Monday Movie Roundup...9/16/2013

This weekend was the first to show everyone that we're all in a Halloween mood...

...defying logic and common sense, Ridiculous Insidious Chapter 2 made the top spot with over $41 million.

With only a $5 Million budget, the film made quite a profit...

...so we can look forward to Chapter 3 around Groundhog Day.

The Family, a film I'm actually putting in my queue, made second place.

The film made about $14.5 million since Friday, which isn't bad.

But the $30 million price tag (due to three reasons: DeNero, Pfeiffer and Jones) means it has a ways to go before breaking even.

2 Guns broke the $85 million mark...

...The Wolverine is over #366.5 million...

...and Kick-Ass 2 has more than $58 million in the bank.

As for Riddick:

it's in third place, making over $53 million so far worldwide - well above the $38 million budget.

Getting back to the top film for a minute, I don't understand people.

I was forced into seeing the trailers for this film because Hulu was pushing the heck out of it.
It looked downright ridiculous.
When Saw came out, I knew it brought with it a shift in horror films.
I've never seen any of the Saw films, and have no intention to, but it was a huge hit and I respect it for being what it was...different.
Plus, the Horror genre will last forever because it is famous for having the highest profit to cost ratio.
But Horror films should...at least...be good. Shouldn't they?
There's a line that separates films like Saw from films like The Toxic Avenger.
It's a line nobody can see...but everyone knows when it's been crossed.
This film looked laughable in the trailers.
It wasn't scary, it was mockable.
Like MST3K/Rifftrax mockable.
So why did so many people spend so much to see it?
The only answer I can think of is: Halloween.
Which is fine, because I've got a cool film to look forward to after the holiday...

Monday Movie Roundup...8/26/2013

The top film this past weekend worth mentioning is Kick-Ass 2...

 ...which brought in another estimated $4.2 million, placing it just inside the weekend Top 10 at #10.
Worldwide, the film has made $38.5 million, which more than pays back the $28 million production costs.
The film at eleventh place, however, is more interesting...

2 Guns has made over $65 million after four weeks - with only $2.2 million of that from Foreign markets - and a $61 million production budget.
In other words, a movie based on a lesser known and independent (meaning non-Marvel or DC) comic property proved profitable in less than 5 weeks...despite the outrageous price tag.
That's amazing, and (along with the Kick-Ass franchise) proves that comics can make great films.

Also making news:
* The Wolverine is still in the Top 20 (at #15), and
* the Ben Affleck Batman/Superman film has a release date of July 17, 2015...eleven weeks after Avengers 2 The Age of Ultron.

That's going to be an interesting summer...

Monday Movie Roundup...8/19/2013

Kick-Ass 2 was the top money-maker this weekend, making almost $20 million worldwide. That puts it at only about $8 million shy of breaking even, which it should meet by next Monday.

The Wolverine stayed in the top 10, bringing in another $4.4 million in the States...which means that domestically the film has met its $120 million production costs. Adding in the Foreign totals, The Wolverine broke $335 million. Not too shabby...

As for The Lone Ranger, its Domestic total is only $87.7 million to date. Fortunately, when you add in the Foreign market the film (finally) made more than it cost, with $217 million in the bank.

R.I.P.D., on the other hand, has yet to meet its $130 million budget, with only $59.1 million worldwide to date.

2 Guns has been out for three weeks now, and without any Foreign releases has made over $59 million, respectably closing in on its $61 million price tag.

Pacific Rim's Foreign totals far outperform its Domestic numbers roughly 3 to 1, with $384 million all told.

and finally, Red 2 made back its money with $102.4 million worldwide after five weeks.

Not a bad month so far for comic films...

...now I'm gonna try to get back to sleep.

Let's watch some vids...

...starting with the Injustice: Gods Among Us quarterfinals:

Batman vs. Wonder Woman

Flash vs. Joker

Aquaman vs. Green Lantern

Superman vs. Green Arrow

I had to watch these like five times each. Kept getting distracted by all the stuff happening around them.

And I've got questions...
Why are the women just standing by while Wonder Woman fights?
Where exactly are these fights taking place (other than Paradise Island)?
How can you know which of the things around you can be grabbed/pulled/thrown/hit?
...and most importantly...
Will there be a Marvel Ultimate Alliance/Injustice combo pack?

Then there's the new Kick-Ass 2 trailer:

It's Red-Banned, so you'll need to verify your age, and it is definitely worthy of the age-restriction...
...but it's soooo good.

My wife and I made the mistake of watching Kick-Ass for the first time with Adorkette. It was more gruesome than I expected, and after watching this trailer, I have no intention of letting her see K-A2 until after I do.

I haven't read the books, but understand the message behind this universe. It's a very realistic approach to what could and would happen once "super-heroes" start popping up in the real world. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Still gonna watch it though...August 16th...