Summer Block Buster Results

Well, it is September and Autumn has officially arrived. Where I type this from the sun is shinning brightly and there is a bird singing while the leaves on the trees are continuing their metamorphosis from lush greens to sweet golden red and brown. Alright, the bird that is singing is in a cage in the next room, but everything else I have said is true! I swear it!

The summer block buster season is over. Well, how was it? Lets take a look back at the 18 movies I previewed in May. Two of the movies in my preview, Jack The Giant Killer and GI Joe: Retaliation, were supposed to come out this summer but were instead delayed until next March.

The Avengers:

I think this movie exceeded expectations. Domestic: $622,888,162 + Foreign: $888,400,000 = Worldwide: $1,511,288,162. Impressive, a true block buster!

ParaNorman:

Not sure if this was a hit or not. The numbers don’t seem too bad. Domestic: $52,582,728 + Foreign: $30,047,47 = Worldwide: $82,630,199.

The Expendables 2:

This has been out only about a month now and it seems to be doing well. Domestic: $83,019,805 + Foreign: $186,000,000 = Worldwide: $269,019,805

Total Recall:

This remake didn’t get good reviews and it doesn’t seem to have down well at the box office. Domestic: $58,462,950 + Foreign: $114,142,385 = Worldwide: $172,605,335.

The Dark Knight Rises:

Batman lost against the Avengers in the box office battle but The Dark Knight Rises still did extremely well. Domestic: $443,124,014 + Foreign: $623,700,000 = Worldwide: $1,066,824,014.

Ted:

The foul mouthed little teddy bear did well for himself. With a budget of $50 Million Ted brought in some impressive numbers. Domestic: $217,838,900 + Foreign: $202,891,894 = Worldwide: $420,730,794.

Ice Age: Continental Drift:

Despite mediocre reviews another journey back to the ice age seemed to do pretty well. Domestic: $158,561,292 + Foreign: $679,294,615 = Worldwide: $837,855,907.

The Amazing Spider-Man:

The Spidey reboot had a $230 Million budget so the domestic numbers are a bit anemic. Domestic: $261,471,268 + Foreign: $487,503,570 = Worldwide: $748,974,838

Brave:

This movie had so-so reviews for a Pixar movie and was only their 8th highest box office numbers. A bit of a let down. Domestic: $233,558,247 + Foreign: $266,300,000 = Worldwide: $499,858,247.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

This movie looked fantastic…but the premise is just so…strange. It only made a little more than half its budget back in domestic sales so it is safe to call this one a bomb. Domestic: $37,519,139 + Foreign: $65,915,000 = Worldwide: $103,434,139.

Prometheus:

A prequel to the Alien franchise, it under performed at the box office and came a few million shy of recapping its $130 Million budget. Domestic: $126,477,084 + Foreign: $271,614,000 = Worldwide: $398,091,084.

Madagascar 3 Europe’s Most Wanted:

This one is a winner! Domestic: $215,896,451+ Foreign: $411,900,000 = Worldwide: $627,796,451

Snow White And The Huntsman:

Another under performer. Did not reach its $170 Million budget. Domestic: $155,136,755 + Foreign: $241,260,448 = Worldwide: $396,397,203.

Men In Black 3:

Despite good reviews (much better than the second movie) it under performed domestically but did well over seas. Domestic: $179,020,854 + Foreign: $445,005,922 = Worldwide: $624,026,776 .

Battleship;

With a budget of $209 Million this movie seriously bombed in the domestic box office. It did much better over seas. I really loved the movie and was sad to see it perform so poorly. Domestic: $65,233,400 + Foreign: $237,602,860 = Worldwide: $302,836,260.

Dark Shadows

On a $150 Million budget this one seems to be a dud! Domestic: $79,727,149 + Foreign: $159,000,000 = Worldwide: $238,727,149.

There you have it. It seems a large portion of this list did poorly this summer. Although some of them didn’t do as well at the box office than the studios would have liked, when coupled with the foreign box office I think all of them did bring in a profit for the studios  Of course this was not all the movies released this summer, these were just the ones I was interested in. Gee, maybe I have a lousy taste in movies! 🙂

Monday Box office review

Brave, Pixar’s 13th feature animated film opened this past Friday and took the number 1 spot at the box office. This is a movie I am very interested in seeing given my love for European Royalty. It also looks great and by all estimates is the best animation Pixar has done thus far. It took in an estimated  $66,739,000 in the domestic box office and $13, 500,000 in the foreign market for a grand total of $80,239,000. This is a very good opening weekend for a Pixar movie. The reviews for Brave are very good. 

Madagascar 3 which had been at number 1 the previous couple of weeks fell to number 2, which isn’t bad considering it beat out Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Madagascar 3 took in $20, 200, 000 million over the weekend for grand total of  $157,574,000 domestic, $208,400,000 over seas and $365,974,000  for a worldwide total. Madagascar 3 is doing very well.

The number 1 & 2 movies are animated movies! 

Poor Abe. I don’t think he’s doing so well. I have to admit it it is a very strange premise and the movie looks great but the opening weekend is a bit of a disappointment. Abe took in $16,500,000 domestically and only gathered a paltry $7, 800, 000 in the foreign market. I guess not many foreigners want to see the 16th American President battle the undead. I hope Abe can recover from this one. I will be watching! 

Brave

Brave

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, Craig Ferguson

Director: Mark Andrews

Release Date: 22 June 2012

 Next on the docket is Brave a new 3D animation from Pixar. I have loved the majority of Pixar’s movies. There are just a few that I did not care for. This is the first telling of a fairy tale for Pixar which has lead some to claim this looks more like a Dream Works movie because of their association with the Shrek franchise and the Norwegian tale, How to Train your Dragon. While I do agree this tale seems like a darker film and a departure for Pixar the premise and the look of the movie is right up my alley.

 It is a middle ages tale set in Scotland where for generations a contest consisting of the most skilled archers will vie for the hand of the daughter of the Scottish king. The willful and impetuous princess Merida, voiced by Kelly Macdonald, is a skilled archer in her own right and is determined that she will be the one to decide her own fate. This causes great discord with her parents King Fergus, voiced by Billy Connolly and Queen Elinor, voiced by Emma Thompson. By ignoring this age-old custom she has also upset the Lords MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). In searching for a way to escape the conflict she has created Merida turns to a witch who then places a curse on her. Merida then begins her challenge to find the bravery within herself and right the wrongs she has caused and undo the spell she is under.

 As usual the art and the animation looks stellar and this has become the expected norm in a Pixar film. This is also the first Pixar movie to portray a female in the lead role. Merida, with her long flowing curly red hair captures the look of innocence while also containing a brave heart and strong independence. My only complaint in the design of the characters is with some of the men. To me a few of them look freakish and ghastly. I don’t think that will completely put me off of this film for Pixar rarely missteps.