Sci-fi drama Elysium proved far more alluring than crass road comedy We’re The Millers at Australian cinemas last weekend.
Matt Damon’s top-billing no doubt contributed to Elysium’s four-day opening of $3.46 million, which boosted total earnings to $3.7 million including the takings last Wednesday in Queensland.
Writer-director Neill Blomkamp’s follow-up to District 9 is set in on a post-Apocalyptic Earth in 2154 and stars Damon as a reformed car thief who fantasises about escaping to a floating space station named Elysium.
Crime caper Now You See Me ranked second, falling by a reasonable 36% to $2.3 million in its second frame, propelling its earnings to $8 million.
We’re The Millers, which stars Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis who pretend to be a couple to smuggle dope across the Mexican border, fetched $2.3 million, and $2.6 million including the early start in Queensland.
In the art house arena, Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha, a dramedy about the career and friendships of a poor, aspiring dancer (Greta Gerwig), drew a solid $107,000 on 20 screens. The film had a nice bump on Sunday which suggests it’s getting good word- of-mouth.
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara, a sequel to a 2010 Bollywood romance starring Akshay Kumar as a Mumbai gangster, misfired, taking $68,000.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE Aug 15-18
|
|
Title |
Week/ Screens |
Box Office |
% +- |
Total
|
|
1 |
Elysium |
1/317 |
$3,474,793 |
NA |
$3,674,977 |
|
2 |
Now You See Me |
2/265 |
2,582,830 |
-35 |
8,073,194 |
|
3 |
We’re the Millers |
1/342 |
2,303,057 |
NA |
2,625,032 |
|
4 |
The Wolverine |
4/275 |
703,282 |
-54 |
14,673,051 |
|
5 |
Pain & Gain |
2/210 |
580,286 |
-67 |
2,874,602 |
|
6 |
The Conjuring |
5/185 |
515,232 |
-41 |
8,053,270 |
|
7 |
The Heat |
6/182 |
337,151 |
-56 |
14,610,474 |
|
8 |
Despicable Me 2 |
9/182 |
236,473 |
-28 |
35,131,231 |
|
9 |
Behind the Candelabra |
4/109 |
204,751 |
-37 |
2,307,152 |
|
10 |
The World’s End |
3/165 |
183,500 |
-63 |
2,298,186 |
Source: Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia