SA’s Weekend Top 10: Who keeps watching POINT BREAK?

So, I had this whole diatribe written about the spectacle of movies and how 3D has reshaped the cinematic experience. Then I somehow deleted it all. Right now I just want to go curl up and wonder why Narcos wasn’t a better show. So, without further ado, the new format for the Weekend Top 10!

• 01. RIDE ALONG 2

The internet tells me this sucks, but the Ice Cube and Kevin Hart sequel roared to the top, dethroning Star Wars. Start making bets on how long it will stay there: this is an unpredictable one.

• 02. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (Incl 3D, Imax & 4DX)

I liked the new Star Wars enough not to want my money back, and so did a lot of other people. I really didn’t expect it to drop off the perch so soon, but four weeks is not a bad run. It may still rise again, but that is pretty rare. Down 1, but it’s the charts top earner (R47 million), so who cares?

• 03. THE GOOD DINOSAUR

It’s Pixar’s worst-performing film ever, earning even less than A Bug’s Life – and that’s going by international earnings. If the studio is superstitious, it will never release two films in a year again. Only down 1 spot, but this one is sinking.

• 04. POINT BREAK (Incl 3D)

If Point Break gets any compliments, it’s for its on-location stunt work, which is where extreme sports met extreme locales. That explains the $105 million budget the studio blew on a movie by a rookie director and two no-name leads. They’d be glad to hear that it at least stayed put since last week.

• 05. ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

The Road Chip is, in this current incarnation of Alvin & the Chipmunks, the third sequel in the series. The other two are called The Squeakquel and Chipwrecked. It’s like an entire pop culture movement happening behind your back.

• 06. ‘n PAW PAW VIR MY DARLING

The year’s first local movie to chart holds steady, going nowhere from last week. It may end up having a good run.

• 07. SECRET IN THEIR EYES

This features something you don’t see often: Julia Roberts as a frumpy character waving a gun around. But that sounds more like a movie for your lounge than a cinema, which might explain why it fell two spots.

• 08. JOY

Catch my sermon last week about fairness being an illusion, using David O. Russell’s career as proof. Well, maybe I was wrong: it’s not performing nearly as well as most of his other movies. Over here it stood steady at 8th, but that won’t last.

• 09. THE BIG SHORT

It’s Oscar bait AND a financial success for this star studded banking caper. All for less than $20 million. It’s nice to know they still make those. Better catch it, though – this 9th place debut isn’t a keeper.

• 10. SPECTRE (Incl Imax)

So long, Mr. Bond. His latest adventure is drawing to an end after seven weeks on the local charts.

• Exiting on the left…

Sisters, a raunchy comedy that didn’t find an audience, and In the Heart Of The Sea, the year’s first big flop. It cost $100 million and got about a fifth of that back.

 

Last Updated: January 20, 2016