"The Hangover" rages to lead Friday Night Five box office party; "Up" is still flying high

June 6, 10:07 AMLA Personalities ExaminerJorge Carreon

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(L to r) Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms in the hit Warner Bros. comedy "The Hangover"

June films are busting out all over as the Summer Personalities Match-Ups get wilder and more diverse. Audiences handily accepted the invitation to "THE HANGOVER," which topped the Friday Night Five at the box office.  Pixar's "Up" soared past $100 million while Will Ferrell's journey into "LAND OF THE LOST" may lose its direction in being a hit.

Comedy reigned supreme as "The Hangover" became the weekend's "must-see" event film.  Boasting strong reviews and an outrageously visual campaign, the film laughed up a memorable night by earning a resounding $16 million from 3,269 theaters. 

That didn't slow the momentum of "Up," which earned $13.5 million from 3,818 theaters, elevating its overall total to $106.5 million. The branding of the Pixar name certainly propelled audiences to generate plenty of strong mid-week business as the film became its 10th film to cross the $100 million mark.  

Nostalgia and the sight of Will Ferrell battling a dinosaur certainly looks to be adding up to a soft debut for  "Land of the Lost." Earning third place, this reboot of the classic, but campy kids' TV series found its way to $7.2 million from 3,521 theaters.

Ben Stiller and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" dropped to fourth place, earning  $4.6 million from 3,807 sites for an overall total of $117.2 million as it enters its third weekend in play.

Completing the Friday Night Five was  Sam Raimi's horror comedy "Drag Me to Hell," which scared up another $2.6 million from 2,510 theaters, bringing its overall total to $23.7 million in its second session.

Fox Searchlight's bid to counter-program the maleness of the weekend with the return of Nia Vardalos in the Greek touring comedy romp "My Life in Ruins" didn't find too many passengers.  The film looks to open timidly with $1.1 million from 1,164 theaters, enough for a ninth place finish last night.

By the way, what are YOU watching tonight?

A scene from Pixar/Disney's blockbuster hit, the animtated feature "Up."