Horror Box Office

It's been a good, if not solid year for horror moving picture shows. We've watched the $15,000 indie-made Paranormal Activity -- well on its way to becoming the most profitable movie of all time -- stomp all over the competition, to big budget flops (Pandorum, Vampire's Assistant, Jennifer's Body) and big budget winners (Zombieland, Harry Potter, District 9, Final Destination).

Not surprised (though disappointed) Halloween II hasn't even hit the $35 million mark. The ad campaign was a mess and people didn't seem to have a taste for multiple stab wounds. Shame on ALL of you.

Then there's the over-hyped (but lived up to it) Jennifer's Body. Barely $16 million total and yet it was one of the fun/funniest horror flicks with sharp dialogue and even sharper teeth. Word probably got out that star Megan Fox didn't take her clothes off. (She did, but you can't really see anything. I tried.)

Zombieland's $71 million haul ensures we'll have a fresh supply of the undead for some time to come. Along with Paranormal Activity, the best of the year.

Pandorum, a horror-in-outer space tale of madness and lunar flesh-eaters, circled the drain faster than this morning's high-fiber breakfast. Too bad as it's not that bad. Yeah, we've all seen it before, but c'mon, space zombies!

At any rate, here's how the end of October stacked up for our beloved genre movies. Best part: two more months to go!

• PARANORMAL ACTIVITY -- $84,627,372

• SAW VI -- $22,534,749

• THE STEPFATHER -- $24,555,801

• THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT -- $10,809,975

• ZOMBIELAND -- $71,181,556

• HALLOWEEN II -- $33,096,757

• HARRY POTTER & THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE: $301,577,469

• FINAL DESTINATION: $66,254,282

• DISTRICT 9 -- $115,646,235

• PANDORUM -- $10,261,085

• JENNIFER’S BODY -- 16,140,555

• SORORITY ROW -- $11,956,207