Given just how bad The Da Vinci Code was, and how much more brand recognition that Dan Brown book has versus this one, $48 million can’t really be considered a disappointment; in fact, it’s a little higher than what some analysts were predicting. Still, for a middle-of-May “blockbuster,” $48 million isn’t all that much, and given its rather dismal reviews, strong legs may not be in its future. Expect this one to fade quickly, at least domestically (internationally, the movie has already made over $100 million, so no one can truly consider it a box office disappointment).

Star Trek dropped only 43% in its second weekend, a sign of strong legs. This movie is soon going to surpass X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which made $14.8 million this weekend after a 44% drop, despite starting out with a lower opening weekend a week later.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past continues to show that there is room for counterprogramming, as it dropped 33% to bring its total up to $40 million.

Visit the FilmJabber homepage for the full box office top ten. I get my numbers from Box Office Prophets, who do a great weekend recap each week.

In theaters, there’s Angels & Demons, the sequel/prequel to The Da Vinci Code. To call it anticipated may be a bit of an overstatement, as the first one – also directed by Ron Howard – was just not good. I really liked the book, but the movie was slow, plodding and, worst of all, uninteresting. However, early interviews with Howard and producers indicated that they are aware of what went wrong and have promised to rectify things; while you can never trust these people when in marketing mode, their acknowledgment of the problem is a good sign.

Angels & Demons is actually better suited for a movie adaptation, and one can’t expect Tom Hanks and Ron Howard to falter too many times. With a strong supporting cast that includes Ewan McGregor, this one has the potential to be big – but just how big remains to be seen.

And that’s it for theatrical releases. Nothing else is opening wide nationwide, so that’s what you get.

Unless you decide to stay in, avoid the swine flu and rent something on DVD. In which case… there’s not much.

Except… and I apologize for all the setup… Taken, a kick-ass action movie starring Liam Neeson as a former assassin who goes on a rampage after his daughter is kidnapped in Europe. The PG-13 action flick plays a lot like a lesser version of The Bourne Identity, but it’s still an exciting and entertaining adrenaline rush.

Another option is Passengers, an Anne Hathaway thriller that is completely forgettable and not even remotely worth it. Heard of it? Yeah, that’s what I thought. There’s also Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, a moderately entertaining action flick that will appeal to fans of the franchise but not anyone else. Lacking Kate Beckinsale, the film is by far the worst of the three – and that’s not a good thing.

My recommendations for the movie buff: On Friday night, go see Angels & Demons at 7:30. You’ll be home by ten, good enough to watch Taken and finish before midnight. On Saturday, make it out to Star Trek, even if you’ve already seen it. It’s that good. And on Sunday, catch a matinee of State of Play, the Russell Crowe thriller that, if the box office revenues are any indication, you probably haven’t seen.