This weeks most rented and best selling DVDs feature aliens, evil spirits, expanded consciousness & comic book geeks

Four preternatural films appeared on Rentrak’s most rented DVD list and two films appeared on the best-selling DVD list this week.

Directed by Greg Mattola for Fox, and written by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, Paul, was the best-selling DVD, as well as the 2nd most rented DVD in its first week on video. Starring Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg, who voices Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Clive Gollings (Nick Frost, better known as Ed in Shaun of the Dead), Agent Zoil (Jason Batemen, also known as Dave Lockwood in The Change-Up) and Paul (Seth Rogen, better known as Britt Reid/The Green Hornet in The Green Hornet and the voice of B.O.B. in Monsters vs. Aliens), the story follows two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. who encounters an alien outside Area 51.

In its first week on video, Mars Needs Moms, ranked as the 5^th best-selling DVD and the 10^th most rented DVD this week. Directed by Simon Wells (also one of three writers) for Disney and written by Wendy Wells and Berkeley Breathed, a young boy named Milo (Seth Green, the voice behind Chris Griffen on Family Guy) gains a deeper appreciation for his Mom (Joan Cusak, voice of Verushka the Witch on Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil) after Martians come to Earth to take her away.

In its fourth week on video, Limitless, fell from the Number 2 ranking to the Number 3 ranking on the most rented DVD list for this week. Directed by Neil Berger for Fox, and starring Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper), Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) and Lindy (Abbie Cornish, better known as Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch), a writer discovers a top-secret drug, which bestows him with super human abilities.

In its fifth week on video, Insidious, ranked as the 9^th most rented DVD this week. Directed by James Wan and starring Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson, who played Dan Dreiberg/Night Owl in Watchman), Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne, last seen as Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class) and Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins), A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

All in all, it was another good week for these films. What have you rented and/or bought to watch this weekend?

Apes, smurfs, aliens and witches top the box office this weekend

Five movies with preternatural themes earned big at the box office this weekend, according to the latest figures from Rentrak Corp.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes remains in the Number 1 spot, bringing in an estimated $27.5 million this weekend. Directed by Rupert Wyatt for 20^th Century Fox and written by Pierre Boulle, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, a story set in San Fransisco, where a man’s experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. Stars Will Rodman (James Franco better known as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man movies), Charles Rodman (John Lithgow also the alien Dr. Dick Solomon in the series 3rd Rock from the Sun and the voice of Lord Farquaad in Shrek and Lord John Whorfin/Dr. Emilio Lizardo in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), Caroline Aranha (Frieda Pinto who will be seen as Phaedra in the upcoming preternatural film The Immortals) and Dodge Langdon (everyone’s favorite villain, Tom Felton).

Sony’s The Smurfs (offered in 3D) ranked Number 4 at the box office this week and bringing in an estimated $13.5 million for Sony. Directed by Raja Gosnell and written by Peyo (characters) and J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick, and David Ronn for screenplay and stars Gargamel (Hank Azaria who also lends his voice as Chief Wiggum/Moe Szyslak /Apu on The Simpsons), Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and Odile (Sofia Vergara). Some other notable mentions are Smurfette (Singer/Songwriter Katy Perry), Grouchy (George Lopez) and Handy (Jeff Foxworthy). When the evil wizard, Gargamel, chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours.

Universal’s Cowboys & Aliens fell to the Number 6 ranking this week and brought in an estimated $7.6 million for Universal. Directed by Jon Favreau and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby and stars Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig better known James Bond in Casino Royale), Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford also Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Han Solo in Star Wars) and Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde). A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all that stand in their way.

Captain America: The First Avenger ranked Number 7 at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $7.1 million dollars for Paramount. Directed by Joe Johnston and written by Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Joe Simon (comic books) and Jack Kirby (comic books) and stars Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 fell from the Number 6 ranking to Number 9 this weekend at the box office, earning an estimated $6.8 million for Warner Bros. On 31 July, 2011, only 17 days after it’s North American, as well as most international markets, theatrical release, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2  surpassed the $1 billion mark for worldwide box office earnings. Part 2 is the first film in the popular series to achieve billion dollar earnings and only the ninth film in cinema history to do so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the top-grossing film in Warner Bros. history. It shares the record for the fastest climb to the $1 billion mark.

“To say that the global response to the film has been extraordinary would be an understatement,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution for Warner Bros. “We are so proud that this last film in the series has not only reached such heights but has reached them in record time. It is now Warner Bros.’ most successful release ever, and there is still plenty to come.”

With an extensive cast Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II is the first and only Harry Potter film to be offered in 3D and it is the most successful box office earner in the Harry Potter franchise. With an extensive cast, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fines), Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, who somehow manages to stay clean throughout the final film), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and Draco Malfoy (Teen Choice and MTV’s Best Villain Tom Felton), to name a few, this final instalment truly marks the end of an era.

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

It has been another good weekend for movies with preternatural themes. What did you see this weekend?

Witches, drugs & evil spirits fill the most rented and best-selling DVDs with preternatural themes.

Three preternatural films appeared on Rentrak’s most rented DVD list and best-selling DVD list this week.

In its third week on video, Limitless, fell from the Number 1 ranking to the Number 2 ranking on the most rented DVD list and fell to the Number 9 ranking on the best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by Neil Berger for Fox, and starring Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper), Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) and Lindy (Abbie Cornish, better known as Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch), a writer discovers a top-secret drug, which bestows him with super human abilities.

In its fourth week on video, Insidious, ranked as the 7^th most rented DVD and the 6^th best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by James Wan and starring Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson, who played Dan Dreiberg/Night Owl in Watchman), Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne, last seen as Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class) and Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins), A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Directed by Bragi F. Schut for Fox, Season of the Witch, starring Behmen (Nicolas Cage who also lends his face to Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider and the upcoming Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance due out in 2012), Felson (preternatural icon Ron Perlman, otherwise known as Hellboy or Vincent from the 1980′s series Beauty and the Beast) and the girl (Claire Foy), in its sixth week in video, did not appear on the best-selling list, however, it is still holding strong on the most rented DVD list, ranking as the 9^th most- rented DVD this week. Season of the Witch chronicles the adventures of 14^th Century knights (Cage and Perlman) escorting a witch (Foy), who is accused of being the source of the Black Plague, to a monastery.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is holding strong on the best selling DVD list this week. Directed by David Yates for Warner Bros. and written by Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ranked as the 5^th best-selling DVD this week in its 17^th week on video. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

What have you rented and/or bought to watch this weekend?

Giant apes, blue smurfs, aliens and Tom Felton x2 make this weeks top five films at the box office.

Five movies with preternatural themes earned big at the box office this weekend, according to the latest figures from Rentrak Corp.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes takes the Number 1 spot, bringing in an estimated $54 million in its opening weekend. Directed by Rupert Wyatt for 20^th Century Fox and written by Pierre Boulle, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, a story set in San Fransisco, where a man’s experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. Stars Will Rodman (James Franco better known as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man movies), Charles Rodman (John Lithgow also the alien Dr. Dick Solomon in the series 3rd Rock from the Sun and the voice of Lord Farquaad in Shrek and Lord John Whorfin/Dr. Emilio Lizardo in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), Caroline Aranha (Frieda Pinto who will be seen as Phaedra in the upcoming preternatural film The Immortals) and Dodge Langdon (everyone’s favorite villain, Tom Felton).

Sony’s The Smurfs (offered in 3D) ranked Number 2 at the box office this week and bringing in an estimated $21 million for Sony. Directed by Raja Gosnell and written by Peyo (characters) and J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick, and David Ronn for screenplay and stars Gargamel (Hank Azaria who also lends his voice as Chief Wiggum/Moe Szyslak /Apu on The Simpsons), Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and Odile (Sofia Vergara). Some other notable mentions are Smurfette (Singer/Songwriter Katy Perry), Grouchy (George Lopez) and Handy (Jeff Foxworthy). When the evil wizard, Gargamel, chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours.

Universal’s Cowboys & Aliens ranked Number 3 this week and brought in an estimated $15.7 million for Universal. Directed by Jon Favreau and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby and stars Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig better known James Bond in Casino Royale), Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford also Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Han Solo in Star Wars) and Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde). A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all that stand in their way.

Captain America: The First Avenger ranked Number 5 at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $13 million dollars for Paramount. Directed by Joe Johnston and written by Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Joe Simon (comic books) and Jack Kirby (comic books) and stars Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) , Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 fell from the Number 4 ranking to Number 6 this weekend at the box office, earning an estimated $12.1 million for Warner Bros. On 31 July, 2011, only 17 days after it’s North American, as well as most international markets,  theatrical release, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2  surpassed the $1 billion mark for worldwide box office earnings. Part 2 is the first film in the popular series to achieve billion dollar earnings and only the ninth film in cinema history to do so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the top-grossing film in Warner Bros. history. It shares the record for the fastest climb to the $1 billion mark.

“To say that the global response to the film has been extraordinary would be an understatement,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution for Warner Bros. “We are so proud that this last film in the series has not only reached such heights but has reached them in record time. It is now Warner Bros.’ most successful release ever, and there is still plenty to come.”

With an extensive cast Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II is the first and only Harry Potter film to be offered in 3D and it is the most successful box office earner in the Harry Potter franchise. With an extensive cast, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fines), Albus Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, who somehow manages to stay clean throughout the final film), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and Draco Malfoy (Teen Choice and MTV’s Best Villain Tom Felton), to name a few, this final instalment truly marks the end of an era.

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

It has been a good weekend for movies with preternatural themes. In fact, this weekend’s top five films were almost entirely movies with preternatural themes. What did you see this weekend?

Limitless and Insidious describe this week’s best renting and selling DVDs with preternatural twists

Four preternatural films appeared on Rentrak’s most rented DVD list and best-selling DVD list this week.

In its second week on video, Limitless, maintained the Number 1 ranking on the most rented DVD list and fell to the Number 4 ranking on the best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by Neil Berger for Fox, and starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish (Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch), a writer discovers a top-secret drug, which bestows him with super human abilities.

In its third week on video, Insidious, ranked as the 5^th most rented DVD and the 6^th best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by James Wan and starring Patrick Wilson (Dan Dreiberg/Night Owl in Watchman), Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class) and Ty Simpkins (Michael Wheeler in Revolutionary Road), A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Directed by Bragi F. Schut for Fox, Season of the Witch, starring Behmen (Nicolas Cage who also lends his face to Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider and the upcoming Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance due out in 2012), Felson (preternatural icon Ron Perlman, otherwise known as Hellboy or Vincent from the 1980′s series Beauty and the Beast) and the girl (Claire Foy), in its fifth week in video, did not appear on the best-selling list, however, it is still holding strong on the most rented DVD list, ranking as the 7^th most- rented DVD this week. Season of the Witch chronicles the adventures of 14^th Century knights (Cage and Perlman) escorting a witch (Foy), who is accused of being the source of the Black Plague, to a monastery.

In its first week on video, Dylan Dog: Dead of Night ranked as the 9^th best-selling DVD and the 10^th most rented DVD. Directed by Kevin Munroe for Fox, and written by Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Tiziano Sclavi, and starring Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh or Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Gabriel (Peter Stormare also Lev Andropov in Armageddon) and Marcus (Sam Huntington or Josh in Being Human)  the adventures of supernatural private eye, Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is holding strong on the best selling DVD list this week. Directed by David Yates for Warner Bros. and written by Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ranked as the 3^rd best-selling DVD this week in its 16^th week on video. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

All in all, it was another good week for these films. What have you rented and/or bought to watch this weekend?

Smurfs, Cowboys, Aliens and Witches Top Box Office This Weekend.

Five movies with preternatural themes earned big at the box office this weekend, according to the latest figures from Rentrak Corp.

This week, we have a tie between The Smurfs and Cowboys & Aliens, although The Smurfs is ranked Number 1 according to Rentrak Corp. Both films brought in an estimated $36.2 million dollars in its opening weekend.

When the evil wizard, Gargamel, chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours. Sony’s The Smurfs (offered in 3D) is directed by Raja Gosnell and written by Peyo (characters) and J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick, and David Ronn for screenplay for Sony and stars Gargamel (Hank Azaria who also lends his voice as Chief Wiggum/Moe Szyslak /Apu on The Simpsons), Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and Odile (Sofia Vergara). Some other notable mentions are Smurfette (Singer/Songwriter Katy Perry), Grouchy (George Lopez) and Handy (Jeff Foxworthy).

Universal’s Cowboys & Aliens is directed by Jon Favreau and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby and stars Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig better known James Bond in Casino Royale), Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford also Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Han Solo in Star Wars) and Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde). A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all that stand in their way.

Captain America: The First Avenger ranked Number 3 at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $24.9 million dollars for Paramount. Directed by Joe Johnston and written by Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Joe Simon (comic books) and Jack Kirby (comic books) and stars Chris Evans (Captain America/Steve Rogers), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Tommy Lee Jones (Colonel Chester Phillips) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury). After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 fell from the Number 2 ranking to Number 4 this weekend at the box office, earning an estimated $21.9 million for Warner Bros. On 31 July, 2011 , only 17 days after it’s North American, as well as most international markets,  theatrical release, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2  surpassed the $1 billion mark for worldwide box office earnings. Part 2 is the first film in the popular series to achieve billion dollar earnings and only the ninth film in cinema history to do so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the top-grossing film in Warner Bros. history. It shares the record for the fastest climb to the $1 billion mark.

“To say that the global response to the film has been extraordinary would be an understatement,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution for Warner Bros. “We are so proud that this last film in the series has not only reached such heights but has reached them in record time. It is now Warner Bros.’ most successful release ever, and there is still plenty to come.”

With an extensive cast Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II is the first and only Harry Potter film to be offered in 3D and it is the most successful box office earner in the Harry Potter franchise. With an extensive cast, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fines), Albus Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, who somehow manages to stay clean throughout the final film), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and Draco Malfoy (Best Villain Tom Felton), to name a few, this final instalment truly marks the end of an era.

Harry Potter: The End

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon fell to the Number 8 spot at the box office this weekend. Earning another approximately $5.9 million dollars for Paramount, the third installment of the Transformers franchise brings back the Autobots and their bid to save Earth from the Decepticons. Reprising their roles are Sam Witwicky  (Shia LaBeof), Lennox (Josh Duhamel), Epps (Tyrese Gibson) and Simmons (John Turturro who is currently in pre-production as Hades in Gods Behaving Badly), to name a few. Dylan (Patrick Dempsey or Robert Phillip from Enchanted),  joins the cast as does newcomer and former member of the British Embassy, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whitely in her film debut) and Bruce Brazos (preternatural icon John Malkovich who sat down with Artisan News Service to discuss the experience).

Directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger, this is the first Transformers film to be offered in 3D. In this instalment, we are taken back to 1961 when President John F. Kennedy makes his promise to the nation to put a man on the moon. Little did the nation know, the reason behind such a promise was because of a report of a crash on the moon. The 1969 NASA moon landing was actually an investigation of the wrecked spacecraft. We are then fast-forward to 2011 where we see Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeof) through his desperate attempt to navigate adulthood and we learn that he is no longer with Mikaela, but is now living with his new girlfriend, Carly (Huntington-Whitely). The Autobots, however, learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon and are forced into a race against the Decepticons to find it and learn its secrets.

It has been a good weekend for movies with preternatural themes. What did you see this weekend?

The week’s best renting and selling DVDs with preternatural twists

Six preternatural films appeared on Rentrak’s most rented DVD list and four appeared on the best-selling list this week.

In its first week on video, Limitless, ranked as the 1^st most rented DVD and the 2^nd best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by Neil Berger for Fox, and starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish (Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch), a writer discovers a top-secret drug, which bestows him with super human abilities.

In its second week on video, Insidious, ranked as the 4^th most rented DVD and the 5^th best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by James Wan and starring Patrick Wilson (Dan Dreiberg/Night Owl in Watchman), Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class) and Ty Simpkins (Michael Wheeler in Revolutionary Road), A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Assuming that alternate realities count as preternatural, in its fourth week on video, Sucker Punch, directed by Zack Snyder for Warner Bros. ranked as the 10^th best-selling DVD and the 8^th most rented DVD of the week. A young girl is sent to a mental institution by her abusive step-father. She, along with other patients, concoct a plan to escape but in order to do so, they must retreat to an alternate reality. Sucker Punch stars Baby Doll (Emily Browning, Violet for Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events), Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens who also stars as Lindy in Beastly).

Directed by Bragi F. Schut for Fox, Season of the Witch, starring Behmen (Nicolas Cage who also lends his face to Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider and the upcoming Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance due out in 2012), Felson (preternatural icon Ron Perlman, otherwise known as Hellboy or Vincent from the 1980′s series Beauty and the Beast) and the girl (Claire Foy), in its fourth week in video, did not appear on the best-selling list, however, it is still holding strong on the most rented DVD list, ranking as the 6^th most- rented DVD this week. Season of the Witch chronicles the adventures of 14^th Century knights (Cage and Perlman) escorting a witch (Foy), who is accused of being the source of the Black Plague, to a monastery.

Beastly, directed by Daniel Barnz for Sony and starring Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens, also Blondie in Sucker Punch), Kyle (Alex Pettyfer whom fans will recognize as John for I Am Number Four) and Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) ranked 10^th on the most rented DVD list and did not appear on the best-selling DVD list in its fourth week on video. A re-telling of the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, Beastly has a modern twist, as a New York teenager (Pettyfer) is turned into a hideous monster by a witch (Olsen) in order to find true love. Oh, and did we mention Will, the blind tutor, looks a lot like Neil Patrick Harris?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is holding strong on the best selling DVD list this week. Directed by David Yates for Warner Bros. and written by Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ranked as the 3^rd best-selling DVD this week in its 15^th week on video. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

All in all, it was another good week for these films and it seems that witchy shenanigans have taken over the best-selling and most-rented DVD lists for another week. What have you rented and/or bought to watch this weekend?

Superheroes, Witches and Aliens Top Box Office This Weekend.

Three movies with preternatural themes earned big at the box office this weekend, according to the latest figures from Rentrak Corp.

Captain America: The First Avenger ranked Number 1 at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $65.8 million dollars for Paramount. Directed by Joe Johnston and written by Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Joe Simon (comic books) and Jack Kirby (comic books) and stars Chris Evans (Captain America/Steve Rogers), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Tommy Lee Jones (Colonel Chester Phillips) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury). After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 fell from the Number 1 ranking to Number 2 this weekend at the box office, earning an estimated $48 million for Warner Bros. Last week, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 earned an unprecedented estimated $168.5 million dollars in its opening weekend and now holds the record for the biggest opening weekend box office hit, stealing the title from The Dark Knight.

With an extensive cast Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II is the first and only Harry Potter film to be offered in 3D and it is the most successful box office earner in the Harry Potter franchise. With an extensive cast, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fines), Albus Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, who somehow manages to stay clean throughout the final film), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and Draco Malfoy (Best Villain Tom Felton), to name a few, this final instalment truly marks the end of an era.

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon fell to the Number 4 spot at the box office this weekend. Earning another approximately $12 million dollars for Paramount, the third installment of the Transformers franchise brings back the Autobots and their bid to save Earth from the Decepticons. Reprising their roles are Sam Witwicky  (Shia LaBeof), Lennox (Josh Duhamel), Epps (Tyrese Gibson) and Simmons (John Turturro who is currently in pre-production as Hades in Gods Behaving Badly), to name a few. Dylan (Patrick Dempsey or Robert Phillip from Enchanted),  joins the cast as does newcomer and former member of the British Embassy, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whitely in her film debut) and Bruce Brazos (preternatural icon John Malkovich who sat down with Artisan News Service to discuss the experience).

Directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger, this is the first Transformers film to be offered in 3D. In this instalment, we are taken back to 1961 when President John F. Kennedy makes his promise to the nation to put a man on the moon. Little did the nation know, the reason behind such a promise was because of a report of a crash on the moon. The 1969 NASA moon landing was actually an investigation of the wrecked spacecraft. We are then fast-forward to 2011 where we see Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeof) through his desperate attempt to navigate adulthood and we learn that he is no longer with Mikaela, but is now living with his new girlfriend, Carly (Huntington-Whitely). The Autobots, however, learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon and are forced into a race against the Decepticons to find it and learn its secrets.

What did you see this weekend?

Tales of witches and wizards among the week’s best renting and selling DVDs preternatural twists

Five preternatural films were among the week’s best-selling DVD with four among the top renters list this week, according to Rentrak Corp.

In it’s first week on video, Insidious, ranked as the 2^nd most rented DVD and the 3^rd best-selling DVD of the week. Directed by James Wan and starring Patrick Wilson (Dan Dreiberg/Night Owl in Watchmen), Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class) and Ty Simpkins (Michael Wheeler), A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Ranked as the 4^th best-selling DVD of the week and in its 14^th week on video, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is holding strong on the best-selling DVD list this week. Directed by David Yates for Warner Bros. and written by Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ranked as the 6^th best-selling DVD this week. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

In its third week on video, Sucker Punch, directed by Zack Snyder for Warner Bros. ranked as the 6^th best-selling DVD and the 7^th most rented DVD of the week. A young girl is sent to a mental institution by her abusive step-father. She, along with other patients, concoct a plan to escape but in order to do so, they must retreat to an alternate reality. Sucker Punch stars Baby Doll (Emily Browning, Violet for Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events), Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens who also stars as Lindy in Beastly).

Directed by Bragi F. Schut for Fox, Season of the Witch, starring Behmen (Nicolas Cage who also lends his face to Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider and the upcoming Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance due out in 2012), Felson (preternatural icon Ron Perlman, otherwise known as Hellboy or Vincent from the 1980′s series Beauty and the Beast) and the girl (Claire Foy), in its third week in video, did not appear on the best-selling list, however, it ranked as the 4^th most rented DVD list this week. Season of the Witch chronicles the adventures of 14^th Century knights (Cage and Perlman) escorting a witch (Foy), who is accused of being the source of the Black Plague, to a monastery.

Beastly, directed by Daniel Barnz for Sony and starring Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens, also Blondie in Sucker Punch), Kyle (Alex Pettyfer whom fans will recognize as John for I Am Number Four) and Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) ranked 8^th on the most rented DVD list and 10^th on the bestselling DVD list in its third week on video. A re-telling of the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, Beastly has a modern twist, as a New York teenager (Pettyfer) is turned into a hideous monster by a witch (Olsen) in order to find true love. Oh, and did we mention Will, the blind tutor, looks a lot like Neil Patrick Harris?

In its fourth week on video, The Adjustment Bureau, directed by George Nolfi for Universal, ranked as the 9^th most rented DVD this week, however, it did not appear on the best-selling list. Politician David Norris (Matt Damon) and dancer (Emily Blunt) battle Fate (hat-wearing agents from the Adjustment Bureau) in order to be together.

All in all, it was another good week for witches as three films featuring witchy shenanigans were among the top-selling and renting DVDs.

Harry Potter and aliens top the box office

Rentrak Corp. has released its weekly estimates and three movies with preternatural themes earned big at the box office this weekend.

Not surprisingly, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II ranked Number 1 at the box office this weekend. Earning an unprecedented estimated $168.5 million dollars in its opening weekend, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 broke the $158.4 million record, which was previously held by The Dark Knight, and now holds the record for the biggest opening weekend box office hit.

With an extensive cast Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II is the first and only Harry Potter film to be offered in 3D and it is the most successful box office earner in the Harry Potter franchise. With an extensive cast, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fines), Albus Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, who somehow manages to stay clean throughout the final film), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and Draco Malfoy (Best Villain Tom Felton), to name a few, this final instalment truly marks the end of an era.

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon fell from the Number 1 spot at the box office to the Number 2 spot this weekend. Earning another approximately $21.2 million dollars for Paramount, the third instalment of the Transformers franchise brings back the Autobots and their bid to save Earth from the Decepticons. Reprising their roles are Sam Witwicky  (Shia LaBeof), Lennox (Josh Duhamel), Epps (Tyrese Gibson) and Simmons (John Turturro who is currently in pre-production as Hades in Gods Behaving Badly), to name a few. Dylan (Patrick Dempsey or Robert Phillip from Enchanted),  joins the cast as does newcomer and former member of the British Embassy, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whitely in her film debut) and Bruce Brazos (preternatural icon John Malkovich who sat down with Artisan News Service to discuss the experience).

Directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger, this is the first Transformers film to be offered in 3D. In this instalment, we are taken back to 1961 when President John F. Kennedy makes his promise to the nation to put a man on the moon. Little did the nation know, the reason behind such a promise was because of a report of a crash on the moon. The 1969 NASA moon landing was actually an investigation of the wrecked spacecraft. We are then fast-forward to 2011 where we see Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeof) through his desperate attempt to navigate adulthood and we learn that he is no longer with Mikaela, but is now living with his new girlfriend, Carly (Huntington-Whitely). The Autobots, however, learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon and are forced into a race against the Decepticons to find it and learn its secrets.

Produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by J.J. Abrams, Super 8 slipped from the Number 7 spot to the Number 9 spot, bringing Paramount another estimated $1.9 million this weekend. A group of young friends– Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning-Dakota Fanning’s younger sibling), Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), Cary (Ryan Lee), Preston (Zach Mills), Charles (Riley Griffiths) and Martin (Gabriel Basso) witness a train wreck and begin to investigate strange happenings in their small town.

Overall, it was a good weekend at the box office for these three films. Did you see any of these films this weekend?