By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

The Weekend Report

Super Bowl Sunday is one of those events that puts the pin in the box office balloon. So if it’s momentum you’re looking for head to New Jersey and take a gander at those guys from Denver and Seattle.

Ride Along led the pack again with an estimated $12.3 million. And there was good news for the debuting American indie rom-com That Awkward Moment that took the second spot with $9 million. The sessions only other debuting title was the under-the-radar drama Labor Day that ranked seventh, cutting a thin slice of $5.3 million.

Exclusive newcomers largely shaped up as commercial casualties with a sole exception. Teller’s nonfiction Tim’s Vermeer entered the marketplace and talked up $54,600 tally from four engagements.

In the niches a pair of Telugu movies—Pandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda and Heart Attack _ opened to disappointing results. Conversely. the Philippine comedy Bride for Rent that’s breaking box office records in Manila and environs, had a potent domestic launch of $433,000 at 47 venues.

Weekend revenues generated a little bit better than $85 million and fell 28% from seven days back. It was also pretty much on par with 2013 results with a 2% dip. A year ago, offbeat horror yarn Warm Bodies led with a $20.3 million launch.

Top critics gave withering reviews to That Awkward Moment but the film proved to have sufficient interest to generate respectable results at the box office. The acquisition combined an intriguing title and marketing campaign to bring in a crowd that according to exit polls was 61% aged 25-years and more junior. It also tilted female with 64% of opening weekend viewers.

The knives were also out for Labor Day despite its pedigree cast. The film had originally been positioned as an Oscar contender but its studio became disheartened by early previews and switched loyalties to Nebraska and The Wolf of Wall Street. The saga of an escaped convict with a talent for baking also proved to be femme-centric with 59% of first sighters who were 71% aged 25-years and older.

On the Oscar front, contenders were experiencing erosion as award fatigue starts to kick in with the event a distant month away. Apart from a couple of tech guild award shows in the offing it’s might quiet out there, Kemo Sabe.

Weekend (estimates) January 31 – February 2, 2014
Title Distributor Gross (average) % chng Thtrs Cume
Ride Along Uni 12.3 (4,280) -42% 2867 92.9
That Awkward Moment Focus/VVS 9.0 (3,210) NEW 2809 9
Frozen BV 8.8 (3,200) -3% 2754 359.5
The Nut Job Open Road/eOne 7.5 (2,150) -38% 3472 50.1
Lone Survivor Uni/eOne 7.1 (2,170) -45% 3285 104.8
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Par 5.4 (1,850) -41% 2907 38.9
Labor Day Par 5.3 (2,040) NEW 2584 5.3
American Hustle Sony/eOne 4.3 (1,940) -39% 2216 133.6
I, Frankenstein Lionsgate 3.5 (1,260) -60% 2753 14.4
The Wolf of Wall Street Par 3.5 (2,170) -36% 1607 104
August Osage County Weinstein Co. 2.9 (1,240) -43% 2319 31.5
Gravity WB 2.0 (1,800) 1% 1132 264
Dallas Buyers Club Focus/Mongrel 1.4 (1,320) -31% 1052 22.6
12 Years a Slave Fox Searchlight 1.4 (1,180) -32% 1172 45.8
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug WB 1.2 (1,330) -42% 933 254.3
Her WB 1.2 (1,480) -48% 803 21.2
Nebraska Par 1.1 (1,290) -27% 875 13.7
Saving Mr. Banks BV 1.1 (1,010) -48% 1075 81.1
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Lionsgate 1.0 (1,190) -36% 822 421.5
Devil’s Due Fox .93 (720) -67% 1290 14.7
Philomena Weinstein Co, .91 (1,600) -15% 567 27.3
The Legend of Hercules Lionsgate .51 (850) -59% 598 17.9
Bride for Rent ABS .43 (9,210) NEW 47 0.45
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Fox .36 (940) -40% 387 56.9
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Par .32 (750) -61% 420 124.4
Gimme Shelter Roadside Attractions .31 (880) -56% 347 1.2
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $82.35
% Change (Last Year) -2%
% Change (Last Week) -28%
Also debuting/expanding
The Great Beauty Janus .17 (2,550) -2% 66 1.7
The Invisible Woman Sony Classics .16 (1,160) -40% 136 0.86
Gloria Roadside Attract. .15 (5,330) 174% 29 0.23
The Past Sony Classics .11 (2,220) 5% 49 0.67
Pandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda CineGalaxy 81,200 (1,690) 48 0.08
Tim’s Vermeer Sony Classics 54,600 (13,650) 4 0.05
Heart Attack Blue Sky 53,100 (1,210) 44 0.05
At Middleton Anchor Bay 33,400 (1,860) 18 0.03
12 O’Clock Boys Oscilloscope 33,200 (2,770) 12 0.03
Rummy Sri Valli 4,500 (560) 8 0.01
Brightest Star Gravitas 4,300 (860) 5 0.01
Love is in the Air Focus World 3,300 (1,100) 3 0.01
Rhymes for Young Ghouls eOne 2,900 (2,900) 1 0.01
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Leonard Klady's Friday Estimates
Friday Screens % Chg Cume
Title Gross Thtr % Chgn Cume
Venom 33 4250 NEW 33
A Star is Born 15.7 3686 NEW 15.7
Smallfoot 3.5 4131 -46% 31.3
Night School 3.5 3019 -63% 37.9
The House Wirh a Clock in its Walls 1.8 3463 -43% 49.5
A Simple Favor 1 2408 -50% 46.6
The Nun 0.75 2264 -52% 111.5
Hell Fest 0.6 2297 -70% 7.4
Crazy Rich Asians 0.6 1466 -51% 167.6
The Predator 0.25 1643 -77% 49.3
Also Debuting
The Hate U Give 0.17 36
Shine 85,600 609
Exes Baggage 75,900 62
NOTA 71,300 138
96 61,600 62
Andhadhun 55,000 54
Afsar 45,400 33
Project Gutenberg 36,000 17
Love Yatri 22,300 41
Hello, Mrs. Money 22,200 37
Studio 54 5,300 1
Loving Pablo 4,200 15
3-Day Estimates Weekend % Chg Cume
No Good Dead 24.4 (11,230) NEW 24.4
Dolphin Tale 2 16.6 (4,540) NEW 16.6
Guardians of the Galaxy 7.9 (2,550) -23% 305.8
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4.8 (1,630) -26% 181.1
The Drop 4.4 (5,480) NEW 4.4
Let's Be Cops 4.3 (1,570) -22% 73
If I Stay 4.0 (1,320) -28% 44.9
The November Man 2.8 (1,030) -36% 22.5
The Giver 2.5 (1,120) -26% 41.2
The Hundred-Foot Journey 2.5 (1,270) -21% 49.4