TOP- AND BOTTOM-GROSSING FILMS BY MOST CELEBRATED LIVING DIRECTORS
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- DirectorWoody AllenStarsOwen WilsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesWhile on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.Despite a relatively small promotion budget, Midnight in Paris achieved the highest gross of any of Woody Allen's almost 50 films in North America, before adjusting for inflation.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsElaine StritchDenholm ElliottMia FarrowAt a summer house in Vermont, neighbor Howard falls in love with Lane, who's in a relationship with Peter, who's falling for Stephanie, who's married with children.Woody Allen shot the film twice. After editing the film he decided to rewrite it, recast it, and reshoot it. He has since stated he would like to redo it yet again.
- DirectorDanny BoyleLoveleen TandanStarsDev PatelFreida PintoSaurabh ShuklaA teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.A sleeper hit, Slumdog Millionaire was widely acclaimed, being praised for its plot, soundtrack and direction. Warner Bros. doubted its commercial prospects and suggested that it would go straight to DVD. Following its success at the Academy Awards, the film topped the worldwide box office.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsKerry FoxChristopher EcclestonEwan McGregorThree friends discover their new flatmate dead but loaded with cash.Despite making the least money of Danny Boyle's films, his debut Shallow Grave was the most commercially successful British film of 1995, though initially not widely seen elsewhere, having generated a large amount of publicity on a limited budget.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsCleavon LittleGene WilderSlim PickensIn order to ruin a western town, a corrupt politician appoints a black Sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.The film grossed $119.5 million in the box office, becoming only the tenth film in history up to that time to pass the $100 million mark.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsMel BrooksLesley Ann WarrenJeffrey TamborA filthy rich businessman bets a corporate rival that he can live on the streets of L.A. without the comforts of home or money, which proves to be tougher than he thought.The film underperformed at the box office grossing $4,102,526 domestically, under its $13 million budget.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMia WasikowskaJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterNineteen-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.As well as being the highest-grossing film directed by Tim Burton, it is the 3rd highest-grossing Johnny Depp film and the 2nd highest-grossing children's book adaptation. It had the 2nd largest opening ever for a movie not released during the summer or the holiday period, the 4th largest for both a Disney film and for 2010, dominating for 3 consecutive weekends worldwide.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppMartin LandauSarah Jessica ParkerAmbitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.One of only a couple of films by Tim Burton not geared toward children or fantasy, Ed Wood was released to huge critical acclaim, but lost over half its mere $18 million budget at the box office.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSam WorthingtonZoe SaldanaSigourney WeaverA paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.Though analysts have been unable to agree that Avatar's success is attributable to one primary factor, several explanations have been advanced. First, January is historically the dumping ground for the year's weakest films. Cameron himself said he decided to open the film in December so that it would have less competition from then to January. Additionally, Fox positioned the film as a cinematic event that should be seen in theaters. Avatar opened in 100+ markets globally and was #1 in all of them. Films in 3D had accumulated a threefold increase over the preceding year, the increased ticket price helped the film, and the buzz surrounded the new technology.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonMichael BiehnA human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.Yes, even considering inflation and adjustments. Cameron noted that The Terminator was a hit relative to its market, which is between the summer and the Christmas blockbusters. Orion didn't have faith and feared a negative critical reception. Orion only held one press screening for the film. On its opening week, The Terminator played at #1 for 2 weeks. It lost its spot in the 3rd week to Oh God You Devil.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsJeff BridgesMatt DamonHailee SteinfeldA stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer.In the holiday weekend following its North American debut, True Grit took in twice its pre-release projections. By its 2nd weekend, the film became the Coen brothers' highest grossing film. True Grit was the only mainstream movie of the 2010 holiday season to exceed the revenue expectations of its producers. Both Paramount and the Coens attributed the film's success partly to its "soft" PG-13 rating, atypical for a Coen brothers film, which helped broaden audience appeal. Paramount anticipated that the film would be popular with the adults who often constitute the Coen brothers' core audience, as well as fans of the Western genre. But True Grit also drew extended families: parents, grandparents, and teenagers.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsTim RobbinsPaul NewmanJennifer Jason LeighA naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.Test audiences were largely mixed. The studio suggested re-shoots, but the Coens, who held final cut privilege, refused because they were very nervous working with their biggest budget to date and were eager for mainstream success. The producers eventually added footage that had been cut and also shot minor pick-ups for the ending. The Hudsucker Proxy only grossed $2.8 million in the U.S. The production budget was officially set at $25 million, although it was reported to have increased to $40 million for marketing and promotion purposes. Nonetheless, the film was a box office bomb.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsTom CruiseJon VoightEmmanuelle BéartAn American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.Mission: Impossible opened in the most theaters ever up to that point and broke the record for a Wednesday opening, beating the $11.7 million Terminator 2. The film also set house records in several theaters around the United States. Mission: Impossible grossed more in its first 6 days than the previous record holder, Jurassic Park, and took in moover the 4-day Memorial Day weekend, beating out previous record holder The Flintstones.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsPatrick CarrollRob DevaneyIzzy DiazThe devastating reconstruction of the rape and murder of a 15-year-old Iraqi girl by American soldiers in Samarra in 2006.On its U.S. opening weekend, De Palma's Redacted was viewed by approximately 3,000 people, grossing little more than $25,000. The low per-theater ratio made the film a flop. The film's budget was only $5 million.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsBradley CooperSienna MillerKyle GallnerNavy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.American Sniper set an all-time highest Thursday night opening record for an R-rated drama, topped the box office on its opening day grossing, setting January records for both biggest debut opening and single-day gross. In its traditional 3-day opening, the film earned double than expected and broke the record for the largest January opening and the largest winter opening. The 3-day opening was also the biggest opening weekend for a drama, the 2nd biggest debut for a Best Picture Oscar nominee, the 2nd biggest debut for an R-rated film and the 3rd biggest for a non-comic book, non-fantasy/sci-fi film. It also set an IMAX January opening and single weekend record and an R-rated IMAX debut record. During its 4-day Martin Luther King weekend, the film set a record for the biggest R-rated 4-day gross.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsForest WhitakerDiane VenoraMichael ZelnikerThe troubled life and career of jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker.Eastwood's Charlie Parker biopic released to less than 100 theaters for only 2 weeks, earning less than a 3rd of its budget back.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBen AffleckRosamund PikeNeil Patrick HarrisWith his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.It finished in 1st place in North America after a neck-and-neck competition with the horror film Annabelle. The film is not only the biggest debut of Fincher’s career, but also the 3rd biggest opening weekend for Affleck. The film is the 10th biggest October debut overall. Worthy of note is the fact that the film played 60% female and 75% over 25 years old.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsJake GyllenhaalRobert Downey Jr.Mark RuffaloBetween 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.Zodiac was outgrossed by fellow opener Wild Hogs and saw a decline of over 50% in its second weekend, losing out to the record-breaking 300. Fincher said, "If you market a movie to 16-year-old boys and don't deliver Saw or Seven, they're going to be the most vociferous ones coming out of the screening saying 'This movie sucks.' And you're saying goodbye to the audience who would get it because they're going to look at the ads and say, 'I don't want to see some slasher movie.'"
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.The film became the 2nd most popular film of 1973, after The Sting, and after several re-issues, the film eventually would be the ninth highest-grossing film of all time and the top-grossing R-rated film of all time.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsMichael BiehnAlex McArthurNicholas CampbellAlex is an outwardly normal man who goes on killing and mutilating sprees. When he is finally captured and brought to trial, the district attorney is torn between his own liberal ideals on guilt and the crimes the accused is being tried.Rampage was originally shot in 1987, played at the Boston Film Festival that year, and ran theatrically in some European countries in the late 1980s. Plans for the film's theatrical release in America were shelved when the distributor went bankrupt. The film was unreleased in North America for 5 years. Friedkin re-edited the film and changed the ending before its US release in 1992.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsBruce WillisMadeleine StoweBrad PittIn a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.The film was able to hold the #1 spot for 2 weeks before dropping due to competition from From Dusk Till Dawn, Mr. Holland's Opus and Black Sheep.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJeff BridgesJennifer TillyJodelle FerlandBecause of the actions of her irresponsible parents, a young girl is left alone on a decrepit country estate and survives inside her fantastic imagination.Not only did Tideland never exceed a mere 9 theaters during its 4-week run, but there has been some controversy among fans over the aspect ratio presented on the Region 1 DVD released for the U.S.
- DirectorCurtis HansonStarsEminemBrittany MurphyKim BasingerFollows a young rapper in the Detroit area, struggling with every aspect of his life; he wants to make it big but his friends and foes make this odyssey of rap harder than it may seem.8 Mile opened at what was the 2nd highest opening for an R-rated movie in the U.S. at the time, pleasantly surprising us with generally positive reviews, with critics praising the music and Eminem's performance.
- DirectorCurtis HansonStarsTom CruiseJackie Earle HaleyJohn StockwellSet in 1965, four rowdy teenage guys travel to Tijuana, Mexico for a night of partying when they are joined by a heartbroken housewife who is in town seeking a quick divorce.It was even released as "Porki 3" in Brazil to cash in on the success of Porky's and Porky's 2.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsJim CarreyTaylor MomsenKelleyOn the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.The film spent four weeks as the number-one film in the U.S., and stands as the highest-grossing holiday film of all time.