December 15th, 2012
We are getting closer and closer to Christmas and we are getting to the crunch time for gift shopping. After checking out first run releases and franchise box sets in Part I and TV on DVD releases in Part II, this week we look at limited releases, classics, and foreign films. Some are pretty obvious choices, as we had a few limited releases that broke into the mainstream during their theatrical releases, but there are also a few more films that slipped beneath the radar the last time around. The biggest of these is...
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June 13th, 2012
True Blood: Season Four led all new releases and earned top spot on the Blu-ray sales chart. During its first week of release, it sold 369,000 units and generated $12.93 million in revenue. Its opening week Blu-ray share was 34%, which is low for the format as a whole, but very strong for a TV on DVD release.
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June 12th, 2012
True Blood was the only major release on this week's DVD sales chart crushing newcomers and holdovers alike. It sold 717,000 units / $21.52 million during its opening week, which is fantastic for a TV on DVD release.
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May 28th, 2012
It likely won't be a strong week on the home market. There's only one prime release, True Blood on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack. It is an excellent show and the Blu-ray is a clear contender for Pick of the Week, but as a TV on DVD release, I doubt it will sell as many units as the average first-run theatrical release sells. The biggest first run release is Man on a Ledge, but it did so poorly in theaters that I doubt it will have a real impact on the home market. True Blood isn't the only contender for Pick of the Week. Goon's Blu-ray Combo Pack is on that list. The price of the Combo Pack dropped since my review went online and at $15, it is the Pick of the Week, or should I say Puck of the Week. Also of note, Degrassi: Season 11, Part 1 - Buy from Amazon would also be a contender for Pick of the Week, but the full season set will likely be significantly cheaper on a price-per-minute basis.
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May 27th, 2012
There are a lot of people who described Goon as the best hockey movie since Slap Shot. Although it is not all that impressive when you look into it, as there haven't been a whole lot of hockey movies made in the past 35 years. Only one of them, Miracle, is both well-known and earned good reviews. (The Rocket is the best hockey movie of the last three decades, but very few people have seen it.) On the other hand, Goon certainly has a lot more in common with Slap Shot, but can it live up to that film's legacy? And is the DVD or Blu-ray worth picking up?
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April 4th, 2012
The ratings controversy didn't hurt Bully, which topped the per theater chart with an average of $23,294 in five theaters. It is always difficult for a documentary to expand significantly, but this start will certainly help. The overall box office leader, The Hunger Games, was next with an average of $14,153 in more than 4,000 theaters.
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March 30th, 2012
There are a number of films opening in limited release this week, including a few documentaries. The biggest of these is Bully, which earned a boost in its publicity thanks to a ratings fight with the MPAA. The Island President is another documentary worth checking out. Meanwhile, Goon makes its theatrical debut in the States and it deserves to find an audience south of the border.
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March 7th, 2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax was surprisingly strong during its opening and that helped it win the race on top of the per theater chart with an average of $18,830. The only other two films in the $10,000 club, Being Flynn and Boy, were neck-and-neck at $10,998 and $10,622 respectively.
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February 28th, 2012
It was another slow week on the per theater chart with no film topping $10,000. The closest any film got was The Forgiveness of Blood with an average of $8,908 in three theaters. Goon's opening is also worth noting, as it made $1.27 million in 258 theaters in Canada. It is very rare for a Canadian film to open in more than a handful of theaters, while opening with more than $1 million almost never happens. It would be nice if the film could replicate this success in the States, but it is monstrously unlikely.
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February 26th, 2012
This weekend's box office charts will feature two hits and two misses, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. Very much in the hit column, and leading the weekend overall, is Act of Valor, a reality-tinged actioner from Relativity that is set to open with around $24.7 million, which is on the high end of expectations. With a $13 million acquisition cost and $30 million committed to marketing, Relativity should see a profit from the film after several recent misses. In second place, Tyler Perry's Good Deeds will pick up around $16 million for the weekend, which is on the low side for Perry -- in fact it will most likely be his worst opening weekend ever -- but will still earn money in the end thanks to a low production and marketing budget.
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February 24th, 2012
After a couple weeks of Oscar nominated films coming out in limited release, it is literally
Oscar week. Fans of art house films will likely be distracted with award ceremonies, so it is no real surprise that there are not that many limited releases. The film I'm most interested in seeing is
Goon, but if you don't live in Canada, you will have to wait till the 30th of March to see it.
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