Even though the last day of summer is Sept. 22, the domestic summer movie box office season officially ended Labor Day Weekend.

August, a month when movies not expected to perform well are often released, was particularly robust at the box office, led by "Guardians of The Galaxy," which duked it out with "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."August 2014 had a box office tally of about $1 billion. That's 10 percent above August 2013.Summer 2014 (movies released May 2 through Labor Day) was not as impressive. Domestic box office was about $4 billion, down about 15 percent from Summer 2013 and the lowest in nearly a decade, since 2006.Was summer 2014 a bust for movie blockbusters?Yes and no. Perception is a big part of whether or not a movie is deemed a hit or miss. This has to do with the box-office clout of a movie's star and his or her previous box-office performances, predicted box-office gross and a movie's budget. Most blockbuster movies have blockbuster budgets."Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which grossed $259.8 million, jump-started the summer movie season, opening in April. "The Lego Movie," which grossed $257.8 million, opened in a typically slow month, February.Here is the Top 10 Box-Office for Summer 2014 in the United States. A movie's budget, where available, is in parentheses. Overseas, many of the films matched or bettered their U.S. gross.1. "Guardians of The Galaxy": $275.3 million ($170 million)2. "Transformers: Age Of Extinction": $244.3 million ($210 million)3. "X-Men: Days Of Future Past": $233.2 million ($200 million)4. "Maleficent": $238.5 million ($180 million)5. "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes": $205 million ($170 million)6. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2": $202 million ($200 million)7. "Godzilla," $200 million ($160 million)8. "22 Jump Street": $190.6 million ($50 million)9. "How To Train Your Dragon 2": $173.5 million ($145 million)10. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $162.5 million ($125 million)Some movies got it right critically and commercially. Director Luc Besson's "Lucy," starring Scarlett Johansson, has grossed about $121.2 million ($40 million), jumping back into the Top 10 for the Sept. 5 weekend, symbolically commemorating the Sept. 4 birth of Rose, Scarlett Johansson's daughter. "The Fault in Our Stars," starring Shailene Woodley, grossed $124.5 million ($12 million).Summer 2014 had its share of flops. "Edge of Tomorrow," starring Tom Cruise, grossed $100 million ($178 million). "Sin City: A Dame To Kill For" only grossed $10 million (budget unavailable). "The Expendables 3" only grossed $33 million. "Hercules," starring Bethlehem Area School District product Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, grossed $70.9 million ($100 million).Summer 2014 had its surprise indie hits with critics and audiences. Director Jon Favreau's "Chef" grossed $30 million (budget unavailable). Director Richard Linklater's Oscar contender, "Boyhood," grossed $18.5 million ($4 million). "Earth To Echo" grossed $38.5 million ($13 million).Two music biopics sounded sour notes at the box office. Director Clint Eastwood's version of the hit Broadway musical, "Jersey Boys," grossed $46.7 million ($40 million). "Get On Up," starring Chadwick Boseman as James Brown, grossed $29.5 million ($30 million).Not to worry. The fall movie season is here, typically when Oscar-bait begins to unreel.And there's always the holiday blockbusters: "Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1," "Interstellar," "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" and "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb."Box Office, Sept 5: "Guardians Of The Galaxy" soldiered on at No. 1, $10.1 million, $294.5 million, six weeks; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" stayed at No. 2, $6.5 million, $174.6 million, five weeks, and "If I Stay" continued at No. 3, $5.7 million, $39.6 million, three weeks;4. "Let's Be Cops," $5.4 million, $66.5 million, four weeks; 5. "The November Man," $4.2 million, $17.8 million, two weeks; 6. "As Above, So Below," $3.7 million, $15.5 million, two weeks; 7. "When The Game Stands Tall," $3.7 million, $23.4 million, three weeks; 8. "The Giver," $3.5 million, $37.8 million, four weeks; 9. "The Hundred-Foot Journey," $3.2 million, $45.6 million, five weeks; 10. "Lucy" moved back into the Top 10, with $1.9 million, $121.2 million, seven weeksBox Office, Aug. 29: "Guardians Of The Galaxy" closed out the official summer movie season at No. 1, $17 million, $22.9 million, Labor Day weekend; $281.2 million, five weeks;2. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $11.9 million, $166.3 million, four weeks; 3."If I Stay," $9.3 million, $29.8 million, two weeks; 4. "As Above, So Below," $8.6 million, opening, $10.3 million, Labor Day weekend; 5. "Let's Be Cops," $8.3 million, $59.5 million, three weeks; 6. "The November Man," $7.9 million, weekend, $11.8 million, since opening Aug. 27; 7. "When The Game Stands Tall," $6 million, $16.6 million, two weeks; 8. "The Giver," $5.2 million, $31.5 million, three weeks; 9. "The Hundred-Foot Journey," $4.8 million, $39.5 million, four weeks; 10. "The Expendables 3," $3.5 million, $33.1 million, three weeks;Unreel: Sept. 12:"Dolphin Tale 2," PG: Charles Martin Smith, best known for his role in the iconic "American Graffiti" (1973) returns to direct the sequel. The drama, set in Clearwater, Florida, stars Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. Those who saved the life of Winter the dolphin seek to find her a companion."No Good Deed," PG-13: A devoted wife and mother of two in suburban Atlanta is terrorized by an escaped convict. Taraji P. Henson and Idris Elba star in the thriller."The Drop," R: In what may have been James Gandolfini's last role, a robbery gone wrong brings an investigation to a New York City neighborhood. Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace co-star in the crime drama.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press web site, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times-News web site, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6 - 6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, and wdiy.org, where they're archived. Email Paul Willistein:

pwillistein@tnonline.com. You can follow Paul Willistein on Twitter and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook.