Box Office: 'Star Wars' Dethroned By 'Ride Along 2', '13 Hours' Misses The Mark

1. Ride Along 2 (review here)- $34M
It was inevitable that something would eventually take down Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it was just as likely it would be a film like Ride Along 2. The sequel to Kevin Hart and Ice Cube's hit comedy opened with a strong $34M and is projected for $39M through the MLK holiday. That said, it's still less than the then-record breaking numbers the first film earned on this same weekend two years ago.  These movies aren't too expensive, though, with this one coming in at around $40M, and if it plays like the last one it will earn close to $150M when all is said and done. That's not too shabby for Hart, Cube, and director Tim Story who all have numerous successful franchises under their belts.  Universal knows what they have here, so don't be surprised if word of a Ride Along 3 breaks by Tuesday morning.
2. The Revenant- $29.5M/$87.6M
What's a good way to celebrate 12 Academy Award nominations? Leaping ahead of Star Wars for second place at the box office. Not only that, but it's looking like one of Leonardo DiCaprio's most successful films, which nobody could have fathomed a few months ago given the grim material.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $25.1M/$851M
Passing $1B internationally is a pretty good consolation for slipping into third place. In a lot of weeks the $25M weekend would have been enough to top the chart, which just goes to show how strong Star Wars still is after five weeks.
4. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (review here)- $16M
Want to know how to turn a sure-fire hit into...well, not a hit? Look no further than the marketing for 13 Hours, Michael Bay's "account" of the 2012 terrorist attack on our diplomatic compound in Lybia. Paramount and Bay himself rallied together to pitch the film largely to conservatives, plastering ads for it all over Fox News and having the real-life security officers appearing on the network's programming. The result was that anyone who doesn't still think of Benghazi as an open issue, meaning non-conservatives, were turned off. The marketing for American Sniper, which similarly appeals to conservatives, was much smarter and more balanced, which is why it ended its run with over $540M. Granted, it had a much bigger star in Bradley Cooper and a lot of awards support, but that doesn't account for this huge of a gap. All of that said, the film isn't likely to be a flop, and for Paramount it's a definite win since it got Bay to direct one more Transformers movie.
5. Daddy's Home- $9.3M/$129.2M
6. Norm of the North (review here)- $6.6M
What the f&#k is a Norm of the North? Truthfully I had never heard of it before the screening invites went out, and apparently nobody went to see it, perhaps figuring it was a better idea to wait for Kung Fu Panda 3. The animated film features the voices of Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, and Rob Schneider, hardly a powerhouse lineup.
7. The Forest- $5.7M/$21.1M
8. The Big Short- $5.2M/$50.5M
9. Sisters- $4.4M/$81.8M
10. The Hateful Eight- $3.4M/$47.5M

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Box Office: 'Star Wars' Still #1 But 'The Revenant' Is A Close 2nd With $38M

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $41.6M/$812M
After nearly a month there's still something new to say about the latest Star Wars film as it races up the charts faster than a jump through hyperspace. The film has now passed the $800M domestically, and worldwide it has hit $1.7B, soaring past Jurassic World into 3rd place all-time. That said, it's starting to slow down now and very nearly lost the top spot to The Revenant's expanded rollout, but it looks like it will be next week's Ride Along 2 that gets the honor. Get ready for those lame ass graphics all over Facebook: "Ride Along 2 dethrones Star Wars!". Yeah, who cares?
2. The Revenant- $38M/$39.5M
Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu's brilliant and possibly Oscar-winning The Revenant expanded nationally in its third week and earned $38M, plus one very special honor. By being the top film on Friday it's the first to defeat Star Wars for even a single day since it was released in December. Perhaps they should make an ad out of that? Maybe show Leonardo DiCaprio holding up a lightsaber and a bear pelt? As it's beginning to look more likely that DiCaprio will at least be nominated for Best Actor, with many expecting him to finally win, we should see the film steam along for a few weeks of strong returns. Already it's on the verge of surpassing the entire domestic total of Inarritu's Best Picture-winning Birdman, and the $38M debut marks one of DiCaprio's biggest of his career.
3. Daddy's Home- $15M/$116.3M
4. The Forest (review here)- $13M
The first real test of popular Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer's box office muscle proved to be a modest success. The Forest, another in a long tradition of cheap horror movies at the beginning of a new year, opened with $13M, which isn't bad considering the $10M budget. However, it's likely to tank hard next week meaning there aren't going to be huge returns on this one for anybody.
5. Sisters- $7.1M/$74.8M
6. The Hateful Eight- $6.35M/$41.4M
7. The Big Short- $6.3M/$42.8M
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $5.5M/$75.6M
9. Joy- $4.5M/$46.5M
10. Concussion- $3M/$30.9M

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Box Office: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Adds $88M, Nears All-Time U.S. Record

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $88.3M/$740.2M
New Year's weekend is generally a soft one for new releases since studios know most people will be nursing hangovers. That doesn't mean business was slow, at least not for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which continued its epic run with $88.3M, unheard of for a third weekend.  That brings its domestic total to $740M, just $21M from surpassing James Cameron's Avatar for the all-time record here in America. The film has been out only 17 days, whereas it took weeks and months for Cameron's films, both Avatar and Titanic, to reach their incredible heights.  Worldwide its $1.51B has just moved it into 6th place all-time and probably by the time I finish this sentence it will have surpassed Furious 7 and moved into 5th. That's not a joke, it probably just passed Vin Diesel and crew. So where does it end? Some analysts are saying a big drop is due in the next couple of weeks, but these are the same people who didn't predict the kinds of numbers we are already seeing. It still has a long way to go to break Avatar's $2.7B global haul, but if next week's debut in China turns out to be huge (it will) then all bets are off.
2. Daddy's Home- $29M/$93.6M
People love the comedy combo of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and Daddy's Home is shaping up to be one of the bigger hits for both actors. The film only slipped 23% in week two and will easily break $100M in the next day or so.
3. The Hateful Eight- $16.2M/$29.5M
Bounding a whopping 252% now that it's finally in wide release is Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Clearly, there was some anticipation for those who weren't able to take in the 70mm road show version of the violent Western, and they turned out for the shorter, digital cut. This one doesn't have the star power of Tarantino's prior efforts, no Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio to speak of, so expecting it to do as well is perhaps a little silly. Solid awards buzz, particularly for the cinematograhy, score, and Tarantino's screenplay, should give it enough legs to be a long earner.
4. Sisters- $12.5M/$61.7M
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $11.8M/$67.3M
6. Joy- $10.4M/$38.7M
Another one that's hoping Oscar notice will see it through is Joy, David O. Russell's latest team up with Jennifer Lawrence. The biopic scored $10.4M and slid 38% which isn't terrible but maybe a little underwhelming given the amount of talent involved. The film, which is based on the life of inventor Joy Mangano, isn't as easily marketed as Silver Linings Playbook or American Hustle, which could be part of the problem. Or maybe there's a case of Jennifer Lawrence fatigue going around.
7. The Big Short- $9M/$32.9M
8. Concussion- $8M/$25.3M
The Will Smith football drama is getting sacked here in the States, but maybe his overseas clout will help Concussion find the end zone.
9. Point Break- $6.8M/$22.4M
Well...it didn't totally wipe out but this unwanted remake is struggling domestically while performing better overseas. Currently it sits at $80M worldwide and within reach of its $105M+ budget, but don't expect too many more remakes of old Patrick Swayze movies any time soon. Wait...what's that? Road House with Ronda Rousy? Uhhhh....
10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2- $4.6M/$274.2M

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Box Office: 'Star Wars' Tops $1B As New Releases Start Strong

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $153.5M/$544.5M

The amazing thing about Star Wars: the Force Awakens' $153M second weekend is that it faced such stiff competition. A slew of varied films from A-list stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Will Ferrell, Will Smith, and Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't put a dent in the powerhouse, which dropped only 38% and amassed $544M domestically, the fastest to that number ever. Worldwide it's doing even better with $1.09B, ranking fifth all-time. Uhhh...it's only been out for 12 days, ya'll.

2. Daddy's Home (review here)- $38.8M
While we can all count on Will Ferrell as one of today's most consistent comedy stars, his opening weekends don't tend to be all that huge. Case in point, Daddy's Home, which sees him paired with another reliable box office star in Mark Wahlberg, opened at $38.8M, the 3rd-highest of his career. It's a solid score for both stars, especially Wahlberg who could use a bounce-back after Ted 2 underwhelmed earlier this year.
3. Joy (review here)- $17.5M
Despite the many hit films and awards already under her belt, Joy makes the strongest case for Jennifer Lawrence as a box office draw. The film, largely built and promoted around her, got off to a very good start with $17.5M. The biopic on entrepreneur and inventor Joy Mangano was directed by David O. Russell and reteams Lawrence with Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper, the foursome having worked together on awards fodder American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Certainly, the Oscar potential in Joy helped out considerably and will likely carry it along for a few weeks, but this is a win for Lawrence, for sure.
4. Sisters- $13.8M/$37.1M
Barely moving an inch from last week when it dared to open opposite Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy, Sisters. The fairly mediocre film didn't even drop a full percentage point this week, meaning that its attempt at counter-programming was a definite success. Women can't live on lightsabers and Wookies alone, fellas.
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $12.7M/$39.3M
6. Concussion (review here)- $11M
Traditionally football movies have only done okay at the box office, but what about a movie that hammers the NFL for being negligent about the health of its players? Well, that's one Hell of a tough sell. Concussion, which is earning Will Smith the best reviews he's had in years, opened with a lackluster $11M.The film centers on the discovery of the connection between NFL players and severe head injury, which the league and commissioner Roger Goodell denied for way too long. There was a lot of pre-buzz that the story would be toned down to ease up on the league, but the advanced controversy doesn't seem to have attracted much of an audience domestically. Now, Smith is a huge star overseas and there's a good chance the film is huge internationally. And considering the Oscar talk swirling around Smith's performance we could see a boost somewhere down the line.
7. The Big Short- $10.5M/$16M
8. Point Break- $10.2M
Nobody wanted a remake of Point Break, the classic bro flick that starred Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. But we got one anyway, and Warner Bros. decided on top of all the negative buzz they would also not screen it for critics. Bad call, gang. The film opened at $10.2M which is about as bad as could have been expected. In the famous lead roles are the less-than-famous Edgar Ramirez (who thankfully has Joy to fall back on) and Luke Bracy, neither of which is known to put butts in seats.
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2- $5.3M/$264.6M
10. Creed- $4.6M/$96.3M

The 70mm gamble by Quentin Tarantino appears to have paid off as The Hateful Eight's (review here) road show opened with $4.5M at 100 select locations outfitted for the format. That's an incredible $45K per site average, which would look even more amazing if it weren't for the ridiculous business done by Star Wars last week. This came after weeks of haggling over the actual theaters that would present the film in 70mm, plus The Weinstein Company's significant expense outfitting them so they could.  The only downside is that it probably could have done better except the film was leaked onto the Internet early, although this is likely to affect the theatrical version a bit more.

And finally (God damn this was a busy week!) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's bear-mawling survival thriller The Revenant (review here) opened in 4 locations, earning $471K in the process. It's a hefty start for a film that is expected to earn Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar nomination, and depending on who you ask it may get him his first win. It's worth noting that Inarritu's Best Picture-winning Birdman didn't start off so hot but Oscar buzz and international audiences powered it to over $100M. Don't be surprised if something similar happens here.

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Box Office: 'Star Wars'' Record-Breaking $238M Debut Proves The Force Is Strong

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (review here)- $238M
After breaking the Thursday preview record with $57M, then the single day haul with $120M, the question wasn't if Star Wars: The Force Awakens would top Jurassic World's opening weekend record of $208M. It was a question of how much it would beat it by. The answer is by a significant margin as the film opened with an unbelievable $238M. That's bolstered by a whopping $38M in IMAX sales alone, which also happens to be a new record. Worldwide its $517M falls just short of Jurassic World, but does chances are Star Wars will win out in the long run. So how far will this go? Will it best Avatar and Titanic to be the highest grossing domestic film ever? That's a good question, and not even the Force can predict how things are going to. But with an 'A' Cinemascore and a killer 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, the expectation is there will be tons of repeat viewings for a very long time, and they'll likely be in IMAX and 3D. So while the early analysis says it won't break into the Top 2, it would also be foolish to think it an impossibility. Yoda might have something to say about thinking that way.
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (review here)- $14.4M
Wait, there were movies that dared open opposite Star Wars? What on earth were they thinking? Well, they were thinking "counter-programming", but since Star Wars appeals to women and kids as much as it does nerdy dudes, neither effort to lure away audiences found much success. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip opened with a meager $14.4M, the lowest of the four (!!!!) movies thus far. Hey look, these movies have earned over $1.1B worldwide so there's a reason for their existence, it's just nothing was going to hold up against the might of the Dark Side, not even Theodore and his pizza toots.  That said, there does seem to be diminishing interest in the franchise. The last film, 2011's 'Chipwrecked' (uggghh, the puns), earned the least of the bunch up to that point.
3. Sisters (review here)- $13.4M
Seriously, can't Amy Poehler and Tina Fey beat a bunch of irritating singing chipmunks? Apparently not as their new party comedy, Sisters, opened with only $13.4M. On the plus side it only cost about $30M and there's a good chance they recoup that, but the film wasn't very good and may not stick around too long despite our love of the two funny ladies.
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2- $5.6M/$254.4M
5. Creed- $5M/$87.9M
6. The Good Dinosaur- $4.3M/$96.6M
7. Krampus- $3.7M/$34.8M
8. In the Heart of the Sea- $3.4M/$18.6M
Admit it, you already forgot this movie exists.  It's okay, the proof is in the numbers. Ron Howard's whaling epic got sent to Davy Jones' Locker with a huge 68% drop in only week two. Thar she blows!!!
9. Dilwale- $1.8M
A Hindi romantic comedy that I've heard passing reference to, but didn't expect to be doing as well as it is. But the interesting thing is that it's only the first of two Indian films in the charts.
10. Bajirao Mastani- $1.6M
Talk about sneaky marketing, to open a pair of Hindi films on the same weekend as the biggest movie of the year. Historical drama Bajirao Mastani opened with an impressive $1.6M. Combined with Dilwale this was a big statement for Indian movies in this country. This film stars the popular Deepika Padukone, who was recently hand picked by Vin Diesel for his XXX sequel.

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Review: 'Sisters' Starring Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Is there anyone out there who doesn't love Amy Poehler and Tina Fey? When together they make for arguably Hollywood's best comedic duo. They're so good they make awards shows watchable. The ex-Weekend Update pair reunites with SNL writer Paula Pell for Sisters, but whatever magic the trio had hasn't translated to the big screen. In fact, this tired, low-brow party comedy should be enough to force them to stick to TV for the foreseeable future. 

Directed by Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore, Sisters finds Poehler and Fey sledding uphill against an onslaught of tasteless and unfunny jokes about poop. Well, that's not totally true; there's also foreign objects being crammed up a partygoer's anus and an awkward dance number, the latter sure to please fans of the talented ladies.  It's not Fey and Poehler who screw this film up; it's the lazy screenplay and low energy that proves the ultimate party foul. 

Siblings Kate (Fey) and Maura (Poehler) couldn't be more different if they tried. Kate's a bit rough around the edges, a sexual firecracker with a childish streak that drives her daughter into hiding. Maura is a total square, at least socially, but she opens up when in the company of her sibling. One thing they have in common is love for their childhood home, but when informed by their frisky parents (Life in Pieces' Dianne Wiest and James Brolin) that the home is to be sold the girls rebel in the only way they know how: throwing one last bash. 

Given Pell's track record Sisters' episodic nature and sitcom style isn't surprising. It proves fitting for the stars of such smart female-centric comedies Parks & Recreation and 30 Rock. But the material isn't nearly of that caliber, and often includes long, painful sequences around a single joke stretched razor thin. In one such scene you'll be dying to fast forward through, Maura struggles to pronounce the rather simple name of her Korean manicurist, Hae-Won (Greta Lee). This isn't one of those times where a joke starts off terrible but goes on long enough it eventually becomes funny. It's pretty much DOA on arrival and stays that way. 

Of course the party is the main centerpiece and it’s populated with a number of wacky characters, most played by former SNL alums. Maya Rudolph is sorely wasted as a longtime frenemy who can't dance; Rachel Dratch also appears, Kate McKinnon is hard-partying lesbian, and Bobby Moynihan plays a coked-up loser who doesn't know how to make friends. In one of the better turns, John Leguizamo is a former high school hunk-turned burnout who longs to get both sisters in the sack. And continuing his streak of strong supporting work, WWE superstar John Cena scores many of the film's biggest laughs as a lunk-headed, tattooed drug dealer Kate takes a liking to. His safe word is hilarious. Less useful is Ike Barinholtz, retrofitted into a love interest role that doesn't suit him at all. 

The problem is that these characters, and that includes Kate and Maura, are pretty thinly drawn, as if they were being written for a skit show. They're only around to deliver the next raunchy joke and then vanish until it's time for another one. The best scenes won't be a shock to anybody; they involve Fey and Poehler riffing with one another, like in an early moment sharing nostalgic favorites from the 1980s.  The chemistry they have together is remarkable, reminiscent of some of the best comedy duos of all-time. When the forced attempts at humor slow down, Sisters becomes worthy of its stars, but those times are too few and too far between.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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Amy Poehler and Tina Fey Party Down in the 'Sisters' Trailer

Who doesn't love Tina Fey and Amy Poehler? Individually they're pretty great, but together, especially on SNL and hosting the Golden Globes, they're simply amazing. Okay, Baby Mama was pretty terrible but that was a long time ago. Hopefully Sisters will make us forget that other film ever happened.

Directed by Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore and co-starring Maya Rudolph, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo, Dianne Wiest, and James Brolin, the film follows two sisters throwing one last bash in their childhood home before their parents sell it. It's a perfect set up for Poehler and Fey to get crazy and dance awkwardly, and based on this trailer there should be plenty of that.

Unfortunately, the film has been set against Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18th. That could turn out to be a disaster; or those who didn't pre-order their Star Wars tickets in time may go see this instead.

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Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Party with John Cena in the New 'Sisters' Trailer

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have obviously teamed together many times. At this point it's as natural to have them together as apart, and audiences have loved it that way for awhile, stretching back to 2008's surprisingly successful comedy, Baby Mama. And now the duo are expecting to reach even greater heights with Sisters, another laugher that puts the funny ladies front and center.

Directed by Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore and penned by SNL writer Paula Pell, the film centers on two siblings who throw one last high school-style bash at their childhood home before their parents sell the place. And naturally this one is chock full of guest stars, including quite a few SNL members: Ike Barinholtz, Maya Rudolph, Greta Lee, Rachel Dratch, John Leguizamo, Kate McKinnon, James Brolin, and Ja Rule. But the real winner here is John Cena, who stole the show in Judd Apatow's Trainwreck and appears to be doing so again. Look out for the heavyweight grappler because he may have just found a new career path.

Sisters hits theaters on December 18th, opposite Star Wars: The Force Awakens.


Sisters Official Trailer (2015) - Amy Poehler, Tina Fey Movie by Rock on

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First Footage from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Comedy 'Sisters'

Last night Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the Golden Globes for the third and likely final time (they did host, right? I barely saw them.), and Universal saw it as the perfect time to unveil footage of their new comedy, Sisters. Pretty slick move as it gives the film, which doesn't open for another eleven months, a chance to get seen in front of millions who probably love the duo already.

Written by SNL and 30 Rock vet Paula Pell with Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore directing, the film follows two sisters who are summoned back to their childhood home to clean up before the family house is sold. Instead the ladies decide to throw one final high school-style bash with all of their former classmates. We've seen stories like this before but with Fey and Poehler on board this could be a cut above, and it helps that this teaser is actually pretty funny.

Ya'll ready for this jelly? Sisters hits theaters on December 18th.


Sisters Official Sneak Peek #1 (2015) - Amy Poehler, Tina Fey Movie HD by TrailerWood

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