erik lundegaard

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Sunday February 23, 2014

Hollywood B.O.: Rare, Early Threepeat for 'Lego Movie' and 'Ride Along'

It's the last weekend in February and only two 2014 movies have topped the weekend box office charts: “Ride Along,” the buddy comedy starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube, and “The Lego Movie.” That's rare. Movies, particularly at this time of year, are generally more disposable.

Compare with 2013 when by the eighth weekend we'd seen six 2013 movies top the charts: “Texas Chainsaw 3D” and “Mama” and “Hansel and Gretel” and “Warm Bodies” and “Identity Thief” and “A Good Day to Die Hard.”

Compare with 2012 when by the eighth weekend we'd seen eight 2012 movies top the charts: “The Devil Inside” and “Contraband” and “Underworld: Awakening” and “The Grey” and “Chronicle” and “The Vow” and “Safe House” and “Act of Valor.”

Last year, no movie reigned atop the box office charts for three weekends until “Gravity” did so in October. This year, it's February, and we already have two.

It helps to have lame competiton. Only two 2014 wide-release movies have been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes: “Lego” (96%) and “About Last Night” (76%). “Ride Along” wasn't exactly for the critics, either (17%), but it's ridden the Kevin Hart wave to $123 million and counting. “Lego” is at $183 million and climbing. No other 2014 movie has broken $60 million.

So is this a trend? Are we finally tired of disposable movies? Are we coming together to watch the same thing again? To have the same conversation again?

Naw. So enjoy it while it lasts.

The weekend numbers via Box Office Mojo.

The Lego Movie

“The Lego Movie”: Keeping ahead of the other disasters.

Posted at 10:26 AM on Sunday February 23, 2014 in category Movies - Box Office