The above represents the movie reviews for this week’s films. All of the top 10 movies currently in theaters have a “rotten” rating on RottenTomatoes. No wonder more and more moviegoers opt out of the theaters and just wait for the DVD/Netflix release.

It’s a big week for sequels, folks, so today we’re going to take a run at Kung Fu Panda 2, which is going to be one of two that hit today. Is this one going to be as good as the original?  That’s the question no doubt on everyone’s mind and the question we’re going to answer today.

Kung Fu Panda 2 takes us back to the Valley of Peace, though with one critical distinction: Po, the noodle shop worker, is now Master Po, the Dragon Warrior, who protects the valley along with the Furious Five, pretty much as he’s always dreamed he one day would. But when a new villain with an ultimate weapon emerges, a weapon so powerful that it could destroy kung fu itself. So how does a kung fu master like Po fight back against a weapon that can destroy kung fu? Well…do you expect any less from Master Po?

Indeed, Kung Fu Panda 2 has one great strength going for it: the fact that, here, you can see Jack Black play something other than a tubby loser with a guitar. No, here, he’s a tubby loser who happens to be a panda. And that, along with plenty else, makes this one pretty well worth watching. Here, Black is working with that which got him typecast early on and doing something relatively unique with it. Admittedly, not much, but still; when it comes to Jack Black movies, you take what you can get.

This particular installment depends a lot more on action than it does on comedy. The first one was largely the opposite–even Po’s training sequences had plenty of laughs in them as the inept panda managed to become a kung fu legend. But now that he actually is, a lot of the laughs are gone and replaced with action, which is a bit awkward here. A movie focused on the clumsy panda now suddenly a master who’s still a bit clumsy isn’t really that funny. At least, not as funny as it was.

Still though, there’s plenty going on here, and there’s enough action for most anyone, even done in the grand Chinese action movie style, which is a serious plus.

If you came here for the funny, you’ll be fairly disappointed. But action buffs–especially those fond of action in the Chinese style–will be much, much better suited here.

The ending, meanwhile, is something of a setup for the third one–at least, that’s what it looked like from the ground level; I haven’t actually heard of a Kung Fu Panda 3 set for release–so it’s a bit on the disappointing side, but still perfectly serviceable.

The Screenhead Ten Scale gives Kung Fu Panda 2 a solid eight out of ten. It’s long on the action, short on the funny, and a reasonably entertaining experience you can take the family to.

Friday’s Box Office was ruled by Sucker Punch with Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules, a more kid-friendly movie, in second place. As predicted, Wimpy Kid overcame Sucker Punch and took the Weekend Box Office. Last week’s winner Limitless came in third with The Lincoln Lawyer next, and then Rango.

Paul was ahead of Battle: Los Angeles on Friday, but Battle took a little bit more leaving Paul behind.
The Adjustment Bureau and Red Riding Hood tied on Friday, but Red Riding Hood beat the Bureau by $100,000.

This weekend majority of the top ten movies are for mature audiences.

1. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
$24,400,000

2. Sucker Punch
$19,000,000

3. Limitless
$15,400,000

4. The Lincoln Lawyer
$11,000,000

5. Rango
$9,800,000

6. Battle: Los Angeles
$7,600,000

7. Paul
$7,500,000

8. Red Riding Hood
$4,300,000

9. The Adjustment Bureau
$4,200,000

10. Mars Needs Moms
$2,200,000

The battle for the top Friday movie at the box office was like watching a WWE match with Sucker Punch knocking out the competition at the final count of the night. Zack Snyder’s film earned about $8 million. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules, a more kid-friendly movie, earned about $7.3 million. I am guessing that Wimpy Kid will take the weekend box office because of the audience demographics dominate more.

Last week’s winner Limitless collected about $4.7 million while The Lincoln Lawyer took in about $3 million. Good old Rango rounds out the top five and earned about $2.4 million.

Paul hangs out at number six with about $2.3 million, and the other alien movie, Battle: Los Angeles, took in about $2.2 million.

At number eight and nine are The Adjustment Bureau and Red Riding Hood earning about $1.3 million. The Adjustment Bureau beats Red Riding Hood because it averaged more per theater.

Finishing up the top ten was Disney’s 3D movie Mars Needs Moms, which earned about $525,000.

Below Limitless the other top five movies for Friday’s box office are in a neck-and-neck race that some are calling it topsy-turvy week.

Limitless took the top spot with roughly $6.5 million, but underneath we have Battle: Los Angeles earning about $4.5 million another newcomer Paul collecting about $4.4 million. Then, we have Rango, earning an estimated $4.2 mil, and another newcomer The Lincoln Lawyer earning about $4 million. With such close tallies, any one of these movies could winner the second place spot on Sunday.

On the lower half of the top ten, it’s easier to discern the winners. Red Riding Hood took in about $2.4 million while The Adjustment Bureau collected about $1.8 million. Then, we have Mars Needs Moms with around $1.5 million Beastly with about $1.1 million. Bring up the rear we have 3D movie Gnomeo and Juliet with about $654,000.

When Battle: Los Angeles was being promoted by Sony, the movie looked cool from the very first poster to the last clip. So, I am not surprised that it was the top movie at Friday’s Box Office. As a matter of fact, the Battle: Los Angeles easily won the box office assault by bringing in about $13.5 million.

The closest contender was Red Riding Hood bringing in about $5.7 million while Rango lassoed third place with about $5.5 million. The Adjustment Bureau was next earning about $3.4 million. Disney’s new movie Mars Needs Moms rounded out the top 5 with about $1.7 million.

On the lower half of Friday’s top ten movies, Beastly earned about $1.6 million while Hall Pass brought in about $1.5 million. Just Go With It earned about $1.2 million and The King’s Speech collected about $1 million. The one at the bottom was Unknown, which earned about $975,000.

It looks like at the end of the weekend we will see Battle: Los Angeles bunkered down at the top with Red Riding Hood and Rango vying for second place.

Moviegoers decided to see last week’s opener, Gnomeo and Juliet, over this week’s opener, Hall Pass. After seeing the promotion for Hall Pass, I don’t blame them. Gnomeo and Juliet is by far a more upbeat, family friendly movie.

Results:

1. Gnomeo and Juliet
$14,200,000

2. Hall Pass
$13,400,000

3. Unknown
$12,400,000

4. Just Go With It
$11,100,000

5. I Am Number Four
$11,000,000

6. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
$9,200,000

7. The King’s Speech
$7,600,000

8. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
$7,600,000

9. Drive Angry
$5,100,000

10. The Roommate
$2,100,000

(Source)

Unknown barely held its lead at the box office, winning the President’s four-day weekend tally in the US. Gnomeo and Juliet came in second with I Am Number Four going from second to third as the holiday weekend wrapped up. The top three movies’ totals are all very close with only a $2 million margin between the first and third place movies. With such a close margin, it will be interesting to see the box office totals at the end of the week because some schools have a whole week off. More kids will end up at the movie theaters watching Gnomeo and Juliet.

Results:

1. Unknown
$25,600,000

2. Gnomeo and Juliet
$24,800,000

3. I Am Number Four
$22,600,000

4. Just Go With It
$21,700,000

5. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
$19,000,000

6. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
$16,500,000

7. The King’s Speech
$7,900,000

8. The Roommate
$4,500,000

9. The Eagle
$4,300,000

10. No Strings Attached
$3,700,000

(Source)

Unknown scored more at the box office than I Am Number Four with Gnomeo and Juliet not too far behind in third. This is not the final tally for the domestic box office because the US is celebrating President Washington’s birthday for a three-day weekend. Gnomeo and Juliet may pass I Am Number Four tomorrow with the young audience out of school, and looking for something to do, like going to a movie.

Results:

1. Unknown
$21,800,000

2. I Am Number Four $19,500,000

3. Gnomeo and Juliet
$19,400,000

4. Just Go With It
$18,200,000

5. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
$17,000,000

6. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
$13,600,000

7. The King’s Speech
$6,600,000

8. The Roommate
$4,100,000

9. The Eagle $3,600,000

10. No Strings Attached
$3,100,000

(Source)

I Am Number 4 was not number one at the box office. Liam Neeson’s Unknown was number one while Number 4 was number two. That was fun to write!

Unknown brought in about $6.7 million and Number 4 brought in about $6.2 million, so it was a close run. Number three at the box office was the comedy Just Go With It earning about $5.2 million and number four was Big Momma: Like Father, Like Son earning about $4.8 million. Gnomeo and Juliet rounded out the top five with about $4.3 million.

Justin Bieber’s 3D documentary earned about $3.7 million, while The King’s Speech collected about $1.5 million. The Roommate arrived at number eight earning $1.2 million and The Eagle grabbed about $999,000.
Rounding out the top ten was No Strings Attached, which earned about $904,000.