Given that I have no desire to see The Butler in large part because Oprah Winfrey is in it, and otherwise because it looks terrible, sappy, cheesy and more, I have not seen it yet. but it’s what is winning the day at the Box Office so maybe I should make time for it.
#1 — Lee Daniels’ The Butler
Budget: $30 M
Totals: $25 M Weekend Gross and Current Total
Weekend 1
My general rule of thumb is, if Oprah Winfrey is involved I want nothing to do with it. Fair or not, that’s my feeling on the matter. General movie goers seem to disagree however, because this, her latest film, seemed to garner the most attention at the box office this weekend.
I don’t know what to think though because I didn’t hear much about this film until right before it came out and it looks pretty pathetic.
#2 — The Millers
Budget: $37 M
Totals: $17.8 M, Weekend / $69.5 M, Total
Weekend 2
I am disgusted with humankind for the second weekend in a row. In it’s second weekend out, The Millers makes number 2 for the second time. And it’s on track to be a money maker too on a budget of $37 Million. Come on guys, stop it! You’re just encouraging them to make bad films at this point.
#3 — Elysium
Budget: $115 M
Totals: $13.6 M, Weekend / $37.7 M, Foreign / $93.6 M, Worldwide
Weekend 2
Not good as far as the producers are concerned I’m sure. We’re still well below budget on the total brought in. And at this rate it’s not going to be in theaters for very long. And since it’s not a good film at all I’m not weeping, personally.
#4 — Kick-Ass 2
Budget: $28 M
Totals: $13.5 M, Weekend / $6.3 M, Foreign / $19.8 M, Worldwide
Weekend 1
Not great, but on what amounts to a shoestring budget in today’s terms, maybe it will go on to make a little money. We’ll see. I don’t plan to help add to this total myself though. The film looks dreadful.
#5 — Planes
Budget: $50 M
Totals: $13.1 M, Weekend / 7.3 M, Foreign / $52.3 M, Worldwide
Weekend 2
Well, it has not made slightly over the production budget. I suppose I should get out and see this, but I can barely muster enough give-a-care for this film. It’s looks completely uninspired.
#6 — Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Budget: $90 M
Totals: $8.3 M, Weekend / $38.9 M, Domestic / $36.2 M, Foreign / $75.1 M, Worldwide
Weekend 2
This is not at all a bad film, certainly better than anything I’ve listed thus far so it’s too bad it’s not fairing a little better in my book. The foreign numbers are helping a little, but it doesn’t quite seem to be getting the traction it needs. The first film went on to make $226.4 Million, but it also opened with around twice the numbers of this film’s opening weekend. I really hope this film makes enough to justify making the next in the series. I’m enjoying it. I’m currently planning to add this series’ audio books to my listen list.
#7 — JOBS
Budget: $12 M
Totals: $6.7 M, Weekend and Current Total
Weekend 1
I was hoping for better things from this film, as were the producers I’m sure. But it’s always hard for a biopic to get any real traction it seems. And I can’t say I don’t understand that. I have a keen personal interest in this film but if I did not, I probably wouldn’t see it. So I get it.
I will hopefully be seeing this film tonight — or if not tonight, tomorrow night — and I’m hoping I won’t hate it.
#8 - 2 Guns
Budget: $61 Million
Totals: $5.6 M, Weekend / $59.2 M, Total
Weekend 3
This film just can’t muster up the stuff to get up to even it’s production budget. And given some of the problems with this film, I’m not rooting for it either. Oh well.
Other things of note:
The Wolverine is down a couple slots now, but it made it to $335.2 Million, worldwide. Not a bad haul and I would guess that we’ll see more from this franchise at this point. Of course there’s probably still some hinge on how well the next big X-Men film will be received.