CineBUZZ REPORT - 25 October 2011

3D Glasses Proliferate

Focux 3D Glasses

Over the last six months or so I have been beleagered by companies selling 3D glasses, some good some not so good.  The Focux Active (see insert) look pretty good.  Stating that the glasses provide, " the best feeling of brightness, color, and stereoscopic impression, but are also  compact, comfortable, earth-friendly, and cool-looking".

The promo sheet states that the Focux glasses, although active shutter type, require a battery change only once very 5 years, are light-weight, and easy to store as the arms fold automatically.  Storage trays are available and the glasses can be recharged 600 at a time.  Also note worthly, the promo sheet states that a silver screen is not required given the brightness of the image through the glasses.  Additionally,  they are compatible with all DLP D-Cinema Systems, and have a built-in auto test mode for moviegoers.

Check out the Focux 3D glasses at www.sales@focux.

BOX TOPS

Paranormal Activities 3 (Paramount) took top honors this weekend with a domestic gross of $54 million, a very good opener for the horror franchise and exhibs are hoping it will have legs over the coming weeks.

Coming in at #2 was Real Steel (Disney) which pulled in over $11.3 million and has now grossed over $112.7 worldwide (it has performed very well in the overseas markets as well) so it has now covered its production/marketing cost which means Disney will reap significant profits as this product moves through its life cycle.

Footloose (Paramount) came in #3 with $10.9 million and has been a steady performer. The 3 Musketeers 3D (Summit) the other new release besides PA3 that made it into the top 5 took 4th place with $8.8 million. A so-so showing but demonstrating again that being in 3D doesn't guarantee B.O. success. Rounding out the top 5 was Ides of March (Sony) at $4.9 million, look for this one at the Oscars.  The other new release was Johnny English Reborn (Universal) which wasn't reborn but was dead on arrival at the B.O. with an opening of only $3.8 million.

The domestic gross for the top ten movies totalled, a respectable, $109 million for the weekend and finally pushed the cinema out of its early autumn slump and hopefully on an upward trajectory for the remainder of the year. 

Early predictions have the domestic 2011 box office gross and ticket sales below 2010. Admissions are projected to reach 1.27 billion or about 60 million below last year, while dollar gross is expected to reach $10.2 billion or $300 million less.

Best and Happy Moviegoing!
Jim Lavorato