March 9Mar 9 Author 33. The Garfield Movie - £8.9 millionIndoor cat. Outdoor adventure. Garfield, the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist. Director: Mark DindalCast: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah WaddinghamRelease Date: 24th May 2024Distributor: SonyCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 37%IMDb: 5.7 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-3-5-7-9-7-15-x-14 (9 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,121,270 (#1) If you making an animated film for an iconic franchise and you need a voice-star, who do you call? Chris Pratt of course (Lego, Mario, Garfield) and while this might not be on the same level as those other two, 'The Garfield Movie' was still a successful movie making $250 million against a $60 million budget. The most 'Illumination Studios' movie not made by Illumination Studios, this was instead produced by the British-Indian DNEG Animation who previously made 'Ron's Gone Wrong' and 'Nimona'. I'm amazed that Garfield is still so relevant for kids to be fair.
March 9Mar 9 Author 32. Mean Girls - £9.2 millionPlastic is forever. New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics,’ ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George and her minions Gretchen and Karen. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school. Director: Arturo Perez Jr. & Samantha JayneCast: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli'i CravalhoRelease Date: 17th January 2024Distributor: ParamountCertification: 12AGenre: MusicalRotten Tomatoes: 69%IMDb: 5.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-1-3-6-7-11-14 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,251,159 (#1) Just like 'The Color Purple' before, 'Mean Girls' is an adaptation of the musical stage-show and not a remake of the original movie. However, comparisons to the film are inevitable and I'm not sure it's quiet successful in living up to that. However, one area where I think it's most successful, is actually in the area that I thought would be hardest to nail. Rachel McAdams is iconic as Regina George and I didn't think it would be possible to anyone to live up to her. However. Reneé Rapp does about as good as I could see anyone doing and deserves praise. Seeming that the original only made £5.7 million in total in it's 2004 UK release, this can't be seen as a bad result. Especially when it was originally made to be a Paramount+ release, I bet they're glad that they saw sense and stuck it in cinemas.
March 9Mar 9 Author 30. Conclave - £9.7 millionWhat happens behind these walls will change everything. After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall. Director: Edward BergerCast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John LithgowRelease Date: 29th November 2024Distributor: Black BearCertification: 12AGenre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 93%IMDb: 7.4 Top 15 Chart Run: 5-7-6-6-8-10-12-15-15-x-12-8 (11 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,065,847 (#1) If you said that you expected 'Conclave' to end this high up when it was released then you're lying. With it re-entering the top 10 in last week's box office, it probably still has a bit more to gross too. The Best Picture at this year's BAFTAs, 'Conclave' has really captured the hearts of both critics and general audiences and shows that there is still a market for mid-budget dramas on the big screen. Black Bear UK had a great year with this becoming their cream of the crop. I still haven't seen this one but I'm really excited to catch it as I hear it's nowhere near as stuffy as it's premise might sound. The director, Edward Berger, is really making a name for himself with his previous film being the Award favourite remake of 'All Quiet On The Western Front' in 2022.
March 11Mar 11 Author 31. Wicked Little Letters - £9.6 millionBe careful what you post. When the denizens of Littlehampton – including conservative Edith – begin receiving letters full of hilarious profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime. Suspecting something amiss, the town’s women band together to investigate. Director: Thea SharrockCast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana VasanRelease Date: 23rd February 2024Distributor: StudioCanalCertification: 15Genre: ComedyRotten Tomatoes: 80%IMDb: 7.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-2-2-4-9-9-13 (8 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,642,777 (#2) Into the top 30 and we get one of the rare fully-British hits of 2024, 'Wicked Little Letters'. It overtaken 2022's 'The Duke' to be the biggest post-pandemic British comedy and I thought it was a fun time at the cinema if nothing more. Loosely adapted from a real-life event, it's really just an excuse to hear Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley deliver some deliciously filthy dialogue and their chemistry is what elevates the film. This had a pretty good run at the box office, spending three weeks at #2 and falling just short of £10 million.
March 11Mar 11 Poor Things is the first Lanthimos film I've seen, so can't compare to his other work yet, but it was my favourite movie of last year! I loved the black comedy, powerful psychological and sci-fi themes, stunning world-building, the score and of course the acting... Emma Stone was Bella Baxter, glad she got that Oscar.I wasn't sure if Conclave would be my bag but I did enjoy that as well. Loved the use of red throughout and they stuck the landing with that end.Mean Girls (2004) is one of my favourite films (my taste definitely has its light-hearted sides too!) but I haven't felt compelled to watch the 2024 version yet. Maybe I should give it a go at some point.
March 11Mar 11 Author 29. A Quiet Place: Day One - £9.9 millionHear how it all began. A young woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. Director: Michael SarnoskiCast: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon HounsouRelease Date: 28th June 2024Distributor: ParamountCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 86%IMDb: 6.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-5-5-6-8 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,933,722 (#2) We get a prequel to John Krasinski's horror franchise with 'A Quiet Place: Day One' becoming the first in the series not to be directed by the ex-Office actor. Stepping into the hot-seat was Michael Sarnoski who made a name for himself with the Nic Cage thriller 'Pig'. This did become the lowest grossing in the franchise after the original made £12.1 million while the sequel made £11.6 million. But seeming that this is a prequel with none of the original cast, it's still made pretty much the same which shows that there's scope to branch out further within this world and there's definitely still an audience for a 'Part Three'.
March 11Mar 11 Author 28. One Life - £10.0 millionSave one life, save the world. British stockbroker Nicholas Winton visits Czechoslovakia in the 1930s and forms plans to assist in the rescue of Jewish children before the onset of World War II, in an operation that came to be known as the Kindertransport. Director: James HawesCast: Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Flynn, Release Date: 1st January 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 12AGenre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 90%IMDb: 7.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-4-5-9-12 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,424,502 (#2) We have our first film to make double-figures which is a small improvement on 2023 where 25 films passed £10 million. 'One Life' was released on 1st January and remained the whole year as the most successful British film. Based on the true story of Nicholas Winton, a man who worked to try and rescue children during WWII, the film cuts between that time period and 1988 where he was a guest of the TV show 'That's Life'. The British public love a soppy-drama starring some acting legends so there's no shock that this was such a big hit.
March 11Mar 11 Author 27. Joker: Folie à Deux - £10.3 millionThe world is a stage While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur Fleck not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him. Director: Todd PhillipsCast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan GleesonRelease Date: 4th October 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 15Genre: MusicalRotten Tomatoes: 31%IMDb: 5.2 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-6-10 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £5,764,029 (#1) With the 12th biggest opening weekend of the year, to only land at #27 just shows how much audiences hated this. The original 'Joker' is the 32nd biggest film of all time in the UK (£57.9 million) and opened above £12 million. So the sequel has officially made less in total than the original made in the opening weekend. Phoenix, of course, won the Oscar for his performance in 2019. Has a sequel to an Oscar winning film ever done as bad as this? I've never seen a sequel seem to be made with the intention of annoying fans of the original before but it seems like every decision they made here, from making a musical with the most monotone singing imaginable to the controversial ending, was made to make Joker fans hate it.
March 11Mar 11 Author 26. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die - £12 millionMiami's finest are now it's most wanted. After their late former Captain is framed, Lowrey and Burnett try to clear his name, only to end up on the run themselves. Director: Adil El Arbi & Bilall FallahCast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa HudgensRelease Date: 5th June 2024Distributor: SonyCertification: 15Genre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 65%IMDb: 6.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-3-4-3-7-9-12 (8 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,873,533 (#1) 2020's delayed sequel, 'Bad Boys For Life' was a shock massive hit becoming the final pre-pandemic hit, making £16.2 million before cinema's closed. This one couldn't quite live up to that but it's still well above the £8.8 million total for 'Bad Boys II' which shows that the brand is still in a very healthy position with Morocan-Belgium directing pair really breathing life back into the original Bayhem franchise.. This was Will Smith's first film post the Oscars-slap and the general public are obviously still very happy to go out and see him on the big screen. With a responsible $100 million budget for a blockbuster, this made over $400 million worldwide so expect to see Smith and Lawrence teaming up again for a fifth film.
March 12Mar 12 Author 25. The Fall Guy - £12.2 millionFall hard. Fresh off an almost career-ending accident, stuntman Colt Seavers has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. Director: David LeitchCast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-JohnsonRelease Date: 2nd May 2024Distributor: UniversalCertification: 12AGenre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 81%IMDb: 6.8 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-3-5-5-7-8-13 (8 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,598,996 (#1) The first big release of Summer 24, 'The Fall Guy' was one of many early-Summer releases that were released in a time where it felt like we were just treading water until 'Inside Out 2' and 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. It held fairly well but was a victim of it's big budget ($180 million) that meant that it was always going to underperform. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt both dominated the summer before with their parts in the Barbenheimer phenomenon but couldn't quite have the same effect together. Directed by Brad Pitt's old stuntman, David Leitch, it was definitely a case of 'make what you know' with this remaking the 80's stuntman show of the same name. This was pretty well-received with the stunt work in particular getting a lot of praise.
March 12Mar 12 Author 24. Back To Black - £12.3 millionHer music. Her life. Her legacy. The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time. Director: Sam Taylor-JohnsonCast: Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie MarsanRelease Date: 12th April 2024Distributor: StudioCanalCertification: 15Genre: BiopicRotten Tomatoes: 35%IMDb: 6.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-1-2-4-4-7-10 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,772,698 (#1) Amy Winehouse is, of course, a legend in British music and the album which this is named after is one of the most iconic of the 21st century so you can see why people would want to make a film. But with the 2015 documentary 'Amy' being so through and well-received, you have to think about whether this was really necessary. Especially with this being made in association with her estate. I've seen a lot of criticism for this film for it's positive portrayal of her Father and her ex-husband and the sensationalist ending.
March 12Mar 12 Author 23. Venom: The Last Dance - £12.4 million'Til death do they part. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance. Director: Kelly MarcelCast: Tom Hardy. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno TempleRelease Date: 25th October 2024Distributor: SonyCertification: 15Genre: SuperheroRotten Tomatoes: 40%IMDb: 6.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-4-5-10-14 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £4,299,477 (#1) In the whole of the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU), they had one success story. People enjoy Tom Hardy and the chemistry he has playing against himself but Sony still found a way to mess this up. The original 'Venom' breezed past £20 million while 'Let There Be Carnage' made £18 million. Being able to market this as the emotional, must-see trilogy-closer felt like it should have been easy but I feel like Sony had given up by this point and hardly promoted it and it ended miles behind the first two on £12.4 million. It was still a success ($475 million worldwide against $120 million budget) but I feel like it should have done more.
March 12Mar 12 I thought the actress in Back to Black did a good job but the storytelling was too sanitised. I'd definitely stick with Amy!
March 12Mar 12 Author 22. IF - £12.4 millionA story you have to believe to see. After discovering she can see everyone’s imaginary friends, a girl embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten imaginary friends with their kids. Director: John KrasinskiCast: Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John KrasinskiRelease Date: 17th May 2024Distributor: ParamountCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 50%IMDb: 6.4 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-3-1-2-3-8-10-10-x-11 (9 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,435,054 (#1) The biggest film of 2024 based on an original idea, John Krasinski written and directed this kid-friendly film about imaginary friends that saw him make a reunion with ex-Office alum Steve Carrell. Paramount certainly believed in him, putting $110 million into it's budget and the film held well after a weak opening, having two spells at #1 but even that wasn't enough stop it from underperforming it's budget. In a year dominated by IP, we do have to give Paramount their props for making and releasing an original idea.
March 12Mar 12 Author 21. Alien: Romulus - £13.4 millionIn space, no one can hear you. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. Director: Fede ÁlvarezCast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie RenauxRelease Date: 16th August 2024Distributor: DisneyCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 80%IMDb: 7.1 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-1-4-5-9-14 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,741,288 (#1) In a banner year for Horror, the biggest of the lot was the latest attempt to re-enter the Alien universe, 'Alien: Romulus'. For comparison, the biggest horror hit in 2023 was 'Five Nights At Freddy's that landed at #24 in the EOY charts with £10.6 million. Ridley Scott's last Alien flick, 'Covenant' debuted higher (£5,178,531) but ended lower (£12 million). It shows that hiring some fresh blood in Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez (2013's 'Evil Dead', 'You're Next') was a smart choce with a sequel already announced with him remaining as director. One random fact that I don't think you would otherwise guess, this was the 2nd biggest Hollywood film of the year in China, grossing $110 million in a market that has largely abandoned American films.
March 14Mar 14 Author 20. The Wild Robot - £13.8 millionDiscover your true nature. After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose. Director: Chris SandersCast: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit ConnorRelease Date: 18th August 2024Distributor: UniversalCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 96%IMDb: 8.2 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-1-5-6-6-13 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,256,572 (#1) The first of 6 (or 7 depending on your thoughts about 'Mufasa') animated films in the top 20, it appears that one audience that hasn't abandoned the big screen is children. It was a bit of a banner year for animated films, with 'The Wild Robot' being seen as a bit of a front-runner to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature before it was eventually beaten by the soon-to-be-released 'Flow'. This was adapted from a 2016 novel and was adapted for the big screen by a director with plenty of experience with animation beforehand ('Lilo & Stitch'. How To Train Your Dragon', 'The Croods'). It was a huge success worldwide and a sequel is already in development.
March 14Mar 14 Author 19. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - £14.5 millionRise together or fall alone. Following their explosive showdown, Godzilla and Kong must reunite against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. Director: Adam WingardCast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan StevensRelease Date: 29th March 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 12AGenre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 54%IMDb: 6.1 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-4-4-5-9-12-15 (8 weeks)Opening Weekend: £4,139,394 (#2) Blocked from #1 by 'Kung Fu Panda 4' having previews, Ithis had a strong opening at Easter last year and was very unfortunate to miss out on top spot. This was the 8th highest grossing film of 2024 worldwide and became the biggest hit in both the Godzilla and King Kong franchises. The UK bucked the trend a bit with this not being able to reach the £17.2 million gross of 2016's 'Godzilla' or the mighty £29.7 million total for 2005's 'King Kong'. The original 'Godzilla vs. Kong' only made £2.6 million in the UK due to it's pandemic release. A sequel is out in 2027.
March 14Mar 14 15 minutes ago, LewisGT said:20. The Wild Robot - £13.8 millionDiscover your true nature. After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose. Director: Chris SandersCast: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit ConnorRelease Date: 18th August 2024Distributor: UniversalCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 96%IMDb: 8.2 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-1-5-6-6-13 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,256,572 (#1) The first of 6 (or 7 depending on your thoughts about 'Mufasa') animated films in the top 20, it appears that one audience that hasn't abandoned the big screen is children. It was a bit of a banner year for animated films, with 'The Wild Robot' being seen as a bit of a front-runner to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature before it was eventually beaten by the soon-to-be-released 'Flow'. This was adapted from a 2016 novel and was adapted for the big screen by a director with plenty of experience with animation beforehand ('Lilo & Stitch'. How To Train Your Dragon', 'The Croods'). It was a huge success worldwide and a sequel is already in development.Looking forward to watching this again. Love that Kit Connor got another hit movieI think I went in expecting perfection/to cry a lot and when I didn't I maybe felt slightly underwhelmed!
March 14Mar 14 Author 18. Twisters - £14.5 millionChase. Ride. Survive. As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Carter and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives. Director: Lee Isaac ChungCast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony RamosRelease Date: 17th July 2024Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 12AGenre: DisasterRotten Tomatoes: 75%IMDb: 6.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-3-6-8-10-8 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £4,149,210 (#2) The last figure I can find for these two films are honestly so close that I don't really know which out of 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' or 'Twisters' has done enough to be the biggest non-#1 hit of 2024. Either way, it's definitely a 12A actioner from Warner Bros. A rare success in the legacy sequel genre of films (although we have another even more successful one still to come), this was released 28 years after 'Twister' became the 2nd biggest film of 1996. It has been reported that this was massive in the US but flopped everywhere else and, while that is somewhat true (it made $268 million in the US and $103 million everywhere else), there were some other markets that it did well in, namely the UK. 'Normal People' stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal both had leading roles in blockbusters last year and it looks like Daisy is the loser with Paul's effort still to come.
March 14Mar 14 Author 17. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - £15.5 millionIt'll send a chill down your spine. When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age. Director: Gil KenanCast: Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Finn WolfhardRelease Date: 22nd March 2024Distributor: SonyCertification: 12AGenre: ComedyRotten Tomatoes: 42%IMDb: 6.1 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-3-3-5-6-7-11 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £4,056,097 (#1) Winning the battle of the '2024 sequels with 'Empire' in their sub-title' is 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire'. However, I think the UK is the only country where it can claim that win as this underwhelmed in pretty much every other market and only scrapping $200 million worldwide. However, the UK was a huge anomaly with this comfortably passing the £12.5 gross of the original 1984 'Ghostbusters' to become the biggest release in the franchise. Surprisingly, there has been a further sequel announced but to have any chance of being profitable, they will need to dramatically slash the $100 million budget.
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