Box office: 'Paranormal' down but not out, 'Alex Cross' just plain out

Looking at the winners and losers from this weekend’s box office:

WINNER, SORT OF: “Paranormal Activity 4.” The third sequel in the cheapie found footage franchise opened at No. 1 with $30.2 million, but that figure is down significantly from the $52 million gross of last year’s “Paranormal Activity 3″ and the $40 million opening of 2010′s “Paranormal Activity 2.” Yes, $30 million is still a big figure for a movie that was shot with a couple of camcorders and webcams and it has already ensured a “Paranormal Activity 5″ will arrive next year, but the franchise is running out of gas quicker than the “Saw” franchise did (“Saw 4″ opened with $31.8 million, and that was in 2007 dollars). It’s time for these movies to go somewhere, and fast: “Paranormal Activity 4″ was the worst entry in the franchise (we’re not the only ones; the movie has a dismal 27 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, way off from the 68 percent of “3,” 59 percent of “2″ and 82 percent of the first movie) and found the series spinning its wheels more than usual.

LOSER: “Alex Cross.” The Detroit-set Tyler Perry detective thriller opened in fifth place with a weak $11.8 million, the lowest opening ever for a movie starring Tyler Perry. It’s clear that audiences simply weren’t buying him in the role that once belonged to Morgan Freeman (both 1997′s “Kiss the Girls,” with $13.2 million, and 2001′s “Along Came a Spider,” with $16.7 million, opened stronger), and neither were critics, who savaged the movie with deadly reviews. Maybe Alex Cross’ next case can be investigating why this movie was so bad.

‘ARGO’ING STRONG: “Argo” held strong in second place, dipping just 15 percent from last weekend and pulling in $16.6 million, bringing its two-week total total to $43.1 million. See what happens when you make a smart, solid movie for adults? Everyone wins!

Box Office Top 10 (weekend estimates, with cumulative totals in parentheses)

1. Paranormal Activity 4, $30.2 million ($30.2 million)
2. Argo, $16.6 million ($43.1 million)
3. Hotel Transylvania, $13.5 million ($119 million)
4. Taken 2, $13.4 million ($106 million)
5. Alex Cross, $11.8 million ($11.8 million)
6. Sinister, $9 million ($32 million)
7. Here Comes the Boom, $8.5 million ($23.2 million)
8. Pitch Perfect, $7 million ($45.8 million)
9. Frankenweenie, $4.4 million ($28.3 million)
10. Looper, $4.2 million ($57.8 million)