Best of the Rest: The 3 Biggest Hit Films of November 2014

It's November and that means that the box office is finally getting the pick-me-up that we (or at least I) have been waiting for!  In some ways I like the holiday movie season more than the summer movie season, and though there wasn't much to gawk over this November, there were still a handful of hits worth mentioning and that's exactly what I intend to do with today's Best of the Rest!

Just like before, I picked these movies based on their opening weekends grosses alone. So, if "Penguins of Madagascar" ends up out-grossing "Big Hero 6" in the long run then this list will not be made defunct.  No matter how well a movie "holds" financially it can't go back in time and change it's opening weekend.

Now let's get started. . .

#3.  Interstellar

 

 

 

What is It?

Interstellar is the ninth feature film from director Christopher Nolan and the third he's released sense he became a house hold name through the power of The Dark Knight in 2008.  It's a space adventure of sorts that messes around with time travel, black holes and the multi-dimentional powers of love.

How Much $$$ Has It Made?

Domestically the movie opened to around 47 million, which probably isn't quite as much as the bean counters were looking for, but it's still a strong opening.  The movies budget is too high to call the movies opening great, but the good news is that Interstellar has held okay through subsequent weekends so it may be able to make it's production budget back on domestic figures alone.

And what's even better than a domestic box office figure?  An international one!  And a CGI-fest like Interstellar was destined to rake in the big bucks from people over seas.  It's foreign gross is currently just shy of 4 million dollars, so don't be surprised if "Interstellar 2: Interstellar Harder" is set entirely in China and Japan.

But is it Any Good?

In some ways it's Nolan's weakest work yet, but it certainly isn't terrible.  As I said in my review: I think it'll probably come down to weather you like the ending, and I really hated it.  I won't spoil it for you, but needless to say, it's something that people will be talking about around the water cooler for years to come.

You should probably check this one out, if only to be relevant in modern pop-culture discussions.  Christopher Orr over at the Atlantic called the film a "proposterous epic," and I think that sums it up quite nicely.

#2.  Big Hero 6

 

 

What is it?

Disney Feature Animation's next film after the smash hit Frozen is Big Hero 6.  It is the story of a boy who loses a relative, and vows vengeance on a super-villain that may be closer to him than he thinks.  Basically it's a standard super-hero movie with Frozen style animation and cute sidekicks.  It's the baby plush version of the Avegers.

How Much $$$ Has it Made?

Obviously this wasn't going to top Frozen's stupifying, record breaking, box office, but it has still made more then some predicted.  The movie opened to a solid 56 mill' and has already made back it's 165 million production cost in domestic numbers alone.  The foreign numbers are a lot lower than you might suspect considering it's obvious ties to Japanese culture, but the movie is more then making up for it here in the U.S.A.  It has become the biggest family hit in a while.

But is it Any Good?

I didn't like it all that much, but I'm clearly in the minority.  Critics and audiences both seem to love the heck out of this movie. It has an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it seems like a great super-hero alternative for parents who are nervous about letting their little kids watch The Avengers or The Dark Knight.  "Hero 6" is roughly of the same quality as The Avengers, minus the hype, so if you have kids or just really love super-heroes then you should definitely check this out

#1.  The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

 

What is it?

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is the latest in the blockbuster "Hunger Games" series and the first of two movies representing the third book in the young adult book series.  It's basically about Katniss, the series hero, becoming part of the resistance against an evil government so she can save her on-again, off-again boyfriend.

How much $$$ Has it Made?

In a surprise turn, this latest game of hunger opened to less, and will likely finish with less, then any other Hunger Games movie so far.  It's grosses are still really high both domestically and on the foreign front, but on it's current pace it probably won't beat out Guardians of the Galaxy for the top grossing spot of 2014.

That said; The movies production budget was lower than any of the other movies on this list, and it's made over 230 million in the states and around as much over seas.  Mockingjay may not be quite the juggernaut that people were expecting it to be, but it's still a juggernaut regardless.  This series is all profit for it's distributor, Lionsgate, and I wouldn't expect next years installment to be any different.

But is it Any Good?

I actually really liked this one (what a twist!) but I definitely understand if you don't.  This new Hunger Games feels like it's only half of a really long movie and is skimpy on action.  As a film critic I would definitely recommend seeing it, but as a friendly dude who write things, I'd say it depends on how much you like the Hunger Games story itself and how much you just like teenagers killing each other.  If you just like the murderous teenagers part, then you might want to save your money for Part 2 next year.

Thanks for reading! If you're one of the few that actually care about November box office grosses then you should follow me on social media or email me at atchleyosaurus@gmail.com.  It's been a pleasure writing for you!