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April 20th, 2009

Top 10 Genre Movies: 17 Again debuts in top spot

17again-thTeen heart-throb Zac Efron’s latest film, the light fantasy comedy 17 Again pulled in enough teen greenbacks to finish in the top spot in this past weekend’s box office. . It brought in more than $24 million in ticket sales in its debut- weekend – almost more than the next two top-grossing films combined.

The only sci fi flick to debut this weekend was the Spanish-language Sleep Dealer, whichwas shown only an a hanful of theatres in Los Angeles and New York. It debuted at No. 10 on the genre movie list and No. 37 overall with just over $30 thousand.

The sole genre film set to debut next week: The Mutant Chronicles also is set for a limited release befire going to DVD and a broadcast TV debut on the Sci Fi Channel later this summer.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of April 17-19 , 2009.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (1) 17 Again – $24 milllion | $24 million [N/A]
  2. (3) Monsters vs. Aliens – $13 million | 163 million [$175 million]
  3. (8) Knowing – $3.4 million | $74 million [N/A]
  4. (10) The Haunting in Connecticut – $3.2 million | $52 million [N/A]
  5. (11) Dragonball Evolution – $1.6 million | $7.8 million [N/A]
  6. (15) Race to Witch Mountain – $0.7 million | $64 million [N/A]
  7. (23) Coraline – $0.2 million | $75 million [N/A]
  8. (26) Push- $0.09 million | $32 million [$38 million]
  9. optical channel(30) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $0.06 million | $127.5 million [$150 million]
  10. (37) Sleep Dealer – $0.03 million | $0.03 million [N/A]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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April 5th, 2009

Top 10 Genre Movies: Monsters vs. Aliens falls to No. 2

After spending last week on at the top spot, animated science fantasy flick, Monsters vs. Aliens fell to the No. 2 spot behind the fourth installment fo the Fast and the Furious franchise.

The only sci fi flick to debut this weekend was Alien Trespass, the 50′s-era sci-fi comedy spook starring Eric McCormick, which debuted at No. 29 on the genre movie list and No. 29 overall with just over $10 million.

Genre films set to debut next week: Dragonball Evolution is set for wide release.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of April 3-5, 2009.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (2) Monsters vs. Aliens – $33.5 million | 105.7 million [$175 million]
  2. (3) The Haunting in Connecticut – $9.55 million | 37.2 million [N/A]
  3. (4) Knowing – $8.1  million | $58.3 million [N/A]
  4. (6) Race to Witch Mountain- $3.4 million | $58.4 million [N/A]
  5. (13) Watchmen – $1.1 million | $105.4 million [$150 million]
  6. (19) Coraline – $0.2 million | $74.3 million [N/A]
  7. (22) Push – $0.14 million | $31.3 million [$38 million]
  8. (23) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $0.13 million | $127.2 million [$150 million]
  9. (29) Alien Trespass – $0.04 million | $0.04 million [N/A]
  10. (33) Fanboys – $0.02 million | $0.6 million [N/A]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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September 21st, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: Igor masters weekend box office

Animated Weinstein film Igor was master of the sci-fi box office this past weekend. The film brought in $8 million in its first weekend, easily outdistancing No. 2 genre flick, Ghost Town, a fellow newcomer which brought in $5.2 million over the same period.

Last week’s No. 1, The Dark Knight, fell to the third spot with just under $3 million in ticket sales in its 10th week in release.

Genre films set to debut next week: Blindness, a dystopian thriller starring Mark Ruffalo, Julianne More, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover and Sandra Oh opens in limited release – with a wider release expected over the next few weeks. 

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of September 19-21, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (4) Igor – $8.0 million | $8.0 million [$30 million]
  2. (8) Ghost Town – $5.2 million | $5.2 million [$20 million]
  3. (9) The Dark Knight – $3.0 million | $522million [$185 million]
  4. (13) Death Race – $1.0 million | $35.0 million [$45 million]
  5. (17) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $0.8 million | $99.1 million [$60 million]
  6. (18) Babylon A.D. – $0.74 million | $21.7 million [$70 million]
  7. (19) Fly Me to the Moon – $0.73 million | $11.0 million [$25 million]
  8. (22) Mirrors – $0.47 million | $29.9 million [budget unreported]
  9. (23) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – $0.40 million | $102.2 million [$145 million]
  10. (24) Star Wars: The Clone Wars – $0.36 million | $34.4 million [budget unreported]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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September 13th, 2008

Trailer: Igor

OPENS: September 19, 2008
RATING: PG (Some scary situations, Minor adult themes)
GENRE: Fantasy, Animation

Starring: (voices of) John Cusak, John Cleese, Steve Buscemi, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jennifer Coolidge, Jay Leno, Molly Shannon

Director: Anthony Leondis 

Writer: Chris McKenna

Plot: In a land of mad scientists and diabolical inventions, what do you do when you’re born with a hunch on your back? You become an Igor. A hilarious twist on the classic monster movie, “Igor” tells the story of one Igor who’s sick of being a lowly lab assistant with a Yes Master’s degree and dreams of becoming a scientist. When his cruel master kicks the bucket a week before the annual Evil Science Fair, Igor finally gets his chance.

With the help of two of his experimental creations – Brain, a brain in a jar who’s a little light on brains, and Scamper, a cynical bunny brought back from being road kill, Igor embarks on building the most evil invention of all time, a huge, ferocious monster. Unfortunately, instead of turning out evil, the monster turns out as Eva, a giant aspiring actress who wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Just when the load on his back can’t get any heavier, Igor and his band of monstrous misfits uncover an evil plot that threatens their world. Now, they must fight to save it and prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

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September 1st, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: Babylon A.D. towers over genre competition

Despite poor reviews, dystopian newcomer Babylon A.D. topped the genre Labor Day holiday weekend box office with just under $10 million in ticket sales. It was second overall, behind only the comedy blockbuster Tropic Thunder.

Lat week’s No. 1 – Death Race – fell to the No. 3 spot among genre films (No. 6 overall) with about $6.3 million in ticket sales.

The No. 2 genre spot was held by Batman flick, The Dark Knight, which passed the half-billion mark in North American sales this past weekend. Racking up $8.6 million in ticket sales for a grand total of $502.3 million in domestic sales, added to the $417 million foreign takem the film reached a total gross of $921.7 million worldwide.

Needless to say, there will be more Batman films in future years.

No genre films are set to debut over the next two weeks.

 

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the 2008 Labor Day weekend.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (2) Babylon A.D. – $9.6 million | $9.6 million [$70 million]
  2. (3) The Dark Knight – $8.6 million | $502.3 million [$185 million]
  3. (6) Death Race – $6.3 million | $23.1 million [$45 million]
  4. (11) Mirrors – $2.74 million | $24.8 million [unreported budget]
  5. (12) Star Wars: The Clone Wars – $2.70 million | $29.6 million [unreported budget]
  6. (13) The Mummy: Dragon Emperor – $2.6 million | $97.9 million [$145 million]
  7. (15) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $1.8 million | $94.6 million [$60 million]
  8. (18) Fly Me to the Moon – $1.5 million | $6.3 million [$25 million]
  9. (21) Wall-E – $1.1 million } $217.9 million [$180 million]
  10. (29) Hellboy 2 – $0.2 million | $75.4 million [$85 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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August 25th, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: Death Race finishes first

Fans of action, dark science fiction and racing lined up this past weekend to ensure Death Race crosses the finish line in first place for genre movies.

With a total take of just over $12.6 million in 2,532 theatres, the film was No. 3 overall, bested by comedies, Tropic Thunder and The House Bunny. 

Race also  knocked mega-blockbuster Dark Knight to second place among genre films.

The only other sci fi flick to debut this weekend was Cthulhu, a gay-themed independent horror film from Regent Releasing starring Tori Spelling. In limited release, the film brought in $1,438 in one theatre. (That may seem rather dismal, but compare it to the No. 5 film of the week, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which made $1,640 per theatre.

Debuting next week in genre is the Vin Diesel science fiction thriller, Babylon A.D. which will be in wide release in 3,200 theatres in North America.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 22-24, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (3) Death Race – $12.6 million | $12.6 million [$45 million]
  2. (4) The Dark Knight – $10.5 million | $489.4 million [$185 million]
  3. (5) Star Wars: The Clone Wars – $5.7 million | $25.0 million [budget unreported]
  4. (7) Mirrors – $5.0 million | $20.2 million [budget unreported]
  5. (9) The Mummy: Dragon Emperor -$4.2 million | $93.9 million [$145 million]
  6. (15) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $2.2 million | $91.9 million [$60 million]
  7. (16) Fly Me to the Moon – $1.4 million | $4.2 million [$25 million]
  8. (17) WALL-E – $0.97 million | $216.3 million [$180 million]
  9. (19) Hancock – $0.64 million | $226.4 million [$150 million]
  10. (20) Kung Fu Panda – $0.58 million | $212.7 million [$130 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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August 17th, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: Dark Knight dethroned by Ben Stiller

After more than a month as the top-grossing film in theatres, The Dark Knight was knocked aside as box office king this past weekend by Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, a non-genre comedy.

Still, out of Genre films, the latest Batman installment reigned supreme, finishing second overall with a weekend take of just under $17 million, bringing the film’s North American haul to $471.5 million ($735 million worldwide).

Weekend sales pushed Dark Knight to the No. 2 all-time box office champion, passing the original Star Wars: Episode 4′ s gross of $461 million (including sales from Star Wars‘ recent re-releases).

Speaking of Star Wars. the animated film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, also made history this weekend. It is the first Star Wars film not to debut as No. 1 in box office sales with $15.5 million in tickets sold. The other animated kiddie flick debuting this weekend, the 3-D Fly Me to the Moon sold $2 million in tickets.

Gore horror flick, Mirrors, starring Kiefer Sutherland bowed in with more than $11 million in ticket sales despite negative reviews from critics. 

Rounding out new genre releases is the religious-themed Luke Wilson film, Henry Poole is Here, which opened in limited release and sold $800 thousand in tickets over the weekend.

Movies dropping out of the Genre Top 10: Hellboy 2, Wanted, Get Smart and The X-FIles 2.

Genre films set to debut next week: The Tom Cruise-produced Death Race, a re-imagining of the 1970s drive-in campy grind house classic, Death Race 2000. starring Jason Statham and Joan Allen.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 15-17, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (2) The Dark Knight – $16.8 million | $471.5 million [$185 million]
  2. (3) Star Wars: The Clone Wars – $15.5 million | $15.5 million [unknown budget]
  3. (4) Mirrors – $11.1 million | $11.1 million [unknown budget]
  4. (6) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – $8.6 million | $86.6 million [$145 million]
  5. (11) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $3.5 million | $88.1 million [$60 million]
  6. (12) Fly Me to the Moon – $2.0 million } $2.0 million [$25 million]
  7. (13) WALL-E – $1.84 million | $214.1 million [$180 million]
  8. (14) Hancock – $1.80 million | $225 million [$150 million]
  9. (16) Space Chimps – $0.82 million | $27.6 million [$37 million]
  10. (17) Henry Poole is Here – $0.80 million | $0.80 million [unknown budget]

 

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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August 11th, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: 30 days of Dark Knight – a month at No. 1

The Dark Knight extended its reign to a month atop the weekend box office this past week. It brought in more than $26 million in ticket sales in its fourth weekend. Its grand total domestic take of $441.5 million has the film as the No. 3 all-time money maker in Hollywood and it should pass Star Wars to be come No. 2 by the end of August.

No new sci fi flicks debuted this past weekend. But in the upcoming weekend three new genre films are set to debut: the horror film, Mirrors, the animated space opera, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the animated children’s science fantasy, Fly Me to the Moon.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 8-10, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (1) The Dark Knight – $26.0 million | $441.5 million [$185 million]
  2. (3) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – $16.1 million | $70.7 million [$145 million]
  3. (7) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $4.9 million | $81.8 million [$60 million]
  4. (8) Hancock – $3.3 million | $221.7 million [$150 million]
  5. (10) WALL-E – $3.0 million | $210.1 million [$180 million]
  6. (11) Space Chimps – $1.7 million | $25.4 million [$37 million]
  7. (12) Hellboy 2 – $1.3 million | $73.5 million [$85 million]
  8. (13) The X-Files: I Want to Believe – $1.2 million | 19.6 million [$30 million]
  9. (15) Wanted – $0.7 million | $132.6 million [$75 million]
  10. (16) Get Smart – $0.5 million | $127.4 million [$80 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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August 3rd, 2008

Top 10 Genre Movies: Dark Knight 3-peats atop box office

The modern – and moody – spy fi re-telling comic book adaptation of Batman, The Dark Knight fought  off hordes of mummies to continued its reign as the box office weekend royalty this past weekend.

Dark Knight  brought in just under $44 million in ticket sales in its third weekend – besting horror comedy newcomer, The Mummy:Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, starring Brendan Fraser. Mummy brought in $42.5 million in its first weekend and debuted in the No. 2 spot.

Last week’s debut genre title, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, landed at No. 6 on the Genre Top 10 list (No. 9 overall.) with $3.4 million in ticket sales.

To make room for Mummy animated fantasy comedy Kung Fu Panda dropped out of the genre Top 10 after being a mainstay for the past 8 weeks. So far in its run, Panda brought in more than $210 million in North American sales alone on a $130 million budget; almost ensuring that a sequel will be made.

No genre films are set to debut next week, so this list is expected to largely be unchanged for the second weekend of August.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 1 -3, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title – Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

  1. (1) The Dark Knight – $43.8 million | $394.9 million [$185 million]
  2. (2) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – $42.5 million | $2.5 million ($145 million)
  3. (5) Journey to the Center of the Earth – $6.9 million } $73.1 million ($60 million)
  4. (7) Hancock – $5.2 million | $216 million ($150 million)
  5. (8) WALL-E – $4.7 million | $204 million ($180 million)
  6. (9) The X-Files: I Want to Believe – $3.4 million | $17 million ($30 million)
  7. (10) Space Chimps – $2.8 million | $22 million ($37 million)
  8. (11) Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $2.5 million | $71.3 million ($85 million)
  9. (12) Wanted – $1.3 million | $131 million ($75 million)
  10. (14) Get Smart – $1.2 million | $127 million ($80 million)

Source: Box Office Mojo – list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

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July 31st, 2008

Review of Reviews: Midnight Meat Train a good fright

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A short story form Clive Barker's classic short story collection Books of Blood, the new film The Midnight Meat Train follows photographer Leon Kauffman (Cooper), who is working on his latest collection – documenting the late night life’s loneliness in the normally bustling New York City … until his camera catches evidence of the deadly side of the city’s subway system. Last stop: an abyss of pure evil.

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OPENS: August 1, 2008 (Limited Release)
RATING: R (Gore, Nudity, Sexual Content)
GENRE: Horror; Supernatural Dark Fantasy; Gore

In the making of Midnight Meat Train, writer Clive Barker and director Ryuhei Kitamura set out to make the a film better than Candyman and scarier than Hellraiser.

According to horror critics, both goals were met.

The story is from Clive Barker’s seminal Books of Blood collection. Barker admits that the off-kilter title came to him after he ate a batch of marijuana brownies a couple decades ago.

Originally set to debut during the early summer blockbuster season, instead LionsGate decided on a limited release for the film before shipping it out on DVDs.

Of the positive reviews, director Kitamura’s English language debut is getting kudos for his stylish scenes and camerawork and his ability to maintain the sense of creepy dread that filled the original short story.

Also getting good reviews are actors Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones and Brooke Shields.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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  • Called the best Barker film adaptation, ever
  • Top-notch cast and direction

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  • Only in Limited Release
  • Graphic scenes of violence, blood and gore will be too disturbing for most except die-hard horror fans.

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{for="Fort Worth Business Press" value="8"}

“The Midnight Meat Train, adapted by screenwriter Jeff Buhler from a Books of Blood yarn, turns out to be one hellacious ride — forging deliberately into an abyss that, though naturally of the make-believe variety, nonetheless packs a lingering chill of unease.” – Michael H. Price

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{for=”Cinematical” value=”8″}

“Easily the best Clive Barker adaptation since the first Hellraiser film.” – Scott Weinberg

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{for=”JoBlo.com” value=”8″}

“ I thought that film was a blast and a half, and I’m happy to see that for his first American film, Kitamura seems to have been more or less given a free hand. The film positively oozes style.” - Chris Bumbray

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