Worst movies that earned over $250M at the box office
Worst movies that earned over $250M at the box office
A movie doesn't have to be the stuff of greatness in order to draw a crowd. In fact, some of the world's highest-earning films have been, well, downright bad.
Stacker compiled data on every movie that has made over $250 million (inflation-adjusted) at the box office using Box Office Mojo and ranked them according to IMDb user rating, with ties broken by Metascore and further broken by votes.
Take "Minions," for example. The film earned more than $1 billion in its lifetime, but only has a Metascore of 56. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" also earned more than $1 billion, but has a Metascore of just 42.
There are countless reasons why bad movies get made in the first place. Film professor Michael Gonzales writes in Biola magazine that much of it has to do with the corporate culture of Hollywood. Either the wrong script lands into the right hands at the right time, an A-list actor is looking for a quick payout, or a studio executive is looking to sign a big deal.
So what draws people to bad movies? It can be a variety of factors. If the film is part of a beloved series, or has a star-studded cast, or is a remake of an iconic book, comic, or cartoon, for example, the crowds will flock and ticket sales will skyrocket. Sometimes we just want to turn our brains off and enjoy a guilty pleasure, or pick up where our favorite characters have left off. Movies can be a form of escapism—a way to tune out of reality and into an instantly gratifying pleasure.
Over the past 100 years, there have been many movies made, and quite a few were pretty bad. Still, of those that were not well-received either by audiences or critics, the fact of the matter is they put a lot of bodies in seats. What are the worst movies that earned more than $250 million at the box office? Read on to find out how many of them you've seen yourself.
#100. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 64
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $381.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $337.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 40.7 million
- Runtime: 123 min
The final installment of "The Hunger Games" trilogy, "Mockingjay, Part 1" is the darkest part of Katniss's journey through this dystopian society. It picks up where the previous chapter leaves off, in the crumbling arena of the Hunger Games. Katniss and her comrades find themselves deeper into the heart of the rebellion. As the third chapter in a blockbuster series, it's no wonder what brought crowds to the theaters, but Matt Zoller Seitz writes on RogerEbert.com that the film feels stretched and lacks the depth that is necessary to address the political allegories it is serving to achieve.
#99. Crocodile Dundee (1986)
- Director: Peter Faiman
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 62
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $432.9 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $174.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 46.2 million
- Runtime: 97 min
"Crocodile Dundee" tells the story of an Australian wild man who comes to New York City to navigate a whole new type of "wild." The movie was a smash success Down Under, at the time shattering all box office records. The characters are lovable, and the story is comedic, which makes up for what Nina Darnton described in The New York Times as the film's "illogical plot and set-up situations."
#98. The Polar Express (2004)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 61
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $277.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $187.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.6 million
- Runtime: 100 min
"The Polar Express" takes us along a young boy's journey on a train ride to the North Pole. It's a coming-of-age story about belief, set to a stellar soundtrack with the likes of Bing Crosby and Steven Tyler. A Robert Zemeckis film, it's understandable why crowds would have flocked to the theater. But while the film touts itself as technologically innovative, critics and audiences thought the characters were decidedly creepy. Nonetheless, with Tom Hanks playing multiple roles and iconic musical numbers like "Hot Chocolate" and "Believe," "The Polar Express" remains a fixture of the holiday season.
#97. Ransom (1996)
- Director: Ron Howard
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 60
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $288.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $136.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.8 million
- Runtime: 121 min
When airline owner Tom Mullen's son is kidnapped for a $2 million ransom, Tom (Mel Gibson) flips the script by making the ransom a bounty on the kidnapper's heads. Desson Howe of the Washington Post wrote that the movie is as thrilling and suspenseful as you'd want from a film like this, but "your intelligence will need to be shoved under your seat like warm, flat soda."
#96. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
- Director: Jay Roach
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 59
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $380.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $206.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 40.6 million
- Runtime: 95 min
Following the smash success of the original, Austin Powers returns to the screen to once again battle Dr. Evil who has stolen Powers' legendary "mojo." Fans of Mike Myers' lovable character returned in droves for the second installment, which, according to Janet Maslin of The New York Times, fell short of the original, but only by a little.
#95. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 59
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $467.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $229.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 49.9 million
- Runtime: 129 min
While "Jurassic Park" was mostly destroyed the first time around, in "The Lost World," we learn that a second site still exists, where dinosaurs have been kept alive and thriving. The popularity of the original "Jurassic Park" surely explains the mass interest in the second installment, but while the film leveled up in terms of technology (to the tune of $73 million), Peter Travers wrote in Rolling Stone that it was "sloppy, sadistic, frenetic, charmless, plotless, derivative and devoid of surprise and characters to care a damn about."
#94. Hitch (2005)
- Director: Andy Tennant
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 58
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $262.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $179.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 28.0 million
- Runtime: 118 min
Suave dating extraordinaire, Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, lends his services to the goofy, clumsy Albert so that he may impress the beautiful Allegra. In the process of helping Albert level up, Hitch is forced to face the shortcomings in his own life. Critics describe it as easy watching, not overly clever, and, as A.O. Scott wrote in The New York Times, "As soft and sweet as a marshmallow and about as interesting."
#93. Ghostbusters II (1989)
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 56
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $265.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $112.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 28.3 million
- Runtime: 108 min
It can't be denied the iconic film that is the original "Ghostbusters." So when the next chapter released, following the men on a rogue mission to save New York City once again, devotees followed in full force. This time, however, critics found the film to be limited and a tad underdeveloped. In fact, Kathleen Carroll wrote in the Daily News that Bill Murray's character was, "mildly irritating," which, for Murray devotees, seems unfathomable.
#92. What Lies Beneath (2000)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $270.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $155.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 28.8 million
- Runtime: 130 min
A seemingly happily married couple is threatened by disturbing voices and images that start to appear in their Vermont home. To get to the bottom of it, Dr. Norman Spencer and his wife, Claire, must uncover the truth to find out the reasons for these frightening events. According to Emanuel Levy in Variety, successful marketing is what drew in the numbers, but overall the storyline was trite and overly complicated.
#91. Rush Hour 2 (2001)
- Director: Brett Ratner
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $374.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $226.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 40.0 million
- Runtime: 90 min
An explosion at the U.S. Embassy in Hong Kong brings Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker together again to get to the bottom of the crime. Along the way, they are thwarted at every turn as the criminals behind the incident try to stop them from uncovering the truth. The success of the first "Rush Hour" is surely what drove crowds to the second, but William Thomas writes in Empire Online that the writing has undertones of racism and sexism, which take away from the original's wit and humor.
#90. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- Director: Ron Howard
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 46
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $311.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $217.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.2 million
- Runtime: 149 min
Based on one of the highest-grossing books of all time, "The Da Vinci Code" follows the story of Professor Robert Langdon, who aims to solve a murder in Paris' Louvre Museum following cryptic clues that could undo the very foundation of Christianity. The movie adaptation had the highest expectations; with Tom Hanks and iconic French actor Audrey Tautou as its leads, little could seemingly go awry. In reality, it proved to be entirely too long and was missing the onscreen romantic spark between the two lead characters that was so integral to their literary counterparts, wrote A.O. Scott in The New York Times.
#89. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
- Director: Rob Marshall
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 45
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $280.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $241.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.9 million
- Runtime: 136 min
Captain Jack Sparrow returns once again, this time with a few more details revealed about his past when he encounters Angelica, a beautiful pirate that once had his heart. Angelica takes him on an adventure aboard Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard's ship, along with a crew of zombies, to find the Fountain of Youth. But the fourth film of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series seems to run out of steam, according to Kathy Ceceri's review in Wired—likely due to an over-explained plot and the lack of screen favorites, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Bloom and Knightley reportedly left the franchise in order to pursue other projects, though both would make brief appearances in the subsequent "Pirates" movie.
#88. Airport (1970)
- Directors: George Seaton, Henry Hathaway
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 42
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $619.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $100.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 66.1 million
- Runtime: 137 min
The general manager of a Chicago airport faces a host of issues, including a squall-like snowstorm and the threats of a bomber. A star-studded cast drew viewers to their seats, but Roger Ebert wrote that the simple-mindedness of the writing wasn't enough to keep you hooked.
#87. Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
- Director: Richard Donner
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 37
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $260.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $130.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.8 million
- Runtime: 127 min
The fourth installment of the iconic action-comedy "Lethal Weapon" film series, "Lethal Weapon 4" finds Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh back in action, each with a woman close to them who is pregnant. Their families come under threat from Chinese mobsters, and the buddy cops have to go on the offensive to protect them. "Lethal Weapon 4" took the series into its 11th year.
#86. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
- Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 81
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $259.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $140.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.7 million
- Runtime: 81 min
The fictional story plays out like a real-life documentary when found video footage reveals the story of three film students who travel to a small town to make a documentary about a local murderer, the Blair Witch. But the film students find themselves in the heart of the horror when they get lost in the woods. It wasn't so much that it was a particularly compelling movie, writes Nell Minow in Common Sense Media. It was more that it was brilliantly marketed and played on teenagers' love for suspense thrillers. Regardless, the film is remembered as one of the greatest horror movies of all time.
#85. War of the Worlds (2005)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 73
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $342.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $234.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 36.5 million
- Runtime: 116 min
An alien invasion threatens a weekend with Ray Ferrier and his two children. Ferrier, played by Tom Cruise, has to protect his son and daughter from impending extraterrestrial attack. This isn't the first attempt to tell this story, writes Brian Tallerico on RogerEbert.com, which was originally told by H.G. Wells in his novel. Orson Welles had his own iteration, as well.
#84. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 65
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $303.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $281.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 32.4 million
- Runtime: 137 min
The final installment of "The Hunger Games" movie franchise, the story comes to a close as Katniss Everdeen and her friends lead District 13 to free the citizens of Panem and assassinate the evil President Snow. Crowds flocked to see how the beloved book's film adaptation would close. The film series took Jennifer Lawrence from a new name at Sundance to one of the biggest celebrities in the world, reported Manohla Dargis in The New York Times.
#83. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
- Director: Joel Zwick
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 62
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $388.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $241.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 41.4 million
- Runtime: 95 min
This fun, family rom-com tells the story of family dynamics, culture clash, and love when Toula, an unmarried Greek woman, falls in love with Ian Miller, a man who is most definitely not Greek. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film was well-received across most cultures, as the theme of family tradition (and parental disapproval) is certainly relatable.
#82. Air Force One (1997)
- Director: Wolfgang Petersen
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 61
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $353.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $173.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 37.7 million
- Runtime: 124 min
President James Marshall makes it clear he'll never negotiate with terrorists. But his principles are put to the test after he boards Air Force One and is hijacked by a group of Russian terrorists. A star-studded cast, with Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, drew audiences in. Desson Howe of the Washington Post deemed it a satisfying summer movie, with just the right amount of thrills, lightened with moments of "goofy humor."
#81. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
- Directors: Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 61
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $405.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $368.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 43.3 million
- Runtime: 87 min
Before Louis C.K. was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in 2017, the now-disgraced comedian voiced Max, a spoiled terrier living in New York City. His owner adopts Duke, a clumsy and untamed dog, and the two develop an unlikely friendship, taking on adventures with a cast of comedic characters. Common Sense Media deems the movie funny and engaging, with enough imaginative detail to keep both parents and kids entertained.
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#80. The Santa Clause (1994)
- Director: John Pasquin
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 57
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $323.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $144.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 34.5 million
- Runtime: 97 min
Tim Allen plays Scott, a divorced father who gets to spend Christmas Eve with his son. The holidays take a turn when Scott accidentally kills Santa and finds himself on a journey to become the next St. Nick. It was a box office holiday success, competing for marquee space with a second Christmas film that year, the "Miracle on 34th Street" remake, writes William Thomas in Empire. Based on his review, he wildly preferred the latter.
#79. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
- Director: Doug Liman
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 55
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $272.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $186.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.1 million
- Runtime: 120 min
John and Jane Smith have a seemingly boring marriage, except for the fact that they both are keeping a secret from each other: They are assassins from competing agencies, both assigned to the same target, and then, ultimately, assigned to kill each other. Big numbers rolled in to see two of the most beautiful people in the world with sizzling on-screen chemistry. But looks and sex appeal are where Peter Travers of Rolling Stone says this film begins and ends. Perhaps the film's most remarkable legacy was the birth of Brangelina.
#78. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Director: George Lucas
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 54
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $501.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $310.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 53.5 million
- Runtime: 142 min
Set a decade after "Episode 1," "Attack of the Clones" focuses on a separatist movement of alliances that call security of the galaxy into question. The mysterious source of it all leads to the Clone Wars, and the early beginnings of the decline of the Republic. "Star Wars" is one of the biggest film franchises in the history of Hollywood, but "Episode II," according to Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, is one long (very, very long) disappointment. The film is ranked among the worst of the franchise.
#77. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- Director: Roger Spottiswoode
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 52
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $252.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $125.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 26.9 million
- Runtime: 119 min
Pierce Brosnan's James Bond is at it again, this time tackling news tycoon Elliott Carver as he tries to fuel a war between the West and China. No doubt a Bond movie will always draw big crowds, and Peter Debruge of Variety deems "Tomorrow Never Dies" one of Brosnan's best. Though the film is not remembered fondly in the Bond universe, it did have one highlight: introducing "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Michelle Yeoh to mainstream American audiences.
#76. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Director: George Lucas
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $846.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $474.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 90.3 million
- Runtime: 136 min
The epic "Star Wars" saga launches its first chapter in "Episode I - The Phantom Menace," where Obi-Wan Kenobi is a young apprentice Jedi and Anakin Skywalker is just a child. Millions of people were drawn to theaters to see how the most iconic trilogy of all time began. The first chapter of the story was set 32 years before the original film (though released 22 years after). It was, according to Plugged In, one of the most anticipated events in the history of pop culture. That said, for many fans, it was a disappointment.
#75. The Love Bug (1969)
- Director: Robert Stevenson
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $338.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $51.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 36.1 million
- Runtime: 108 min
Herbie is a car with a mind of its own, even though he's technically the possession of race car driver Jim Douglas and Tennessee Steinmetz. They take the California racing circuit by storm and attract the attention of villain sports-car dealer, Peter Thorndyke. Polly M. Robertus of Common Sense Media described it as an entertaining comedy, though its jokes were a tad outdated, if not blatantly rooted in racist stereotypes.
#74. Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- Director: Tony Scott
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $368.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $153.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 39.3 million
- Runtime: 100 min
Axel Foley returns in this second chapter of the original film. He returns to L.A. to help solve another case, only this time he must make sense of a series of robberies, which leads him to an illegal arms dealer. Viewers flocked to see the continuation of the story, but what they got, according to Janet Maslin in The New York Times review, was basically a clone of the original.
#73. National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
- Director: Jon Turteltaub
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $292.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $220.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.2 million
- Runtime: 124 min
Nicolas Cage had audiences captivated in the original "National Treasure." He returns in the sequel as Ben Gates, this time chasing down missing pages of John Wilkes Booth's diary that can help finish missing links in the story of Abraham Lincoln's murder. A gripping idea in theory, but less so when the audience can get to the bottom of the mystery before the actors, which, Cynthia Fuchs reports in Common Sense Media, is exactly what happens.
#72. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- Director: George P. Cosmatos
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 47
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $397.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $150.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 42.4 million
- Runtime: 96 min
Sly Stallone returns to the screen as John Rambo, this time stuck in jail. His former boss makes him a deal: Rambo travels to Vietnam to locate American POWs in order to expunge his criminal record. The plan goes awry, though, when his lover is killed by the Americans and Rambo foregoes his promise to seek vengeance. The original earned $47 million domestic, leading to the making of the second part which, according to Scott Mendelson in Forbes, originated from a James Cameron screenplay.
#71. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Director: Zack Snyder
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 44
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $358.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $330.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 38.3 million
- Runtime: 151 min
Two comic book heroes go head-to-head when Bruce Wayne is convinced that Superman has become a liability to a crumbling city of Metropolis. With two glittering marquee names like Batman and Superman in one title, it's no wonder theaters were packed. Still, Mark Kermode at The Guardian called the storytelling "incoherent." "Batman v Superman" never gets off the ground.
#70. Happy Feet (2006)
- Directors: George Miller, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 77
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $281.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $198.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.0 million
- Runtime: 108 min
Little Mumbles the penguin is tone deaf in a world where one needs a heart song in order to find their soulmate. He's left feeling lost and out of place, except for one thing: he can tap dance like no one else. Still, plot summary, title, and bouncy animated penguins may give it a light and airy vibe, but Manohla Dargis at The New York Times said the movie's dark undertones skewed more "apocalyptic." A star-studded cast lends their vocal talents, from Elijah Wood and Robin Williams to Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.
#69. Hooper (1978)
- Director: Hal Needham
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 70
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $312.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $78.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.3 million
- Runtime: 99 min
Burt Reynolds plays Sonny Hooper, a Hollywood stuntman nearing the end of his career days. Instead, he signs on as stunt coordinator and is left to deal with the arrogant stylings of younger stuntman Ski Chinski. Reynolds was at the height of his career when he took on what The Hollywood Reporter calls an update "of the classic gunslinger theme." The movie also stars Sally Field, Robert Klein, and Jan-Michael Vincent.
#68. Twister (1996)
- Director: Jan de Bont
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 68
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $512.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $241.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 54.7 million
- Runtime: 113 min
The most powerful storm in decades is approaching and Dr. Jo Harding and her team of students are readying to gather data with a new piece of tornado-mapping technology, known as Dorothy. Unfortunately, the idea for Dorothy has been stolen by a rival, and Dr. Harding must team up with her estranged husband to make it right. It's nothing short of a roller coaster ride, reports Janet Maslin of The New York Times. "Twister" is a cult favorite, with adrenaline-pumping thrills and special effects that were pretty impressive for its time.
#67. Godzilla (1998)
- Director: Gareth Edwards
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 62
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $272.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $136.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.1 million
- Runtime: 123 min
The "Godzilla" legend began in 1954 with the original film; there have been 35 others since. The 1998 version took the original story and brought it into the 20th century—a giant monster wreaks havoc on New York City. Still, while the story is classic, not everyone warmed to its revamp. Roger Ebert only gave it one-and-a-half stars, calling it a "big, ugly, ungainly device to give teenagers the impression they are seeing a movie."
#66. The Perfect Storm (2000)
- Director: Wolfgang Petersen
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 59
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $317.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $182.6 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.9 million
- Runtime: 130 min
"The Perfect Storm" tells the real-life story of a group of deep-sea fishermen and women who are put to the test against the dramatic, unyielding forces of nature. On Halloween 1991, their boat meets three dramatic weather fronts, which converge to create the wildest storm in history at sea. A strong cast consisting of George Clooney, John C. Reilly, and Mark Wahlberg, among others, was enough to make headlines. But critics, like Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, found the lackluster special effects and lack of character development, to be more distracting.
#65. Minions (2015)
- Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 56
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $381.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $336.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 40.7 million
- Runtime: 91 min
It's not often that cartoons get their own spinoff. But "Minions" is exactly that—a spinoff from the blockbuster "Despicable Me." Minions, we learn, have been around since the dawn of time. Evolved from single-cell organisms, they have been on an eternal quest to find the perfect master to serve and end up discovering Scarlet Overkill, the world's first evil mistress. Unfortunately for these supporting actors-turned-leading roles, there wasn't much of a story for them to carry on their own, writes Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.
#64. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
- Director: Tim Burton
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 53
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $394.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $334.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 42.1 million
- Runtime: 108 min
Johnny Depp is the king of creepy roles, but none may be as creepy as his portrayal of the Mad Hatter in this Tim Burton remake of "Alice in Wonderland." It won't be any surprise that Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen. This time Alice is a teenager who, after spotting a white rabbit, plummets down for a repeat. True to Burton M.O., the movie is psychedelic, over-the-top, and busy to the point where Manohla Dargis of The New York Times feels it missed the mark. "It's just hard to know," she writes, "why Mr. Burton...bothered."
#63. Sister Act (1992)
- Director: Emile Ardolino
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $315.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $139.6 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.6 million
- Runtime: 100 min
Lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier is witness to a murder, her boyfriend is the culprit, and she's put into a new kind of Witness Protection Program as a nun in a California convent. She shakes things up, literally and figuratively, when she transforms the church choir into an upbeat, soulful showstopper. The biggest complaint among critics like Jeff Menell at The Hollywood Reporter was formulaic predictability. But the music is what holds you in your seat.
#62. Hancock (2008)
- Director: Peter Berg
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 49
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $297.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $227.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.7 million
- Runtime: 92 min
He may have good intentions, but superhero Hancock usually leaves an infrastructure nightmare in the wake of his heroic actions. Isn't that true of most superheroes? The fallout of his good deeds rolls off his apathetic back, but when he saves the life of a PR executive and meets his wife, his outlook starts to shift. Roger Ebert gave it three stars, describing it as fun, but perhaps a little brow-beating in the beginning: We get it; he causes a lot of damage.
#61. Night at the Museum (2006)
- Director: Shawn Levy
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $347.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $250.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 37.0 million
- Runtime: 108 min
Turns out you don't need much of an imagination to make history come to life at the Natural History Museum. Security guard Larry Daley discovers that the animals spring to life after hours, and chaos ensues, which only he can put right. It was aimed to be a holiday blockbuster, with big names like Ben Stiller and Robin Williams. Still, Stephen Holden of The New York Times described it as "an overstuffed grab bag in which lumps of coal are glued together with melted candy." Despite mixed critical reviews, the film spawned three sequels and inspired a 20% jump in visitors to the Natural History Museum in the ten days following its release.
#60. What Women Want (2000)
- Director: Nancy Meyers
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 47
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $310.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $182.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.1 million
- Runtime: 127 min
When it comes to deciphering what women actually want, Nick, a cocky ad exec, may be the last person to figure it out. In scheming to bring down his female boss, he ends up gaining the ability to hear the thoughts of women, which has him learning a few unexpected lessons. The first rom-com foray for Mel Gibson, "What Women Want" is humorous, entertaining, and not too complicated, according to Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian.
#59. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
- Director: Roland Emmerich
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 47
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $281.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $186.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.1 million
- Runtime: 124 min
A superstorm causes a series of natural disasters throughout the world, which leaves it teetering on the edge of destruction. Climatologist Jack Hall must travel to New York from Philadelphia by foot during the extreme weather to save everyone. Dubbed the first "Environmental Apocalypse Thriller," Christopher Orr of The Atlantic claims that the genre it created should probably end here. Roger Ebert, meanwhile, called the film "ridiculous, yes, but sublimely ridiculous."
#58. The Lorax (2012)
- Directors: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 46
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $252.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $214.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 26.9 million
- Runtime: 86 min
It's the lovable Dr. Seuss tale, but with a Hollywood twist. Ted lives in an environmental wasteland, more or less, and to win the heart of his dream girl he must find her a Truffula tree. He sets off on an adventure into the story of the Lorax. Bearing the name of Dr. Seuss, a universal favorite among the young and young-at-heart, critics would mostly agree that Dr. Seuss would hardly recognize this particular Lorax. "The most irritating thing about Dr. Seuss's 'The Lorax' is its title," writes David Edelstein for Vulture.
#57. The Hangover Part II (2011)
- Director: Todd Phillips
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 44
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $296.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $254.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.6 million
- Runtime: 102 min
Two years after the smash success of "The Hangover" (which made nearly $470 million worldwide), the gang reconvened as the next of the group was ready to take his vows. This time, the group heads to Thailand and, as to be expected, everything that can go wrong does. But where the original shocked you into giggle fits, S. Jhoanna Robledo of Common Sense Media writes, the second relies too heavily on the jokes from the first time around to stand on its own.
#56. Every Which Way but Loose (1978)
- Director: James Fargo
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 41
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $341.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $85.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 36.4 million
- Runtime: 114 min
A cross-country trek in search of his missing love interest sends trucker Philo Beddoe on a wild adventure. But he's not alone. Traveling with him is his pet orangutan and close friend/sidekick Orville Boggs. Clint Eastwood's portrayal of Philo is what brought people to their seats (likely with the help of the orangutan), and according to Variety, they were likely more than satisfied thanks to the Eastwood elements of style: fights, car crashes, and lots of walking tall.
#55. Big Daddy (1999)
- Director: Dennis Dugan
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 41
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $301.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $163.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 32.2 million
- Runtime: 93 min
Adam Sandler's "Big Daddy" tells the story of Sonny Koufax, a man-child who refuses to grow up and loses his girlfriend in the process. He adopts a 5-year-old boy to prove he's responsible, but the plan inevitably goes awry. The movie is sentimental at its heart, but leaves room for threads of wit, reports Darren Bignell for Empire. Sandler called and his loyal following answered.
#54. Moonraker (1979)
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 66
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $262.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $70.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 28.0 million
- Runtime: 126 min
James Bond (via Roger Moore) is all over the galaxy, from Italy to Brazil, to outer space as he's investigating the hijacking of an American space shuttle. Critics weren't overly impressed with the secret agents in space theme, but Max Williams at Den of Geek says looking at it through a spoof lens can make it almost downright enjoyable.
#53. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
- Director: Joe Johnston
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 63
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $308.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $130.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 32.9 million
- Runtime: 93 min
Inventor Wayne Szalinski is in for a surprise when his latest experiment—a shrink ray—ends up shrinking his kids. Lost in the backyard, the miniature kids must journey back to the house in order to return to normal size. The completely uncontroversial and whimsical family movie has nothing complicated about it—even the humor and special effects are uncomplicated, according to Caryn James in The New York Times.
#52. Shrek Forever After (2010)
- Director: Mike Mitchell
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 58
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $284.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $238.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.3 million
- Runtime: 93 min
Long gone are the days of Shrek's ogre bachelor life. He's been married for years at this point and is starting to yearn for his isolated existence. Suddenly he finds himself in an alternate universe where ogres are hunted, and he and his wife, Fiona, have never met. The fourth and final installment in the much-beloved animated fairytale franchise, many critics, like Ella Taylor of NPR, believed the series could have ended at #2.
#51. The Grinch (2018)
- Directors: Yarrow Cheney, Scott Mosier
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $280.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $270.6 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.0 million
- Runtime: 85 min
It's a Dr. Seuss tale beloved by young and old. Or, it used to be. The Grinch lives in a cave, along with his dog Max, where he is plagued by one thing and one thing only: Christmas. The most recent animated twist on this Christmas classic is bright and colorful, but according to Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, leaves much to be desired from older audiences. Critics seem to agree it's a resounding, "meh."
#50. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
- Director: P.J. Hogan
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 50
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $259.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $127.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.7 million
- Runtime: 105 min
When Julianne Potter hears her best friend, Michael O'Neal is getting married, she has a sudden realization that she may be in love with him, after all. She puts a plan in motion to stop the wedding, but having been named maid of honor, the task is trickier to pull off. It's a light-hearted comedy on the surface, but with some dark, disturbing undertones. As Laura Bradley of Vanity Fair observes, it's "an unvarnished love story about three deeply messed-up people."
#49. Despicable Me 3 (2017)
- Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, Eric Guillon
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 49
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $277.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $264.6 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.6 million
- Runtime: 89 min
After the success of its two predecessors, the "Despicable Me" franchise released a third chapter to the series. The Minions hope that Gru will move out of retirement and return to a life of crime. Instead, he chooses to find his long-lost brother, and an alliance is formed. Still, where the first two thrilled and delighted, critics found the third to be confusing and off-course. Kate Erbland says in IndieWire, "Even the Minions deserve better than this."
#48. The Mummy Returns (2001)
- Director: Stephen Sommers
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $334.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $202.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 35.7 million
- Runtime: 130 min
Brendan Fraser returns as Rick O'Connell to battle the evil mummy spirit, Imhotep. This time, a second evil is part of the package. Rick and his wife must save the world once again. But while the movie may have been new, critics said the storyline was far from it. Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times said not only did the film borrow plot themes from its predecessor, but also the likes of Spielberg and Lucas.
#47. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
- Director: Sam Raimi
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 44
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $274.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $234.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.3 million
- Runtime: 130 min
A circus magician is taken from Kansas and transported to Oz, where he must decipher between good and evil amid the many problems that exist in the fantasy world. "The Wizard of Oz" is a movie that has been cemented into Hollywood royalty, so any spinoff leaves audiences naturally curious. However, Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media reports this version lacks the magic and heart that captivated generations of audiences in the original.
#46. Meet the Fockers (2004)
- Director: Jay Roach
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 41
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $413.9 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $279.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 44.2 million
- Runtime: 115 min
Now that he's met the parents, Jack Focker is in the familial fold with Jack and Dina Byrnes. That is, until the Byrnes have to meet Greg's parents, the hippy-dippy Fockers. Unlike "Meet the Parents," which had audiences heartily and authentically laughing, "Meet the Fockers" was described by Nick Schager in Slant as periodically funny, but more redundant than anything else.
#45. The Bodyguard (1992)
- Director: Mick Jackson
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 39
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $275.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $122.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.4 million
- Runtime: 129 min
When a pop diva (played by Whitney Houston) receives ominous threats from a stalker, she hires Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), a former secret service agent to be her bodyguard. What starts as a head-butting relationship transforms into something much more. But while the marquee held two blockbuster names, critic Brian Lowry of Variety said the script was "a jumbled mess, with a few enjoyable moments but little continuity or flow."
#44. The Amityville Horror (1979)
- Director: Stuart Rosenberg
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Metascore: 28
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $322.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $86.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 34.4 million
- Runtime: 117 min
This horror film tracks the allegedly true story of a family who is living with evil supernatural forces that wreak havoc on them in their Long Island, New York, home. With so much potential baked in, critics found it to have a bit of an anticlimactic ending with far too many plot holes.
#43. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
- Director: Jay Roach
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 62
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $344.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $213.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 36.7 million
- Runtime: 94 min
Austin Powers returns (again), this time chasing Dr. Evil and second villain, Goldmember, on a time-travel mission to save the world. But while crowds loved the first, and even flocked to see the second chapters in this trilogy, the third was criticized as overrun with shameless immature puns and celebrity cameos.
#42. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- Director: Sam Raimi
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 59
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $458.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $336.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 48.9 million
- Runtime: 139 min
Peter Parker and M.J. (played by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst) return, this time to a Spiderman suit that has turned to the dark side, and two villains on a mission to destroy them all. The Spiderman movies will always draw in arachnophiles and this particular trilogy began with remarkable force, writes Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian. Sadly, the third movie complicated what could have been a powerful story with far too many unnecessary and sloppy details.
#41. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
- Director: J.A. Bayona
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $430.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $417.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 45.9 million
- Runtime: 128 min
It's been three years since the destruction of Jurassic World, and Owen Grady and Claire Dearing return to the site to save what's left of the dinosaurs from a volcanic eruption. The fifth film in the "Jurassic Park" series, "Fallen Kingdom" comes on the heels of "Jurassic World," which grossed more than $1.67 billion worldwide. The latest, however, according to Bryan Bishop in The Verge, was messy, illogical, and a downright disappointment.
#40. Men in Black II (2002)
- Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 49
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $317.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $193.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 33.9 million
- Runtime: 88 min
The boys are back to defend the universe against a Kylothian monster who appears on Earth as a lingerie model. The sequel came about five years after the original. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone says it's because the stars were holding out for a higher payday. Still, it's an entertaining movie with spitfire chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. "You could do worse," he writes.
#39. Scary Movie (2000)
- Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 48
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $273.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $157.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.1 million
- Runtime: 88 min
There are parodies, and then there's "Scary Movie." Breaking all barriers of propriety, this spoof comedy launches a raunchy assault on teen horror films like "Scream," "The Sixth Sense," "The Blair Witch Project," and more. Nothing is off-limits. In fact, the more vulgar the better. Reviewers, like Mark Dinning in Empire, criticized it for its cheap laughs, and often offensive overtones.
#38. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- Director: Ron Howard
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 46
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $450.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $260.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 48.1 million
- Runtime: 104 min
This real-person remake of Dr. Seuss's Christmas classic has Jim Carrey donning green for the role of the Grinch. The film cost more than $100 million to make and, according to Stephen Holden in The New York Times, much of that budget went to gadgets and glitter.
#37. Pearl Harbor (2001)
- Director: Michael Bay
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 44
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $328.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $198.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 35.1 million
- Runtime: 183 min
A love triangle involving two best friends is set to the backdrop of World War II. It all comes to a head in Hawaii just before the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. The big-budget (to the tune of $135 million), three-hour spectacle is chock full of A-listers. But critics like David Hunter of The Hollywood Reporter found the facts to deviate from history and the dialogue unimpressive.
#36. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- Director: Michael Bay
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 42
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $414.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $352.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 44.3 million
- Runtime: 154 min
The evil Decepticons reignite war against the Autobots, prompting a series of devastating consequences that lead to an all-out battle in Chicago. Shia LaBeouf resumes his role, this time with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as his leading lady. The film from Michael Bay is a familiar "action-fest," as The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw reports, but at more than two hours it was criticized as being a tad too long.
#35. Porky's (1982)
- Director: Bob Clark
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 40
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $353.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $111.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 37.7 million
- Runtime: 94 min
Four high school friends are kicked out of a strip club during their quest to lose their virginity. After the strip club owner takes all of their money, they plan revenge. Empire's Adam Smith likens it to a teen sex comedy that is the predecessor to "American Pie."
#34. Deep Impact (1998)
- Director: Mimi Leder
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 40
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $280.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $140.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.9 million
- Runtime: 120 min
An impending comet headed straight for Earth threatens the destruction of humanity. Unfortunately, the government has kept the facts a secret, until reporter Jenny Lerner discovers the truth. Believe it or not, "Deep Impact" wasn't the only film that year about Earth's destruction—"Armageddon" also came out in 1998. Critics like Duane Byrge of The Hollywood Reporter loved the star-studded cast, but found the subject to lack edge.
#33. Flashdance (1983)
- Director: Adrian Lyne
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 39
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $276.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $92.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.5 million
- Runtime: 95 min
Welder by day, dancer by night, Alex Owens is accepted into a prestigious dance conservatory with the support of her boss and her mentor. But while the on-screen talent is undeniably beautiful, critic Janet Maslin of The New York Times finds the story and the acting unconvincing. The film did, however, provide star Jennifer Beals with her breakout role.
#32. 10 (1979)
- Director: Blake Edwards
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 68
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $279.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $74.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.8 million
- Runtime: 122 min
A Hollywood songwriter falls in love with a woman who, unfortunately, is married to someone else. That doesn't stop the hero from trying, though. It's a classic story of wanting what you can't have. Roger Ebert gave the film four stars and said it was one of the best films Blake Edwards has ever made.
#31. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 65
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $413.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $317.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 44.2 million
- Runtime: 122 min
Indy returns from his latest adventure to find that his career at Marshall College is in peril. He meets Mutt (played by Shia LaBeouf) who wants to help him find the Crystal Skull of Akator, and must do so before Irina Spalko, a Soviet agent played by Cate Blanchett, gets there first. This was destined to be a box office smash, seeing as it's the next chapter in the beloved "Indiana Jones" franchise. But, as Peter Travers writes in Rolling Stone, "It's a cliché overload."
#30. Mission: Impossible II (2000)
- Director: John Woo
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 59
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $374.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $215.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 40.0 million
- Runtime: 123 min
Ethan Hunt is back, this time leading his team to thwart terrorists from releasing a deadly virus. Audiences loved the original movie, so it's not surprising that they'd return for the sequel, which proved to be equally thrilling. It had, according to Nell Minow in Common Sense Media, all the trappings of an iconic summer flick.
#29. Shrek the Third (2007)
- Directors: Chris Miller, Raman Hui
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 58
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $439.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $322.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 46.9 million
- Runtime: 93 min
King Harold dies, leaving Far, Far Away without an heir to the throne. Shrek steps in to fill the void until a suitable replacement can be found. A familiar star-studded cast of characters lends their vocal talents, including a newcomer to the series, Justin Timberlake. Critics, like A.O. Scott of The New York Times found the story to be wearing thin by the third chapter.
#28. Die Another Day (2002)
- Director: Lee Tamahori
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 56
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $258.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $160.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.6 million
- Runtime: 133 min
James Bond falls on tough times when he's captured by North Koreans and thrown into prison. Upon his release he finds himself in Cuba chasing after a turncoat from his own agency who betrayed him. Any James Bond film is sure to draw a crowd, but this one in particular critics found thoroughly disappointing. The word "horrified," was even used by Stuart Heritage in The Guardian.
#27. Twins (1988)
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 53
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $260.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $111.9 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.8 million
- Runtime: 107 min
Separated at birth, fraternal twins Julius and Vincent (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito) are presumed to be dead by their mother. Julius learns the truth about his family and sets off to Los Angeles to find them. Fans flocked to see the so-called comedic stylings of Schwarzenegger, but critics, such as Vincent Canby in The New York Times, said it is DeVito who carries the bulk of the one-liners, calling Schwarzenegger, "dead weight."
#26. The Waterboy (1998)
- Director: Frank Coraci
- IMDb user rating: 6.1
- Metascore: 41
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $320.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $161.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 34.2 million
- Runtime: 90 min
Bobby Boucher Jr. lives under the watchful eye of his protective mother and works for the college football team as their water boy. After being fired, he takes up the same position for a rival team and ultimately finds himself on the players' roster. Adam Sandler devotees lined up, but critics didn't see much value in the movie other than it being a teenager's goldmine for punchlines, writes Nell Minow for Common Sense Media.
#25. Superman Returns (2006)
- Director: Bryan Singer
- IMDb user rating: 6.0
- Metascore: 72
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $286.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $200.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.5 million
- Runtime: 154 min
Lex Luthor is at it again with the mission to destroy Superman, forcing the Man of Steel to reemerge after a long absence and deal with the world he left behind. It marked the 20-year return of the "Superman" movies, following "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" that came out in 1987.
#24. Three Men and a Baby (1987)
- Director: Leonard Nimoy
- IMDb user rating: 6.0
- Metascore: 61
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $390.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $167.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 41.7 million
- Runtime: 102 min
Three New York City bachelor roommates get a surprise when a baby girl is left at their door. The baby belongs to one of the men, but all three end up becoming attached to her. The movie was directed by Leonard Nimoy (that's Dr. Spock, to you), and stars Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson. Roger Ebert gave it three stars.
#23. The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- Director: John G. Avildsen
- IMDb user rating: 6.0
- Metascore: 55
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $290.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $115.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.0 million
- Runtime: 113 min
Mr. Miyagi must return to Japan and is taking Daniel along with him, where they deal with rekindling old flames and battling bullies. The sequel to the beloved original "Karate Kid," this movie centers around the life of Mr. Miyagi. Still, what starts as a strong sequel is slowly eaten away at, writes Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune, turning to a "crude, good-guy-versus-bad-guy battle with young Daniel once again called upon to fight the big fight."
#22. S**cide Squad (2016)
- Director: David Ayer
- IMDb user rating: 6.0
- Metascore: 40
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $357.7 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $325.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 38.2 million
- Runtime: 123 min
U.S. intelligence assembles a squad of incarcerated supervillains, known as Task Force X, who come together to fight a different kind of evil. Jared Leto plays the Joker, who has a diabolical plan of his own on the sidelines. A lengthy cast (no matter how star-studded) left audiences feeling a bit confused. In fact, Christopher Orr of The Atlantic suggested facetiously doing some homework on each character before actually seeing the movie.
#21. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- Director: Michael Bay
- IMDb user rating: 6.0
- Metascore: 35
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $505.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $402.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 53.9 million
- Runtime: 149 min
Two years have passed since Sam Witwicky and the Autobots saved the world from the Decepticons. Now an ancient Deception has resurfaced, seeking vengeance. It was pegged to be a summer blockbuster, which brought the fans to theaters, but critics admitted to having decidedly low expectations, which were met by a weak-and-rushed storyline, writes Luke Savage for Den of Geek.
#20. Stuart Little (1999)
- Director: Rob Minkoff
- IMDb user rating: 5.9
- Metascore: 61
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $250.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $140.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 26.7 million
- Runtime: 84 min
The Littles are looking to adopt, but instead of a human they bring home a young mouse named Stuart. It's tough being a mouse with a human brother and a pet cat, but against the odds, Stuart finds a way to bring everyone together. The movie was based on a children's book by E.B. White. The family-friendly script was written by M. Night Shyamalan, who had a much different kind of movie come out during the same year, notes William Thomas of Empire.
#19. Earthquake (1974)
- Director: Mark Robson
- IMDb user rating: 5.9
- Metascore: 56
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $395.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $79.7 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 42.2 million
- Runtime: 122 min
Los Angeles is wrecked by a major earthquake, which sets off a reaction of personal drama between a man, his wife, and his mistress. At the time of its release, critics like Nora Sayre of The New York Times praised it for its special effects, as well as the visceral reactions it triggers for audiences. It starred Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and Genevieve Bujold.
#18. Look Who's Talking (1989)
- Director: Amy Heckerling
- IMDb user rating: 5.9
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $326.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $140.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 34.8 million
- Runtime: 93 min
Mollie Jensen has a baby, Mikey, with a married man. She turns to the friendship of a taxi driver, James (John Travolta), who comes to care for both her and Mikey. Mikey, by the way, has an inner monologue (voiced by Bruce Willis) that only the audience can hear. Before Tri-Star took on the film, three other studios passed on the script, writes Daniel Cerone in the Los Angeles Times.
#17. Jurassic Park III (2001)
- Director: Joe Johnston
- IMDb user rating: 5.9
- Metascore: 42
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $299.9 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $181.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 32.0 million
- Runtime: 92 min
A sneaky invitation to conduct an aerial tour of Isla Sorna leaves Dr. Alan Grant and his party stranded on the island where they must try to escape or risk being killed. Riding the "Jurassic Park" success train, the third chapter was not well received by critics. Derek Elley of Variety praised the special effects, but the good words stopped after that.
#16. Jaws 2 (1978)
- Director: Jeannot Szwarc
- IMDb user rating: 5.8
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $325.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $81.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 34.7 million
- Runtime: 116 min
The shark attacks have been over for years, but there's a new evil hiding in the waters off of Amity Island. The townspeople think the warnings are based on fear, until a shark fin is spotted cutting through the water. The original, released two years prior, brought in more than $470 million worldwide. Critics at Variety thought the sequel was a worthy contender. At the time it was the most expensive film that American International Pictures had made—a price tag of $20 million.
#15. Planet of the Apes (2001)
- Director: Tim Burton
- IMDb user rating: 5.7
- Metascore: 50
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $298.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $180.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.8 million
- Runtime: 119 min
Tim Burton tries his hand at this film classic remake. Astronaut Leo Davidson travels through time and space to discover a world where apes and gorillas are in charge. His quest for his downed spacecraft is his only hope of escape. Critics felt it paled in comparison to the original, but Charlton Heston does make a cameo as one of the apes, according to Nell Minow in Common Sense Media.
#14. 101 Dalmatians (1996)
- Director: Stephen Herek
- IMDb user rating: 5.7
- Metascore: 49
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $285.3 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $136.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.4 million
- Runtime: 103 min
A humanized version of the animated Disney classic has Glenn Close as the iconic villain, Cruella de Vil. The story remains true to the original: de Vil steals a litter of puppies to make a coat from their skins, leading the puppies' parents on an adventure to rescue them. Wildly popular among families, critics said the movie didn't quite live up to the animated classic. John F. Kelly of the Washington Post writes, "It's not that it's bad, just that this live-action feature isn't as captivating as the terrific animated features we've come to expect from Disney..."
#13. The Nutty Professor (1996)
- Director: Tom Shadyac
- IMDb user rating: 5.6
- Metascore: 62
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $273.1 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $128.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 29.1 million
- Runtime: 95 min
Sherman Klump is a brilliant scientist who invents a weight-loss machine that delivers remarkable results. But in losing 250 pounds, he takes on an alter ego whose personality is more than off-putting. The film was based on Jerry Lewis' 1963 version, where Lewis, like Murphy, played multiple roles himself, notes Eric Henderson of Slant.
#12. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
- Director: Michael Bay
- IMDb user rating: 5.6
- Metascore: 32
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $284.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $245.4 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.4 million
- Runtime: 165 min
Humanity begins piecing itself back together after an epic battle, while in the shadows forces of evil are swirling to take it down again. Humans and the Autobots must join together for one more war against good and evil. This was the fourth "Transformers" film to hit theaters. Upon its release, critics like A.O. Scott of The New York Times predicted it would do well worldwide, but called it merchandising-based entertainment at its purest.
#11. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
- Director: Bill Condon
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Metascore: 52
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $340.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $292.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 36.3 million
- Runtime: 115 min
The final film in the "Twilight" series, Bella adjusts to a new vampire life (and motherhood), all the while having to protect her child and family from the threat of the Volturi. The franchise is based on the book series, and the four preceding films made $1 billion in the United States alone, writes Todd McCarthy for The Hollywood Reporter.
#10. Runaway Bride (1999)
- Director: Garry Marshall
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Metascore: 39
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $280.8 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $152.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.0 million
- Runtime: 116 min
Maggie Carpenter is not a fan of commitment. She's already left three grooms at the altar, earning her the nickname "the runaway bride." About to make her fourth trip, a journalist comes to town to investigate the story, and falls in love with her in the process. The first time back together since box office smash "Pretty Woman," audiences flocked to see Richard Gere and Julia Roberts sizzle on-screen again.
#9. Batman Forever (1995)
- Director: Joel Schumacher
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Metascore: 51
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $396.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $184.1 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 42.3 million
- Runtime: 121 min
Batman comes head-to-head with two villains: Two-Face and the Riddler. But as he's battling evil in his present, he's also faced with dealing with the tortured memories of his past. A star-studded past included Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, and Nicole Kidman. Critics preferred this third-chapter comeback for the Caped Crusader. Peter Travers wrote in Rolling Stone that it brought the film back to the "campy innocence" of the 1960s TV series.
#8. Doctor Dolittle (1998)
- Director: Betty Thomas
- IMDb user rating: 5.4
- Metascore: 46
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $288.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $144.2 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 30.7 million
- Runtime: 85 min
Dr. John Dolittle finds himself able to talk to animals, which ends up being more of a curse than a blessing as his wife commits him to a mental institution. Fortunately, his furry friends are there to help. A remake of the 1967 film starring Rex Harrison, Eddie Murphy's Dr. Dolittle errs more on the side of vulgarity, writes Roger Ebert, but still retains an air of sweetness.
#7. Twilight (2008)
- Director: Catherine Hardwicke
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Metascore: 56
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $252.9 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $194.0 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 27.0 million
- Runtime: 122 min
High school student Bella Swan moves from Arizona to Washington State, where she meets Edward, a teenage vampire. The two start a dangerous romance and thus a wild adventure begins. This was the first film in the five-movie "Twilight" series, based on the popular books by Stephenie Meyer. The film franchise, overall, made more than $2.5 billion worldwide, writes Dorothy Pomerantz for Forbes.
#6. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
- Director: Tim Hill
- IMDb user rating: 5.2
- Metascore: 39
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $290.0 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $217.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.0 million
- Runtime: 92 min
Dave Seville finds himself the proud father of three talking chipmunks. Seville, a songwriter himself, discovers the chipmunks have a knack for singing, which earns them a record deal. Soon they have to choose between fortune and family. The film was an updated version of the iconic cartoon from the 1960s, only this time melding together live actors with animated chipmunks, writes Andy Webster in The New York Times.
#5. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
- Director: David Slade
- IMDb user rating: 5.0
- Metascore: 58
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $365.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $300.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 39.0 million
- Runtime: 124 min
The third chapter in the "Twilight" series, Bella must choose between Edward and Jacob, all the while fighting off an evil vampire that is terrorizing Seattle. The first "Twilight" film made more than $408 million worldwide, and the second made more than $711 million.
#4. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- Director: Bill Condon
- IMDb user rating: 4.9
- Metascore: 45
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $336.5 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $281.3 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 35.9 million
- Runtime: 117 min
This is the beginning of the end for the "Twilight" saga film series. Bella and Edward finally get married. The film ends with Bella discovering she is pregnant, which causes conflict between the vampires and werewolves. Critics praised the slight improvement in acting in this particular film, but Helen O'Hara writes for Empire that the story is "demented."
#3. The Flintstones (1994)
- Director: Brian Levant
- IMDb user rating: 4.9
- Metascore: 38
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $292.6 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $130.5 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 31.2 million
- Runtime: 91 min
Barney and Betty Rubble want to adopt a baby, so they turn to Fred Flintstone to lend them the money. As a thank you, Barney helps Fred get promoted. Unfortunately, this puts Fred at the center of a nefarious scheme. Critics like Roger Ebert thought the film was perfectly cast, but the story is complicated and not particularly funny.
#2. The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- Director: Chris Weitz
- IMDb user rating: 4.7
- Metascore: 44
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $367.4 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $297.8 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 39.2 million
- Runtime: 130 min
With her 18th birthday looming, Bella is celebrating with her vampire boyfriend, Edward, and his family. But a risky incident causes Edward to determine he's too dangerous for Bella. He leaves her behind to protect her, though all she's left is sad and angry. This is the second movie (of five) in the "Twilight" saga, but already critics like Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian felt the plot to be wearing a little long and thin.
#1. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
- Director: Betty Thomas
- IMDb user rating: 4.5
- Metascore: 41
- Inflation-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $265.2 million
- Non-adjusted domestic lifetime gross: $219.6 million
- Estimated number of tickets sold: 28.3 million
- Runtime: 88 min
The trio of chipmunks is back, now in the care of Dave Seville's nephew. The chipmunks are superstars but are taking a break to return to school, where they promptly meet a girl chipmunk singing group, The Chipettes. Easy-watching would be the best way to describe this sequel. Critics like Jeffrey M. Anderson for Common Sense Media didn't find anything controversial about the movie. "Low-key, amusing, and painless" were some of the adjectives used.
