March 5Mar 5 I loved The Holdovers too! The dynamic between the three most prominent characters was gripping to watch throughout.Need to give it a rewatch at Christmas time.
March 5Mar 5 Author 49. The Substance - £3.9 millionIf you follow the instructions, what could go wrong? A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. Director: Coralie FargeatCast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis QuaidRelease Date: 20th September 2024Distributor: MUBICertification: 18Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 89%IMDb: 7.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-5-4-8-8-9 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £591,247 (#3) The rare horror to breakthrough the barrier to become an awards-season favourite, 'The Substance' is a gnarly, unsubtle body-horror that gave star, Demi Moore, her best role in years (if not her career). It felt for the longest time that this was going to earn her the Oscar but it lost steam at the end of the campaign. She has still earned plenty of other awards for this though so it's not all bad news. MUBI had a great year with this becoming their biggest ever release in the UK, (with this year's 'Priscilla' being 2nd).
March 5Mar 5 Author 48. Madame Web - £4.2 millionHer web connects them all. Forced to confront revelations about her past, paramedic Cassandra Webb forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present. Director: S.J. ClarksonCast: Datoka Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela MercedRelease Date: 14th February 2024Distributor: SonyCertification: 12AGenre: SuperheroRotten Tomatoes: 11%IMDb: 4.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-5-5-10-15 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,273,544 (#3) Poor Sony, their Marvel films have really become the internet's punch-bag of late, with 'Morbius' being the heart of so many memes in 2022 and 'Madame Web' becoming the butt of many a joke in 2024. However, look how much higher this has placed than 'Kraven The Hunter' which hasn't got anywhere near as much stick. In fact, this grossed about £700k more in it's (admittedly boosted by substantial previews) opening weekend than 'Kraven' did in it's whole run. And judging by how much Pespi must have put into this film with the amount of product-placement they had, it probably actually worked out as the most profitable film of the year In all seriousness, this wad a pretty bad film which is a shame because I really liked the casting.
March 5Mar 5 Author 47. Lee - £4.5 millionSome wounds you cannot see. The true story of photographer Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II. Director: Ellen KurasCast: Kate Winslet, Andy Samberg, Alexander SkarsgårdRelease Date: 13th September 2024Distributor: StudioCanalCertification: 15Genre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 68%IMDb: 6.9 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-4-6-7-12-13 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £705,643 (#3) A passion project for star, producer and, at one point, funder Kate Winslet, 'Lee' is a biopic charting the life of WWII correspondent and photographer Lee Miller. Winslet received a lot of praise for her performance but I've heard that the actual film is pretty generic. It's funny how trends go as this is actually the first of two films about war journalism in the list. This is the highest grossing Sky Original movie and provided Andy Samberg with a rare non-comedic role. This outperformed a lot of blockbusters last year which is very impressive for a mid-budget drama that didn't pick up any awards hype.
March 5Mar 5 Author 46. Transformers One - £4.6 millionWitness the origin. The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. Director: Josh CooleyCast: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett JohanssonRelease Date: 11th October 2024Distributor: ParamountCertification: PGGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 89%IMDb: 7.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-4-4-8 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,691,928 (#1) We have our first #1 hit to drop-out with Paramount's animated 'Transformers' prequel proving to be more popular than Warner Bros.'s attempt at doing the same with 'The Lord Of The Rings' but still massively underperforming. In fact, this opened over £1 million less than last year's 'Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts' (£2,973,478) did. Those who did see this one though, seemed to love it with it having the 2nd best reviews of the series alongside 'Bumblebee'. You have to feel sorry for the Transformers franchise, every time they try to do something different and release a good film, the audiences just don't show up. It seems that the people prefer the 'Bayhem'. They really went all out on the voice cast for this one too.
March 6Mar 6 Author 45. All Of Us Strangers - £5.3 millionAll of us hurt. All of us hope. All of us love. A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with his downstairs neighbor while discovering a mysterious new way to heal from losing his parents 30 years ago. Director: Andrew HaighCast: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie BellRelease Date: 26th January 2024Distributor: DisneyCertification: 15Genre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 96%IMDb: 7.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-4-4-10 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,176,972 (#2) A big BAFTA hit from last year, 'All Of Us Strangers' really found it's audience in cinemas making over it's $5 million budget in the UK alone. Juggling some serious themes alongside romance and fantasy, the film seemed to strike a nerve with many and I've heard nothing but praise from those who have seen it. This is the second adaptation of the 1987 novel 'Strangers' after the Japanese production 'The Discarnates' in 1988.
March 6Mar 6 Author 44. Speak No Evil - £5.6 millionHear no evil. When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare. Director: James WatkinsCast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairyRelease Date: 26th January 2024Distributor: UniversalCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 83%IMDb: 6.8 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-2-3-9 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,424,999 (#2) American remakes of cult horror films can go either way but we can put 'Speak No Evil' in the hit pile. The Danish original was only released in 2022 so this was a quick turnaround from Blumhouse, The original had a Danish family meet a Dutch family while on holiday, but for the remake this has been updated to an American couple meeting a British family with James McAvoy continuing to prove himself as one of the best horror villains of our age. Like often happens, I've heard that the remake loses some of the edge of the original (which has one of the bleakest endings in modern horror) but is still worth a watch.
March 6Mar 6 Author 43. Argylle - £5.9 millionThe greater the spy, the bigger the lie. When the plots of reclusive author Elly Conway’s fictional espionage novels begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Accompanied by her cat Alfie and Aiden, a cat-allergic spy, Elly races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Conway’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur. Director: Matthew VaughnCast: Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam RockwellRelease Date: 1st February 2024Distributor: UniversalCertification: 12AGenre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 33%IMDb: 5.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-4-7-15 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,014,521 (#2) Apple really thought they had a hit franchise on their hands with this one. Throwing $200 million at it, you can see why they had hope for it. The director has already had success in the spy market with the Kingsman films, a starry cast including Dua Lipa, an inventive marketing campaign where they plastered the cat everywhere and claimed that this was adapted from a book by unknown author called Elly Conway (Dallas Howard's character in the film) which led to rumours that it was a pen-name for Taylor Swift. However, the film didn't even crack $100 million worldwide and surely must be the final nail in the coffin for Apple spending ludicrous budgets on their cinematic efforts.
March 6Mar 6 Author 42. Heretic - £6 millionQuestion everything. Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Director: Scott Beck & Bryan WoodsCast: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe EastRelease Date: 1st November 2024Distributor: EntertainmentCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 91%IMDb: 7.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-3-4-5-8-13 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,979339 (#3) Hugh Grant has reached a point in his career where he seems like he just wants to have fun and it's led him on a bit of a generational run, from 'Paddington 2' to 'The Gentlemen' to 'Dungeon & Dragons' to 'Wonka' to this, he's been camping it up but seems like he just can't miss. He even got BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critic's Choice nominations for this film which is rare for horrors. A24 know what they're doing and this is another film by them made on a modest budget ($10 million) that make that back and then more with ease ($60 million worldwide). Also starring in this is Sophie Thatcher who's my new obsession after seeing her kill it in 'Companion'.
March 6Mar 6 The Substance being below Madame Web makes me die a little inside x Great result for that one though, it's a shame Demi didn't get her long-awaited Oscar but the fact a film like that was in serious awards contention is still wonderful.Heretic was a real surprise, but Hugh Grant was just a bit too convincing and I really loved the psychological route it went down with it's scares.
March 6Mar 6 Author 41. Challengers - £6.4 millionHer game. Her rules. Tennis player turned coach Tashi has taken her husband, Art, and transformed him into a world-famous Major champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she signs him up for a “Challenger” event — close to the lowest level of pro tournament — where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. Director: Luca GuadagninoCast: Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike FaistRelease Date: 26th April 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 15Genre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 88%IMDb: 7.1 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-3-3-5-7-10-9 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,607,094 (#1) Just missing out on the top 40 is the 2nd #1 hit to fall in 'Challengers'. Italian director Luca Guadagnino ('Call Me By Your Name', 'Suspiria', 'Bones And All') is known for a certain type of highly sexualised, complex film that rarely trouble the top end of the box office but he managed to keep his favourite themes but wrap them up in a simpler, more general-audience friendly plot and was rewarded with the biggest hit of his career. It's incredibly heavy-handed, from it's pounding, intrusive score to the most blatant 'sport as sex' metaphors ever conceived but it knows what it's doing and it's so fun to watch. The three leads have great chemistry and all put in great performances but my standout is Josh O'Connor who really embodies the cocky but unfulfiled tennis star.
March 8Mar 8 Author 40. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - £6.4 millionFury is born. As the world falls, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe. The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home. Director: George MillerCast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom BurkeRelease Date: 24th May 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 15Genre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 90%IMDb: 7.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-4-5-6-11-15 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,969,140 (#2) It was a long time in the making, but the prequel to George Miller's 'Mad Max: Fury Road' was finally released last year and, despite strong reviews, didn't make the impact people were expecting. In 2015, 'Fury Road' took everyone with it's high-octane, precisely-designed action set-pieces reviving the largely dormant franchise and becoming a Best Picture nominee to boot. Everyone seems to love that film, it even came top in Empire Magazine's critic and reader poll for the best film of the 21st century (so far). But this had ended up over £10 million behind 'Fury Road' (£17.4 million) and couldn't even beat Garfield to the weekend #1. Maybe it just took too long, maybe people were too attached to Charlize Theron in the main role, maybe the expectations were just too high. Whatever the reason, I think it's stopped any hope for Miller to make any more Mad Max films.
March 8Mar 8 I really enjoyed both All Of Us Strangers and The Substance! On the other hand Argylle was probably the worst movie I saw last year lmao. I tagged along with my family, mildly curious by the cat in the backpack used in the marketing and yeah... it was a total mess poor Dua, what a bomb.Need to give Challengers a go.
March 8Mar 8 Author 39. Civil War - £6.4 millionWelcome to the frontline. In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war. Director: Alex GarlandCast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee SpaenyRelease Date: 12th April 2024Distributor: EntertainmentCertification: 15Genre: ThrillerRotten Tomatoes: 81%IMDb: 7.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-4-7-11-14 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,823,179 (#2) With a provocative trailer based around Jesse Plemons's uncredited cameo performance, 'Civil War' became the became the first A24 film to top the US Box Office and the second of their films to pass the $100 million barrier worldwide (after 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'). Despite a very American-theme, the film did well at the international box-office with the UK being it's second best market. Director Alex Garland is back on writing duties for the upcoming '28 Years Later' so expect to see him have continued success this year.
March 8Mar 8 Author 38. Smile 2 - £6.5 millionIt's the last thing you'll see. About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control. Director: Parker FinnCast: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas GageRelease Date: 18th October 2024Distributor: ParamountCertification: 18Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 86%IMDb: 6.7 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-5-7-14 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,000,089 (#2) The original 'Smile' became a shock breakout hit in 2022, making just under £12 million. The sequel has had a quick turnaround and earned even stronger reviews but can only make around half at the box office. But even with that drop-off, it's still a success making $138 million against a $28 million budget and a third-film is already confirmed. Naomi Scott of 'Aladdin' fame stepped up to the lead role this time around and earned rave reviews for her performance as a pop-star recovering from past addictions while kickstarting a worldwide tour. Every single poster I can find for this has a different tagline!
March 8Mar 8 Author 37. Better Man - £6.8 millionFame makes monkeys of all of us. Follow Robbie Williams’ journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring. Director: Michael GraceyCast: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve PembertonRelease Date: 26th December 2024Distributor: EntertainmentCertification: 15Genre: MusicalRotten Tomatoes: 88%IMDb: 7.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 5-7-9-11-13 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,568,933 (#5) If online film discourse taught us anything last year, it's how proud Americans are about not knowing who Robbie Williams is. 'Better Man' tried to do something different with the musician biopic, hiring Wētā FX to create a CGI monkey to portray Williams (to Oscar-nominated effect). It seemed like such an insane concept that it would generate a lot of interest so I'm still shocked that this ended up underperforming in the UK and bombing worldwide ($20 million on a £110 million budget, ouch). It must have just been too out-there of a creative choice as the two more 'traditional' biopics of 2024 are still to come. The director, Michael Gracey's last film was 'The Greatest Showman'. That has got to be one of the biggest swings in box office performance for consecutive releases for a director.
March 8Mar 8 All Of Us Strangers and The Holdovers are definitely my favourites to appear so far - in fact they were probably my favourites of the year, albeit I didn't make a list or anything so there could well be things I've forgotten about right now
March 8Mar 8 Author 36. Poor Things - £7.6 millionShe's like nothing you've ever seen. Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation. Director: Yorgos LanthimosCast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem DafoeRelease Date: 12th January 2024Distributor: DisneyCertification: 18Genre: ComedyRotten Tomatoes: 93%IMDb: 7.8 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-5-8-11-13 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,819,563 (#2) One of the most surprising box-office performances of 2024, 'Poor Things' was a huge hit to start the year off and was the best-grossing 18-certificate film of the year. Amazing for such an odd film. Emma Stone, of course. won her second Oscar for her performance of an infant who's brain has been transferred into the body of it's deceased mother (you have to go with it), which definitely helped but it also just connected in it's own right. I have to say, this one didn't quite work for me ('The Lobster' >>> as far as Lanthimos goes) but I admire some of it's choices.
March 9Mar 9 Author 35. Longlegs - £8.1 millionSay your prayers. FBI Agent Lee Harker is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer. As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family. Director: Osgood PerkinsCast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair UnderwoodRelease Date: 12th July 2024Distributor: Black BearCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 86%IMDb: 6.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-4-5-6-9-14 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,371,352 (#3) A viral marketing campaign has made many a horror hit over the years, 'The Blair Witch Project' practically invented the concept and 'Paranormal Activity' became the (disputed) most profitable film of all-time thanks to it's creative advertising, and now we can add 'Longlegs' to that list. They spent months cryptically hinting at this film without giving much away and it really worked at building the hype, becoming the third-biggest horror release of the year (only behind massive big-budget entries in the 'Alien' and 'A Quiet Place' franchise) and making about 13x it's production budget worldwide. What makes it even more impressive is that it's marketing budget was (apparently) only a mere $10 million. But it was spent very wisely, focusing on digital ads instead of traditional television promotions.
March 9Mar 9 Author 34. Red One - £8.2 millionThe mission to save Christmas is on. After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security must team up with the world’s most infamous tracker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas. Director: Jake KasdenCast: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy LiuRelease Date: 8th November 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 12AGenre: ChristmasRotten Tomatoes: 30%IMDb: 6.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-4-6-8-9-10 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,403,829 (#2) 'People love 'Die Hard' so maybe it's time for another Christmas action classic' is what I assume the thought-process was for the executives that greenlit this film. Despite the overly negative reporting surrounding this film, it actually made an ok box office takings ($185 million worldwide) and I'm sure it did well on streaming, it's problem was just that bloated budget ($225 million). I understand it's not cheap to get the biggest stars but there was just no need to spend that much. This definitely benefited from being the only real family Christmas option at cinemas over the festive period so while I understand that Amazon wanted to get it on Prime while it was still hot, I think this could have reached £10 million if they waited until next year for the Prime release.
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