SA’s Weekend Top 10: Dino beats whale

The year’s chart starts rather poetically on a 1,2,3 as the first weekend generously also landed on the start of the year. Other than fostering a few prolonged new years parties, it also gave people a chance to get in and watch a few movies.

Most, including me, flocked to go see Star Wars. It held its top spot on the chart. But a good number also went to see The Good Dinosaur, Pixar’s unprecedented second-in-a-year release. This may have been a bad bet and so far the prehistoric comedy has been one of the studio’s more lacklustre performers.

The new Alvin & The Chipmunks movie had to step back from 2nd, but at 3rd it’s still also a popular choice. Perhaps parents are offloading the kids while they go and see Star Wars or Spectre.

Some are also spending money on Point Break, which at 4th is also only down a single position. Reviews are mixed to harsh and the film is a far cry from its $105 million budget. Still, at least local audiences are enjoying this extreme sports extravaganza.

An extreme sport of a different kind – 19th century whaling – makes a less convincing debut at the middle of the chart. Maybe it’s because In The Heart Of The Sea sounds like a Nicholas Sparks novel, not the fury of an angry whale and the crew of a notably smaller boat.

Spectre dropped down two spots to 6th, so it’s slowly losing steam. James Bond is unlikely to make a hasty retreat, though. It may even make a gain or two of the higher films start wearing thin (I’m looking at you Point Break).

Back to poorly-named movies, the low 7th spot debut of Sisters is a surprise. A borderline raunchy comedy in the vein of Bridesmaids, you have to wonder if the title made Sisters sound like a drama. Instead it’s Amy Poehler and Tina Fey as siblings throwing a last house party in their childhood home. So Project X with thirty-somethings. Okay, maybe nobody would pay to see drunk thirty-somethings when you get it for three during new years.

Concussion, the new Will Smith-leading drama, is also a low arrival, charting only at 8th on its first try. But that is where adult-thrillers and dramas often start, so it’s not unusual. Plus, a movie about American Football probably has limited appeal in South Africa.

But don’t think it’s all because action for the young at heart hogs the spotlight. The Last Witchunter gains the dubious honour of this past weekend’s biggest stumbler. It fell all the way to 9th – four spots. Keep looking for that next franchise, Vin.

Finally, at 10th Little Prince makes a surprise holdout. It dropped only two spots, which is a feat for an obscure, non-Hollywood animated production.

• 1. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (Incl 3D, Imax & 4DX)
• 2. THE GOOD DINOSAUR
• 3. ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP
• 4. POINT BREAK (Incl 3D)
• 5. IN THE HEART OF THE SEA (Incl 3D)
• 6. SPECTRE (Incl Imax)
• 7. SISTERS
• 8. CONCUSSION
• 9. THE LAST WITCH HUNTER
• 10. LITTLE PRINCE (Incl 3D)

It’s adieu for four movies this week in an unexpected massacre. Love The Coopers went from 6th to gone, while the final Hunger Games also made a sudden dart away from 7th. Trouvoete at least exited gracefully at the back to console The Peanuts Movie, which ended a disappointing run.

The top earner is, surprisingly, still Spectre, which at R39 million is R4 million up from last week. But expect Star Wars to whizz past any second now…

Last Updated: January 6, 2016