BOX OFFICE: ‘Angels and Demons’ Battles to No. 1

SEBRING, May 18, 2009 – In a vitual photo finish, Angels and DemonsStar Trek edged out to claim the No. 1 spot at the North American box office for the weekend of May 15-17.

Angels and Demons finished with an estimated $48 million take – about $30 million less than its predecessor, The Da Vinci Code. It foists the conspiracy theory on viewers that the Catholic Church opposed and brutally repressed scientific inquiry.

In fact, history has shown just the opposite. Take away the Catholic Church and science likely dies a slow death. But that facts gets in the way of Dan Brown’s anti-Catholic and anti-Christian imagination!

Meanwhile, Star Trek pushed the engine of its popularity to the limits, warping to a $43 million take and second place at the box office. Its popularity has exceeded expectations, and its 10-day cume is $151 million, second among all movies released this year. Only Monsters vs. Aliens sits in front of it, and that is likely to end in a few weeks.

The rest of the Top Five for the weekend are far behind: X-Men Origins: Wolverine at No. 3 with $14.8 million, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with $6.9 million at No. 4, and Obsessed with $4.5 million at No. 5.

Four of the Top Five movies play at the Fairmount Cinema 6, with only Angels and Demons giving the Carmike a foothold. The Fairmount will likely keep its grip on the Top Five next weekend, despite the debut of Night at the Museum 2. Terminator: Salvation opens as well, and the Fairmount is hosting it. We had high hopes for Night at the Museum 2, but it appears to be overwritten, overacted, and overpopulated with characters and name stars, and that usually spells disappointment.

The battle between Terminator and Night will fascinate.Our expectation: Night at the Museum 2 will win the opening weekend battle but Terminator: Salvation will perform better over the long haul.

Wherever you go, whatever you see, have a great time at the movies!