. Joined by a crusading pastor (John Malkovich), Christine battles for justice against the corrupt L.A.P.D. while she continues to search for her child. Eventually her fight against the cops lands her in a mental hospital, where she is surrounded by others with a similar plight. <br><br>At times, CHANGELING is incredibly difficult to watch. Jolie gives an authentic, anguished performance, and the on-screen tragedy is quite disturbing, largely because of its basis in reality. But Eastwood has crafted another Oscar-worthy film that is certainly worth sitting through, even if a tissue or two is required. Screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski had been best known for his work in science fiction (BABYLON FIVE) and graphic novels, but he makes an adept transition to feature drama with this film. Its unusual focus--on the victim and her struggle for justice, rather than on the criminal and the crime--brings further depth to the film. As always, Amy Ryan (an Oscar nominee for GONE BABY GONE) perfectly morphs into her role (this time as a prostitute imprisoned in the mental hospital), and the film\'s many child actors are compelling to watch.
6. Zack and Miri Make a Porno - $3.1M
As its explicit title suggests, Kevin Smith\'s ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO is a foul-mouthed and filthy film that probably isn\'t fit for the very young, the very old, or the easily offended. But for those who enjoy Smith\'s brand of humor, this raunchy but romantic comedy could be the perfect date movie (though perhaps not for a first date). With mountains of past-due bills piling up, Zack (Seth Rogen, KNOCKED UP) and his roommate/childhood friend Miri (Elizabeth Banks, SCRUBS) aren\'t sure how they\'re going to stay in their Pittsburgh apartment. But a chance encounter at their 10-year reunion gives them the idea to make a porn movie. When it comes time for the friends to do the deed, they realize that perhaps they\'re more than just friends.<br><br>With all the talk of sexual positions and bodily functions, it\'d be easy to say that Smith is hopping on the Judd Apatow bandwagon that has dominated the box office in the latter half of the aughts with KNOCKED UP and THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, and ZACK AND MIRI even features a few Apatow alumni. But Smith perfected this schtick down back in the \'90s with CLERKS, when some of Apatow\'s fans were still in diapers. ZACK AND MIRI is most reminscent of Smith\'s own CHASING AMY; there are plenty of gag- or giggle-inducing moments, but Smith\'s script is also surprisingly sweet. Rogen and Banks make a perfect couple, and the always hilarious Rogen could be Smith\'s new Ben Affleck or Jason Lee.
7. Soul Men - $2.4M
Malcolm Lee, director of upbeat family fare such as WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS and ROLL BOUNCE, takes a slightly raunchier tack for his uproarious buddy comedy, SOUL MEN. The late Bernie Mac gives one of his final performances as Floyd Henderson, a retired back-up singer for a ‘60s soul act known as the Real Deal. When the group\'s lead singer, Marcus Hooks--played by real-life soul singer John Legend--suddenly drops dead, the two remaining members of the group, Henderson and Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson), are enlisted to play a tribute concert at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. Hinds, an ex-convict trying his best to stay out of the limelight, is persuaded by Henderson to drive cross-country for the chance to re-ignite his music career. The classic comedic trope of road-trip antagonism reaches new heights as the pair curse and claw at each other for the entire voyage, taking occasional breaks to stage impromptu roadside rehearsals and other, less PG-rated misadventures. Throughout, Mac\'s formidable skills at slapstick play against Jackson\'s no-nonsense, tough guy demeanor--a veneer that, at times, cracks enough to reveal some genuinely tender moments between the two. But SOUL MEN\'s final, most poignant postscript is a cameo by fallen soul legend Isaac Hayes--who, coincidentally, died the same week as Bernie Mac--casting a bittersweet pall over the film\'s enjoyably comic shenanigans.
8. The Secret Life of Bees - $2.3M
Book club favorite THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES more than just survives its transition to the screen. Thanks to its strong cast, this female-centric drama thrives. Dakota Fanning stars as Lily, a 14-year-old girl living with her abusive father (Paul Bettany) in South Carolina in 1964. Lily struggles with a burden of guilt after she accidentally killed her mother a decade before, and she longs for knowledge of the woman. When the family\'s caretaker Rosaleen (Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) is arrested after standing up to a group of violent white men, Lily seizes the opportunity to run off with Rosaleen and search for clues to her mother\'s life. They arrive at the home of the Boatwrights, a trio of black sisters. Motherly August (Queen Latifah) cultivates the state\'s most coveted honey, June (Alicia Keys) focuses on her music and on rebuffing the advances of an ardent suitor (Nate Parker), and childlike May (Sophie Okonedo) struggles to stay happy in the turbulent time. But in a still-racist world where the Civil Rights Act has just been passed, the Boatwrights\' home acts as a haven for Lily as she searches for information about her mother\'s past. <br><br>The heavy drama could\'ve presented a challenge for Fanning, who has gone beyond the role of a little girl, but she does a fine job. The other actresses in the film, especially Latifah and Okonedo, shine without overpowering the other performances. Bettany departs from his usual charming roles and melts into the difficult part of Lily\'s violent father. In the spirit of past favorites such as THE COLOR PURPLE and CORRINA, CORRINA, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES presents a gripping look at the South in the 1960s with a nice balance of laughter and tears.
9. Saw V - $1.8M
With everyone else dead and rotting, it\'s up to Hoffman to continue Jigsaw\'s murderous traditions. When he feels that his identity might be discovered, the killer has to use all his training as a detective to track down anything--and anyone--that might expose him.
10. Beverly Hills Chihuahua - $1.6M
In Disney\'s unabashedly silly talking-dog movie BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA, Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore), the ridiculously spoiled title pet, is swept away from her comfortable 90210 existence, when the impulsive niece (Piper Perabo) of her wealthy owner (Jamie Lee Curtis) combines dog-sitting with a vacation in Mexico. When Chloe gets lost south of the border, her scrappy Chihuahua admirer, Papi (voiced by George Lopez), embarks on a mission to bring her back home. While Chloe\'s pint-size dog in shining armor searches for his posh crush, she must contend with the rough-and-tumble side of life, learning a few important lessons along the way.<br><br>Directed by Raja Gosnell, who is no stranger to dog-themed live-action/CGI flicks (see SCOOBY-DOO), CHIHUAHUA is an amusing diversion that is custom-made for canine lovers. Barrymore and Lopez are pitch-perfect in their vocal performances, and they are ably assisted by a bevy of Latino talent, including Andy Garcia, Edward James Olmos, and Cheech Marin. Although the film doesn\'t give its human actors a lot to do, it doesn\'t matter much, since the dogs are the reason for the entire show. In fact, the more the movie concentrates on its furry protagonists the more giddily entertaining it gets, as exemplified by a fun, fantastical doggie musical sequence that serves as CHIHUAHUA\'s undeniable highlight.
