I was actually surprised by this weekend’s results, not by the order of course but by the numbers. I really expected Michael Jackson’s This is It to bring in much more money than it did. After all it was the only movie really opening this weekend and the hype it has been generating should have brought in more people. Paranormal Activity on the other hand continues to impress, six weeks into the box office and it still more than doubles the box office returns in its closest competitor. That movie is just astounding having made over $80 million at the box office so far when it only cost $15,000 to make. Overall though this weekend was disappointing for the box office as the top 12 did not even break $80 million, considering the box office has been over $100 million for the past few weeks this is a sharp decline. The box office hasn’t been under $80 million since the beginning of September. This may be due to the fact that it was a Halloween weekend, so we will have to since if the number bounce back next weekend.

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

This weekend there is only one movie opening in wide release and there is little wonder why.

This is It

The documentary movie featuring a behind the scenes look at the life of Michael Jackson is the only movie in wide release this weekend. This would probably be the case even under normal circumstances but it has been announced that this movie will only be released in theaters for two weeks. Which means a limited amount of time for a very very large amount of fans to see this movie on the big screen. There have been some mixed reviews but it is hard not to want to watch the story of one of the most influential music artists of all time.

There are a few movies in limited release that deserve mentioning.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

Now I am not one for gorey movies but Boondock Saints does it with cool style, after all what is cooler than chanting in Latin before you are about to kill someone. Talk about building suspense. This time the brothers are on the case of a murdered priest and this time the case is important enough for them to leave the treasured life in Ireland.

The Fall

In a rather odd twist this movie features the problems that arise with a rising politician’s brother is jailed for murdering a priest. Perhaps you should make a double feature of these two movies.

These movies are still in theaters, if you haven’t seen them what are you waiting for?

Paranormal Activity

I have mentioned this film a few times and it is hard not to keep mentioning it. This movie is bound to make you jump and scream at least once. With ghost stories and horrors rarely being original this movie is so refreshing it is not even funny.

This weekend the independent film Paranormal Activity becomes the number one movie with not a single movie coming even close as competition. It is normally unheard of for a movie to become more successful the longer it is in the box office but considering the initial limited release of this film and then the hype following its release it is no wonder that this movie has become such a success. Saw VI narrowly beat out Where the Wild Things Are and you can expect Saw VI and Paranormal Activity both competing once again for that top slot over the Halloween weekend. The week’s other new releases did not even make it into the top 5 with Astro Boy taking the number 6 slot and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant taking number 8. Neither of these placing surprise me as I did not see anything particularly original or stunning in these films. I do continue to be surprised by Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs that movie took a story that I honestly thought was too short and simple to become a book and turned it into what was actually a very funny and very cute movie, and it continues to prove this at the box office.

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

As to be expected Where the Wild Things are dominated the box office this weekend. There was little doubt that this adorable and moving childrens movie would have people flocking to the theaters. But what may be surprising is that Law Abiding Citizen took second place. This movie was definitely one for the guys with plenty action and crime drama to go around, but over all the plot just seemed too unrealistic to strike a chord with viewers…but the box office proved that theory wrong. Paranormal Activity continues to do well in the box office and is considered to be one of the scariest and most realistic ghost movies you’ll see this year and maybe even any year, and for an independent film that is certainly high praise. Couples Retreat dropped to fourth this week but still made a good return at the box office perhaps because it remains the token chick flick/date movie. The top five is rounded out by The Stepfather. This weekend may have been the first time in quite a while that all of the opening movies appeared in the top five. Perhaps this is a sign of good things to come.

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

Couples Retreat which was widely seen by critics as, well, “rotten” has taken the box office by storm.  Surprisingly it more than doubled the second place movie, Zombieland. This is a big surprise because even though I saw Couples Retreat being a fun and laid back comedy,with all the buzz that Zombieland has been generating I thought it would keep the top spot. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs continues to hang on taking the third slot, which after four weeks on the box office is not a bad place to be. The sweet and funny cartoon even beat out the 3D double feature of Toy Story 1 and 2. Paranormal Activity is at number 5 which is a great place for an indedependent film. Though it has been out in theaters for 3 weeks this is the first time it is starting to enjoy a wide release so we may even see it go up next week. The bottom five of the box office are all relatively close together and seem to be on their way out, we’ll see what next week’s new releases do.

Source: BoxOfficeMojo

Couples Retreat

By now you’ve probably seen more than a few previews for this and from the previews it looks like a halfway decent movie. So far the critics hate it but the movie-goers are enjoying it. The reason for this is that Couples Retreat is pure and simple and guilty pleasure comedy. Stupid and predictable and out for cheap laughs, but fun. There’s nothing new here, just four couples on a tropical island trying to fix their marriage, but the one liners and small bits of comedic situations make for a fun and funny movie.

Paranormal Activity

If you’re like me you’re getting awfully sick of the reality TV ghost shows, but the good news is that despite it’s title this movie is well good. This low-budget film is made in the now popular mockumentary style and packs in more scares and suspense than you may have thought possible in 90 minutes. The string of been there done that horrors is finally over and something new is taking it’s place. This movie about a haunted house has everything good about the old fashioned horror thrillers with plenty of new things thrown in. This movie had a limited release in late September and its popularity is causing it to reach more and more theaters…so check it out!

Toy Story & Toy Story 2 3D

If you’re already gone to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs than there is little out there to take the little ones to, except for this amazing double feature. In order to promote the upcoming movie Toy Story 3, Disney has come up with money making genius by releasing the very popular series in theaters, in 3D no less. These movies were amazing and fun the first time and if your kids were too young (or not even born yet…hard to believe it has already been 14 years since the release of Toy Story) the first time around it is a great chance for them to experience them on the big screen. For movies that have already been released in theaters and are widely available on dvd, they have been doing remarkably well in the box office.

Love Happens

This movie tells of the story of a self-help guru (Aaron Eckhart) who is really the one in need of help. This of course allows for the entrance of the one girl (Jennifer Aniston) who can make it all better. Like most chick flicks the story is formulaic and just a tad contrived, but in the end it’s sappy and tearful and fulfills all the goals of a chick flick. Don’t expect the men to sit through it with you because the story line is not enough to hold their attention, but not a bad choice for a girls night out.