This Week at the Box Office: Hotel Transylvania Breaks the Record

Posted on October 1, 2012 at 8:00 am

“Hotel Transylvania” became the biggest September opening ever with $43 million, perhaps surprising because it is one of three animated 3D horror movies for kids to be released within a 12-week period. But what should no longer be surprising is that there is an enthusiastic audience for family movies. I enjoyed this one and am happy to see it doing so well. Hollywood, over to you.

Also this week — a strong showing for “Pitch Perfect,” with a per-theater take even higher than “Hotel Transylvania,” while the ambitious, provocative “The Master” and “Looper” struggled to find an audience. Fall is usually a time for character-driven drama, but at the moment it looks like people are looking for something light and entertaining.

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Weekend Box Office a New Low

Posted on September 10, 2012 at 3:59 pm

Message to Hollywood: If you don’t build it, they won’t come.

The boox office results over the weekend were the lowest in a decade. At the top was last week’s horror release, “The Possession.” Not a single movie made as much as $10 million. Second place with only $6 million was another movie from the week before, “Lawless.” The major new nationwide release was Bradley Cooper’s new film “The Words,” which came in third with $5 million, a total of $1767 per theater. Action films already in theaters for a few weeks “The Expendables 2” and “The Bourne Legacy” continued to make money.

Not much to get excited about this week, either, with the best option 3D re-release of my favorite Pixar film, “Finding Nemo.” The only “new” nationwide release is the 4th chapter of “Resident Evil,” which is not screening for critics, never a good sign. After that, though, things will pick up fast. I’m especially looking forward to “The Master,” from director P.T. Anderson (“There Will Be Blood,” “Boogie Nights”), starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Joaquin Phoenix, coming out in just a few theaters this week but across the country on the 21st.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ1O1vb9AUU

And Amy Adams also stars another film coming out on the 21st, “Trouble With the Curve.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdJPvXLemVs

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Madagascar 3 Beats Prometheus at the Box Office

Posted on June 10, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Ridley Scott’s “Aliens” sort-of-prequel Prometheus did very well at the box office, with one of the strongest openings of the year, $50 million in the US and $85 million world-wide. But the R-rated space saga could not match another series entry, the family-friendly animated animal story Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, which out-performed “Prometheus” with more than $60 million. I’m delighted that both films did well but I am even more delighted at yet another reminder to the executives in Hollywood that there is an audience for family films that matches or exceeds the biggest special effects block-busters directed at teenagers and 20-somethings.

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This Weekend at the Box Office: “Think Like a Man” Beats “Hunger Games”

Posted on April 23, 2012 at 1:15 pm

“The Hunger Games” is no longer the #1 movie in America. After four weeks on top, there’s a new champion, the ensemble romantic comedy “Think Like a Man,” inspired by Steve Harvey’s best-selling book, which made a robust $33 million, exceeding expectations. Further examination of the numbers shows just how strong that showing is. According to Box Office Mojo:

The movie’s $16,377 per-theater average is third-highest for a nationwide release so far this year behind The Hunger Games ($36,871) and The Lorax ($18,830) and significantly above huge hits like The Vow, Safe House and 21 Jump Street. Its opening was also better than nearly all comparable titles, including all Tyler Perry movies except Madea Goes to Jail ($41 million). Finally, it topped 2009’s Obsessed ($28.6 million) to become Screen Gems’ highest opener ever targeting African-American audiences (overall, it’s their second-best opening ever behind The Vow).

This should be a message to Hollywood that audiences want to see more of “Think Like a Man’s” outstanding cast in lead roles and not just snappy sidekicks and supporting characters, including Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall, Meagan Goode, Taraji P. Henson, and Michael Ealy. Those who enjoyed Kevin Hart’s performance should be sure to listen to his thoughtful and very funny interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast (note: very strong and explicit language).

“The Lucky One” also did very well at the box office, with $22.8 million, the second-best opening for a Nicolas Sparks film. Both films got very high marks from the people who saw it, so a strong showing over the next few weeks is likely, even with some competition from the first warm-weather blockbuster, “The Avengers,” opening next week. It was good to see “Chimpanzee” become the highest first week nature documentary ever, especially because Disney made contributions for every ticket sold to the Jane Goodall Institute.

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The Lorax Tops the Box Office — Again

Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:00 am

For the second week in a row, “The Lorax” topped the box office, in its second week still beating the big budget blockbuster “John Carter” that opened last Friday. Every once in a while, Hollywood is surprised to find out that family movies sell a lot of tickets. “The Lorax” has made more than $120 million in its first two weeks, far above expectations of the bean-counters who routinely underestimate the market for family films. “John Carter” did poorly in the US with only $30 million, though it did far better internationally, where special effects films generally make a lot of money.

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