'Transformers' sets new Fourth of July record

By Sarah Sluis

Although Transformers: Dark of the Moon started out the holiday weekend well behind the prior sequel, the toy-inspired film franchise ended up debuting just 6% lower than the second film. It tallied up $116.4 million over the weekend, for a cumulative total of $181 million. Director Michael Bay went through a special effort to encourage exhibitors to show the 3D film using the proper bulb strength, and audiences may have noticed. 60% of the box office came from 3D screens. With a performance like this, a fourth film is more likely than not.

Light, recession-themed romantic comedy Larry Crowne sputtered, earning a middling $13.1 million ($15.7 million including Monday). An extremely old-skewing audience, at least by movie theatre standards, turned out for the film: 93% of viewers were over 25, and 71% of viewers were over 50, which some observers cited as the oldest demographic they've seen in a long time. If the audience is older, however, that means the movie will likely have long legs, since older viewers tend to be less intent on seeing a movie the second it comes out.

Tween pic Monte Carlo drew even fewer viewers, likely because it only appealed to the female half of the equation. The friendship and travel-themed movie grabbed $7.4 million, $8.7 million including Monday. I'm sure this picture will be the staple of sleepovers months from now, but it appears getting the audience to the movie theatre was more difficult.

Elsewhere in the top ten, Cars 2 fell a surprising 51% to $32 million, unusual for an animated film. Super 8 finally leveled its fall, dipping just 20% to $9.5 million, and crossing the $100 million mark. Midnight in Paris squeezed into the top ten, rising 3.5% to take in another $4.3 million.

This Friday, it's comedies for all ages. PG-rated Zookeeper will open, headed by Kevin James, and R-rated ensemble comedy Horrible Bosses will attempt to capture adult audiences.