Random Monday Thoughts - Fifty Shades of Green

Random Monday Thoughts
By Paul Hall

A big weekend at the box office with Fifty Shades of Grey tying up the bulk of the ticket sales. With over $80 million at the US box office this weekend, there is no question this will be a profitable Romance, Infatuation and Spanking.
endeavor despite the middling reviews (at best) that came home. Mine, I was generous with a C / Read it here -

But while Fifty Shades doubled its estimated Budget, according to boxofficemojo.com  it was more impressive with a $158 million overseas opening.

The numbers in both markets are just the beginning as this week's new releases don't seem to go after the female audience driving metric very hard with The DUFF, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and McFarland, USA as the wide openers. Sure HTTM2 will definitely grab some bucks and The DUFF is sure to siphon some of the teenage market (but they weren't supposed to be sneaking into Fifty Shades now were they).

I will be really interested to see if Fifty Shades is bound tightly hanging on to the top spot this week. My guess is yes, but this industry is always in for surprises. One way or another...it will continue to be talked about for weeks and months to come.

Also opening this weekend - with a good chunk of change, Kingsman: The Secret Service. Met with much better reviews, it rode the cast of Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton and even Mark Hamill to a second place for the weekend with around $35 million.

Other notes - 

- The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water takes in another $30 million to get ready to crash through the surface at over $100 million this week sometime.

- American Sniper adds $16 million and don't look now, but it crossed the $300 million threshold.

- Old Fashioned expanded to it's wide opening this week with an underwhelming $1 million on 224 Love Conquers All.
screens. A decent per screen average at close to $5K but not earth shattering - Read my review here -

- And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Still Alice. Expanding to 502 screens this week and a nearly 100% increase at the box office, the Julianne Moore starring vehicle is one to check out as it opens at theaters near you. You WILL be seeing the winner for Best Actress if you go see it. At least you SHOULD be.

Oh and if you missed last week's appearance on Real Milwaukee...well here is the link for that too! 

Have a great week everyone!

Tomorrow - Home Screening Room for the week...What 2 films that were in my Top 10 this year...are coming home?