The Numbers News - October 2013

October 31, 2013

November begins with three wide releases of varying quality. Ender's Game is the only one earning overall positive reviews and it is the only one with a real shot at becoming anything more than a midlevel hit. To call Free Birds a second-tier animated family film is being very generous. Its reviews might dip into the single-digit level. Finally, there's Last Vegas, which is flying under the radar for most moviegoers. It is unlikely any of them will become a breakout hit. It is nearly certain that none will match last year's number one film, Wreck-It Ralph. November is going to start off on a losing note. More...

International Box Office: Gravity Grows

October 30, 2013

Gravity earned first place for the fourth week with $37.7 million on 7,340 screens in 53 markets for a total of $164.4 million internationally and $364.0 million worldwide. This weekend it debuted in first place in France with a very impressive $10.76 million on 398 screens. It also remained in first place in South Korea with $5.29 million on 531 screens over the weekend for a two-week total of $15.55 million. It also repeated in top spot in Mexico with $3.79 million on 1,563 screens over the weekend for a total of $12.04 million after two. The film will likely pull in close to $100 million in just these holdovers, plus it has yet to open in the U.K., Japan and China, so it could make another $100 million in those three markets as well. More...

IMAX: Third Quarter Report

October 30, 2013

IMAX announced their third quarter earnings report and the numbers look good, for the most part. Total box office for the quarter was $132.5 million, which is down significantly from 2012's total of 173.2 million. However, year-to-date, 2013 has pulled in $482 million, which is still a 3% increase from this point last year. This mirrors the overall box office, with year-to-date numbers showing better growth than the overall market. IMAX continues to sign contracts expanding market penetration both domestically and worldwide with a total of 785 theaters. This includes 158 new theaters this year, which is already more than the 142 total signings for 2012. More...

Contest: Born to be Bad: Winning Announcement

October 29, 2013

The winner of our Born to be Bad contest was determined and it is... More...

Per Theater Chart: Slave Can't Escape Top Spot

October 29, 2013

For the second weekend in a row, 12 Years a Slave remained in top spot on the per theater chart. Despite expanding to 123 theaters, the film's average remained potent at $17,352. The Square was right behind with $16,359 in its lone theater. The only other film in the $10,000 club was Capital, which earned an average of $11,200 in two theaters. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Bad Grandpa Makes Box Office Look Good

October 29, 2013

The month long slump 2013 has been on is finally over, thanks in part to Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa. However, the overall box office still wasn't that good, as it was down slightly from last weekend to $102 million. Granted, "slightly" in this case means a fraction of 1%, so it isn't troubling. On the other hand, it was 10% higher than the same weekend last year. Unfortunately, year-to-date, 2013's lead over 2012 has shrunk to just $50 million or 0.6% at $8.49 billion to $8.44 billion. In fact, 2013 has not sold less tickets than 2012 had at this point in its run. That's not good and it is unlikely things will turn around in the coming few weeks. More...

Final Weekend Numbers

October 28, 2013

Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers

We are now publishing our weekend and daily charts with updates as they are received from the studios. Most major studios, and many independent distributors report by about 1pm, Pacific Time and final numbers are available by 3.30pm. To be included in our charts, please send box office reports and release schedule updates to bodata@the-numbers.com. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 29th, 2013

October 28, 2013

Like last week, the home market is rather slow this week. There are more than 200 new releases, which is a step up from last week when there were only 161, at least according to Amazon.com. But even so, this week is arguably worse, if you only look at the top releases. The number one release is Monsters University, but number two is R.I.P.D., which bombed both in theaters and with critics. There are not even a few limited releases to help fill out the list, like we had last week. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Christmas Releases outnumber the non-Christmas releases by a sizable margin. Fortunately, there are two contenders for Pick of the Week, including Monsters University on Blu-ray Collector's Edition or 3D Combo Pack and Degrassi: Season 12. The former is the Pick of the Week, while the latter takes home the rarely awarded Puck of the Week. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Degrassi: Season 12

October 27, 2013

The Degrassi franchise has been on the air in one form or another, on and off since 1979. The latest incarnation, originally called Degrassi: The Next Generation, now simply called Degrassi, has been on the air since 2001. The Twelfth season comes out on DVD this week, but how does it compare to previous seasons? More...

Weekend Estimates: Jackass Brings Gravity to Earth

October 27, 2013

As anticipated, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa will end Gravity's run at the top of the chart this weekend, with the hidden camera comedy set to earn about $32 million according to Paramount Pictures, somewhat less than Jackass 3D, but very much in line with the other films in the Jackass franchise. The 32% decline for Gravity, meanwhile, is its steepest fall so far, but topping $20 million in its fourth weekend is an impressive performance (only 24 other films have done it), and it will end the weekend within a whisker of $200 million. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Monsters University

October 26, 2013

Monsters Inc. was a huge hit in 2001 earning close to $300 million domestically and more than $550 million worldwide. This summer, a prequel, Monsters University, came out and it earned a little less domestically, but more than $700 million worldwide. If you factor in inflation and the growth of international markets, this isn't as strong a run as the predecessor had, but still very profitable. Is the quality similar, i.e., not quite as strong as the original, but still worth checking out? And are any of the four releases worth picking up? More...

Limited Releases: Warm Reception for Limited Releases

October 25, 2013

It is a short list this week with just four limited releases to talk about. However, all four are at least earning overall positive reviews. One of them, Blue is the Warmest Color, is earning outstanding reviews and has generated a lot of pre-release buzz. More...

Contest: Game of Chance

October 25, 2013

There are three wide releases, but only two of them have any chance of becoming more than a midlevel hit. Free Birds is a digitally animated family film that has a very timely release, but it is also a second-tier CG animated film. Ender's Game is a $110 million film based on a book aimed at young adults. It is yet another film trying to tap into the vacuum left behind by Harry Potter. I don't think either of them will be big hits, but one of them has to be the target film. I think Free Birds will have better legs, but that Ender's Game will have a better opening. As such, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Ender's Game. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy of The Conjuring on Blu-ray Combo Pack.

To celebrate, we have Five Things to know about The Conjuring, in GIF form, starting with...

1) The Conjuring is directed by the acclaimed James Wan, the Australian-born director of the fright-fests Insidious and the Saw series. His Twitter handle is @CreepyPuppet. Say no more. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: How Bad Will the Box Office Be?

October 25, 2013

So far October has been a bad month at the box office. Granted, Gravity should crack $200 million over the weekend; however, week after week after week we've seen declines in the year-over-year comparison. Will that losing streak finally end this weekend? We do have some good news. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa should earn $30 million, more or less, easily topping the chart this weekend and earning much more than last year's number one film Argo. In fact, it might earn more than all four new releases from last year. Additionally, The Counselor isn't expected to be the biggest hit, but it still could earn more than Argo did this time last year and should earn more than the best new releases, Cloud Atlas, did. Are we finally going to see 2013's slump end? I really hope so, because 2013 is not that far ahead of 2012's pace and if the slump doesn't end soon, it could find itself slipping behind last year's pace. More...

International Box Office: Gravity Orbits a Milestone

October 24, 2013

For the third weekend in a row, Gravity led the way on the international chart and reached a major milestone in the process. This past weekend, it pulled in $33.5 million on 7,900 screens in 51 markets for an international total of $114.2 million and a worldwide total $283.8 million. It opened in first place in two major markets led by South Korea where it earned $6.30 million on 636 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $7.29 million. Meanwhile in Mexico, it made $5.75 million on 1,783 screens. Its biggest market overall is Russia where it has earned $17.60 million in total, including $2.19 million on 700 screens this past weekend. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: The Captains Close Up

October 23, 2013

The Captains Close Up was a TV series that aired earlier this year and had William Shatner interviewing, and being interviewed by, the other captains in the Star Trek franchise. The show is obviously aimed at Trekkies, but will it appeal to them? Will it have a broader appeal outside of the core fan base? More...

Home Market Numbers: New Releases Get Lost on the Way

October 23, 2013

It was a mixed week for new releases. There was one major release, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, but not much else. Fortunately, it and the "not much else" all did very well on Blu-ray helping the overall Blu-ray market grow when compared to last week and last year. Compared to last week, there were 91% more units sold growing to 943,000 units, while the revenue rose 83% to $19.41 million. The growth compared to last year was just as strong up 85% in terms of units and 104% in terms of revenue. This growth combined with the sunken DVD sales week helped the overall Blu-ray share skyrocket to 39% in terms of units and 48% in terms of revenue. More...

Blu-ray Sales: G.I. Joe Waves the Red, White, and Blu

October 23, 2013

New releases were more prevalent on the August 4th, 2013 edition of the Blu-ray sales chart than they were on the DVD sales chart. G.I. Joe: Retaliation again led the way with 585,000 units / $11.67 million for an opening week Blu-ray share of 52%. Granted, this is a near perfect film for Blu-ray (visually intensive action film aimed at a Fanboy audience) but this is still an impressive result. More...

DVD Sales: Go Joe, Go to the Top

October 23, 2013

We had the biggest new release in nearly two months leading the way on the August 4th, 2013 edition of the DVD sales chart. G.I. Joe: Retaliation opened in first place with 544,000 units / $8.16 million, which is an okay start given its box office numbers / production budget. Fortunately, it was better on Blu-ray. More...

Contest: Escape While You Can: Winning Announcement

October 22, 2013

The winner of our Escape While You Can contest was determined and it is... More...

Per Theater Chart: Slave Showered with Riches

October 22, 2013

12 Years a Slave opened with a stellar average of $48,617 in 19 theaters. With a planned expansion, this is a great start. All is Lost was well back with an average of $15,597 in six theaters. This isn't a bad start and its reviews suggest long legs, but it might get overshadowed by 12 Years a Slave. The final film in the $10,000 club was Kill Your Darlings, which was right behind with an average of $14,750 in four theaters. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Another Orbit for Gravity

October 22, 2013

As expected, Gravity remained on top of the weekend box office chart for the third weekend it a row. It became the first film released in 2013 to earn the hat trick, and very likely the last. Unfortunately, two of the three wide releases missed expectations, which hurt the overall box office numbers. Compared to last week, the overall box office was down by 11% to $103 million. Compared to last year, the box office was down 35%. Ouch. 2013 is still ahead of 2012's pace, but by less than 1% at $8.36 billion to $8.29 billion. More...

Final Weekend Numbers

October 21, 2013

Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 22nd, 2013

October 21, 2013

This week on the home market is... well... it's short. Last week, according to Amazon.com, there were 459 new releases or reissues. This week there are 161. Fortunately, there are a few releases of note, including The Conjuring, which pulled in more than $300 million worldwide on a production budget of just $20 million. Fortunately, it really deserved this success and the DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack are contenders for Pick of the Week. Other contenders include Before Midnight on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack and The Way Way Back on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack. In the end, it was literally a coin toss and The Conjuring won. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Zombie Massacre

October 21, 2013

Zombie Massacre arrived about a month late, which still means it has been sitting on my desk for about a month waiting for me to get to it. When a screener arrives late, I put it somewhere in the pile of late reviews based on a few factors. If it is just a day or so late, I try to get to it right away so the review is still timely. If it is more than a week late, it goes lower in the pile. If it is almost a month late and I didn't request it in the first place, it goes to be bottom of the pile. However, it is nearly Halloween, so I figured I better get to this one before it is too late. Has it aged well sitting on my desk? Or should I have pretended it didn't arrive at all? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - The Scorpion Sting

October 20, 2013

The Kung Fu Panda franchise began in 2008 with Kung Fu Panda. Since then, there has been a sequel, TV special, and a TV series. I previously reviewed Good Croc, Bad Croc, so how does The Scorpion Sting stand up in comparison? More...

Weekend Estimates: Gravity Floats to Third Weekend Win

October 20, 2013

Gravity will become the first film in 2013 to win three straight three-day weekends, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. With $31 million expected, the film is down just 28% from last weekend and has reached a formidable $170.5 million. That puts in in the top 10 for the year, with plenty more to come. Fellow Oscar-hopefuls 12 Years a Slave, All is Lost and Kill Your Darlins are the other films making waves this weekend (literally in one case). More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Into the Snow We Go! and Nickelodeon Christmas Gift Sets

October 19, 2013

Last week, four Christmas themed releases from Nickelodeon came out, three of which I've previously reviewed. However, those three are getting new releases as "Holiday Gifts" with special bonuses. The new release is... More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Awkward.: Season One and Two

October 19, 2013

Awkward. started in 2011 and was a hit with critics right away. In fact, it earned a place on a number of top ten TV shows of 2011. I previously described the show as my favorite TV show on MTV since Daria, and I love Daria. On the other hand, this isn't the first time it has been released on DVD. Is the two-season box set worth picking up for those that missed it the first time around? More...

Limited Releases: All is Not Lost for Limited Releases

October 18, 2013

It is not a busy week when it comes to limited releases on this week's list, but at least we have a couple that are earning stellar reviews and could expand wide. All is Lost has the reviews to become a big hit and an Awards Season player, but it doesn't have the buzz. 12 Years a Slave has the buzz, as well as the reviews. While opening in limited release is always a risky maneuver, 12 Years a Slave has a better shot at opening in the top ten than it does of bombing outright. More...

Contest: Born to be Bad

October 18, 2013

Next week there are two wide releases, but let's be frank, only one of them has a real shot at first place. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa should finally end Gravity's reign on the box office charts and will likely crush The Counselor, the only other wide release of the week. It is the easy choice for the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy of Pacific Rim on Blu-ray Combo Pack.

Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Gravity Remain Out of Reach of New Releases?

October 18, 2013

There are two wide releases this week, Carrie and Escape Plan. However, neither film is earning critical praise and neither film is expected to be a breakout hit. There is a third film opening semi-wide, The Fifth Estate, but despite being clearly made for Oscars, its reviews are worse than the two more mainstream releases. It looks like Gravity will have no trouble earning the hat trick at the box office. It should also earn more than last year's winner, Paranormal Activity 4. Unfortunately, last year had much better depth than this year will have, so 2013 will likely lose yet again in the year-over-year comparison. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: New Girl: Season Two

October 17, 2013

New Girl debuted in 2011 and even before it first aired, it had a lot of buzz. In fact, it was one of eight shows the Critics' Choice Television Award declared as Most Exciting New Series. Of those eight, six have since been canceled. Part of the reason there was so much buzz was that it was the first time Zooey Deschanel starred in a TV series. Does the show have more to than that? More...

International Box Office: Gravity Stable On Top

October 16, 2013

Gravity remained in first place with a nearly identical result as last weekend. It was up a barely noticeable amount to $28.5 million on 5,785 screens in 38 markets for a two-week total of $68.3 million internationally. This hold is even more impressive, as its only major market debut came in Brazil, where it opened in second place with $1.67 million on 219 screens. On the other hand, it was down just 9% in Australia with $3.03 million on 471 screens over the weekend for a two-week total of $8.29 million. It fell a little more in Germany down 17% to $3.04 million on 614 screens over the weekend for a two-week total of $8.12 million. In both of those markets, it remained in first place. It fell faster in Russia down 48% landing in second place with $3.88 million on 1,155 million screens over the weekend for a total of $14.12 million after two weeks of release. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: The Croods

October 16, 2013

The Croods opened in March with more than $40 million and lasted long enough to pull in more than $180 million domestically and $570 million worldwide. That's a very impressive run for a spring release. Did it deserve this box office success? Or did it thrive because of the lack of direct competition? More...

Contest: Over and Under the Sea: Winning Announcement

October 15, 2013

The winner of our Over and Under the Sea contest was determined and it is... More...

Per Theater Chart: Gravity Completes its Second Orbit

October 15, 2013

Gravity remained on top of the Per Theater Chart with an average of $11,800. Unfortunately, it was the only film in the $10,000 club. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Gravity Soars Above, but Box Office Lacks Depth

October 15, 2013

Both Gravity and Captain Phillips topped expectations, which is a reason to celebrate. However, it's practically the only reason to celebrate. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 did well, but from that point on, the box office was a disaster. Overall, the total box office was $116 million, which was down 8% from last week. Compared to last year, the box office was down by 10%. How can this year's top film earn more than twice as much as last year's number one film, but still lose out overall? Last year, the fourth place film was Hotel Transylvania, which earned $17.24 million. This year the fourth place film was Machete Kills, which earned just $3.84 million. The depth this year is simply terrible. Year-to-date, 2013 is still ahead of 2012, but by less than 1% at $8.21 billion to $8.15 billion. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 15th, 2013

October 14, 2013

It's a good week on the home market with two $100 million hits coming out: The Heat and Pacific Rim. I've heard good things about both films, but unfortunately, neither screener has arrived. Also, while we have two big release on top, there's not a lot of depth and we quickly run into releases that would be filler during a normal week. At the time I started this column, no new releases for the week had arrived on time, but at least that gave me a chance to get a bit caught up on some of the previous late arrivals. This list includes two contenders for Pick of the Week: White Collar: Season Four and Modern Family: Season Four on DVD or Blu-ray. Both are must haves, but the latter won out for Pick of the Week honors. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: The Heat

October 14, 2013

The Heat had a lot of pre-release buzz and many were expecting this film to be one of the best comedies of the year. When it finally opened, its reviews were good, but not great. Its box office numbers, on the other hand, were fantastic. It opened with just shy of $40 million and stuck around long enough to reach more than $150 million domestically. Did it deserve to strike it rich at the box office? Or did it over-perform compared to its quality level? More...

Final Weekend Numbers

October 14, 2013

Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers

Featured TV on DVD Review: White Collar: Season Four

October 13, 2013

I love movies and TV shows about conmen, and White Collar won me over the very first season. Also, I thought it got even better the second and third seasons. Has the show finally peaked? Or can it get even better? More...

Weekend Estimates: Gravity Floats Past Captain Phillips

October 13, 2013

What could have been a close-run race at the box office this weekend turned into a comfortable win for Gravity, but for all the right reasons. Captain Phillips opened with a sturdy $26 million, on the back of some excellent reviews. But that isn't close to enough to unseat Gravity, which will post one of the best second weekends for a wide release in a long time. Comparisons with Argo are inevitable -- the Oscar-winner fell just 15% in its second weekend, while Gravity will be off 21%, but Gravity opened with over $50 million, compared to Argo's $20 million or so, which makes the performance all the more impressive. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Modern Family: Season Four

October 12, 2013

Recently, Modern Family won its fourth Outstanding Comedy Series at the Prime Time Emmys. This puts it just one behind Frasier for the all-time lead in that category. It has three Emmys for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, putting it one behind M*A*S*H* in that category. It "only" has two nominations for Emmys for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, but it won both times. It has also earned nearly two dozen nominations for various acting categories, including five wins. It is easily the most acclaimed comedy series on TV at the moment, and despite being on the air for just four season so far, it is one of the most acclaimed comedy series of all time. This creates incredibly high expectations. Is it possible to live up to these expectations? Or will the show start to disappoint? More...

Limited Releases: God Loves Limited Releases

October 11, 2013

The headline might claim God loves limited releases, but it is clear the critics don't. There are more than a dozen limited releases on this week's list, but many of them are earning reviews that are weak, or much, much worse. God Loves Uganda is practically the lone exception, as it is earning perfect reviews. Unfortunately, it's a documentary, so its chances of expanding significantly are very limited. On the other hand, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete might be the breakout hit of the week. Its reviews are not as good, but good enough to suggest it will find an audience, but it is opening in more than 100 theaters, which might be too many. More...

Contest: Escape While You Can

October 11, 2013

Next week the wide releases are limited to Carrie and Escape Plan. Carrie hopes to perform better than most horror remakes manage; in other words, it hopes to become a midlevel hit, nothing more. Escape Plan could become one of the most expensive flops of the year, if some of the reports about its production budget are true. Since Carrie is expected to come out on top, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Carrie. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy of White Collar: Season Four on DVD. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Smooth Sailing for Gravity?

October 11, 2013

There are two wide releases this week: Captain Phillips and Machete Kills. The former is a potential Awards Season player, while the latter is definitely not. Unfortunately, neither seems likely to challenge Gravity for top spot at the box office this weekend. Captain Phillips should come in a solid second place, while Machete Kills will try not to under-perform when compared to Runner Runner's opening from last weekend. Gravity could help 2013 top last year's box office, which was led by Taken 2 in its second weekend of release. The best new release was Argo, but it opened with less than $20 million and Captain Phillips should top that. However, last year had much better depth and might prove to be too much for 2013 to overcome. More...

International Box Office: Gravity Throws Around its Weight

October 11, 2013

Gravity opened in first place on the international chart with $28.4 million on 4,830 screens in 27 markets. This includes a number of first place openings, led by Russia, where it made $7.57 million on 1,219 screens. It also earned first place in Germany with $3.65 million on 569 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $3.87 million. Australia was right behind with $3.35 million on 469. Italy contributed $2.75 million on 399, while in Spain it earned $2.26 million on 325. More...

Contest: The Gravity of the Situation: Winning Announcement

October 10, 2013

The winners of our The Gravity of the Situation contest were determined and they are... More...

Home Market Numbers: New Releases Get Lost on the Way

October 10, 2013

Given the terrible new releases, it should come as no surprise that the overall Blu-ray market was terrible the week of July 28th 2013. In fact, it was the worst week for the entire year at just 492,000 units / $10.58 million in total sales. This was 20% lower in terms of units and 22% lower in terms of revenue when compared to last week. Compared to last year, it was 12% lower in terms of units and 8% lower in terms of revenue. DVD sales were relatively stronger, so the overall Blu-ray share fell to 21% in terms of units and 30% in terms of revenue. Hopefully this is just an anomaly and we will never see these weak levels again. More...

Blu-ray Sales: New Releases are Broken Down

October 10, 2013

There was only one new release to chart on the week of July 28th, 2013 edition of the Blu-ray sales chart and it only managed fourth place. This left 42 in first place with 109,000 units / $2.67 million for the week giving it two-week totals of 336,000 units / $7.89 million. More...

DVD Sales: Life is Not a Beach for New Releases

October 10, 2013

There were quite a few new releases on the DVD sales chart for the week of July 28th, 2013; however, none were big sellers and only really placed well due to a lack of competition. 42 remained in first place with 308,000 units / $4.62 million over the weekend for totals of 798,000 units / $11.95 million after two weeks of release. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Fright Night 2: New Blood

October 10, 2013

I reviewed the 2011 remake version of Fright Night and while I didn't like it as much as the average critic, it was clearly better than its box office numbers would indicate. I am a little surprised that the film is earning a sequel, even a direct-to-DVD sequel. Is this film worth checking out for fans of the original movie? Or is it a sequel in name only and just a cheap cash grab? More...

IMAX: Gravity Reaches for the Stars

October 9, 2013

Gravity was impressive on IMAX earning a opening weekend box office of $15.1 million on 412 IMAX screens worldwide. This includes $11.8 million on 323 screens domestically and $3.3 million on 89 screens internationally. This is a record opening for IMAX for the month of October. More...

Per Theater Chart: Gravity Escapes Massive Competition

October 9, 2013

There were a ton of new releases this week, but Gravity was pulled down by the mass of new releases. It lead the way on the Per Theater Chart with an average of $15,604. The only other film in the $10,000 club was Linsanity, which earned an average of $11,051 in nine theaters. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 8th, 2013

October 8, 2013

There are a couple first-run releases on this week's list: After Earth and The Hangover: Part III. However, neither film won over critics and both bombed in theaters, when compared to their production budgets. That said, The Hangover: Part III will likely be the best selling release of the week. As for the best new release, including a number where I'm still waiting for the screener. Ignoring those, the two best are Robot Chicken: Season Six on DVD or Blu-ray and Much Ado About Nothing on DVD or Blu-ray. Both are must haves, but I'm going with the latter over the former for Pick of the Week. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Gravity Earns Tons of Money

October 8, 2013

Gravity crushed expectations, and records, over the weekend with more than $55 million. This topped the previous biggest October weekend by more than $3 million. On the other hand, Runner Runner went nowhere opening well below the lower end of predictions. Overall, the box office rose 16% from last year reaching $127 million. Unfortunately, last year had much better depth and 2013 was 11% lower in the year-over-year comparison. 2013 is still ahead of 2012, but the lead has been cut to just 0.9% at $8.05 billion to $7.98 billion. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Robot Chicken: Season Six

October 7, 2013

Why do I do this to myself? I loved the first few seasons of Robot Chicken, but I dropped most of my cable channels a couple years back. (I only watched 3 of the 40 or so channels in the package, so it wasn't worth the money.) When I got a chance to review the show, I jumped at the chance. But now that I've seen the sixth season, I realized I'm stuck. How do you review a TV show that is comprised of short sketches? Some of these sketches are so short that it would take longer to type the setup than it would be to watch the entire skit and you would certainly spoil the joke in the process. (On that note, don't go to the Wikipedia page for season six. They spoil some jokes in the episode descriptions.) So while the show is really hard to review without spoilers, will it be an easy recommendation? More...

Final Weekend Numbers

October 7, 2013

Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers

Featured TV on DVD Review: How I Met Your Mother: Season Eight

October 6, 2013

I reviewed How I Met Your Mother a couple times in the past and while I liked the show's early seasons, I grew tired of the show in the latter seasons. Can the show turn it around? Or is it stumbling towards its conclusion? More...

Weekend Estimates: Gravity Breaks October Record, Stakes Oscar Claim

October 6, 2013

Success at the box office is no guarantee of awards, but it certainly doesn't do any harm. And by that metric, Gravity's chances of picking up an Oscar or three is taking a considerable turn for the better this weekend as the sci-fi thriller heads towards a celestial $55.6 million debut, according to Warner Bros.'s Sunday projection. That will comfortably set a record for the biggest weekend in October, overtaking Paranormal Activity 3's $52.6 million back in 2011. With Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave opening in the next two weeks, awards season is getting interesting. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Beauty and the Beast: Season One

October 4, 2013

Beauty and the Beast is a remake of the 1987 series of the same name. That show starred Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman and while it only lasted two seasons (the third season with Linda Hamilton hardly counts) it developed a very loyal fan base. This remake was not greeted with a lot of critical praise, while its ratings dropped from 2.78 million for the series premiere to just 1.26 million for the season finale. Were the critics right? Were viewers wise to abandon the show? More...

Limited Releases: Grace Under Pressure

October 4, 2013

There are ten limited releases on this week's list, but only one of them is earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. Let the Fire Burn is the standout, with a 92% positive response. The Summit is earning 73% positive reviews, which is good, but not great. Then there's Grace Unplugged, which is opening in more than 500 theaters, but with no reviews. That's a horrible combination. Overall, there's nothing that jumps out as a potential limited release hit. More...

Contest: Over and Under the Sea

October 3, 2013

Captain Phillips isn't the only film opening wide next week, but it might as well be. It could open with more than Machete Kills earns in total. Because of this, it is the easy choice for the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Captain Phillips. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy of The Little Mermaid on Blu-ray Combo Pack. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Gravity has the Weight to Win

October 3, 2013

There are two films opening wide this week: Gravity and Runner Runner. However, while the two films share a release date, they are at the opposite ends when it comes to box office potential and critical acclaim. Gravity should have an easy time winning the race for the top of the box office chart, and if its reviews can translate into Awards Season buzz, then it should have very strong legs. On the other hand, many analysts expect Runner Runner to stumble out of the gate and disappear before the end of the month. This weekend last year, Taken 2 opened with just under $50 million, which is too much for Gravity to match. Frankenweenie earned $11 million during its opening weekend, which is a figure Runner Runner should match, but might not. Overall, 2013 looks a lot weaker than 2012 was. More...

Contest: Take a Chance, Again: Winning Announcement

October 3, 2013

The winners of our Take a Chance, Again contest were determined and they are... More...

International Box Office: Rise of Detective Dee

October 3, 2013

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon opened in China with $17.0 million earning first place in that market and on the overall international chart. The original earned a limited release here and was a great movie, so I'm hoping this film will also get a release here. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Nashville: Season One

October 3, 2013

Nashville started last season and for most of the year it was "on the bubble" as far as ratings went. I was always fairly sure the show would be renewed, because it was not only selling ad time for the network, but also selling CD soundtrack. Has it done enough to warrant more people checking out the second season? More...

Home Market Numbers: Home Run on the Home Market

October 3, 2013

Okay, maybe it wasn't a home run on the home market, but new releases for the week of July 21st, 2013 helped the overall Blu-ray market grow from last week and last year. Led by 42, there were 825,000 units sold and $19.11 million in revenue generated, which was 31% higher in terms of units and 41% higher in terms revenue. Year-over-year, there were just 1% more units sold, but 34% higher revenue. This, plus weaker DVD numbers, helped the overall Blu-ray share jump to 32% in terms of units and 42% in terms of revenue. That's better than I was anticipating. More...

Blu-ray Sales: Blu-ray Has New Life

October 3, 2013

The Blu-ray sales chart for the week of July 21st, 2013 had a lot of new releases on top with three of them opening in the top three spots. The best was 42 with 253,000 units / $5.82 million for an opening week Blu-ray share of 34%. That's actually really good for a drama. More...

DVD Sales: 42 is the Answer

October 3, 2013

New releases led the way on the July 21st, 2013 edition of the DVD sales chart with new releases taking the top three spots. First place went to 42 with 489,000 units / $7.33 million. This is a good start and after a better than expected domestic run, it is well on its way to profitability. More...

Per Theater Chart: Shoals Muscles the Competition

October 2, 2013

There were only two films to reach the $10,000 mark on the Per Theater Chart, and they were practically tied. Muscle Shoals led the way with $13,901 in its lone theater, while Atharintiki Daaredi earned an average of $13,393 in 112 theaters. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 1st, 2013

October 1, 2013

This list is a little short and a little late, because WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE INTERNET? The past three days, the internet has been slow as hell. There are a number of interesting releases coming out this week, several of them have screeners that are on their way. Unfortunately, only one screener did arrive on time. Fortunately, it was The Little Mermaid on Blu-ray Combo Pack and it, or the 3D Combo Pack, are worthy of Pick of the Week. More...

Featured Blu-ray Review: The Little Mermaid

October 1, 2013

The Little Mermaid is the film that revitalized Disney animation. At the time it came out, Disney hadn't had a major animated hit since The Jungle Book. (Granted, I liked many of the films that came out between 1967 and 1989, like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but none of them were major hits.) However, the film came out 25 years ago when Disney, and animation in general, was at a low point. Has it aged well when compared to older classics that have already come out on Blu-ray? How does it compare to animated films of today? And how does it look on Blu-ray? More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Partially Cloudy

October 1, 2013

It wasn't a great weekend at the box office, as four of the five films in the top five missed expectations. On the other hand, no film in the top five really bombed, so it wasn't a bad weekend either. It was solidly mediocre. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 opened in top spot with just over $34 million. This was better than its predecessor opened with, but below the lofty expectations. Overall, the box office pulled in $109 million over the weekend, which was 26% higher than last weekend. On the other hand, it was 9% lower than the same weekend last year. Year-to-date, 2013 still has a lead over 2012, but it has shrunk a little bit over the past two weeks. After this weekend, the lead was down to 1.2%, or $7.90 billion to $7.81 billion. It's not reason to panic, yet, but an extended losing streak late in the year is harder to recover from than one that happens in spring. More...

2013 Preview: October

October 1, 2013

October is an awkward month. It sits between the dumping ground that is September and November, the unofficial start of Awards Season / holiday blockbuster season. For the most part, September was stronger than average for the month and there's reason to be optimistic going forward. After all, box office success tends to feed on itself, as does box office struggles. That said, there are not a lot of sure hits over the coming four weeks. Of the nine or ten films opening wide this month, only Gravity has a better than 50/50 chance at $100 million. Captain Phillips could have a shot at the century mark, but only if it becomes a serious Awards Season player. Its early reviews suggest that could be a possibility. Last October, there were two films to reach the $100 million mark, Taken 2 and Argo. On the other hand, pretty much everything else that opened that month crashed and burned. While this October doesn't have as strong a top end, it will hopefully have much better depth. More...

The Numbers News - October 2013

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