Cinematical

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

The X-Files: I Want to Believe
What It's All About: All these years later, David Duchovny's Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully are back, six years after the show left the airwaves. Much of the plot has been kept under wraps, save spoilers and speculation. It's in the tradition of the X-Files, and it takes the relationship between the two stars in "unexpected directions."
Why It Might Do Well: There's a big fan base for the series, and a whole slew of questions to be answered.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The geek contingent might be too wrapped up in Batman, or have moved on from Mulder and Scully's pursuits.
Number of Theaters: 3,100
Prediction: $25 million

The Dark Knight is mixing things up with its huge impact on the box office, and I wouldn't be surprised if everything continues to bow down to that bat. Here's my stab at the top five.

1. The Dark Knight
2. The X-Files: I Want to Believe
3. Step Brothers
4. Mamma Mia!
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Hellboy's quick fall to the #5 spot came out of nowhere and made for some lower numbers this week, but everyone seemed to know that mass amounts of cash would fall on The Dark Knight.

1. John: 12
1. Avant Ridiculous: 12
1. Romel: 12
1. Chris: 12
1. lostinafog: 12
1. VP: 12
1. Vera: 12
1. Mario: 12
2. darkagair: 11
2. Bradford Oman: 11
3. Matt: 10
3. vega: 10
3. Alex Focker: 10
3. Ray: 10
3. filmsuki: 10
4. Brent Todd: 9
4. I Eat Robots: 9
4. greatone: 9
4. cough: 9
4. Aileen: 9
4. airtoast: 9
5. Mark Jackson: 8

It took me a good ten minutes to decide who would be the victor in a race between Step Brothers and The X-Files. Am I right? Am I wrong? 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.

*Edited