Twenty years ago, Jon Favreau made his debut co-producing and starring Doug Liman’s “Swingers.”

This weekend, Favreau directed “The Jungle Book,” and it swung all right– to $103 million for the weekend. That’s $28 million more than Disney’s other current huge hit “Zootopia” did in its first weekend, by the way.

(Just to add in generational clarity: Doug Liman directed “Swingers.” Now he does things like the terrific “Edge of Tomorrow.”)

“The Jungle Book” is second among PG Disney films only to “Alice in Wonderland” (2010). And “Jungle Book” is way ahead of Oscar winner “Inside Out.”

Disney may have problems in their executive suite, but in the movie division, Alan Horn is hitting home runs.

Elsewhere, Lions Gate release “Criminal” was a huge loser, making just $5.8 million. LGF is already in hot water, their stock is sinking. This bad news won’t help. “Criminal” has to be a $40 million bloodbath at the very least.

Not many people ran to see Vogue editor Anna Wintour snarl at her staff in “The First Monday in May,” which opened the Tribeca Film Festival. Twenty theaters, total $105K. A table at Wintour’s Met Ball costs $240,000 by the way.

Here’s a clip from the ‘real’ “Jungle Book:”

LA traffic being what it is, screwed up even adorable Adam Levine a bit Thursday night. Adam was meant to host a pre-reception for the new Weinstein Company film, “Sing Street.” He co-wrote a song called, “Go Now,” (not the Denny Laine song) with the film’s director/writer John Carney (“Once,” “Begin Again”). This is Adam’s second go round with Carney. Levine starred in “Begin Again” as well as writing some of the music for that film.

Adam left Universal Studios where he was filming “The Voice,” over the hill as they say here, to come to the London Hotel in West Hollywood in especially heavy rush hour traffic. He bounded in just in time to introduce the film. Before that, Weinstein’s David Glasser intro’d Adam Levine as “our favorite “Carney” alum.” (That is, unless Keira Knightley is around.)

Levine said, “I didn’t have to much to do with this, it’s all John. I co-wrote the song, “Go Now,” in the film. John wanted me to tell you guys that he’s a brilliant director, a genius and a visionary. Seriously he’s one of my favorite people in the whole world, I love him so much, this movie is fantastic and I’m honored for my small part in it.”

Carney praised Adam and introduced members of the cast, all mostly newcomers except the terrific British actress Lucy Boynton and “Transformer’s” Irish native Jack Reynor.

Carney was asked if his next film will incorporate music? “Not sure what I’m doing next, but I always seem to gravitate towards that.” I asked Carney afterwards about how a small town Irish boy is making it so big in Hollywood. “I live in Dublin. LA is way too much for me. But grateful to be here when I am, always.”

“Sing Street”– based in 1980’s Dublin– tells the story of a music loving 14 year old Connor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and his strained home and school life, falling in love with a beautiful, albeit damaged girl named Raphina (Boynton) and his quest to start a rock band to win her affection.

“Sing Street,” has ginormous heart, bursting with sweet romance and beyond appealing enchantment. All are woven into the innocence of youth, touching relationships between friends and brothers (played by Reynor,) and teenage tribulations. Carney’s artistry binds them all together in a poetic, lyrical, humorous and touching way. “Sing Street” is a must see, with fantastic pop music to enjoy and add to your playlists!

A few ‘name’ people showed up tonight for Bart Freundlich’s “Wolves” like Ethan Hawke, and Katie Couric. Maybe they’d heard Freundlich, who’s made five films, is the husband of Julianne Moore. Or maybe they liked Freundlich’s earlier films, like “The Myth of Fingerprints.”

“Wolves” turns out to be the “Whiplash” of Tribeca, full of spunk and so much tension that even as it navigates a couple of cliches (gambling debts sinking a family, coming of age angst) you are rooting for everyone.

Michael Shannon and Carla Gugino are a struggling Manhattan middle class couple with a teen son (Taylor John Smith, 20, in a breakout performance) who’s a basketball star in his senior year of high school. Shannon is a ne’er do well novelist teaching creative writing at a community college. Gugino has  mid level job at a department store. They’re hoping Anthony, the son, can get a sports scholarship to a good school, maybe Cornell.

So that’s the set up. Except failure pervades Shannon’s teacher, he drinks and gambles. We meet him just as he’s gambling his little family’s tenuous future. He has a good guy brother (Chris Bauer, excellent) who will help him, to a point. But otherwise, he’s sinking. Gugino sees it, still loves him, but loves her son more.

Freundlich pulls it off because he’s invested these people– you’ve seen them before in other situations– with a lot of texture and depth. Plus, Taylor John Smith as the basketball hero is a find. He just gets away with playing 18, and seems like a high school kid. He’s also got a mentor in veteran actor John Douglas Thompson as Socrates, who keeps his advice to a minimum but comes to Anthony’s aid as needed.

Freundlich is smart not to lay anything on too thick here. Emotions are kept in eheck, but the realities of the situation are honestly felt. Like Anthony, you feel the director has found his spot on the court at last, and is scoring time after time.

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