>Based on Friday and Saturday box office (and estimated Sunday numbers), Paranormal Activity 3 is now looking like a $54 million opening weekend, almost matching the last big opening ($54.8 for Rise of the Planet of the Apes on August 5) and blowing past the $41 million opening for Paranormal Activity 2 this week last year.  […]

Weekend #22 of 2012 looks like it will total about $122 million for the top 12 films, down 21% from last year’s comparable weekend and down 20% from the four-year average for the weekend.  That would make it three down weekends (way down) in a row.   Opening at an estimated 3,700 theaters, Snow White and […]

> The past week (seven days ending Sunday) is up 2% versus last year’s comparable week.  Year-to-date box office is now down 3.8% versus last year, the smallest year-to-year margin we’ve seen so far this year.  The Lion King in 3D is headed for about $118 million in additional domestic box office for Disney, while Contagion has been upgraded […]

> SOURCE CODE is this weekend’s major live-action opening, so here’s a look at some recent work by its star Jake Gyllenhaal and its director Duncan Jones. Gyllenhaal has had a curious Hollywood career thus far, and PRINCE OF PERSIA:  THE SANDS OF TIME, far from his most auspicious moment, was his first pre-Source Code […]

> Plot spoilers are even more problematic when it comes to limited releases, because by definition they’re only being seen by a few people in certain selected locations, and–if they’re good–will ideally be discovered by audiences over time.  Which is a roundabout way of saying that I strongly recommend, but can reveal almost nothing about, […]

>The Worldwide Box Office chart now tracks the movies released in the U.S. the last three months.  This will provide a clearer view of the marketplace at any point of the year.  Remember that each week going forward, movies will be added to the ranking and the oldest movies will be deleted as they fall out […]

> In its first week on the international box office chart, Rio seizes the top spot out of the gate. It’s too soon to tell about Scre4m and Hanna.   Rio (Fox) proudly enters the worldwide gross chart at #1, vaulting past Rango (Paramount).  Rio‘s overseas gross to date of $131 million is already close to the film’s […]

> One of the most heartening developments of the past couple of years has been the spreading popularity in theaters of cultural events presented in HD video.  Operas and ballets have become monthly features in many cities, and stage shows are now joining in:  Britain’s National Theatre has been presenting several productions on screen for […]