Hitting the screens this week… A Nightmare on Elm Street read Bayer's TSR review

Furry Vengeance read Lehar's TSR review

This week sees the opposite ends of the spectrum with the slasher reboot of the 80s classic, A Nightmare on Elm Street starring Jackie Earle Haley. That should be enough to keep the teen market satisfied. Meanwhile Brendan Fraser brings it in the new family comedy Furry Vengeance.

I’m predicting a solid opening for Nightmare because, let’s look at past box offices. Even though McLaughlin may not be happy about it, there’s really no such thing as a box office flop for the slasher genre, not counting last year’s Sorority Row. The genre tends to do pretty well for itself and bringing back a horror icon will probably prove no exception.

Furry Vengeance may not have a lot going for it in the eyes of critics, but family comedies tend to mean money. I mean, sure, Brendan Fraser hasn’t proven himself much of a box office draw in recent history, but family fun means movie tickets for the whole family, which could be just enough to bring this movie into number two.

With nothing really to put it out of its place at number three, it looks like Date Night may stick around for a while longer. There aren’t really a whole lot of action comedies to contend with this weekend so I feel pretty good about its odds.

How to Train Your Dragon may be kicked out of that number one spot with two new releases this weekend, but I’d be surprised to see it drop off the list entirely. Still, it’s going to have to fight to stay on with some of the new releases coming out in the next few weeks, but for now, I’m betting it’ll be safe at number four.

Finally, I’m not sure people have gotten enough of the trainwreck that is J. Lo and The Back-Up Plan. Still, it doesn’t have critics on its side (including Bayer) and its opening weekend shows that it might not have won audiences over either. If a movie’s opening at number two on our top five, it can’t be too long till it plummets straight off the charts. I’m betting J. Lo and her baby mama drama are on the way out, at number five this weekend.

Each week we’ll take a look at the box office and see if we can’t nail the Top 5 films (in correct order).

It’s harder than you think. If you don’t believe, let’s see what your answers are.

My prediction for the weekend of April 30 – May 2 …

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street

2. Furry Vengeance

3. Date Night

4. How to Train Your Dragon

5. The Back-Up Plan

So what are your Top 5 at the box office this weekend?