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“42” hits a home run at the box office

April 14, 2013 / Billy Tatum

Expect to see more than a bit of synergy tomorrow as the top movie in the nation ties in with what was once the top game in the nation, as they both pay tribute to Jackie Robinson.

The Robinson biopic “42” topped the weekend box office bringing in $27.3 mil, making it the highest debut ever for a baseball film. The previous being “The Benchwarmers” which opened to $19.7 mil. in 2006. Critics gave the film high marks and the audience crossed all demographics. On Monday, Major League Baseball will commemorate their annual Jackie Robinson Day where all players and umpires will wear Robinson’s number 42.

“Scary Movie 5” wasn’t as scary as its predecessor at the box office, but made studio execs happy enough. The horror spoof pulled in $15.2 million. In contrast, 2006’s “Scary Movie 4” raked in $40.2 million in it’s debut. Starring “Phineas and Ferb’s” Ashley Tisdale, Lindsay Lohan, and Charlie Sheen, will easily make it’s money back having cost The Weinstein/Dimension group a mere $20 million to make.

The animated caveman movie “The Croods” came in at third for $13.2 million. So far, “The Croods has pulled in $142.5 in the U.S and $207 million overseas. Apparently there’s big money in evolution.

Last week’s winner, “Evil Dead” fell to number 5 earning $9.5 million at the box office. So far, the horror remake has grossed $41.5 million. “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” fought off bad guys to the tune of $10.8 million this weekend, bringing it’s total to $102.4 million.

Rounding out the top 10:
6. Jurasssic Park – $8.8 million
7. Olympus Has Fallen – $7.3 million
8. Oz The Great and Powerful – $4.9 million
9. Tyler Perry’s Temptation – $4.5 million
10. The Place Beyond the Pines – $4.1 million

Movies

box office results

Will “Scary Movie 5” scare up the laughs this week?

April 12, 2013 / Billy Tatum

Last week’s no. 1 movie “Evil Dead” faces some stiff competition by a horror franchise of a different type, a lesson in baseball history and a movie that most having heard of but boasts a couple Oscar winners.

Ashley Tisdale (“Phineas and Ferb”) and Simon Rex headline the latest in the “Scary Movie” franchise. With comedic cameos including Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen, “Scary Movie 5” hits theaters this week taking satiric shots at “Mama”, “Paranormal Activity”, “Planet of the Apes”, and believe it or not “Evil Dead”.

For those of you who couldn’t wait for the boys of summer to take the field, “42” tells the life story of revered baseball player Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) who broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers and his friendship with Dodgers GM Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford).

“To The Wonder” stars Oscar winners Ben Affleck and Javier Bardem and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, but if you haven’t seen many ads for it, you’re not alone. The story follows couple Marina (Kurylenko) and Neil (Affleck) who visit Oklahoma and get wrapped in a story of lies, betrayals, sex…and of course, a priest.

Other films opening:

The Angels Share – A comedic tale of redemption and whiskey. Four Scottish parolees band together to escape their hard life.

It’s a Disaster – For those “Arrested Development” junkies, David Cross stars as part of four couples who are stuck in a house before a possible Armageddon.

Disconnect – Wait, did I say “Arrested Development”? Jason Bateman stars as one of a group of people who get more than a case of “Identity Theft” when things go wrong online.

Movies

Box Office Preview

‘Evil Dead’ takes in a lively $30.5 million, ‘Jurassic Park’ pulls in $21 million

April 7, 2013 / Billy Tatum

Everything old was new again at this week’s box office as a pair of old favorites dominated in the U.S and abroad.

The remake of Sam Raimi’s ‘Evil Dead’ made $30.5 million in it’s opening week, including $4.5 million from overseas markets, according to Hollywood Reporter. Critics may have bashed the remake of the 1981 horror classic, but it didn’t keep a primarily male audience away. The film follows five friends who find evil spirits inside of a cabin. I mean, really what did they expect to find?

The dinosaurs may be gone, but they still have a heckuva bite. The 20th Anniversary re-release of “Jurassic Park” took in $18.2 million for Universal to place fourth in the box office. The dinos gone wild flick proved to be more of a monster with it’s 3D makeover. If crowds didn’t get enough prehistoric action, Jurassic Park in 3D hits Blue-Ray/DVD in two weeks and Jurassic Park IV is scheduled to open in theaters in June of 2014.

Speaking of people running from dinosaurs, the animated hit “The Croods” proved to have a lot of caveman love left to give earning the No. 2 spot and breaking the $300 million mark in worldwide receipts. Only “Oz the Great and Powerful” has accomplished that feat in 2013. The Bruce Willis/The Rock gun fest “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” is running neck and neck with “The Croods” for the week earning $21.1 million. “Gi.I. Joe” has earned $231.9 million in worldwide receipts and is well on it’s way to beating 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”

Rounding out the top ten:
5. Olympus Has Fallen – $10 million
6. Tyler Perry’s Temptation – $10 million
7. Oz the Great and Powerful – $8.2 million
8. The Host – $3.5 million
9. The Call – $3.5 million
10. Admission – $2.1 million

Action Movies

weekend box office

Will ‘Evil Dead’ kill off its box office competitors?

April 5, 2013 / Billy Tatum

Where's Bruce Campbell when you need him?

This week at the box office will feature a blast from the past, a cannibal, corpses rising from the dead and one of the most famous afros of all time.

Film District’s “Evil Dead” remake hits theaters today expecting to scare the dollars out of moviegoers. Studio heads are hoping that gore, guts and a Juno (not the award, Diablo Cody co-wrote the screenplay) will take down Willis, The Rock, and Tatum from their number 1 spot.

While some kids may think of “Jurassic Park” as a ride at Universal theme park, it was actually a movie…about a theme park where cloned dinosaurs go on a rampage. So why is it being released now? Well, to celebrate it’s 20 year anniversary, Universal is re-releasing it in 3D.

For those who still hunger for “Inception”, you may want to check out “Trance” starring James McAvoy and Rosario Dawson. It’s about an art auctioneer trying to recover a lost painting with the help of a hypnotherapist. I can only assume doctors look as hot as Rosario Dawson in real life.

For those of you in need of big ideals and even bigger hair, there’s “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners”. The documentary chronicles the life of Angela Davis (yes, the one Eddie Murphy riffed about). The afro may be gone, but according to those who have seen it, the film is a powerful account of one of America’s most famous activists.

It’s not “The Walking Dead”, but “Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal” does feature some Hannibal Lecter style cuisine. Written and directed by Boris Rodriguez, “Eddie” is about a a painter who encounters an art student who sleepwalks his way into eating people. And you thought snoring was bad.

Other films hitting theaters:

Simon Killer: An American in Paris looks for love while descending into madness.

The Brass Teapot: A comedy about a brass teapot that rewards a couple for hurting themselves.

6 Souls: Julianne Moore is a psychiatrist charged with discovering her patient’s link to a series of murders.

Movies

Box Office Preview