Weekend Box Office Review 12-27-13 to 12-29-13

        Here are the domestic weekend Box Office from this past weekend of 12-27-13 to 12-29-13 as well as my 5 key takeaways. So without further ado...

TW	LW	Title	Studio	Weekend	Theaters	Total	Weeks
1	1	The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug	New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures	$29,850,000	3,928	$190,304,000	3
2	3	Frozen	Walt Disney Pictures	$28,845,000	3,335	$248,366,000	6
3	2	Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues	Paramount Pictures	$20,250,000	3,507	$83,667,000	2
4	4	American Hustle	Columbia Pictures (SONY)	$19,550,000	2,507	$60,035,000	3
5	-	The Wolf of Wall Street	Paramount Pictures	$18,510,000	2,537	$34,302,000	1
6	5	Saving Mr. Banks	Walt Disney Pictures	$14,021,000	2,110	$37,844,000	3
7	-	The Secret Life of Walter Mitty	20th Century Fox	$13,000,000	2,909	$25,594,960	1
8	6	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Lionsgate	$10,200,000	2,315	$391,124,000	6
9	-	47 Ronin	Universal Pictures	$9.869,000	2,689	$20,571,000	1
10	7	Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas	Lionsgate	$7,400,000	1,788	$43,719,000	3

1. Once again The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug wins the Box Office for the 3rd weekend in a row.
2. 47 Ronin opened with $20 million (counting its Christmas Day numbers) which is a disappointment considering that the film has a budget of well over $200 million.
3. On the other side of the coin The Wolf of Wall Street and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty both opened with respectable numbers of $34.3 million and $52.7 (counting Christmas day numbers) respectively while also having budgets of $100 million and $90 million respectively.
4. Frozen has consistently been in the top 3 since its opening weekend 6 weeks ago and it keeps bringing in money.
5. Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas is on an Ender's Game drop falling from 3 to 7 to 10 to possibly out of the top 10 next week.

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of this weekends box office and what are some of your takeaways? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Top 10 Least Favorite Films Of 2013

        So this past yer in movies has been one of the best in recent memory. In my personal opinion 75% of the movies to be released this year (mostly after the month of August) have been from good to memorably awesome. With that being said it is also my opinion that 25% of the films this year were from bad to memorably awful. So today I'm going to bring you My Top 10 Least Favorite Films of 2013 (NOTE: the list is not in order of the score I gave them). So without further ado...






10. The Great Gatsby


        I'll probably catch some heat on this but I honestly don't care. In reality I was very disappointed in this film mainly because I loved the 1974 film and I was excited to see a modern take on the story, but what I got in return was a over-hyped awful 3D music video. To be honest the film bored me so bad that I fell asleep.






9. Runner Runner


        When this movie came out it was coming of the heels of the announcement that Ben Affleck was going to be Batman/Bruce Wayne as well as Ben Affleck being on fire with his film Argo winning Best Picture earlier in year. So it was safe to say that the film would be good right? Well instead we got an overly long and very confusing piece of garbage. Now don't get me wrong Affleck and his co-star Justin Timberlake give good performances with very little to work with in what was a horrible script.






8. The Internship


        The last time we had seen Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn were leading actors in a movie together we got the very funny Wedding Crashers and most thought that the chemistry would work again. Well instead we got a not so very funny movie and a look at the downward spiral of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's careers.






7. Carrie


        Here is another movie that I was excited for because I loved the original one. This film was a loaded mess with such a talented cast that had the worst performances of their careers. This film brought nothing new to the story except simply following the book a lot more closely and once again my argument is valid in saying that THE BOOK DOES NOT MATTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






6. Scary Movie 5


        In all honesty this franchise has gone to hell and the films have gotten progressively worst since the first film (which I absolutely love). I didn't laugh one single solitary time and I honestly question why I paid money to see the film. Spoof comedies have gone down the toilet and I don't think they will ever be as good as they once were when the Naked Gun, Airplane and Hot Shot franchises were coming out on to the big screen.






5. Movie 43


        What more can I say about the film other than that it honestly the biggest piece of crap that I have ever seen come out of Hollywood. It's an awful waste of excellent A-List actors and created by the guy's who directed such great films as Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary, Shallow Hal and Me,Myself and Irene. The movie is so bad that none of the actors promoted the film and some have gone on record that they would rather die if the were offered the script again.






4. Grown Ups 2


        In a review I read for this movie from Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun-Times and he said "When Taylor Lautner is the funniest thing in a movie starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, we're in trouble" and I most certainly agree with him. If you went to see this movie its opening weekend instead of Pacific Rim, then in my opinion you wasted your time and money. As I said in an earlier blog post Sandler needs to do away with his directing buddy Dennis Dugan (who is the worst director of all-time) and get back to doing dramatic roles. When you can obviously tell that the main cast isn't really trying and the best part is a plethora of cameos, then the movie will automatically be bad.






3. The Lone Ranger 


        This film was absolutely dreadful and has some of the worst film-making I have ever seen. the film was so bad that producer Jerry Bruckheimer (who has done a plethora of films for Disney) was released out of his contract. Also here is another film with Johnny Depp playing Jack Sparrow in a non Pirates of the Caribbean film. The film was dreadful and I only enjoyed the last 20 minutes of the film when it actually felt like an action film.






2. After Earth


        All I'm going to say is Will Smith needs to stop protecting and babying his son and let him go out and make his own film choices. The film was horribly marketed to make it seem like Will Smith would be the main actor but instead we got the always whiny Jaden Smith, also dealing with marketing, during TV spots and trailers nobody outside of Hollywood knew that M. Night Shyamalan was the director and it shows that he is film cancer.






1. Free Birds


        We have finally arrived to my least favorite film of the year and its hard to believe that an animated film tops the list. I absolutely love animated films because they always have nice blend of heart and comedy for both kids and adults. Well this one has none of that and it has a stupid plot. It also has the distinct honor of having my lowest rating of the year in a 0.5 out of 10.



        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of my list, are there any surprises and what are some of your least favorite films of 2013? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Review of The Wolf of Wall Street

        So I recently watched The Wolf of Wall Street and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        In 1987, Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) takes an entry-level job at a Wall Street brokerage firm. By the early 1990s, while still in his 20s, Belfort founds his own firm, Stratton Oakmont. Together with his trusted lieutenant Donnie Azoff (played by Jonah Hill) and a merry band of brokers, Belfort makes a huge fortune by defrauding wealthy investors out of millions. However, while Belfort and his cronies partake in a hedonistic brew of sex, drugs and thrills, the SEC and the FBI close in on his empire of excess.

       

        I absolutely loved this movie. The chemistry between Director Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio has never been better and it shows through DiCaprio's performance. This entertained me and it made me laugh a lot. The supporting cast which includes Matthew McConaughey (who is only in the film for about 10 minutes), Jonah Hill, Rob Reiner and Kyle Chandler is outstanding. Not knowing anything about the life of Jordan Belfort beforehand was a big help as the movie was unpredictable and it kept me on the edge of my seat. This film has major Oscar buzz surrounding as well as Scorsese, DiCaprio and Hill. If any of these 4 are to be nominated the one most likely to win would be DiCaprio who year after year is snubbed of the Oscar or even a nomination and though it will be tough especially with the likelihood of Chiwetel Ejiofor being nominated for his work in 12 Years A Slave. Now with all of the positiveness for the film I do have one negative... The Length and pacing. The length of the film is 3 hours and while your sitting in the theater you can really tell. By the beginning of the 3rd act I had felt like I was in there for 3 hours but in reality I was only in the for 2. With that being said I'm going to give The Wolf of Wall Street a 9.5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of The Wolf of Wall Street, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                        Jonah Sparks

My Review of Grudge Match

        So I recently watched Grudge Match and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado.........







        Two retired Pittsburgh boxers,[3] Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (played by Robert De Niro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (played by Sylvester Stallone), have an unsettled thirty-year-old grudge. It revolves around the fact that Razor retired the night before their match for the title, thus destroying both of their careers. Now they have an opportunity to get the score even with one last rematch, it will be hard to stay focused while they are blowing up on social networks and struggling physically with their age and the training.

       

        I was very disappointed in the film. When you have two of the greatest actors of all-time in Academy Award winners in Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone, you should have a way better story and way better acting. When I fist heard about the film I was really excited because I wanted to see a mash-up of Raging Bull's Lake LaMotta and Rocky's Rocky Balboa (both are characters played by De Niro and Stallone), but all we got was a comedy with really bad storytelling and very bad comedy. Another problem I had was that I thought the film would never end. The one thing that I actually liked about it was the acting of Kevin Hart, who in a bad comedy gives us the best laughs of the movie. Overall I give Grudge Match a 5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Grudge Match, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                 Jonah Sparks

My Review of 47 Ronin

        So I recently watched 47 Ronin and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado.................







        The outcast Kai (played by Keanu Reeves), illegitimate son of a British sailor and a Japanese peasant woman, joins a group of Ronin, led by Kuranosuke Oishi (played by Hiroyuki Sanada), who seeks vengeance on Lord Kira (played by Tadanobu Asano), a ruthless man who killed their master and banished the group. The Ronin embark on a journey with challenges that would defeat most warriors.

     


        I was really disappointed in this film. The action in the film was really good and Keanu Reeves gives a decent performance. The main problem with the film for me was that the supporting cast was dumb, dull and very, very, very boring. Another problem is the storytelling is the sense that you really don't get to learn much about the 47 Ronin and their impact in Chinese mythology. Another problem is that I was shocked at how pathetic the attempt that the filmmakers made at a fantasy/action movie. I say that because they added CGI dragons, yes I said dragons when there was absolutely no need for them. Adding those dragons pushed the budget of the film to $225 million and as of right now its only made $6 so its going to cost Universal Studios a lot of money. Overall I give 47 Ronin a 4.5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of 47 Ronin, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

     

My Top 10 Favorite Christmas FIlms of All-Time

        With Christmas being tomorrow I thought it would be fitting to bring you My Top 10 Favorite Christmas Films of All-Time. This was definitely one of the hardest lists I have ever had to do simply because there are so many great Christmas films. But before I begin the list I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I want to thank you all for the support that you all have given me since June when I started the blog. But anyway enough of the sappiness and without further ado...






10. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York 



        After snarky youth Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) loses track of his father at the airport, he mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City (while the rest of the McCallisters fly to Florida). Now alone in the Big Apple, Kevin cons his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel and begins his usual antics. But when Kevin discovers that the Sticky Bandits Harry and Marv (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern respectively) are on the loose, he struggles to stop them from robbing an elderly man's toy store just before Christmas. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York has a rating of 24% on rottentomatoes.com.





9. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)


        An old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain's main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity. Miracle on 34th Street was nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, Best Story and Best Original Screenplay while winning 3 (Best Supporting Actor, Best Story and Best Original Screenplay), and it has a rating of 94% on rottentomatoes.com.





8. Prancer


        Refusing to give up her belief in Santa Claus, a child, Jessica Riggs (played by Rebecca Harrell), discovers a hurt reindeer in the woods, which she believes to be Prancer. With the help of a sympathetic veterinarian Dr. Orel Benton (played by Abe Vigoda), Jessica takes care of the wounded creature. It's supposed to be a secret, but eventually a store Santa Claus (played by Michael Constantine), the girl's dad John (played by Sam Elliott) and the entire town find out about Prancer, leading to big problems for Jessica and her family. Prancer has a rating of 69% on rottentomatoes.com.





7. The Nightmare Before Christmas


        The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon), Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life - he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry. The Nightmare Before Christmas was nominated for 1 Academy Award (Best Visual Effects) and it has a rating of 96% on rottentomatoes.com.





6. Its a Wonderful Life


         George Bailey (played by James Stewart), a man who has given up his dreams in order to help others and whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (played by Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be had he never been born. It's a Wonderful Life was nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Recording and it has a rating of 93% on rottentomatoes.com.





5. Bad Santa


       The crotchety Willie T. Stokes (played by Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner Marcus (played by Tony Cox) reunite once a year for a holiday con. Posing as a mall Santa and his elf, they rip off shopping outlets on Christmas Eve. This year, however, Willie is falling apart. He's depressed and alcoholic, and his erratic behavior draws the suspicion of mall security guard Gin Slagel (played by Bernie Mac). But when befriending a small boy named Thurman (played by Brent Kelly) brings out his kinder side, Willie begins to wonder if there is still some hope for him. Bad Santa has a rating of 77% on rottentomatoes.com.





4. A Christmas Story


        The film centers on Ralphie Parker (played by Peter Billingsley), a young boy living in 1940s Indiana, desperately yearning for a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. Despite protests from his mother (played by Melinda Dillon) that he'll shoot his eye out, Ralphie persists, unsuccessfully trying to enlist the assistance of both his teacher and Santa Claus. All the while, Ralphie finds himself dealing with the constant taunts of a pair of bullies and trying to not get in the middle of a feud between his mother and father (played by Darren McGavin) regarding a sexy lamp. A Christmas Story has a rating of 89% on rottentomatoes.com.





3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation


       As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he pesters his wife, Ellen (played by Beverly D'Angelo), and children, as he tries to make sure everything is in line, including the tree and house decorations. However, things go awry quickly. His hick cousin, Eddie (played by Randy Quaid), and his family show up unplanned and start living in their camper on the Griswold property. Even worse, Clark's employers renege on the holiday bonus he needs. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has a rating of 63% on rottentomatoes.com.





2. The Santa Clause


        Divorced dad Scott (played by Tim Allen) has custody of his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, they are magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf named Bernard (played by David Krumholtz) explains that Scott must take Santa's place before the next Christmas arrives. Scott thinks he's dreaming, but over the next several months he gains weight and grows an inexplicably white beard. Maybe that night at the North Pole wasn't a dream after all (and maybe Scott has a lot of work to do). The Santa Clause has a rating of 75% on rottentomatoes.com.





1. Home Alone


       When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (played by Catherine O'Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men Harry and Marv (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern respectively) plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home. Home Alone has a rating of 54% on rottentomatoes.com.



        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of my list and what are some of your favorite Christmas movies of all-time? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                 Merry Christmas, 
                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

Weekend Box Office Review 12-20-13 to 12-22-13

        Here are the Box Office numbers for this past weekend of 12-20-13 to 12-22-13 as well as my five key takeaways from the Box Office numbers. So without further ado...

TW	LW	Title	Studio	Weekend	Theaters	Total	Weeks
1	1	The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug	New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures	$31,505,278	3,928	$127,550,695	2
2	-	Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues	Paramount Pictures	$26,776,000	3,507	$40,000,001	1
3	2	Frozen	Walt Disney Pictures	$19,642,107	3,540	$193,034,117	5
4	-	American Hustle	Columbia Pictures (SONY)	$19,106,933	2,507	$20,220,301	2
5	-	Saving Mr. Banks	Walt Disney Pictures	$9,344,381	2,110	$9,969,867	2
6	4	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Lionsgate	$8,764,479	2,949	$371,718,275	5
7	3	Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas	Lionsgate	$8,384,980	3,231	$28,155,257	2
8	-	Walking With Dinosaurs	20th Century Fox	$7,091,938	2,194	$7,091,938	1
9	-	Dhoom 3	Yash Raj Films	$3,152,590	236	$3,152.590	1
10	5	Thor: The Dark World	Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel Studios	$1,341,763	1,116	$200,779,871	7

1. While Anchorman 2 had an excellent weekend but it still wasn't enough to beat out The Hobbit

2. The Box Office numbers were strong this week with 4 movies making over $19 million 

3. Walking With Dinosaurs opened to very disappointing numbers and I'm not shocked considering its horrible reviews as well as the competition 

4. It looks as though Thor 2's run in the theater is coming to an end but its still making money for Marvel/Disney

5. Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas took a big hit by falling from 3 to 7 in just its second week

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of the Box Office numbers and what are your 5 takeaways? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                        Jonah Sparks