Top 5 Under-The-Radar Blockbuster Movies
The new Roll The List format is great! I love that it is stuff that is still challenging but also, you know, able to be done. This week we look at under the radar blockbusters. In my definition, these are movies that no one thought was going to do well that did amazing.
5. A Haunted House: I really enjoyed this movie because it reminded me of the original,” Scary Movie” series. Before you say something like,”Kyle, those are the worst movies ever”, which I would agree with, understand that I am referring to only the first two, the Wayne’s Brother originals. This movie grossed $18.8 million in the first weekend of showing, beating out Gangster Squad in the box offices.
4. Rush Hour: In 1990 the only other action-comedy movies were Lethal Weapon 4 and well that is kind of it. Unless you count The Big Hit and Godzilla, which are both action-comedies in their own way. In light of the fourth installment of a series that had been going strong for 10 years no one really expected another action comedy to do very well. But wait, in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it is a racially axiomatic duo with wit and kung-fu! The combination of Jackie Chan and Chris tucker truly blew everyone’s minds, so much so the movie grossed double what Lethal Weapon 4 made netting $220 million during its theatrical run. Let’s face it people didn’t need another white and black guy combination after Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson solidified that relationship in Die Hard with a Vengeance, and it didn’t even do that well.
3. Memento: Memento’s release started off a lot like the movie itself did; very small and trying to get its bearings. It only opened in 11 theaters. However just like the movie itself shit gets real very fast. In only a few weeks it was in 500 theaters and during it’s theatrical run it made over 40 million dollars and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Needless to say if you have not seen it then you probably have but you have forgotten it, so go watch it again.
2. District 9: An apartheid movie with aliens? Sounds kind of like a B movie from the sci-fi channel. However, not only was this movie very unexpected, it was amazing. Combining an awesome story with stunning visuals is definitely a way to have a movie make a lot of money. In fact it made $200 million during it’s theatrical run and was nominated for 4 academy awards. So yeah, suck on that Amistad.
1.Now You See Me: Using slight of hand, much like the characters in the movie, Now You See Me swept past the Hangover Part III by making $117.7 million in the first weekend it released. When i watched this movie I was truly on the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot dips and dives and sends you spinning, and it leaves you with a satisfied feeling like any good movie should. In fact this movie did so well it is getting it’s own sequel.
Honorable Mentions: 8 Mile, Superbad, Bring it On.