“I spent 15 years picturing this day, and I got to tell you, this is not how I saw it playing out,” Lucas Hood (Antony Starr) tells his ex-lover — understating things just a little bit — in the new Cinemax action drama Banshee, premiering Friday, Jan. 11, at 10pm ET/PT.
Immediately upon his release from state prison, Lucas has a busy day that would tucker out any ex-con. He hits a bar, steals a car, gets in a chase and shootout in Manhattan, boosts a motorcycle, stalks his ex-lover in a rural Pennsylvania Dutch town, and kills two guys in a bar fight. Oh, and by nightfall, he’s the town’s sheriff.
The premise of the show — executive produced by Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood) — may seem a little preposterous and over-the-top, but that’s what makes it incredibly engrossing and a lot of fun. Like its Cinemax series brethren Strike Back and Hunted, Banshee is a serious drama that smartly doesn’t take itself too seriously. “You have to buy into the heightened reality of the show,” Starr says. “One of the great things about the show is that when we have very serious moments, that we have just a pinch of something else, a pinch of color, just to remind us that it’s not real. We are existing in this heightened universe.”
The Banshee universe is a surreal, sleazy stew of ex-cons, techie drag queens, politicians, corrupt businessmen, drug dealers, Ukrainian gangsters, rebellious teenagers and local yokels — all with their own secrets and agendas. And yes, there are Amish.
“You can’t turn the corner at the moment without seeing something about Amish,” Starr says. “They’re so hot right now. It’s amazing. Every time I turn on the TV, there’s another reality show about Amish.” (Irony!) But Banshee isn’t just jumping on the trend buggy. The Amish country backdrop adds rich layers to the story. “There are a lot of bad people in the town of Banshee, and having this idyllic Pennsylvania, sort of pristine ideas that run along with the Amish ideology, is a backdrop for the criminal enterprises that are going on, the bad people that are around,” Star says. “It’s a stark contrast for the world. It really creates a landscape where there’s true good and true evil and they’re really polarized next to each other.”
The Amish would definitely shun Banshee for all the sex scenes (it’s Cinemax, after all). Ivana Milicevic (Casino Royale), plays Carrie, Lucas’ past partner in crime and in bed who has reinvented herself as a wife and mother while hiding from the gangsters she and Lucas betrayed years ago. Milicevic, a former model and Bond girl, has plenty of steamy screen time in Banshee. “As for sex scenes, I’m sure everyone you’ve ever asked always tells you the same thing: They are awkward and ridiculous,” she says. “Everything about them is embarrassing and a funny story. Although, the cool thing was is that we really wanted the sex scenes to kind of be natural and real. I really wanted them to be like, ‘If we’re going to do them, let’s kind of do it.’ I mean not do it do it, but I wanted it to be natural,” she says. “It’s just the whole thing is really funny. And it’s got nothing to do with sexiness or anything. You just kind of do it. And the cast and crew were all so close, it was pretty comfortable considering how awkward the whole thing is. And then you just kind of get used to it.”
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GIUSY BUSCEMI Miss Italia 2012
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The Grierson and Leitch Worst Movies Of 2012
It's the final week of 2012, so we're wrapping the year up the way movie people are supposed to wrap the year up: Lists! Today, we each give our five worst movies of 2012. Tomorrow, we count down each of our No. 6-10 best movies of the year, and Friday, we finish off with each of our top five.It's important to remember that all worst-movies-of-the-year lists are inherently fraudulent. There are surely movies made this year that were worse than the five each of us chose. We just didn't see them. We imagine any accurate list of the five "worst" movies of any year would have to contain 80 percent porn, 20 percent Tyler Perry, and ours don't. But worst-movie lists like ours are less "worst movie" and more "movies we saw that we've decided to pick on." That said, we tried to be fair and single out the five 2012 movies that we legitimately think were the worst. It's the least we could do.
Leitch
About Cherry. This was a tiny movie that made only $3,000 in three theaters: It might seem like I'm picking on poor little About Cherry. But then again, you haven't seen it. A supposed art-movie-about-porn that feels more like a pervy director playing Drunk Paul Thomas Anderson, About Cherry is stilted, awkward and stupid throughout. For a while you think it's trying to somehow send up or subvert all its clichés until you realize, nope—it doesn't even realize it's a cliché. It features a pretty-obviously-stoned performance from James Franco and a role for Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel that's so embarrassing I assumed the director just disliked him. A movie you want to throw across the room.The Paperboy. I know this is one of those movies that's supposed to be so-campy-bad-it's-good, but I'm afraid it never quite rises below vulgarity, as Mel Brooks might say. The cast is game, maybe a little too much so—this is not a movie that Nicole Kidman, John Cusack or Matthew McConaughey will be featuring on their career retrospective reels. (Unless Kidman and Cusack want to focus their montages on bikini urination and prison-suit ejaculation, respectively.) Director Lee Daniels is a goddamned lunatic, which is fine, but also incompetent at constructing a basic dialogue scene, which isn't. This makes me feel pretty dumb for initially admiring Precious so much. (Original review here.)
Red Dawn. Sure, the original film is pretty terrible; it's not like they were working with the sacred script here. But this remake isn't just pointless, it's gutless. At least the lousy first film had the courage of its far-right, anti-Commie convictions. This one makes the bad guys North Koreans so it can still sell in China, not that anyone in China would be stupid enough to watch this movie. Its lack of politics or viewpoint or intestinal fortitude could be slightly forgiven if it weren't also so limp as an action movie. Most of it is incoherently shot and about as stirring as a home video directed by a lesser Hanson brother. The cast of kids looks unaware of what's going on around them, something that's only their good fortune.
Ted. I'm not going to pile on further here. Read this, and read this. I can't make it clearer than that.
2016: Obama's America. Less a political polemic than a bizarre vanity project put together by a strange little man, 2016: Obama's America makes a case against President Obama that only Lionel Hutz could love. Dinesh D'Souza knows less about filmmaking than he does about logical argumentation, and that's really saying something. As I put it in my initial review, " I am not sure D'Souza has a future in movies, in front of or behind the camera. (Maybe next to it? He might be all right next to it.)"
Grierson
Bachelorette. Any movie that brings together Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, James Marsden, Rebel Wilson and Adam Scott ought to be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the movie they did star in was this obnoxious wedding comedy about a bunch of bitchy bridesmaids whose bad behavior—they do drugs!—is constantly held up as empowering and daring. Really, it's manic glibness masquerading as some sort of generational truth.Darling Companion. More than 20 years ago, director Lawrence Kasdan made a terrific ensemble film called Grand Canyon that was, in part, about how people struggle through their midlife crises. Kasdan's latest returned to that same terrain, bringing together a great cast (including Dianne Wiest and Richard Jenkins) but stranding them in a horribly cutesy comedy about a married couple (Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton) whose hunt for their missing dog becomes A Metaphor For Their Strained Relationship. Getting old ain't for sissies, but does it have to be this smug?
This Means War. What's most frustrating about This Means War is that it actually has a decent idea at its core: Best bud CIA agents (Chris Pine and Tom Hardy) discover they both like the same gal (Reese Witherspoon) and use their spy skills against one another to win her heart. But what could have been a sharp screwball comedy instead gets reduced to an over-amped action-comedy in which everybody is encouraged to be as conniving and juvenile as possible. Plus, Witherspoon totally ends up with the wrong guy.
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. Hey, I liked Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! But Heidecker and Wareheim's particular brand of anti-comedy was like nails on a chalkboard when pumped up to feature length. I realize that hating Billion Dollar Movie this much is sorta playing into their hands: I'm the uptight prude who doesn't "get it." But that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
What to Expect When You're Expecting. If nothing else, What to Expect When You're Expecting inspired this piece, which is one of my favorite things I wrote this year. But that still doesn't forgive a movie this incredibly shrill and clueless about the complexities of relationships, family, love, life, being a human, you name it. I expect this type of garbage from Jennifer Lopez, but Chris Rock? How could you?
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Christina Hendricks for BlackBook Magazine - The Spring Fashion Issue
from Steven UnarrealJaime King for BlackBook Magazine - Beauty
Anna Faris for BlackBook Magazine - Comedy Issue
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23-years old Swedish model Elsa Hosk by Guy Aroch
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LA FASHION WEEK TEASER
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Catarina Migliorini: Still A Virgin, But Now A Playmate?
Two months ago, Catarina Migliorini was auctioning off her virginity to help impoverished children.
Now, she's selling nude pictures to Playboy, and there's no further talk that she's doing it for charity.
Migliorini, the 20-year-old Brazilian woman who allegedly auctioned off her virginity online for $780,000, has parlayed her notoriety into a photo spread for Playboy, according to the Brazilian news website Entretenimento.r7.com.
The pictorial will appear in the January issue of the magazine's Brazilian edition, but there is no word on whether it will appear in the U.S. version of the mag as well.
Migliorini was scheduled to lose her "V-card" between Nov. 15-20 with the help of a Japanese man named "Natsu," who won the rights via the Internet auction.
That deal hasn't been consummated, according to Frank Thorne. Thorne is a spokesman for Justin Sisely, the Australian filmmaker who masterminded the "cherry popping heard around the world" for a proposed documentary, said that the planned deflowering hasn't taken place.
"Things changed a lot as the documentary progressed. Other things are still in the works," Thorne told The Huffington Post. "For now, the project is on hold and as everyone is now closing down for Christmas, we are in limbo until the New Year. Can't say anything more at the moment, but there is nothing to report at the moment."
Migliorini had been living in Bali, pending the granting of a visa into Australia, where Sisely is located. In order to get the film completed in a timely manner, Sisely had planned for the sex between Migliorini and "Natsu" to take place on a plane from Bali to the US. This was also to avoid any type of prostitution prosecution in Indonesia, Sisely explained.
Now that Migliorini's visa issues are resolved, the devirginizing documentary will be filmed in Australia, and Sisely is confident the consummation can take place without any more snags.
"Due to Catarina's third visa attempt being granted to Australia, we changed our proposed plans of where the consummation would take place," he told HuffPost by email. "I am confident with Australian legislation which is why the auction and consummation is concluding in Australia."
If this happens, it will be in spite of efforts by Brazil’s attorney general, Joao Pedro de Saboia Bandeira de Mello Filho, who ordered an "urgent investigation," to look into the auction, which he equated to "people trafficking."
Regarding the Playboy pictorial, Thorne said that Migliorini arranged the deal with the magazine herself and Sisely was not involved.
When she first announced that she was going to sell her virginity online, she suggested that she would donate at least some of the proceeds to charity, a public statement that shocked Sisely.
"I was surprised she said that because in all my dealings with her, she made it clear that it was a business decision for her," Australian filmmaker Justin Sisely told HuffPost exclusively back in October. "Now, given how big this story is in Brazil, she's trapped. If she doesn't give any money to charity, she's going to look bad."
Migliorini has made no promises to donate any of her Playboy paycheck to the less fortunate.
Since Sisely first announced the project in 2010, it's been marked by skepticism from all corners, such as Brazilian-based journalist William K. Wolfrum, and hoax experts like Joey Skaggs and Alex Boese, and doctors like Dr. Elizabeth Lyster, a board-certified gynecologist in Foster City, Calif., with 20 years clinical experience, who said proving a woman is a virgin can be very difficult since an intact hymen -- the standard of proof of virginity -- can be ruptured from activities like running or inserting a tampon.
"It causes a lot of problems in religious circles," Lyster told HuffPost back in October.
The list of skeptics now includes people originally part of the project, such as Australian sexologist Elaine George, who interviewed Alex Stepanov, a male virgin also participating in the Internet auction (his virtue only netted $3,000).
"Unfortunately I think the whole thing is a sham," George told HuffPost. "I only met the male once and he appeared to have a lot of social anxiety. I did not feel comfortable with the project and think it is exploitation."
* I think the only person getting exploited here is Natsu. If Migliorini is indeed a virgin, it's going to be unpleasant experience for Natsu. Plenty of 'ouch-y' moans. She insisting on certain position to minimize contact. And wearing a condom......that takes half the fun of it.
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* I love Florida.......
FloriDUH's Sexapalooza 2012: Tales of sex gone bad
By Barbara Hijek (December 26, 2012)
Floridians have been called every name.
Crazy. Crackers. Loco. Too stupid to vote correctly. Blue hairs. Rednecks. Carpetbaggers. Half-baked. In the sun too long.
They say we live in a Banana Republic.
Call us anything you'd like. However, never ever call us sexually unadventurous.
Even our Governor.
Governor Rick Scott gave out the state’s information hot line for a deadly meningitis outbreak last October.
It turned out to be a hot hot hotline: Scott was one digit off, providing the state's citizen's an opportunity to hear the low purr of a woman’s voice offering to talk dirty. We often go where no man -- or woman -- goes, sexually speaking.
Don't believe this?
Well, just consider FloriDUH 's Sexapalooza 2012 top picks of sex gone south.
Driving Florida's highways are never boring, despite the flat landscape and endless billboards. But, if your traveling with kids in the car, better take along a pair of blinders.
Ocala: Woman wearing only pink shirt accused of performing sex and exposing herself to motorists before giving arresting officer “love tap”
Pompano Beach: Woman accused of exposing her entire body at street intersection
Talk about distracted drivers ...guess sexting and texting while driving are the least of our worries.
This beats everything. Drummer accused of masturbating while driving on I-95 near Ormond Beach.Havoc on the highway in Hobe Sound: DUI driver with sex toy in his rump rear-ends another driver.
Jeepers creepers! Naked man allegedly caught masturbating with toy pistol in anus while driving his Jeep in Fort Pierce
Crash in Port Charlotte! Woman pulled gun on man in moving car -- while having sex, deputies say
Folks in orgies really got into the swing of things in 2012. Too bad we don't have group holding cells just for them.
Zephyrhills: Threesome sex romp ended in gunfire, deputies say
Spring Hill: Naked, jealous swingers duke it out at orgy, deputies say.
Vero Beach: Wife enraged at hubby's request to 'use the bed' -- with another woman. This couple was married only 5-months.
Floridians insist the best of everything, including sex. Or there could be a price to pay.
Bradenton: Woman attacked boyfriend after bad sex, cops say
Some like it hot; but Floridians like it freaky.
Naples: Naked man wanted to get 'freaky' with passed out drunken woman
A day at the beach sure isn't like it used to be.
Bonita Beach Perv alert: Suspected noisy beach masturbator busted.
Sanibel: Two dudes busted for having sex on the beach. Real sex, not the drink.
Ocala: Nude sunbathing sex offender held rubber penis. Somebody get him a rubber ducky and bathing trunks. Fast.
Floridians can be animal lovers....sometimes a little too much.
Clearwater: Here's a real pervert’s pervert. Man accused of having sex with dog — and having kiddie porn on his 'puterOcala: Donkey-sex suspect wants his "Doodle' back, officials say Which one's the real arse?
Fort Lauderdale: Man accused of having sex with a dog named Mimi
Gadsden County: Neigh way! Man busted for having sex with a horse...twice, deputies say
Some folks even legally fought for their right to love animals.
Clearwater: Man reportedly fought and licked loophole in Florida's bestiality lawOcala: Donkey sex suspect's lawyers wants to void law banning sex with animals
Sometimes our adventursome nature has impaired our better judgment.
Port St. Lucie: Man jailed after apparent inappropriate 'yanking'
When a neighbor yelled at the man, he kept yanking away, refusing to put on his hand brake – even for the cops
Port Lucie: Nude dude spotted 'working real hard ' at masturbating in his front yard
Niceville, of all places! Teen charged with indecent exposure while at church .
Others just couldn't resist the lure of sex in a public place.
Orlando: Couple had sex on restaurant’s outside patio table at Paddy Murphy's. They then got to see another Paddy – a paddy wagon, cops say
sfl-intimately-involved-20120923
Naples: Man, woman busted after spotted 'intimately involved' on beach, cops say
But, hey, when your homeless, your privacy options are limited.
Nokomis: Couple caught having sex on picnic table in park
Man allegedly told the deputy that he knew he shouldn't have had sex in the park but added "she really wanted it," according to the arrest report.
Some Floridians don't need a date, they prefer going solo when in public:
Starbucks FLAPpuccino: Woman busted for allegedly masturbating in Bradenton Starbucks
Pace: Man arrested for allegedly masturbating in plain view of neighbors
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Bonita Springs: Man caught masturbating in open garage, deputies say | Video
Gainesville: Kiosk watch peddler accused of masturbating on company time
Florida Keys: Yard guy turned out to be a bad weed. Naked man accused of performing lewd act in front of elderly woman
Bonita Springs: Deputies say dude 'hit on' cola delivery man while masturbating at 7-Eleven. Guess you can't beat the real thing.
With so much sex going on, apparently some folks think it's a service provided by local law enforcement officers.
911: Tampa man accused of requesting female deputies for sex; he got jail instead.
As usual, some folks got stung in in their pleasure pursuit.
Sex sting at beach park nets 4 arrests, including an 80-year-old | Mugs
Punta Gorda sex sting: Woman arrived at hotel with 2 men from Happy Drive for protection. One of the men was 85.
Bradenton: Stinky situation for man, who didn’t want any nookie, snared in sex sting
Brooksville: Sex text rendezvous ended with mugging, beatdown
Woman’s cousins rushed inside the bedroom, beat up the man and stole his money when they heard the magic signal -- “Oh that feels so good.”
Fort Myers: Man, 83, busted in boat ramp sex sting. Guess what else sucks, senior citizen? Jail
Multiple lovers can lead to confusion.
Port St. Lucie: Olive oil during sex rubbed woman the wrong
Girlfriend asked her lover to get the olive oil from the kitchen to use as a "sexual lubricant" — and then also asked him if he had brought the PAM.
Bad karma: Pam happened to be the name of his secret lover.
Sick of all the sex in the Sunshine State?
Calm down, but please don't follow this dude's lead.
Port St. Lucie: Ouch! Teen shoots off his penis, testicle, cops say
More FloriDUH
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Syria: Al Nusra Front Orgy Sex Scandal in Idleb
Al Nusra front, or Al Qaeda Levant, aka FSA or Free Syrian Army in the western media, one of the main militia groups sponsored by NATO and fighting the Syrian state have been caught in an orgy sex scandal in Idleb province by the Syrian Army, a scandal that is supposed to be too much of a shame for the 'Islamist Jihadist' group supposedly fighting to implement a strict fanatic version of Islam in the areas it infests.
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| Al Nusra Front terrorists in Syria |
20 of Al Nusra Front terrorists in a group led by a Saudi Abu Ahmad Tamimi were caught red-handed in an orgy sex act in a big hall by a Syrian Army unit during an operation the latter was carrying out in the city of Idleb. The army unit managed to take several pictures of the porno show for the records. The terrorist group of 20 arrested composed of 15 non-Syrians including their commander Tamimi who is a Saudi citizen of 40 years old, and among the girls were 20 Syrians, mostly wives of 'holy fighters' and a Saudi lady pimp.
Some of the ladies confessed during interrogations they were forced by blackmailing and by pressure to join the orgy while others considered themselves 'serving the revolution' and would enter the heavens for that from its widest gates..
Al Nusra terrorist groups are very active in Idleb due to the support through the borders they get from Turkish Islamist fanatic Prime minister Erdogan, who dreams of being called a Sultan or a Muslim Caliph.
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| Erdogan, Turkish Islamist Prime Minister will do anything to become a Caliph |
Worth mentioning that once the news were spread of the arrests, clashes occurred between different armed groups from these terrorist rings resulted in at least 10 deaths, scores wounded and some other groups are trying to mediate between the warring factions to get over it as they don't need more fractions among the 'Jihadists' fighting the Syrian state.
A Syrian activist commenting on the news asked: 'Shouldn't the Syrian authorities stone the whole group till death then their bodies buried at sea, according to the Sharia law version they want to impose on Syrians?'
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The Highest-Grossing Films Of 2012
Kirsten AcunaIn a year ripe with superheroes, sequels, and one last bite from the Twilight franchise, the box-office was booming in 2012.
We've taken a look at the 15 top-grossing films of the year worldwide.
If you were a Bat in black, a Disney toon, or Kristen Stewart, the box-office bowed in your favor.
We know "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises" were among the best performances at theaters this year. See what else joins them on the list.
15. "The Lorax": $348.8 million
(Box Office Mojo)
14. "Taken 2": $363.4 million
(Box Office Mojo)
13. "Snow White and the Huntsman": $396.4 million
(Box Office Mojo)
12. "Prometheus": $402.5 million
(Box Office Mojo)
11. "Ted": $501.8 million
(Box Office Mojo)
10. "Brave": $535.3 million
(Box Office Mojo)
9. "Men in Black 3": $624 million
(Box Office Mojo)
8. "The Hunger Games": $686.5 million
(Box Office Mojo)
*it's now fifth after the releases of "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises"
7. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted": $742.1 million
(Box Office Mojo)
6. "The Amazing Spider-Man": $752.2 million
(Box Office Mojo)
5. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2": $778.2 million
(Box Office Mojo)
4. "Ice Age: Continental Drift": $875 million
(Box Office Mojo)
3. "Skyfall": $950.6 million
(Box Office Mojo)
2. "The Dark Knight Rises": $1 billion
(Box Office Mojo)
1. "The Avengers": $1.5 billion
(Box Office Mojo)
The Biggest Box-Office Bombs Of 2012
From Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Aniston to Judd Apatow to Disney's Andrew Stanton, big name actors and producers were not spared from big losses at theaters this year.
We've taken a look at 25 of this year's biggest box-office busts, surprises, and upsets which failed to hit the mark with audiences.
We came up with our rankings based on comparisons of the film's budgets with domestic and worldwide intake and opening weekend expectations versus actual intake.
One thing's for sure, life after "Friday Night Lights" has not been kind to Taylor Kitsch.
25. "Mirror Mirror"
Opening Weekend:
$18.1 million
Estimated Budget:
$85 million
Worldwide Gross:
$166.2 million
Distributor: Relativity
$18.1 million
Estimated Budget:
$85 million
Worldwide Gross:
$166.2 million
Distributor: Relativity
There was only room for one "Snow White" film this summer. Julia Roberts' lighthearted take on the fairytale tanked at the box office when it earned $18 million of its estimated $85 million budget opening weekend. The Relativity movie was expected to debut between $22 and $24 million opening weekend.
Though the film ended up earning $166.2 million worldwide, domestically "Mirror Mirror" brought in $64.9 million.
24. "One for the Money"
Opening Weekend:
$11.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$36.9 million
Distributor: Lionsgate
$11.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$36.9 million
Distributor: Lionsgate
The opening weekend of Katherine Heigl's latest film was one of the star's least-grossing movies since she appeared in 2005's "The Ringer." Since her role in "Knocked Up," the former "Grey's Anatomy" star has had a significant decline in theater intake leaving many to wonder where Heigl's career will go from here.
23. "Fun Size"
Opening Weekend:
$4.1 millionEstimated Budget:
$14 millionWorldwide Gross:
$9.4 millionDistributor: Paramount / Nickelodeon
If Nickelodeon needed a wake-up call to show it has little idea of its current demographic, look no further than "Fun Size," an attempt at a younger version of "Super Bad" for pre-teens.$4.1 millionEstimated Budget:
$14 millionWorldwide Gross:
$9.4 millionDistributor: Paramount / Nickelodeon
This movie may have worked in 2010, when the network's ratings were up due to hits including "iCarly" and "Victorious" – the latter featuring one of the stars of "Fun Size." However, with re-runs often playing, the novelty has worn off, and with it, the ratings of the network have also slid.
22. "Premium Rush"
Opening Weekend:
$6 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$30.7 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
$6 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$30.7 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
Joseph Gordon-Levitt had a great run with movies this year between "The Dark Knight Rises," "Looper," and, now, "Lincoln." However, the Batman actor couldn't go four for four with Sony's "Speed"-like bicycle film.
The film received generally good reviews; however, the bike chase never tracked north of $8 million for opening weekend. It also probably didn't help that the film's release date shifted from January to late August.
21. "Part of Me"
Opening Weekend: $7.1 million
Estimated Budget:
$12 million
Worldwide Gross:
$32.4 million
Distributor: Paramount
Estimated Budget:
$12 million
Worldwide Gross:
$32.4 million
Distributor: Paramount
Katy Perry's break out film performed nowhere near as well as other singer documentaries. Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" earned $29.5 million while the Jonas Brother's "3D Concert Experience" grossed $12.5 million opening weekend. Bieber's film went on to earn near $100 million worldwide.
The problem with Perry's movie; however, may not have been the film itself, and, rather, it's crowded release date. The same weekend, "Part of Me" competed with "Ted," "Magic Mike," and "The Amazing Spider-Man."
20. "Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike"
Opening Weekend:
$1.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$10 million
Worldwide Gross:
$3.3 million
Distributor: Atlas Distribution
$1.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$10 million
Worldwide Gross:
$3.3 million
Distributor: Atlas Distribution
If you never heard of "Atlas Shrugged II," the sequel to the 2011 film (yes, there was a first one) you weren't the only one. The film, based on Ayn Rand's novel, was poorly marketed and often became confused with Tom Hanks' "Cloud Atlas" since the two came out within weeks of each other. The film quickly dropped out of nearly 1,000 theaters by week three.
19. "Alex Cross"
Opening Weekend:
$11.4 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$25.7 million
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
$11.4 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$25.7 million
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Tyler Perry's latest action flick proved the director, writer, producer, etc. should maybe stick to making films rather than starring in them. The action thriller was Perry's lowest box-office opening gross to date.
18. "Chasing Mavericks"
Opening Weekend: $2.3 million
Estimated Budget:
$20 million
Worldwide Gross:
$5.9 million
Distributor: Fox
Estimated Budget:
$20 million
Worldwide Gross:
$5.9 million
Distributor: Fox
2012 has not been a good year for Gerard Butler. In less than two months he has had two box-office busts. The first was this surfing film. After two weeks in theaters, "Mavericks" was pulled out of more than 1,500 theaters. Only left in less than 70 theaters, the film won't earn back an estimated $14 million.
17. "The Five-Year Engagement"
$10.6 million
Estimated Budget:
$30 million
Worldwide Gross:
$53.8 million
Distributor: Universal
Judd Apatow's comedy was poised to be the next "Bridesmaids" with a hopeful $20 million opening weekend. Instead, it earned less than half that number. Compared to recent Apatow films ("Bridesmaids," "Funny People," and "Pineapple Express,") this has been one of his worst performing films. The only other recent movie that has performed worse is ...
16. "Wanderlust"
Opening Weekend:
$6.5 million
Estimated Budget: $35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$21.5 million
Distributor: Universal
$6.5 million
Estimated Budget: $35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$21.5 million
Distributor: Universal
Jennifer Aniston's latest film was never expected to earn more than $15 million opening weekend; however, the hippie film from Judd Apatow didn't even earn back its estimated budget.
15. "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance"
Opening Weekend:
$22.1 million
Estimated Budget:
$57 million
Worldwide Gross: $132.6 million (U.S., $51.8 million)
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
$22.1 million
Estimated Budget:
$57 million
Worldwide Gross: $132.6 million (U.S., $51.8 million)
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
The sequel to Nic Cage's 2007 film earned nearly $100 million less than its predecessor. The movie was set to earn at least $34 million opening weekend.
14. "Big Miracle"
Opening Weekend: $7.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$24.7 million
Distributor: Universal
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$24.7 million
Distributor: Universal
Despite the film receiving good reviews, Drew Barrymore's whale tale failed to gain traction Super Bowl weekend. "Big Miracle" was loosely based on the story of stranded whales rescued in 1988.
13. "Playing for Keeps"
Opening Weekend:
$5.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$10.8 million
Distributor: FilmDistrict
$5.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$35 million
Worldwide Gross:
$10.8 million
Distributor: FilmDistrict
Butler's latest film out this month was also met to disappointment. It earned slightly more than "Chasing Mavericks" opening weekend, but cost nearly $15 million more than Fox's surfing movie.
With two of Butler's latest films busts, it raises the question of whether the actor should skip the romantic comedies and stick to action films.
12. "Total Recall"
Opening Weekend: $25.6 million
Estimated Budget:
$125 million
Worldwide Gross:
$198.5 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
Estimated Budget:
$125 million
Worldwide Gross:
$198.5 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
Despite the buzz and viral marketing, both audiences and critics didn't approve of Len Wiseman's remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger's '90s sci-fi thriller. No one ever seemed prepared for a reimagining of the cult classic, and the film was never expected to do better than $25 million in its debut.
11. "The Watch"
Opening Weekend:
$12.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$68 million
Worldwide Gross:
$70 million
Distributor: Fox
"The Watch" may have faired much better at theaters had it not been for timing. Originally titled "Neighborhood Watch," Fox quickly shortened the film's title and changed its marketing approach after the death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of a neighborhood watch member. Despite this, the film was expected to bring in more than $20 million opening weekend.$12.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$68 million
Worldwide Gross:
$70 million
Distributor: Fox
10. "Rise of the Guardians"
Opening Weekend:
$23.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$145 million
Worldwide Gross to date:
$222.6 million
Distributor: DreamWorks / Paramount
$23.8 million
Estimated Budget:
$145 million
Worldwide Gross to date:
$222.6 million
Distributor: DreamWorks / Paramount
One of the biggest surprises of the film year was the movie on which DreamWorks Animation bet most of its fourth quarter earnings. "Rise of the Guardians." The company's stock dropped nearly five percent the Monday following the film's severe underperformance. Like the success of animated movies before it ("How to Train Your Dragon" and the "Shrek" franchise), the cartoon featuring holiday mascots was expected to earn near $60 million.
Given the outstanding performance of Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph" two-and-a-half weeks prior, it was thought DreamWorks would own Thanksgiving weekend. However, it wouldn't have mattered if the film came out during a different weekend.
Our best guess for the film's performance deals not with the weekend in which it debuted, but rather, the movie material. The audience demo for a film about the Easter Bunny and Santa was roughly young elementary school boys who were already past the faze of knowing Santa was anything but real. Younger boys who may have had an interest in the film may have been deterred by parents who found the situation material too dark and violent for 5, 6, and 7 year olds.
We don't have it up higher on our list because with no other holiday films out, the film should make up for some of its losses through the end of the year.
9. "Oogieloves"
$444,000
Estimated Budget:
$20 million
Worldwide Gross:
$1 million
Distributor: KVP
"Oogieloves" had one of the worst box-office openings of the year. It didn't seem to be much of a surprise to creator Kenn Viselman who was pleased with the film's media hype. After its premiere week in theaters, the film quickly dropped out of nearly 2,000 theaters before bowing out after week three.
8. "Dark Shadows"
Opening Weekend: $29.7 million
Estimated Budget:
$150 million
Worldwide Gross:
$239.1 million
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Estimated Budget:
$150 million
Worldwide Gross:
$239.1 million
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Though audiences were enchanted with Johnny Depp's portrayal of wacky characters in "Alice in Wonderland" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," his take on the gothic soap opera of the late '60s missed its mark at theaters. "Dark Shadows" was thought to make well north of $35 million, and, at best $50 million.
7. "That's My Boy"
Opening Weekend:
$13.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$70 million
Worldwide Gross:
$57.7 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
No one was willing to give Adam Sandler the benefit of the doubt after 2011's razzie-nominated "Jack and Jill." "That's My Boy" was expected to earn more than double of its actual $13.5 million earnings. Instead, it became Sandler's worst box-office opening at theaters since his attempt at a serious role in 2007's "Reign Over Me."
$13.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$70 million
Worldwide Gross:
$57.7 million
Distributor: Sony / Columbia
No one was willing to give Adam Sandler the benefit of the doubt after 2011's razzie-nominated "Jack and Jill." "That's My Boy" was expected to earn more than double of its actual $13.5 million earnings. Instead, it became Sandler's worst box-office opening at theaters since his attempt at a serious role in 2007's "Reign Over Me."
6. "Rock of Ages"
$14.4 millionEstimated Budget:
$75 million
Worldwide Gross:
$56.4 million
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Tom Cruise. Singing. If you were to ask movie-goers what "Rock of Ages" was about, that's most likely the answer you'd receive.
The musical was expected to bring in close to $30 million opening weekend, close to other box-office musical incomes of late ("Hairspray," "Mamma Mia!"). Instead, a fair "B" CinemaScore and mixed reviews hurt Cruise's chances at theaters.
5. "A Thousand Words"
Opening Weekend:
$6.2 million
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$20.6 million
Distributor: Paramount / DreamWorks
$6.2 million
Estimated Budget:
$40 million
Worldwide Gross:
$20.6 million
Distributor: Paramount / DreamWorks
After a month, the film earned a total of $16.5 million and dropped out of more than 1,300 theaters. Murphy's latest comic endeavor was so poorly received it earned a zero percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
4. "Dredd 3D"
Opening Weekend: $13.4 million
Estimated Budget: $50 million
Worldwide Gross:
$30.9 million
Distributor: Lionsgate
Estimated Budget: $50 million
Worldwide Gross:
$30.9 million
Distributor: Lionsgate
The tale of "Dredd" is an interesting one. Anyone who saw the reboot, loved the film. Reviews for the film were greatly positive. The problem with this movie – other than targeting fans of the comics – was Lionsgate's marketing along with poor word of mouth. Since the film was primarily advertised as 3D, it wasn't clear to audience's "Dredd" was readily available in the less expensive 2D as well.
3. "Cloud Atlas"
Opening Weekend:
$9.6 million
Estimated Budget: $100 million
Worldwide Gross:
$62.8 million
Distributor: Warning Bros.
$9.6 million
Estimated Budget: $100 million
Worldwide Gross:
$62.8 million
Distributor: Warning Bros.
Big actors do not mean big bucks at theaters. Though visually aesthetic, the film adaptation may have been too complicated for viewers to understand. The film comprised of Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, among others, playing multiple roles across six different stories from the past and future.
"Cloud Atlas" was only expected to earn $12.5 million opening weekend. Warner Bros. only opted for around $20 million of the indie film's huge budget. The rest was from investors throughout the world.
2. "Battleship"
Opening Weekend:
$25.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$209 million
Worldwide Gross:
$302.8 million (the film earned $65.2 million in the U.S.)
Distributor: Universal
$25.5 million
Estimated Budget:
$209 million
Worldwide Gross:
$302.8 million (the film earned $65.2 million in the U.S.)
Distributor: Universal
Maybe now, Hollywood will hesitate when it comes to basing potential blockbusters off of boardgames. Rihanna's first foray onto the acting scene didn't make a huge splash. Even Comcast Chief Brian Roberts admitted "Battleship" was a huge flop (remember Comcast bought NBCUniversal in 2009).
The film was expected to earn between $35-40 million opening weekend.
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