Weekend Box Office: San Andreas Registers A Number One On The Box Office Scale

Major natural disaster special-effects feasts aren't as popular as they used to be. The late nineties were a sort of high point for the sub-genre with movies like Twister, Volcano, Dante's Peak, Armageddon and Deep Impact putting audiences on edge over whether the earth or at least their little corner of it might soon be consumed by a rampaging mother nature. This weekend audiences showed some interest in getting back to watching the end of the world (or at least California) as we know it.

San Andreas launched with an easy number one start, taking in $53 million this weekend. That's the biggest non-Fast and Furious franchise opening ever for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and a big win for director Brad Peyton who makes the jump from directing sequels in lesser known children's movie franchises to major summer action blockbuster.

Director Cameron Crowe's latest offering, Aloha, has been taking a bashing from critics, but its $10 million opening, while small by most standards, is par for Crowe's work. It's on track with his last movie We Bought A Zoo, thought still shy of his strongest ever debut, Vanilla Sky, which opened at $25 million in 2001. Only twice has Crowe had a film pass $100 million in domestic sales (Vanilla Sky and his biggest ever box office entry Jerry Maguire), and Aloha doesn't look to change that. In the midst of the summer excitement Aloha looks to bow out under $50 million.

For the full weekend box office top ten, check out the chart below: