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For Independence Day weekend, Hollywood's latest apocalyptic picture transfixed droves of moviegoers in one of the fastest-grossing starts on record for a non-sequel. Michael Moore

The foreign box office boomed with the continued strength of top grosser Shrek the Third and several new titles. The fractured fairy tale rose 52 percent to a $71.9 million weekend, while Live Free or Die Hard and Transformers each had $30 million plus debuts and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Ocean's Thirteen and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End each fell less than 35 percent.

"All hail Megatron." If the bombastic, overstuffed Transformers had held to the serialized science fiction spirit that line from the movie represents, this Michael Bay blowtorch might have been compelling. As it is, and it is another computerized video game, this louder-than-life assault is distinctly un-cinematic. Shia LaBeoufJon Voight

A rodent gourmand and a seasoned cop spiced up the summer stew and, though neither delivered a box office feast for the ages, they propelled the first up weekend compared to last year since May. Bruce WillisMichael Moore

Burbank, California—First, the Lindsay Lohan-challenged Georgia Rule was a dud. Now, two more female audience targeted motion pictures prominently feature lackluster leading ladies in poorly developed roles. Not to pick on these young women, but these parts are as appealing as mopping the kitchen and their stale performances make matters worse. Claire DanesPatrick WilsonMeryl StreepGlenn CloseToni ColletteEthan Hawke

The Bill O'Reilly of pseudo-documentaries, self-promotional blowhard Michael Moore, presents Sicko, a distortion of reality from start to finish that purports to address a crucial issue: health care. Arnold Schwarzenegger

The same four pictures led the weekend foreign box officer again, though the order shifted a bit. Shrek the Third remained on top with $47.3 million from 40 territories for a $170.4 million total.

Surprisingly clever, humorous and thrilling, if preposterously excessive, the fourth entry in the popular Die Hard series, Live Free or Die Hard, isn't as terrible as it might have been. For an hour, it's relatively strong for this kind of movie. Bruce WillisJohn Wayne

Pixar's animated story of a rat that strives to become a top French chef, the irresistible Ratatouille, is pure summer entertainment. Pleasantly light and amusing, it's a visually appealing tale of work and luck as the key to success. Brad BirdMichael Giacchino

Though it cost more than twice as much to make, Evan Almighty wasn't nearly as powerful as Bruce Almighty, delivering an opening less than half the size. Jim CarreyMorgan FreemanSteve CarellJohn CusackAngelina Jolie

Easily the worst picture of the year is the fundamentalist Christian comedy Evan Almighty, as humorous as a Christian comedy sounds. Blending crude jokes, Bible-thumping and environmentalism, this sloppy sequel to Bruce Almighty puts the religious to the profane instead of using good humor against a broad canvass. Steve CarellMorgan FreemanTom HanksMichael Douglas

Actor John Wayne, who would have been 100 years old this year, made many historic motion pictures with legendary director John Ford (The Informer, How Green Was My Valley). Among them were Stagecoach, The Quiet Man and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Oliver StoneKevin CostnerKatharine Hepburn

A four-way fight at the foreign box office saw Shrek the Third emerge victorious for the weekend crown. The fractured fairy tale tabulated $46.6 million from 32 territories for a five-week haul of $108.3 million. The picture was fueled by 14 new markets, breaking records in many of them. Quentin Tarantino

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer blazed to the top of the weekend box office with $58.1 million on approximately 6,200 screens at 3,959 theaters. The opening gross was a bit higher than the first Fantastic Four's $56.1 million at 3,602 sites but on par in regards to attendance.

Like its innocuous predecessor, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a capable comics-based action fantasy. Blending light humor with an even lighter measure of heroism, the sequel coasts to a solid Saturday matinee status. Chris EvansJessica AlbaLaurence Fishburne

Burbank, California—Pixar's second movie with a tie-in at Disneyland, Finding Nemo (the first was Toy Story 2 with what amounts to a mobile video game), premiered last week where the submarines, inspired by Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, opened on June 6, 1959. It was the first attraction to premiere since Ed Grier became Disneyland's president and the opening—unlike the studio's sanction this week of communist Chinese censors cutting scenes out of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End—was generally a grand affair. Albert BrooksJohn Lasseter

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ruled the foreign box office in its third weekend, raking in an estimated $51.3 million. With $493.5 million total, the supernatural swashbuckler is tracking ahead of Spider-Man 3 through the same point.

Sydney Pollack, an actor, producer and director with a robust and illustrious career in motion pictures, talks about his views on communist Cuba, his relationship with Robert Redford and their 1990 historical epic, Havana, in this exclusive interview, the second of two parts. (To read the first part, click here.)

After several one movie weekends, three major pictures targeting different audiences debuted—heist comedy Ocean's Thirteen, animated Surf's Up and horror Hostel Part II—and each disappointed to varying degrees. George ClooneyBrad PittMatt DamonAl Pacino

Burbank, California—Seen in the best circumstances at Grauman's Chinese Theater, the raunchy Knocked Up is another one of those lowly movies that string situations and jokes together. There is practically no realism. With a daft point that life is a series of accidents, it knocks its only asset, actress Katherine Heigl, who makes the most of a two-dimensional role that's a fantasy. Paul RuddJohn Wayne