Box Office: 'G.I. Joe' grabs No. 1 with $56M

Weekend of August 7 – 9, 2009: “G.I. Joe” rises as “Funny People” falls

Paramount’s summer action spectacle “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” raced to the top of the North American box office this weekend with a solid $56.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Directed by Stephen Sommers and based on the popular Hasbro action figure, the film starring Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans and Sienna Miller scored an average of $14,025 per theater at 4,007 locations.

Debuting in second place with $20.1 million was Nora Ephron’s comedy “Julie & Julia,” which stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams as two women whose passions for cooking guide them to new happiness.

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Box Office: 'G-Force' crawls to top with $32M

Weekend of July 24 – 26, 2009

Walt Disney’s 3D-animated family flick “G-Force” topped the North American box office with $32.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film follows a squad of smart guinea pigs trying to stop a ruthless villain from taking over the world. The film grabbed an average of $8,697 per theater at 3,697 locations.

Last week’s winner “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” collected another $30 million in second place, reaching a total gross of $221.8 million after an excellent one-week run.

New entry “The Ugly Truth” debuted in third place with a weekend gross of $27 million from ticket sales at 2,882 locations. Starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, the film centers on a TV producer struggling to control the cocky host of one of her shows.

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Movie Review: “Orphan”

Seen on: July 26, 2009

The players: Director: Jaume Collet-Serra, Writer: David Johnson, Cast: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder, Jimmy Bennett

Facts of interest: Jaume Collet-Serra also directed "Goal II: Living the Dream."

The plot: A couple decides to adopt a child after the death of their baby daughter. Unfortunately, the girl they pick hides a terrible secret.

Our thoughts: There’s a new evil kid on the block, and wow, is she hardcore. Esther is her name, and you can discover her wickedness in Jaume Collet-Serra’s horror thriller “Orphan,” a so-so big-screen experience that delivers decent enough entertainment despite several flaws that are far more ridiculous than they are suspenseful.

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Disney's 'G-Force' takes Friday box office lead

Walt Disney's latest 3D family adventure "G-Force" crawled to the top of the North American box office Friday with an estimated $11.5 million in ticket sales.

The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced flick follows a squad of smart guinea pigs trying to stop a ruthless villain from taking over the world. The film is currently playing at 3,697 locations.

At No. 2, Robert Luketic's romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" scored $10.8 million from ticket sales at 2,882 locations. Starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, the film follows a TV producer struggling to control the cocky host of one of her shows.

Last week's winner "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" slipped to third place, earning $9.3 million for a total gross of $201.1 million. New entry "Orphan" followed at No. 4, taking home $4.9 million. The horror flick is showing at 2,750 locations.

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