HORROR FLICK TAKES "POSSESSION" OF BOX OFFICE

Still from The Possession

Horror Flick The Possession rockets to the top of the Box Office in its debut for Lionsgate/Alliance Films. Starring Kyra Sedgwick, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Matisyahu, the Film earns $17.7 million this Labour Day weekend (Friday to Sunday) from 2,816 theatres; it was made for $14 million already making back its Production costs.  In Canada alone this weekend, Alliance Films accounts for all top three Films.

Western Lawless opens with $9.6 million from 2,888 theatres for The Weinstein Co. and Alliance Films, a positive showing boosted undoubtedly by its all-star Cast including Tom Hardy, Shia Labeouf, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman and Jessica Chastain. The Film which premiere at Cannes in May, has received positive reviews, garnering 65% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Former Champion The Expendables 2 earns $8.8 million it its third week of release, now earning a cumulative total of $69.3 million, just ahead of The Bourne Legacy in fourth with $7.2 million.

Family-focused Films occupy the fifth and sixth spot with ParaNorman and The Odd Life of Timothy Green respectively. The former earns $6.5 million this weekend, while the latter earns $6 million.
 

2016 Obama's America, continues to gain feverish buzz in the U.S., expanding to 1,750 theatres and earning $5.1 million in ninth. The anti-Obama Documentary to date has earned $19 million thus far all on word-of-mouth with its micro-budget.

Sony Pictures' Hope Springs rounds out the Top Ten with $4.7 million in its fourth week of release. It now has earned $52.5 million domestically.

"THE EXPENDABLES 2" OPENS STRONG ON ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND AT BOX OFFICE

Still from The Expendables 2

It was no match for The Expendables 2 at the Box Office this weekend as the Sequel with an all-star Cast debuts at number one for Lionsgate/Alliance Films with $28.7 million, from 3,316 theatres across North America. Audiences and Critics also are responding well with the Film receiving many positive reviews, tallying a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. This result falls just-shy of the previous Film in the Series, earning $35 million back in 2010 in its opening.

Slipping to second this weekend is Universal Pictures' The Bourne Legacy with $16.8 million, for a two-week total of $69.4 million.

Sony Pictures' Musical Sparkle opens at number three this weekend, with the distinction of being Whitney Houston's last Film ever. It opens with $14 million, already recouping its production costs back. Reviews also have been fairly decent despite perceptions, rating a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. There is much praise for Mike Epps' performance in the Film.

ParaNorman, from the same Creators as Coraline, debuts in fourth spot with $14 million from 3,429 theatres, with the misfortune of opening on a crowded weekend of new releases. Like Coraline, it has also has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, rating 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green which opened mid-week for Disney also had a decent opening in seventh, earning $10.9 million from 2,598 theatres. Its five-day total is $14.9 million.

Hope Springs is proof that there indeed is a market for mature audiences, slipping to eighth spot in its second week with a respectable $8.7 million, a two-week tally of $34.6 million. I did actually see the Rom-Com starring Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep and can vouch that it is entertaining, with strong performances all around.

Total Recall rounds out the Top Ten with $3.5 million in its third week, which surprisingly almost is being out-performed by Hope Springs - also from Sony Pictures - costing about an eighth ($30 million) of what it cost to make Total Recall ($250 million).

On a side note, Toronto-filmed Cosmopolis also has a strong bow in a U.S. limited release. The David Cronenberg Film starring Robert Pattinson earns $97k from three theatres, an average of $24.1k per theatre.

"THE BOURNE LEGACY" CONTINUES TRADITION AT TOP OF BOX OFFICE



Still from The Bourne Legacy

If there was every any doubt that the Bourne Series would survive without its most recognizable face, Matt Damon, then away with that as The Bourne Legacy tops the Box Office this weekend in its debut with $40.3 million in North America for Universal Pictures. Opening in 3.745 theatres, the Film starring brilliant Jeremy Renner, is the third-strongest opening for the Franchise behind the second and third installments released in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

The Campaign starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis seems to have benefited from its ambitious and rowdy Whistle Stop Tour, including a stop in Toronto recently, earning $29 million for Warner Bros. The Political-Comedy opened in 3,205 theatres to a positive 66% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Three-week Champion The Dark Knight Rises finally falls to number three in this its fourth week of release, earning $19.5 million this weekend also for Warner Bros., just ahead of Sony Pictures' Hope Springs starring Thespian Queen Meryl Streep and Steven Carrell. It made $15.5 million this weekend after opening solidly on Wednesday; strong reviews for this one also with 74% on the Tomatometer.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the third in the Franchise finds itself in fifth spot this weekend with $9 million, ahead of a disappointing Total Recall which in its second week only earned $8.1 million despite some high expectations with its $250 million budget. Still waiting on Overseas numbers where it continues to expand and should fare well...

Universal Pictures' Ted still is going strong in ninth spot in its seventh week with $3.5 million, now breaking the $200 million mark.  Meanwhile The Amazing Spider-Man rounds out the Top Ten with $2.4 million.

NEW TRAILER: "HOPE SPRINGS" STARRING MERYL STREEP, STEVE CARELL & TOMMY LEE JONES

Official Artwork for Hope Springs

Meryl Streep, Goddess of Cinema. Check out this brand new Trailer from her new Romantic Dramedy Hope Springs, in theatres August 10, 2012.

Hope Springs sees Streep and Tommy Lee Jones starring as a married Couple of 30 years, going through an intense weekend of Marriage Counselling with Steve Carell to decide the fate of their Marriage. I think that's Elisabeth Shue there in-the-mix too! Best Cast.

Watch the Trailer below: