Box Office Breakdown: Madea Sets Record for Lionsgate
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

While Slumdog Millionaire was making news for India, Tyler Perry was busy breaking records for his studio.
The latest installment in Tyler Perry’s franchise surpassed all expectations this weekend. Madea Goes to Jail, with its $41 million premiere, was the box office’s biggest opener since November’s Twilight. It was also the best debuter for Lionsgate…ever. (October 2006’s Saw III was the previous topper at $33 million.)
Unfortunately, Friday the 20th didn’t go as well for Friday the 13th. After only one week on the charts, last weekend’s record breaker dropped a frightening 81% to 6th place.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Madea Sets Record for Lionsgate
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Box Office Breakdown: Friday the 13th Slashes the Holiday Competition
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Twelve turned out to be a lucky number for good old #13.
Blood-thirsty audiences helped push Friday the 13th into the record books this holiday weekend. (There’s no better way to spend a Valentine’s Day than scared in your honey’s arms.) The franchise’s twelfth installment scared up $43.6 million over the last four days to become the top horror opener of all time. Friday also had the second best showing ever for a President’s Day weekend debut. (Ghost Rider pulled in $52 million in 2007.)
The horror film wasn’t the only newsmaker this February. Paul Blart: Mall Cop, this week’s sixth-place finisher, added on another $13.8 million to officially break the $100 million mark. (The comedy currently stands at $112.3 million.) That’s the first time a January opener has ever done that.
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Box Office Breakdown: He’s Just Not That Into You Debuts on Top
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Fox Searchlight, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may have returned home with more losses this weekend, but Jennifer Aniston was a big winner.
For the third time in a row, the Friends star found herself in a familiar position. Although it is technically an ensemble piece, He’s Just Not That Into You became the 39-year-old’s latest chart topper. (The Break-Up and Marley & Me also debuted at #1.) The adaptation’s $28 million gross helped push another romantic comedy offering, New in Town, completely out of the Top Ten. (The Renee Zellweger film had only been there for one week.)
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Box Office Breakdown: Audiences are Taken with Liam Neeson
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

While it would seem logical to find a female-oriented movie on top after Super Bowl Sunday, an action thriller proved there was more than enough testosterone to go around. Taken, starring Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson, took in $24.7 million making it the second best opener ever during the same football period. (Last year’s Hannah Montana concert film grossed $31.1 million.)
Meanwhile, a romantic comedy starring an actual Oscar winner, failed to do what counterprogramming options are meant to do: score a touchdown. New in Town, starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr., earned $6.7 million and a disappointing 8th place. (Apparently Academy Awards don’t guarantee future success.) The romantic comedy raked in about 1/2 as much as Zellweger’s Leatherheads did…and that’s saying a lot.
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In Theaters This Weekend: January 30, 2009
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- New in Town (PG): starring Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr., Nathan Fillion (directed by Jonas Elmer)
- Taken (PG-13): starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen (directed by Pierre Morel)
- The Uninvited (PG-13): starring Elizabeth Banks, Emily Browning, David Strathairn (directed by Charles and Thomas Guard)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: January 30, 2009
This Week on HD DVD and Blu-ray: January 15, 2008
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Lionsgate, New Line, Adaptation, Documentary, Drama, Independent, Religious, Satire, Comedy, Home Entertainment, New Releases
Alright, yes—this article should have been written yesterday. But despite my lack of punctuality, I’ve decided to go ahead and post it anyway as part of a New Year’s resolution to write more. And this is a slow time for film in general, so I think I deserve a reprieve.
To be perfectly honest, little jumps out at me this week. We have the hilarious, slightly esoteric The Ten, helmed by some The State alumni and starring, well, just about everyone. Is there anything else worth mentioning? Could Girls Gone Wild: Baby Bash—Live and Uncensored be the best Blu-ray title this week? That seems a bit sad, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, HD DVD patrons—if you were looking for some girl-on-girl action, hold out until February 12th when it releases in your format.
I can’t wait for these sluggish few weeks to pass.
Check out the full list of high-def releases after the jump.
Click to continue reading This Week on HD DVD and Blu-ray: January 15, 2008
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