I also liked Godzilla. For comparisons involving movie viewership, I prefer the following two:

1) For historical comparisons of movies (in a country or specific location), compare tickets sold and not dollars of revenue. With inflation, a sales comparison in dollars makes newer movies look better. Also, 3D movies cost more, further skewing a dollar comparison. So, number of tickets sold is by far the best way to compare movies (old vs. new).

2) For comparisons involving differences in access to a movie, whether the movie is only shown in select theaters or is in a country with limited theaters, compare tickets sold per theater. While not perfect, it's the best way to compare how well received a movie is versus the limited audience with access to it.

It seems to me the best way to measure relative success of movies over time is to consider them a ratio of the "eligible audience". Not in dollars as there is inflation, and not per-capita as access to theaters has increased.

So something more akin to an election. You, by some measure I've not divined, determine the pool of people capable of attending a movie, then determine the percentage of that pool who paid to see the movie (or saw it on someone else's courtesy).

The other options I see are rooted in multivariate analysis, and precious few people are even interested in doing that, much less even know about them or why you'd need one.

I rarely like mainstream hollywood product. While not sure if Godzilla fits that description - I happened to really enjoy this movie. I thought it was fun as heck.

Yes, fun as heck! And then some. : )

Me either. Those are box office losers not because they appeal to the intellectual elite--like an Atlas Shrugged--but because they are just dumb and rejected by the masses. After all, they are intended for the masses, but the masses don't want it.

Entertaining ideas about the entertainment industry. About Oz, mainly true, people here do not go out to see movies but watch whatever is available on their home screens.

Anyway, to return the favor I throw in this link-
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/...
" The National Science Foundation has spent nearly $700,000 on a climate change-themed theatrical production, "
I will not be seeing that either.