Inconvenient Facts About What The Oscar Movies Actually Earned At The Box Office in 2013

Credit: Academy Awards

Here are some financial facts showing the disconnect between Hollywood and “the rest of us.” (Facts are so inconvenient.)

Question: Of the nine movies nominated for Best Picture, how many ranked among the top-ten highest grossing movies of 2013 at the domestic box office?

Answer: Just one, Gravity which ranked sixth highest, hauling in $270,465,000 according to  Box Office Mojo.

Now to be fair, Frozen was the third highest grosser with $388,736,000 and that won Best Animated Feature Film but was not nominated for Best Picture.

Here are the remaining eight movies nominated for Best Picture and their 2013 domestic rankings at the box office.

• 12 Years a Slave: Winner of Best Picture  Rank 69 — earned $50,260,000
• American Hustle: Rank 17 — earned $146,710,000
• Captain Phillips:  Rank 32 — earned $106,957,071
• Dallas Buyers Club: Rank 99 — earned $25,318,000
• Her: Rank 101 –earned $24,604,000
• Nebraska: Rank 120 – earned $17,133,000
• Philomena: Rank 83 — earned $34,629,000
• The Wolf of Wall Street: Rank 29 – earned $114,579,000

For comparison, here are the domestic Top Ten Grossing Movies in 2013:

1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire:  $423,914,000
2. Iron Man 3: $409,013,994
3. Frozen: $368,736,000
4. Despicable Me: $368,061,265
5. Man of Steel: $291,045,518
6. Gravity: $270,465,000
7. Monsters University: $268,492,764
8. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug $256,952,000
9. Fast and Furious 6: $238,679,850
10. Oz The Great and Powerful: $234,911,825

After seeing these rankings, please comment about whether you think Hollywood is out of touch with “the folks.”  And while you are commenting, how about answering this question: “Should success at the box office impact whether a movie deserves to be nominated or to win Best Picture?”

Furthermore, it is my humble opinion that a complete snubbing of Lone Survivor (Rank 24: Gross $123,357,000) sums up everything we need to know about Hollywood culture and values in 2014.  In case you missed it, here was what PJM’s Roger Simon wrote about that snub back when the nominations were announced  in January.

Finally, what Donald Trump thought about the Oscars was mentioned today in Politico’s Morning Score:

“Was President Obama in charge of this years [sic] Academy Awards – they remind me of the ObamaCare website!  –   Donald Trump tweeted during the Oscars last night.

Well, at least First Lady Michelle Obama stayed away from the awards show this year because we all know there is no connection between Hollywood and Washington.