The Numbers News - July 2013

July 29, 2013

The Wolverine did not live up to expectations, but it still dominated the weekend box office chart, earning more than double the second place film, The Conjuring. Overall, the box office fell nearly 12% when compared to last weekend hitting $172 million. This is still 28% higher than the same weekend last year, which is a great result. In total, 2013 has pulled in $6.40 billion, which is just under $20 million or 0.3% below last year's pace. This is fantastic; however, had The Wolverine performed as well as some were expecting, 2013 would have pulled into the lead over the weekend. More...

Home Market Numbers: Oz Revives Blu-ray

July 29, 2013

There were a handful of new releases to reach the top 20 on the Blu-ray sales chart this week, led by Oz the Great and Powerful, and this helped the overall Blu-ray market recover from last week. Sales were up 52% in terms of units and 46% in terms of revenue, reaching 1.58 million units / $34.71 million. Compared to last year, things were more mixed. 8% more units were sold, but 4% less revenue was generated. That's not great, but it is good enough to call it a victory. The overall Blu-ray share remained solid at 44% in terms of units and 52% in terms of revenue. More...

Blu-ray Sales: New Releases More Powerful in High Definition

July 29, 2013

There were a lot of new releases on the Blu-ray sales chart this week. This includes Oz the Great and Powerful, which led the way with 472,000 units / $13.21 million during its first week of release. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 46%, which is a good start for a visually impressive adventure film. More...

DVD Sales: Oz has a Relatively Powerful Start

July 29, 2013

New releases earned the top three spots on the DVD sales chart, but there was only one other to earn a spot in the top 30. Oz the Great and Powerful earned first place with 549,000 units / $9.97 million, which is a good result, given the time of year. More...

Final Weekend Numbers

July 29, 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 July 30th, 2013

July 29, 2013

It's a good thing I didn't get Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Four on Blu-ray reviewed last week. I was tempted, because there were so few new releases worth considering for Pick of the Week; however, there are even fewer contenders for Pick of the Week this week. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Four and Redemption are worth picking up, but the former is better value and it is the Pick of the Week. The only other real contender is Cloudburst on DVD, which is the winner of this week's Puck of the Week, for best new Canadian release. Samurai Pizza Cats: The Complete Series is also worth picking up, but I would wait till the price drops. More...

Weekend Estimates: Wolverine Growls, Doesn't Howl at Top of Chart

July 28, 2013

The Wolverine will have a very solid, but far from spectacular debut this weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. Its $55 million total will give it the tenth-biggest weekend of the year, and the best for Fox, but it is falling well behind comparable films like World War Z (which opened with $66 million) and Star Trek Into Darkness ($70 million). Good reviews and lessened competition as the Summer season comes to a close will help it a bit, but it looks like $100 million and out for the franchise, unless its $86.1 million international debut turns into a $400 million global run. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Redemption

July 28, 2013

Like with The Best of Both Worlds, there is a special Blu-ray release for the season four finale / season five premiere, Redemption. Very few people would argue it is as good as The Best of Both Worlds was, but is it good enough to be worth checking out? And is there enough value on this Blu-ray to be worth picking up? More...

Limited Releases: Going to War

July 26, 2013

There are a huge number of limited releases this week, but the vast majority of them are not earning strong enough reviews to suggest they will thrive in limited release. There are some, like Extracted, that are earning positive reviews, but there are so few reviews, that it is impossible to judge the movie. Drug War is earning the best reviews and it might find an audience. However, it is Blue Jasmine that has the best shot at earning some measure of mainstream success. More...

Contest: Party All Night

July 26, 2013

Next week there are two wide releases, The Smurfs 2 and 2 Guns. I'm not sure which one will be the bigger hit. I'm not sure either will be a hit. However, since The Smurfs 2 is opening on Wednesday, I'm going with 2 Guns as 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 2 Guns. 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 House Party: Tonight's The Night on DVD. 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 House Party: Tonight's The Night on DVD. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Wolverine to Slice Through the Competition

July 25, 2013

It's the final weekend of July and there is only one wide release to deal with, The Wolverine. It should be the easy winner of the weekend, it might pull in enough to become the biggest opening weekend of the month. This isn't likely, but there is a slim chance. There is one other film that might make an appearance in the top ten, The To Do List. Again, it doesn't have a strong chance, but it could happen. The holdovers should be far behind The Wolverine, as only The Conjuring has a shot at $20 million. This weekend last year, both new releases bombed, which is good news for 2013 in the year-over-year comparison. Granted, The Dark Knight Rises took in $62.10 million, which is something The Wolverine should have no trouble topping, while the holdovers should provide more depth. More...

Contest: Too Many Twos: Winning Announcement

July 25, 2013

The winners of our Too Many Twos contest were determined and they are... More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Four

July 24, 2013

Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the most successful syndicated shows of all time. It ran for seven seasons and was seen by millions every week. I've had a chance to review all three previous seasons. Season one was mostly mediocre, while season two had better highs, but worse lows. It was season three where the show reached its full potential. Is season four just as good? Is it even better? Or does it slip a little in quality? More...

Per Theater Chart: Getting in the Act

July 23, 2013

The Act of Killing had the best result on the per theater chart earning $27,450 in its lone theater. Fruitvale Station saw its theater count rise from 7 to 34, but its per theater average remained strong at $21,750. It has already cracked its first major milestone, and with room to expand, it will reach more. Blackfish debuted in five theaters with a per theater average of $15,192. That's very strong for a documentary. The overall box office leader, The Conjuring, was right behind with an average of $14,418. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 23rd, 2013

July 23, 2013

This week's new releases are so bad that I'm tempted to hold on to this story till I finish the review for Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Four on Blu-ray, just so I would have a real contender for Pick of the Week. According to Amazon.com, the best-selling new release of the week is an Anime title. Most weeks, Anime titles are filler, because of their are niche appeal. There are a few foreign releases and limited releases worth checking out, but there are not many contenders for Pick of the Week. The two best are Ginger & Rosa on DVD and Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXVII on DVD. I'm going with the former for Pick of the Week. Meanwhile, Starbuck's DVD earns Puck of the Week. See it before Hollywood ruins it with a bad remake. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Conjuring Calls Forth a Winning Weekend

July 22, 2013

The weekend box office was mixed with two of the four wide releases matching predictions, Turbo and R.I.P.D.. There was one movie failing to reach expectations, Red 2. And finally there was one more beating nearly all predictions, The Conjuring. Fortunately, The Conjuring did so well that it made up for the weak films and helped the overall box grow to $195 million. Granted, that was within a rounding error of last weekend, but any growth is good news. There is also some bad news, as this was 16% lower than the same weekend last year, but since that was the weekend The Dark Knight Rises opened, this is actually better than expected. Year-to-date, 2013 has pulled in $6.12 billion. This is still lower than last year's pace ($6.16 billion), but it is close enough that it would only take one surprise weekend result to catch up. Earlier in the year, I thought 2013 was a lost cause. Now I'm much more optimistic. More...

Featured DVD Review: Robotech: 2-Movie Collection

July 22, 2013

I previously reviewed the Robotech box set and I loved it. Since that show ended, there have been a number of movies released that were set in the same universe. This week, two of these movies, The Shadow Chronicles / Love Live Alive, are coming out on a two-disc DVD. The Shadow Chronicles has been released before, but this is the collector's edition. Meanwhile, this is the first time Love Live Alive is coming out on DVD. Are the two movies worth checking out for fans of the series? Are they a good introduction for neophytes? More...

Final Weekend Numbers

July 22, 2013

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

Featured TV on DVD Review: Femme Fatales: The Complete Second Season

July 21, 2013

I recently reviewed the first season of Femme Fatales and while it had its limitations, there were several great episodes. Can the second season improve upon the first? Will we get more episodes that focus on story? More...

Weekend Estimates: Conjuring Humbles R.I.P.D.

July 21, 2013

This is a Summer packed with big-budget proto-franchise films, which makes it a risky season for the studios. Predictably enough, we've had some success stories among them, like Man of Steel and World War Z, and some disasters (with The Lone Ranger and Pacific Rim standing out). Overall, the batting average for these films is running around 50%, which makes it a particularly dicey proposition to have two of them opening in the same weekend. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Spring Breakers

July 20, 2013

Spring Breakers is one of the more unusual films to come out this week. The original buzz was pretty weak, with a lot of people dismissing it as "Disney Girls Gone Wild". When it was finally released, the critical response was divided. There were many critics who liked the movie, more so than those who disliked the movie, but there were also some who called it one of the worst movies ever. Its limited release was more lucrative than expected and the film currently has the best per theater average for 2013. So which side of the argument do I fall under? And is the DVD or the Blu-ray worth picking up? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex

July 20, 2013

The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex is the first review in our Selena Gomez double-shot. The second film is Spring Breakers. There's not a lot of crossover appeal between those two films. The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex is a TV movie from The Wizards of Waverly Place and it earned excellent ratings when it first aired. But is it as good as its ratings? Or did it unduly benefit from the long-running show? More...

Limited Releases Grab Your Attention

July 19, 2013

Every week we try and find a limited release with potential to expand significantly. This week there are two such films that appeared to be contenders: Girl Most Likely and Only God Forgives. Then the reviews came in and the chances of limited release success became a lot more limited. There are a few films earning stunning reviews: The Act of Killing, Blackfish, and Ways to Live Forever. I'm not sure any will expand significantly. Grabbers' reviews are not quite as strong, but it is the film I'm looking forward to seeing the most. More...

Contest: Ride On

July 18, 2013

Next week there is only one major release coming out: The Wolverine. (The To Do List is also coming out, but it not opening wide, or even semi-wide.) With only one wide release, it is really easy to choose 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 Wolverine. 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 Dragons: Riders of Berk, both Part 1 and Part 2. Normally when we have two prizes, we split them up, but this makes more sense to go as a double-pack. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Turbo Gets Off to a Head Start on Weekend Competition

July 18, 2013

There are four new releases coming out this week, but there is a wide range of predictions for some of these films. Turbo opened on Wednesday to mostly good reviews and some think it will earn first place over the weekend. Red 2's early reviews are weaker than anticipated, but it still has an impressive cast and could come out on top. The Conjuring is earning some of the best reviews of any wide release opening this summer. It is a horror film and those rarely open in first place in the summer, but the buzz is growing and it could be a surprise hit. Then there's R.I.P.D., which has bad buzz and no reviews. It will likely not make the top five. This weekend last year was the weekend The Dark Knight Rises opened and there's no chance 2013 will come out on top on the year-over-year comparison. In fact, the total box office this year might be lower than The Dark Knight Rises opening alone. More...

Contest: Be Pacific: Winning Announcement

July 16, 2013

The winners of our Be Pacific contest were determined and they are... More...

Per Theater Chart: Fruits of Their Labor

July 16, 2013

Fruitvale Station earned top spot on the per theater chart with an outstanding average of $53,898 in seven theaters. This is the third best per theater average for the year, behind Spring Breakers and The Place Beyond the Pines. Last week's winner, The Way Way Back, slipped to second place with $14,201 in 79 theaters. Its theater count tripled and this average suggests it will expand a lot more before it is done. Crystal Fairy was right behind with an average of $12,526 in two theaters. There were three wide releases in the $10,000 club, led by Grown Ups 2 with an average of $11,890, while Pacific Rim was right behind with an average of $11,385. The overall box office leader, Despicable Me 2, rounded out the $10,000 club with an average of $10,965. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: New Releases Treated Despicably

July 15, 2013

There were two strong new releases this week, but Despicable Me 2 remained on top, even though it fell a little faster than expected. Grown Ups 2 was further evidence that bad reviews actually help Adam Sandler movies. Finally, Pacific Rim struggled, at least compared to its massive production budget. Overall, the total box office was $194 million, which is 15% lower than last weekend. However, last weekend was a holiday weekend, so this is a good hold. Compared to last year, the overall box office was 17% higher, which is a great result. Year-to-date, 2013 is still behind 2012, but by less than 1% at $5.81 billion to $5.86 billion. Unfortunately, next weekend 2013 will have to go against The Dark Knight Rises, so 2013 will likely lose a lot of ground. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 16th, 2013

July 14, 2013

It's not a bad week on the home market with a couple first-run releases that are worth picking up. 42 earned great reviews, but the DVD and the Blu-ray Combo Pack don't have enough extras to lift to to the Pick of the Week contender. Evil Dead does have a lot better extras on the DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack, but the reviews were only good and not great. This leaves Regular Show: Season 1 & Season 2 on DVD or Blu-ray as the Pick of the Week. If you like Adventure Time or Gravity Falls, then you will likely enjoy this show as well. One final note, Orphan Black: Season One on DVD or Blu-ray is absolutely worth picking up and is worthy of Puck of the Week, for best Canadian released. More...

Weekend Estimates: Despicable Me Too Much for Newcomers

July 14, 2013

A three-way battle for box office supremacy this weekend will be won by the reigning champ, Despicable Me 2, dealing a major blow to Warner Bros. potential franchise starter Pacific Rim, which will end up in 3rd place. The action movie is set to post around $38.3 million, in spite of generally good reviews and an A- CinemaScore, and will land behind Grown Ups 2, which has been panned by critics but will still gather $42.5 million. Despicable Me 2 takes the prize though, with a drop of around 46% to $44.75 million for the weekend and $229 million to date. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Matlock: Season Nine

July 12, 2013

Matlock ends its run on the home market this week with Season Nine. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I consider seasons four through seven to be the peak for this show's nine-year run. The last two seasons I reviewed showed signs of decline, but can the final season turn things around? If not, does it slip so far as to not be worth picking up? More...

Limited Releases come with Terms and Conditions

July 12, 2013

There are nine films on this week's list, including four that are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. It is unlikely that all of them will find success, as the competition is high. Both Terms and Conditions May Apply and The Hunt should do well, but will have trouble expanding. On the other hand, I don't think strong reviews will translate into ticket sales for Crystal Fairy. This leaves Fruitvale Station as the best bet. Then again, predicting limited release success is even harder than predicting box office numbers for wide releases. More...

Contest: Too Many Twos

July 12, 2013

Next week is a busy week with four films coming out: Turbo, The Conjuring, Red 2, and R.I.P.D. All four films should make $20 million over the weekend, more or less, (less in the case of R.I.P.D.). This makes it really hard to choose the target film. R.I.P.D. is the least likely to be a hit, so it is eliminated. Turbo is the most likely, but it opens on Wednesday, so it is eliminated. I really want The Conjuring to be a hit, because there are several actors in the movie that I like. (Lili Taylor doesn't get enough work in my opinion.) However, I think Red 2 will have the biggest opening of the weekend. 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 Red 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 Femme Fatales: The Complete Second Season on DVD. 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 Femme Fatales: The Complete Second Season on DVD. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Pacific Rim Tower over Competition or Will Grown Ups Rise Up?

July 11, 2013

There are two wide releases coming out this week, Grown Ups 2 and Pacific Rim, and depending on who you talk to, either one has shot at first place. However, most agree that Despicable Me 2 will repeat as the box office champ. There is a chance all three films could top $40 million at the box office, which would be great news in the year-over-year comparison. This weekend last year, Ice Age: Continental Drift opened with $46.63 million. That's a fine start, but I think Despicable Me 2 will top that during its sophomore stint and give 2013 a clear victory over 2012. More...

Contest: Independent Spirit: Winning Announcement

July 11, 2013

The winners of our Independent Spirit contest were determined and they are... More...

Per Theater Chart: Way Way is Strong Strong

July 9, 2013

The Way Way Back earned top spot on the per theater chart with an average of $29,094 in nineteen theaters. This suggests a lot of room to expand, while it should reach its first milestone shortly. The overall box office leader, Despicable Me 2 was next with an average of $20,895. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain was a surprise entrant in the $10,000 club with an average of $11,450 in nearly 900 theaters. The final film in the $10,000 club was Museum Hours with an average of $10,427 in three theaters. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Despicable Lonely At the Top

July 9, 2013

The July 4th long weekend resulted in a delay for some of the final box office numbers, but now that we have them, it was worth the wait. Despicable Me 2 scored an easy win with The Lone Ranger coming in a very, very distant second place. Fortunately, Despicable Me 2 made enough to compensate and the overall box office numbers were very strong. Over the three-day portion of the holiday weekend, $227 million was brought in. This is 19% higher than last weekend and 16% higher than the same three-day weekend last year. (Because July 4th falls on a different day each week, there's no way to compare the full holiday year-over-year.) Year-to-date, 2013 has earned $5.53 billion, which is 2.1% lower than last year's pace. It would only take a couple of solid wins for 2013 to earn the $118 million needed to catch up to 2012, but with The Dark Knight Rises looming ahead, that seems unlikely for now. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 9th, 2013

July 8, 2013

It is a very busy week on the home market with four wide releases, five if you count Spring Breakers, which expanded semi-wide during its second weekend of release. None of these films were big hits at the box office. In fact, the five of them combined made $122 million. Additionally, only one of them earned good reviews. Fortunately, not only did Spring Breakers earn good reviews, its DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack are loaded, enough to be a contender for Pick of the Week. The other main contender is The Legend of Korra - Book One: Air. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for the screener for both of those releases, and I hate handing out the Pick of the Week when the screener is on its way. Because of that, I'm going with a late review, Wilfred: Season Two on DVD or Blu-ray. More...

Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Visible Scars

July 7, 2013

Visible Scars made its debut last year at the Shockfest Film Festival and earned an award for Best Feature. On the other hand, it was dumped direct-to-DVD here on a bargain DVD / Blu-ray release. That creates some mixed expectations. Is the film an undiscovered gem? Or is it a surprise it won at the Shockfest Film Festival? More...

Featured Blu-ray Review: In Old Arizona

July 6, 2013

In Old Arizona was made in 1928 and earned a number of Oscar nominations, including a win for its lead, Warner Baxter. It is also historically significant for being one of the first talkies, and the first such Western and the first such film with an outdoor sequence. On the other hand, 80 years is a long time and there is certainly a chance the film hasn't aged well. Is it a classic in its own right? Or is it only a classic because of its age? More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Wilfred: Season Two

July 5, 2013

Wilfred is a high concept show, which is both good and bad. On the positive side, it makes the show more interesting than 90% of the shows on TV. On the negative side, a high concept usually means a really short shelf life. These shows tend to run out of things to do with the concept and have to either end early, or live long enough to become just a standard TV show. Are there any signs that the show is suffering from this problem? Or will fans be eager to check out season two, and season three? More...

Limited Releases will have to go Way Back to Look for a Big Hit

July 5, 2013

It's a pretty busy week for limited releases with several films having openings spread out from Wednesday through Friday. However, while it is a busy week, only two of them are earning overall good reviews. Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me is earning the best reviews, but as a documentary, its chances of expanding are limited. On the other hand, The Way Way Back is not only earning great reviews, but its cast is better than most wide releases could hope for. More...

Contest: Be Pacific

July 5, 2013

Pacific Rim opens next week and it could be a huge hit, one of the biggest hits of the summer. Or is could crash and burn. There's a lot of uncertainty here. That does mean it is a great choice for the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. ... Also, I get to use a really horrible pun for the title of the contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Pacific Rim. 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 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - Good Croc, Bad Croc on DVD. 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 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - Good Croc, Bad Croc on DVD. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Team Umizoomi: Animal Heroes

July 4, 2013

The latest Team Umizoomi DVD release is Animal Heroes, which came out a few weeks ago, but the screener arrived a little late. So what episodes are found on the DVD? And is it worth the price? More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Despicable Be Picable?

July 4, 2013

It's July 4th, which means it is the Independence Day long weekend, one of the busiest weekends of the year. There are two wide releases looking to compete with the holdovers for box office dollars, but it is clear that Despicable Me 2 has far more box office potential than The Lone Ranger has. Meanwhile, Kevin Hart: Let-Me-Explain should grab a spot in the top ten. Meanwhile, Monsters University, The Heat, and the rest of the holdovers should help the overall box office climb higher than last year. More...

Contest: Hot Pursuit: Winning Announcement

July 3, 2013

The winners of our Hot Pursuit contest were determined and they are... More...

Home Market Numbers: Identifying the Cause of Death

July 3, 2013

While there were a lot of new releases this week, none of them were monster hits and this hurt the overall market. Sadly, overall Blu-ray sales were better than last week at 1.03 million / $23.85 million. This is 33% higher in terms of units and 30% higher in terms of revenue. On the other hand, compared to last year, this is 20% lower in terms of units and 23% in terms of revenue. DVD sales did much, much worse, leading to an overall Blu-ray share of 46% in terms of units and 53% in terms of revenue. More...

Blu-ray Sales: New Releases Have a Good Day on Blu-ray

July 3, 2013

The top five of the Blu-ray sales chart this week were nearly all new releases, including the first place Blu-ray, A Good Day Die Hard. This film sold 316,000 units and generated $5.86 million for an opening week Blu-ray share of 58%. That's an excellent Blu-ray share, but the film missed expectations pretty much everywhere else. Meanwhile, the Legacy Box Set placed eighth with 17,000 units / $667,000. More...

DVD Sales: Thief Steals Top Spot

July 3, 2013

New releases grabbed the top six spots on the DVD sales chart this week, but mainly due to a lack of competition, as there were no monster hits. These new releases were led by Identity Thief with 362,000 units / $6.25 million. It performed surprisingly well in theaters, so this result is pure gravy. More...

Per Theater Chart: Some Reasons to be Excited

July 3, 2013

I'm So Excited led the way on the per theater chart with an average of $19,466 in five theaters. It should expand significantly, but it is weaker than most of Pedro Almodovar's previous films. The Heat finished in second place on the overall chart and on the per theater average chart with an average of $12,296. Monsters University was the only other film in the $10,000 club with an average of $11,391. More...

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 2nd, 2013

July 2, 2013

It is a terrible week for new releases on the home market with nearly nothing worth talking about. It was so bad, I pushed back the column one more day so I could review Todd and The Book Of Pure Evil: Season 2, just so I would have a contender for Pick of the Week. 56 Up is the best new release of the week, but demand will be split between the DVD and the franchise box set. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Monsters Freeze Out Competition

July 2, 2013

As expected, Monsters University remained the top draw on the weekend box office chart. The Heat performed a little better than expected, but White House Down struggled. Overall, the box office fell 21% from last weekend to $190 million over the weekend. More importantly, this is 9% lower than the same weekend last year, meaning 2013 fell a little further behind 2012's pace. The difference is only $78 million or 1.5% at $5.18 billion to $5.26 billion, which is much better than it was earlier this year, so hopefully we can close that gap before too long. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Todd and The Book Of Pure Evil: Season 2

July 2, 2013

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is a Canadian TV show that is a parody of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and similar shows. I previously reviewed season one and loved it. Unfortunately, season two turned out to be the final season. Did it fall apart during season two and is that why it was canceled? Or was it just too much of a cult series? More...

2013 Preview: July

July 1, 2013

For the most part, June was a really strong month at the box office with nearly every film either matching expectations, or at least coming close enough to call it a victory. Looking forward, there are a dozen films opening wide in July, more or less. One of them, The Smurfs 2, is opening on a Wednesday, so I'm going to hold off talking about that movie till the August preview. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain is opening in less than 1000 theaters, but it has a shot at reaching the top ten during its opening weekend. If we include both of them, there are twelve films, but I think it is better to stick with the ten truly wide, truly July openings. Of these, Despicable Me 2 is clearly going to be the biggest hit at the box office. It could become the second biggest hit of the year so far. It is not the only film that could be a $100 million hit. In fact, there are six films opening in July that I think have a better than 50% chance of reaching that level. There is currently only one film that I think won't at least become a midlevel hit. By comparison in 2012, there were three $100 million movies, led by The Dark Knight Rises, but the rest of the new releases struggled. There's no chance any movie opening this month will top $400 million, in fact, it is quite possible no film will get to $300 million. That said, 2013 has a lot better depth, so it might come out on top in the end. More...

The Numbers News - July 2013

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