Venture capital investment in clean technology grew 10% from the second quarter to the third this year. According to a report by the Cleantech Group and Deloitte, 134 companies received investments of $1.59 billion – up from $1.2 billion in the second quarter. The sector's upward trajectory continues, with last quarter marking the second in a row of double-digit growth. In the first quarter of 2009, venture capital investment in cleantech companies hit a low of $1 billion.

The strong third quarter has made the cleantech sector the largest in the venture capital business, according to the Cleantech Group, pulling ahead of biotech. Twenty-seven percent of venture capital funds invested in the second quarter of 2009 went to cleantech companies – up from 3% at the beginning of 2004.

We're still in the early stages of this trend, but it's pretty clear that the green energy sector is fast becoming a venture capital darling. Today, for example, five deals were announced in one publication alone (three VC, two acquisitions). The three investments account for $47.4 million in VC investment. And only yesterday, Solazyme picked up another $57 million in its Series C round.

In what remains a capital-constrained market, the cash is still flowing. In the private equity space, investments in clean technologies have remained steady from 2007 to 2008, despite broader economic calamity. Such commitment this early in the game may hint at what the next bubble will be.

Mammoths and multiplexes go hand in hand, apparently, especially if said mammoths are of the CGI variety. According to Boxofficemojo, 10,000 B.C., Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) prehistoric epic, pounded the rest of its competition like an angry caveman warrior clubbing a saber-toothed tiger (I didn't see the film, but I assume this happened at some point during the plot). The film is estimated to have taken in over $35 million (final numbers are due later today) at domestic theaters over the weekend. Disney (NYSE: DIS) couldn't even come close to Time Warner -- its family comedy, College Road Trip, right now stands at a gross of $14 million, which was at least good enough for second place. Erstwhile Disney Channel phenomenon Raven-Symone star in the flick, so at least there was a little bit of synergy in that respect -- Disney is nothing if not about synergy, as we all know.

Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Vantage Point came in third, and Time Warner's Semi-Pro, starring the hilarious Will Ferrell, came in fourth. Lions Gate's (NYSE: LGF) The Bank Job, which achieved fifth position, actually did pretty well, considering that its per-theater average of approximately $3500 was much higher than the per-theater average for the two films above it.

Okay, it's time to see which movie studio is going to be on top this weekend (not that I'm a clairvoyant, mind you; nevertheless, I'll give it my best shot). According to the Associated Press, Sony Corporation (ADR) (NYSE: SNE)'s Vantage Point might end up the big winner, with perhaps as much as $20 million in the bank by the end of the three-day period, this according to Jeffrey Logsdon of BMO Capital Markets. After seeing the very effective ads for this political thriller, I agree that it's going to do at least that well. My instinct tells me that its initial gross will be closer to $25 million, perhaps even $30 million. Sony should have a big hit on its corporate hands.

Jack Black's Be Kind, Rewind, on the other hand, probably won't do so hot, in my opinion. It's being released by Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), and according to Boxofficemojo.com, it will only be in 800 locations. Logsdon ambiguously says it will take in less than $10 million. I say it will take in around $5 million. I hope to see this one in the theaters because it looks like a fun flick; I remember reading about it when it was first proposed, and I liked the idea then as much as I do now after seeing the ads. So I'm hoping this one really surprises. The other one that I want to see is Charlie Bartlett, from MGM. It seems to remind me of one of my very favorite movies, Wes Anderson's Rushmore. It won't have the same idiosyncratic feel of that project, certainly, but I get the feeling it borrows at least some of Rushmore's genetic code. Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: LGF) probably won't see much of a revenue bump from Witless Protection, starring Larry the Cable Guy. The marketing campaign didn't grab me. But it will be in over 1300 locations.

I'm most interested in seeing how The Spiderwick Chronicles does; will Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA) see some renewed life in this one, or will it drop precipitously? And then there's The Walt Disney Corporation (NYSE: DIS)'s Step Up 2 the Streets and last weekend's top film, News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) Jumper -- how will their second weekends treat them? The multiplex awaits...

Disclosure: I own shares in Disney.