This just in: Memes, especially ones like “winning” now have a shorter and shorter shelf life. If you see a meme go everywhere, just think “stranger danger” and walk away, or you’ll be the guy wearing the “winning” shirt that everyone thinks is passé.

Take Me Home Tonight sat in a closet for a couple years. Now it can’t crack the top ten. Burn. That has to make Drive Angry feel a little better. Then again, it came in second in this losing contest.

Rango isn’t 3-D. If the same amount of people went to see it and had to pay inflated ticket prices it would have made more money. Though it’s quite possible the 3-D cost might have turned off some families. Regardless, Rango is on the low side of A-titled animated films, running under last year’s How to Train Your Dragon, which opened to $43. That said, animated films tend to have stronger legs, so at this juncture, $150 seems a reasonable end goal, with the possibility of the film playing into the summer season and reaching a $200 Million grand total. A near $40 should be a great number, but somehow it isn’t

Dragon was a brand in that it came from a book, Pixar is a brand regardless of title, so that Rango didn’t have that many credentials may account for this slightly soft opening. But then Despicable Me opened bigger. With Johnny Depp front and center, and reuniting him with his Pirates director, maybe this would have played better live action to that audience – or maybe the Pirates sequel is fucked. Rango didn’t have the perfection of right director/star/remake of last year’s Alice in Wonderland, which did $116 Million in its opening weekend, a good three times that of this. But if you ever wonder why they’re making films out of board games, you’re answer is right here.

Continuing on, #2 looks to be a solid – if unremarkable – opening for Adjustment Bureau. Even with Matt Damon, Universal would have been smart to keep the costs down on this one, and if they did it on a budget then they’re in good shape. Because there is a “neither fish nor fowl” quality to the narrative, it’s possible the film will die next weekend. Basically it’s got to weather Battle: Los Angeles – and that’s a film that should open. But Bureau – with its romance – is likely the better date movie, so it could play for a while.

Alex Pettyfer had his moment, but I don’t think he worked. But whether he stays or goes, the $10 Milion opening weekend suggests that Beastly will turn a buck for CBS studio. Supposedly the film has a $17 Million budget, and if that’s the case, then between the $30-$40 Million domestic total and the ancillaries this title will be a modest winner. Unlike Pettyfer’s I Am Number Four. Four should be out of the top ten next week and wrap up a little over $50 domestic. So the film then is hoping on international to take it to the next level. I wouldn’t count on that. Perhaps that will make D.J. Caruso another victim of people trying to get Preacher to the big screen.

Hall Pass turned out to the be the number one film last weekend, so there’s that. Nearing $30 Million domestic, this looks to be a push. International’s not going to be that strong, but this should be able to get near $50 by the end of the run if – as with this week – it never totally deflates. Gnomeo and Juliet seems to be on the road for $100 Million now that it’s at $83 Million, but there’s a lot that’s in its way now. It fell by half this week in the face of direct competition, and should lose most of its 3-D screens next week to Mars Needs Moms. Next week will show if it’s got the juice to get to nine digits.

Unknown is another modest winner, and should get over $60 Million or so, and in terms of modest winners, Just Go With It should get over $100 Million, which puts it in the low side of Sandler Rom-Coms. Justin Bieber is going to get over $70 Million, and maybe they’ll be another theatrical director’s cut to punch up the numbers. Dunno. Best picture winner The King’s Speech is now at $123 Million, and could keep playing as it has been. $140 seems the low, but the Blu-ray/DVD is scheduled for release on April 19.

I did a set visit to Justified, and I’ve got interviews with much of the cast that will be hitting tomorrow. Hard to believe Your Highness opens in a month.