The Numbers News - June 2013

June 30, 2013

As expected, Monsters University will retain the box office crown this weekend with Disney projecting a thoroughly respectable $46.2 million and a decline of 44% from its opening -- good by today's standards, and particularly good for a sequel (albeit one whose target demographic wasn't born when the original came out). The real action this weekend, though, is among the other films in the top five. The Heat will open with a robust $40 million or so, per Fox, which compares favorably to its forebear Bridesmaids' opening of $26.2 million in 2011 (although a fairer comparison might be the $41.6 million debut of The Hangover 3 in May). Three male-oriented action movies fill out the next three spots on the chart, and the competition was too much for White House Down. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: 6 Souls

June 30, 2013

6 Souls was made in 2008, but only started earning a few international releases in 2010 and came out in limited release and Video on Demand domestically earlier this year. This is a bad sign. Was there a reason the film wasn't able to earn a release date? Or is this an undiscovered gem? More...

Limited Releases: Looking for Redemption

June 28, 2013

There are nine films on this week's list, with quite a few having strong reviews or impressive casts. Unfortunately, only one of them, I'm So Excited, has both. It is a return to light comedy by Pedro Almodovar and that could help it become the biggest limited release hit of the week. However, it is a foreign language film, which will limit its potential to expand significantly. More...

Contest: Independent Spirit

June 28, 2013

Next weekend is the Fourth of July long weekend, which is a great time to release a potential monster hit. However, while there are two or three films opening wide (one of them is semi-wide) it seems clear that Despicable Me 2 will be the clear winner. As such, 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 Despicable Me 2. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of 6 Souls on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of 6 Souls on Blu-ray. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! Important Note: While Despicable Me 2 opens on Wednesday, we only care about the Friday through Sunday box office. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will the Weekend Race be a Dead Heat?

June 28, 2013

The final weekend of June has two wide releases that should be in a very close battle at the box office. The Heat and White House Down could finish within $1 million of each other over the weekend. Unfortunately, neither one really has a shot at first place. It looks like Monsters University will have no trouble repeating as champion at the box office. Comparisons to last year are a little complicated. The new releases last year were stronger than the new releases this year; however, this year's holdovers are better. So will 2013 win in the year-over-year comparison? Not sure, but it could be really close. More...

Contest: Burned Out: Winning Announcement

June 27, 2013

The winners of our Burned Out contest were determined and they are... More...

Per Theater Chart: Wide Releases Scare Away the Competition

June 25, 2013

You can tell it's summertime, because the two wide releases topped the per theater chart this weekend. Monsters University earned first place on both the overall chart and the per theater average chart with an average of $20,587. World War Z placed second with $18,412. Unfinished Song earned an average of $12,864 in two theaters. The only holdover in the $10,000 club was 20 Feet from Stardom, which earned an average of $10,744 in six theaters. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Monsters Graduate Magna Cum Laude

June 25, 2013

It was a great week at the box office with both new releases, Monsters University and World War Z, topping predictions. The overall box office rose 18% to $240 million, which was the eighth biggest weekend of all time. The box office was 46% higher than the same weekend last year. Year-to-date, 2013 is still behind 2012, but now by less than 1% at $4.88 billion to $4.93 billion. Maybe by the end of the month, 2013 will have completely caught up to 2012. The new releases will have to be stronger than anticipated, but it isn't out of the question. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for June 25th, 2013

June 24, 2013

It's summer time. Long time readers know what that means for the home market. It's bad news. There are a couple of first-run releases to come out: The Call and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. The former was a solid midlevel hit earning more than $50 million on a $13 million budget. The latter bombed. Neither one is a contender for Pick of the Week. There are a couple limited releases that might rise to that level, but I think the best release is Todd & the Book of Pure Evil: The Complete Second Season on DVD. Unfortunately, the screener arrived late so I haven't had a chance to review it, and I hate handing out that honor when till after I give the screener a full review. Fortunately, there is a screener that arrived late that is worth that honor: My Neighbor Totoro on Blu-ray. More...

Final Weekend Numbers

June 24, 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...

Featured Blu-ray Review: Lilo and Stitch Double-Shot

June 24, 2013

A couple of weeks ago, Disney released three of their more recent animated films on Blu-ray for the first time, each of which included the direct-to-DVD sequel. This included The Emperor's New Groove Double-Shot and Atlantis: The Lost Empire Double-Shot. I was only able to get Lilo and Stitch Double-Shot. Are the two films worth checking out? And is the Blu-ray worth the money? More...

Weekend Estimates: Pixar Tops Pitt on Monster Weekend

June 23, 2013

Pixar will record its 14th consecutive number one opening this weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday morning. Monsters University is set to posted about $82 million, according to Disney, which places it comfortably ahead of zombie actioner World War Z on $66 million. That start is a big relief for Paramount, which spent $190 million on the film and could have lost a lot of money if it failed. It will still need good legs and lots of overseas income to record a profit. More...

Home Market Numbers: Dark Skies for the Home Market

June 23, 2013

We are in the heart of summer, which means terrible news on the home market. There were nearly no new releases to make an impact on the Blu-ray sales chart, so it should come as no surprise that the overall Blu-ray sales were weak. In total, there were 779,000 units sold and $18.33 million in revenue generated. This was higher than last week, albeit by miniscule margins of 4% in terms of units and 11% in terms of revenue. It was also higher than the same weekend last year, and by healthier margins of 42% in terms of units and 15% in terms of revenue. DVD sales were a little stronger compared to last week, which resulted in a small decline in the overall Blu-ray share to 28% in terms of units and 37% in terms of revenue. More...

Blu-ray Sales: Last Remains on Top

June 23, 2013

There were very few new releases to chart this week, and only one of them managed a place in the top ten on the Blu-ray sales chart. The Last Stand remained in first place with 73,000 units / $1.82 million for the week and 183,000 units / $3.47 million after two. More...

DVD Sales: Ray of Sunshine for Dark Skies

June 23, 2013

New releases were really weak with only one reaching the top ten on the DVD sales chart. That film was Dark Skies, which opened in first place with 136,000 units / $2.04 million. This is actually a little better than expected, given its box office numbers. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: May 26th, 2013

June 22, 2013

There were a number of new releases to reach the top of the DVD sales chart. They earned the top four spots and seven of the top eight spots. On the downside, it was absolutely a case of quantity over quality. Parker earned first place on the DVD chart, but with just 170,000 units / $2.62 million. It only managed second place on Blu-ray with 72,000 units / $1.50 million for an opening week Blu-ray share of just under 30%, which is bad for an action film. Speaking of action films, The Last Stand opened in second place on DVD with 154,000 units / $2.17 million, but earned first place on Blu-ray with 110,000 units / $1.64 million. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 42%, which is more in line with the average for that genre. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: May 19th, 2013

June 22, 2013

It was a bad week for new releases. Granted, one of them earned top spot and there were three in the top five of the DVD sales chart, but it was a matter of terrible competition. Cloud Atlas led the way with 195,000 units / $2.92 million on DVD and 141,000 units / $3.30 million on Blu-ray. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 42%, which is better than most films. However, at this point having a good Blu-ray share is way too little, far too late. The film cost over $100 million to make, and total sales of 336,000 units / $5.04 million on DVD and 214,000 units / $5.12 million after three weeks of release is not nearly enough. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: May 12th, 2013

June 22, 2013

There was a one-two punch when it came to new releases with Safe Haven topping the DVD chart, while Jack Reacher reached top spot on Blu-ray. Safe Haven sold 558,000 units / $9.54 million on DVD and 227,000 units / $5.22 million on Blu-ray. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 29%, which is better than expected, given its target demographic. In total, the film has sold 941,000 units / $16.09 million on DVD, while its Blu-ray running tallies are 373,000 units / $8.53 million. Jack Reacher opened in second place on the DVD chart with 320,000 units / $5.46 million, but earned first place on Blu-ray with 248,000 units / $5.01 million. An opening week Blu-ray share of 44% is good, but not great. After four weeks of release, the film has sold 539,000 units / $9.26 million on DVD and 383,000 units / $7.95 million on Blu-ray. I think the studio was expecting more. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: May 5th, 2013

June 22, 2013

New releases for this week were a little bit stronger than last week earning the top three spots on the DVD sales chart and three of the top four spots on the Blu-ray sales chart. Unfortunately, those three releases were the only new releases to chart. Additionally, while they finished higher than last week's new releases, they didn't sell that much more. The Silver Linings Playbook opened in first place with 379,000 units / $6.36 million on DVD and on Blu-ray with 210,000 units / $4.82 million. This is weaker than I was hoping for. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 36%, which is great for a dramedy. Since then, the film has sold 727,000 units / $12.04 million on DVD and 375,000 units / $8.57 million on Blu-ray. The film made more than $100 million domestically and earned an Oscar, so I was hoping for much more. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: April 28th, 2013

June 22, 2013

There were a quartet of new releases this week, but it was a matter of quantity over quality and Django Unchained remained on top of the DVD and Blu-ray carts. The Gangster Squad settled for second place with 314,000 units / $5.04 million on DVD and 149,000 units / $3.52 million It's opening week Blu-ray share was 32%, which is solid for a drama, but nothing too impressive. Its running totals are 532,000 units / $8.31 million on DVD and 236,000 units / $5.69 million on Blu-ray. More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update: April 21st, 2013

June 22, 2013

New releases were led by Django Unchained on both DVD and Blu-ray. It sold 590,000 units and generated $10.19 million on DVD and 667,000 units / $15.47 million on Blu-ray. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 53%, which is very strong. Since then, the film has sold a total of 1.27 million units and $23.42 million on DVD and 1.08 million units / $25.23 million on Blu-ray. On the other hand, it was the only new release in the top five, or even the top ten.

More...

Home Market Numbers: Massive Update

June 22, 2013

As we reported a little while ago, we reworked our formula for calculating the home market numbers. Our overall accuracy was more than 90%, but there were a few genres that were not as easy to gauge, so we decided to change up the formula a little bit. The reworking is now done and we've completely caught up on the old numbers, so this week we will have a brief recap of the major releases from the past few weeks and the overall weekly figures. There's a lot of weeks to get caught up with, so this is just the index. More...

Limited Release: Ready to Attack

June 21, 2013

There is a relatively short list of limited releases this week, but there are a few that are worth keeping an eye on. A Hijacking and The Attack. Both films are earning stunning reviews, but both are foreign language films, so that will hurt their chances to expand significantly, but maybe they will have strong starts in limited release. More...

Contest: Hot Pursuit

June 21, 2013

There are two films opening wide next weekend and they could be in a really tight race for top spot. I think The Heat will beat out White House Down, but I'm not overly confident in that prediction. Even so, 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 The Heat. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of Phantom on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of Phantom on Blu-ray. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Monsters School Zombies?

June 20, 2013

There are two potential monster hits opening this weekend: Monsters University and World War Z. Not only should both of those films score with moviegoers, but Man of Steel's sophomore stint should be strong as well resulting in a powerful weekend box office. This weekend last year was led by Brave with $66.32 million, a figure Monsters University should top. Meanwhile this year has a lot more depth at the box office than last year did, so 2013 should earn a victory in the year-over-year comparison. This is great news, because 2013 is still far behind 2012. More...

Contest: Like Father Like Son: Winning Announcement

June 20, 2013

The winners of our Like Father Like Son contest were determined and they are... More...

Per Theater Chart: Bling Ring Steals Top Spot

June 20, 2013

The Bling Ring's reviews didn't hurt its opening as it scored an average of $42,597 in five theaters. Given this start, reaching at least one major milestone seems likely, even with its reviews. Man of Steel took second place on the per theater chart with an average of $27,720. 20 Feet from Stardom earned an average of $18,199 in three theaters. This is a great start for a documentary. More...

Featured Blu-ray Review: Hayao Miyazaki Double-Shot

June 19, 2013

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the best animators working today, if not they best. He's created a number of masterpieces and even his weaker efforts are worth watching again and again. Recently two of his films were released on Blu-ray, Howl's Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro. The screeners arrived a little late, but I finally got to the reviews this week. Where do they fit in Hayao Miyazaki's filmography? And are they worth picking up? More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for June 18th, 2013

June 18, 2013

It's another typical summer week on the home market. That is to say, it's a bad week on the home market. There are several first-run releases, the biggest of which was Jack the Giant Killer, which bombed at the box office. There are some limited releases that help the overall quality, but it is still a bad week. As far as Pick of the Week candidates go, Quartet on DVD or Blu-ray is the best choice. One could argue it is the only choice, but there are three Criterion Collection releases that are worth checking out, as well as some horror films, both old and new, that should please genre fans. On a side note, there are six Disney Channel releases on this week's list. That's a little strange. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Superman is Truly Super

June 17, 2013

It was a very good week at the box office with Man of Steel breaking the record for biggest June weekend topping Toy Story 3 by more than $6 million. Nearly every film in the top five matched or beat expectations, which helped the overall box office reach $204 million. This was 37% higher than last weekend and 57% higher than the same weekend last year. Year-to-date, 2013 is still behind 2012, but is has closed the gap to $150 million, or 3.1%, at $4.56 billion to $4.71 billion. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Movie 43

June 17, 2013

Movie 43 earned some of the worst reviews of the year so far, with many critics calling it the worst movie they've ever seen. When I got the chance to review the movie, I jumped at it. I had to know if it was really as bad as its reviews. It couldn't possible be, right? More...

Final Weekend Numbers

June 17, 2013

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

Featured TV on DVD Review: Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - Good Croc, Bad Croc

June 16, 2013

Kung Fu Panda debuted in theaters in 2008. It earned great reviews and became a massive hit earning more than $600 million worldwide. Kung Fu Panda 2 earned reviews that were almost as strong, while its worldwide box office was bigger. Given its success, it makes complete sense that the movie was turned into a TV show. Does it work on the small screen? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Slugterra: Slugs Unleashed

June 16, 2013

Slugterra is one of three shows with nearly identical setups that I've reviewed recently. The setup is extremely close to that of KaiJudo and Monsuno, so much so that it is hard to think it was by accident. I described the setup in the previous review, so there's no need to go over it again and we can jump right into the episodes. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: A Good Day to Die Hard

June 16, 2013

The Die Hard franchise has been around for 25 years. The first Die Hard film cost less than $30 million to make, but earned $80 million. This is $150 million, if you take into inflation. The most recent installment was Live Free or Die Hard, which didn't quite live up to expectations. A lot of people thought that perhaps the franchise was running out of steam, or perhaps it was just a product of its times and it was no longer relevant today. Was A Good Day to Die Hard able to revitalize the franchise? Or is there something seriously wrong here? More...

Weekend Estimates: Man of Steel Posts Biggest June Weekend

June 16, 2013

2013 has been a nervous time for Warner Bros.. After six straight years as the number one or number two domestic distributor, the studio's main franchise breadwinners, Batman, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and The Hangover are all coming to an end or already played out. They are running in third place for the year to date, and badly need a new money spinner if they are to avoid lean times in 2015 and beyond. This weekend they got their knight in shining armor, or, more accurately, Man of Steel. The reboot of the venerable Superman franchise will open this weekend with $113.08 million, a new record weekend in June and a huge shot in the arm for the studio. More...

Limited Releases: Put a (Bling) Ring On It

June 14, 2013

This week's list of limited releases is dominated by horror films and documentaries, which is not a good sign, as neither genre tends to do well at the box office. Documentaries tend to have a better shot at thriving in the art house circuit, but rarely expand wide enough to earn any of mainstream success. On the other hand, one film is opening that has a lot of buzz: The Bling Ring. Given its pedigree, it should open well. But given its reviews, it likely won't last very long. More...

Contest: Burned Out

June 13, 2013

June continues next weekend with two potential blockbuster releases: Monsters University and World War Z. Both are earning strong reviews and both will have strong marketing behind them. It seems likely that Monsters University will open faster and is the better choice for 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 Monsters University. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of Burn Notice: Season Six on DVD, as well as $30 of merchandize from 5 Second Films. (That will be two T-shirts of your choice, or a T-shirt and a shot glass pack, or a poster and two shot glasses, or a hoodie, etc.) Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of Burn Notice: Season Six on DVD. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! In the meantime, check out the 5 Second Films Kickstarter. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Latest Superman Flick Live Up to Its Name?

June 13, 2013

This week one of the biggest movies of the summer is coming out. Man of Steel is the latest film in the longest running super hero franchises of all time. Granted, Superman hasn't always been overly popular with moviegoers or critics, but it should still sell lots of tickets. This is the End is the counter-programming for the week, and it has a lot of popular actors and the reviews are strong, but it opened on Wednesday, so its weekend numbers will be softer as a result. Last year the box office was led by Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Prometheus, both of which were in their second weekend of release. The new releases were Rock of Ages and That's My Boy, both of which bombed. I foresee a victory in the year-over-year comparison. More...

Contest: Binge and Purge: Winning Announcement

June 12, 2013

The winner of our Binge and Purge contest was determined and it is... More...

Per Theater Chart: Much Success for Nothing

June 12, 2013

Much Ado About Nothing lived up to the hype earning first place on the per theater chart with an average of $34,388 in five theaters. This is enough to suggest significant expansion, but I think it is too "art house" to expand even semi-wide. Dirty Wars opened in second place with an average of $15,876 in four theaters. This is an excellent start for a documentary. The overall box office leader, The Purge, earned third place with an average of $13,430. The final film in the $10,000 club was Before Midnight with an average of $10,123 in 52 theaters during its third weekend of release. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for June 11th, 2013

June 12, 2013

Another typical summer week on the home market. There are a few first-run releases, but nothing that is a blockbuster. There are more TV on DVD releases, including a couple that were contenders for Pick of the Week. This includes Burn Notice: Season Six, but the screener is late, so I'm holding off. Enter the Dragon gets an Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and it is a contender. However, in the end I went with The Newsroom: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray Combo Pack. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: The Newsroom: The Complete First Season

June 11, 2013

The Newsroom was one of three new shows to debut on HBO last year, and the only drama. It was created by Aaron Sorkin, who has won countless awards including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, numerous Prime Time Emmys, WGAs, PGAs, etc. Needless to say, it had high expectations associated with it. Can it live up to those expectations? Will it appeal to fans of Aaron Sorkin? Will it only appeal to fans of Aaron Sorkin? More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Purge Powers to the Top

June 10, 2013

We have a good news / bad news situation. The good news is The Purge crushed expectations and dominated the box office over the weekend. Additionally, nearly every film in the top ten held on better than expected. The bad new is... it still wasn't enough. The overall box office fell 9% from last weekend to $149 million. Worse still, this was 18% lower than the same weekend last year. This is terrible, but fortunately things should turn around next weekend. More...

Featured 3D Blu-ray / DVD Review: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

June 10, 2013

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters was a high concept action film that came out in January. That suggests it was a good idea on paper, but the execution was weak. On the other hand, it did become a surprise hit earning more than $200 million worldwide. Did the studio underestimate what they had? Or did the film thrive merely by being better than the January competition? More...

Final Weekend Numbers

June 10, 2013

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

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Snitch

June 9, 2013

Snitch opened in late February, which is not a great time of year to release a major hit. It is not a complete dumping ground like January or September, but most films released during this month will be lucky just to become a midlevel hit. Snitch topped admittedly low expectations becoming a middling hit. A final box office of $43 million isn't bad for that time of year. Does this also describe its quality. Is it not bad, for a February release? Or is it better than its box office numbers would indicate? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Perry Mason: Season Nine, Volume One

June 9, 2013

This week the first volume of the final season of Perry Mason comes out on DVD, while the second volume comes out in August. The last couple of seasons have not been as strong as the earlier seasons. Does that trend continue? If so, is it time to stop purchasing Perry Mason? Or is mediocre Perry Mason still better than most of what's on TV? More...

Weekend Estimates: Purge Surges to Number One

June 9, 2013

Coming into this weekend, Universal was already celebrating above-expectations performances this year for their releases Fast and Furious 6, Identity Thief and Mama, but those three successes have been eclipsed by a big surprise in the opening weekend for The Purge. The home invasion movie, made for just $3 million, will top the chart this weekend with an estimated $36.4 million, blowing past all expectations, and putting it on par with big budget movies like Oblivion. Doing so from a modest 2,536 theaters (and with a correspondingly low marketing budget) makes the victory even sweeter for the studio, which now boasts a 15% market share for the year. If it keeps going at this pace, Universal will have its best year since we started keeping records in 1995. More...

Limited Release: Much Ado About Limited Releases

June 7, 2013

There are not a ton of new releases this week, but there are a few earning good reviews, and even a couple that are earning excellent reviews. Hopefully several will do well enough at the box office to thrive, but the only one I'm really bullish about is Much Ado About Nothing. It has excellent reviews, lots of buzz, and plenty of name recognition on both sides of the camera. More...

Contest: Like Father Like Son

June 7, 2013

Next weekend is Father's Day and as such we have a Father's Day related prizes: Really ugly ties! No, it's A Good Day to Die Hard, which is a father and son action film. But first we have to come up with a target film. Fortunately there's a really easy choice there. This is the End is the counter-programming and will be playing in less than 3,000 theaters, while Man of Steel is debuting in more than 4,000 theaters. As I said, it's an easy choice to make. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Man of Steel. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of A Good Day to Die Hard on Blu-ray Combo Pack. Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of A Good Day to Die Hard 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 New Releases Purge Fast and Furious from the Top

June 6, 2013

The first weekend in June is also the slowest weekend in June as far as wide releases go. Neither The Internship nor The Purge are likely to become more than midlevel hits. Even so, one of them should finish in first place, ending Fast and Furious 6's two-week run on top. Last year there were two major releases, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Prometheus earned more than $50 million during their opening weekend. Neither new release will match that figure. They won't make that much combined over the weekend. More...

Contest: Scarred for Life: Winning Announcement

June 5, 2013

The winners of our Scarred for Life contest were determined and they are... More...

Per Theater Chart: Hannah Finished North of East

June 5, 2013

Hannah Arendt earned first place on the per theater chart with $31,270 in one theater. That was well ahead of the second-place film, The East, which earned an average of $19,258 in four theaters. The Kings of Summer also opened in four theaters and it earned a per theater average of $14,741. Before Midnight expanded into 31 theaters earning an average of $13,042. It should still expand further and it will have no problem getting to a major milestone or two... or more likely three or four major milestones. Now You See Me earned a surprise second place on the overall chart, while it just managed to reach the $10,000 club on the per theater chart with $10,002. If it were playing in just one additional theater and earned the same overall box office, it would have missed the $10,000 mark. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for June 4th, 2013

June 4, 2013

It's a typical summer week on the home market with a good mix of first run releases and some summer TV shows coming out on DVD and Blu-ray. There are certainly some releases that are worth picking up, but nothing that will set sell records. Overall, it is solid, but unspectacular. There were a few contenders for Pick of the Week. Breaking Bad: Season Five on DVD or Blu-ray, but it is a split-season release and I'm not happy with the price-per-minute. By comparons, The Newsroom: Season One, which comes out next week, is nearly twice as long but only 25% more money. Brooklyn Castle is another contender; however, while its DVD is certainly worth picking up, I'm not sure it will have wide enough appeal. In the end, I went with Warm Bodies. It may seem like a strange choice, but it is still one of the best wide releases of the year and the DVD and the Blu-ray are loaded with extras. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Post-Holiday Slump Sinks Box Office

June 4, 2013

As per usual, the post-holiday weekend suffers a slump, but it was worse than expected with nearly every film failing to live up to predictions. Fast and Furious 6 fell very far, but it still came out on top. Meanwhile, Now You See Me topped expectations and topped After Earth over the weekend. Now You See Me was the one lone bright spot on an otherwise soft weekend, and the overall box office fell 35% to $164 million. On the other hand, this was still 15% higher than the same weekend last year. 2013 was able to pull out the win thanks to a much deeper box office. Six films earned more than $10 million this weekend compared to just three earning more than $10 million last year. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Warm Bodies

June 3, 2013

Warm Bodies was released in theaters in early February, which is a bad time of the year to release a film. Additionally, the early buzz was bad. A lot of people saw the basic premise (romance between a zombie boy and a living girl) and thought it was just another Twilight rip-off. The first trailer showed it was something different, but sometimes first impressions are lasting impressions. Fortunately it was able to top expectations and became a surprise midlevel hit. Will it continue to perform well on the home market? And did the studio thank those who made it a hit in theaters by releasing a fully loaded DVD / Blu-ray? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Bubble Guppies: Sunny Days!

June 3, 2013

Bubble Guppies is a animated sketch comedy show for preschoolers that focuses on a school of merfolk. Each episode has a subject, but no real plot. There are a number of short skits, including several recurring bits. What episodes are including on this DVD? And is there enough value here to be worth picking up? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Dora the Explorer: Dora Rocks

June 2, 2013

Dora Rocks is the latest Dora the Explorer DVD to hit the home market. What episodes does it have? And is it worth picking up? More...

2013 Preview: June

June 2, 2013

May ended on a mixed note, but there was still enough to celebrate. Of the seven films I thought had a legitimate shot at $100 million, four have already gotten there, one more is a sure thing, and another has a good shot as well. Only one, After Earth, will definitely fail to get to that milestone. (Although Now You See Me might get there instead.) Looking forward to June, there are four weekends, each with two wide releases, for a total of eight films. Of those eight, six have a legitimate shot at $100 million. One, Monsters University, should have no trouble getting to $200 million, and another, Man of Steel, should top $300 million. It is hard to compare this June with last June, because last June there were five weekends. Taking that into account and ignoring the first week, which lines up with the final week of May, there were eight wide releases. Of those eight, five hit $100 million, including three $200 million movies. There were no $300 million movies, so if the two big hits this month do as well as expected, 2013 could come out ahead. More...

Technical Delay: BSOD

June 1, 2013

There will be a slight delay in the Monthly preview. While saving the June preview, I suffered a BSOD and when the computer rebooted, the file was corrupted and unreadable. So I have to start from scratch. If I'm lucky, I'll be done by Sunday night. More...

The Numbers News - June 2013

Quick Links