The Official Film Chart | The UK Top Ten (13th January)
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Carl Roberts 
This week – Tenet, Bad Boys For Life, and The Witches slip down the Official Film Chart as Marvel’s The New Mutants claims victory
It’s all change on the Official Film Chart this week!
“Barbara, what have you done?”. Actually, it isn’t Barbara that is the problem, Wonder Woman. It’s our old enemy COVID-19 that has done the damage. Today sees the release on PVOD of DC’s comic-book sequel ‘Wonder Woman 1984‘. The film is available on a 48-Hour rental from almost every streaming site for the tidy sum of £15.99.
The film only opened at the UK’s cinemas back in December of 2020 but thanks to the virus and the lockdown we are currently in, the cinemas all closed, denying us the chance to see the film on the big screen where it belongs.
Wonder Trouble
I have yet to rent the film but I am concerned that the film MAY suffer the same fate it gained when it dropped onto HBO MAX in the U.S.A. People there found the film’s sound to be awful, the dialogue was out of sync, the promised 4K version of the film never materialized and there was a ton of technical problems that prevented subscribers from being able to access the film at all. It wasn’t a case of too many people trying to see the film at the same time, it was a fault at the streaming service itself, a problem that from what I hear, still hasn’t been fixed.
Black Widow
With the film dropping onto PVOD a little under a month since its cinema debut, rumors are starting to appear regarding Marvel’s’ Black Widow‘ movie. The swansong for Scarlett Johansson as the character was due to open back in March of 2020 before the pandemic saw the film pushed back to November. It was pushed back again to this year but, with ‘Morbius‘ being pushed back to October, a delay of seven months, and ‘No Time To Die‘ being rumored of moving to a November date instead of this April, it appears that Disney is planning for the film to open in the U.S simultaneously on PVOD alongside a cinematic release.
With no sign of the cinemas here reopening soon thanks to the lockdown, it could be a case of the film hitting PVOD on Disney+ in the same way ‘Mulan‘ did for a limited time before being allowed to be rented and/or bought from the other streaming sites two to three months later.
The Official Film Chart
With that in mind, welcome again to the official chart rundown for the entire UK and their quest for decent home entertainment to keep us going during these cold winter and lockdown months. ‘Wonder Woman 1984‘ is bound to make an impression on the chart next week but for this week, we see 1 new entry, 2 re-entries, and a new number one title. But yet again, we must see some movies make their departure from the chart and so we bid a fond farewell to ‘Love Actually‘, ‘Last Christmas‘ and ‘Birds Of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn‘. But what has moved, what has stayed, and is there a surprise in the placings? Grab your coat, we’re going on a journey!
X Marks The Spot
Rising a single place after hitting the disc formats to go alongside the digital version last week, our brand new number one uses its mutant powers to claim the throne as ‘The New Mutants‘ take over. Delayed for over two years from release, gathering dust and even having its very existence called into question, the film managed to open in UK cinemas back in September to horrendous reviews. But gained a fairly decent box office haul from what was a reduced capacity for audiences.
The final film in the 20th Century Fox ‘X-Men‘ franchise before the rights reverted to Disney after their takeover of the studio, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton and Anya Taylor-Joy lead the cast in what can only be described as a rather nasty and scary entry into the franchise. But I enjoyed it all the same.
Inversion Therapy
Dropping a place from being last week’s chart-topper to become this week’s second best-selling title comes the time-bending, visually stunning, and brilliant film from Christopher Nolan, ‘Tenet‘. Those who managed to see it on the big screen described the film as something that needs to be watched several times to be able to get a grip on what the viewer sees throughout proceedings.
Our reviewer, Phil saw it in IMAX and reported that it was amazing. The film is certainly one that will get the family talking about what it all means and will remain in the viewer’s mind long after the end credits start to roll.
New Entry
Our only new entry this week bodaciously hits the chart in the third place as we welcome ‘Bill And Ted Face The Music‘. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter return thirty years after the last film was released but the fan’s clamor for a third entry into the franchise was finally granted to tremendous comedic effect.
With the return of William Sadler as Death once again and many appearances of other characters from the previous two films, the film is a wonderfully zany and enjoyable film that the whole family can sit down together and enjoy. The fans of the franchise, now adults in their own right can introduce their offspring to the joys of the three films and the antics of the main stars.
Moving down a place to conjure itself up in the fourth position is the remake of the Roald Dahl novel ‘The Witches‘. Anne Hathaway leads the line in this new version from Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis. Although not as well regarded by critics as the previous version, the film, despite bypassing cinemas and going straight to streaming, is one that again, the whole family can sit down together and enjoy. There are a few scary moments which may be unsuitable for the more younger viewers but all in all, a worthy family film for all ages.
Top Five
Rounding out this week’s top five best-selling titles, we welcome back ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald‘ into the chart as it rises by nine places from last week’s number fourteen. The second installment in the prequel series to the ‘Harry Potter‘ franchise wasn’t as well-received as the first film but managed to enchant all those who saw it previously.
Eddie Redmayne once again takes the lead duties with support from Jude Law as a younger Dumbledore and Johnny Depp as the villainous Grindelwald. Depp has sadly had to step down from the role in the next film in the series after his recent legal loss but the character will return in the form of Mads Mikkelson.
Coming Soon
Hitting download & keep from January 18th is the award-winning animation film ‘Away‘. The film tells the story of a young boy and a small bird who throughout the film is traveling across an island on a motorcycle in an attempt to outrun and escape from a dark spirit that is chasing them as they try and make their way home. The film was critically acclaimed upon release and is a delight from start to finish. If this sounds like a film that you and the family could easily sit down and enjoy, why not grab it when it becomes available on Monday?
The Final Five
We return to chart duties by once again waving at our friendly neighborhood web crawler as ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home‘ suffers a slight stumble but manages to web itself into the sixth-placed position after falling a single place this week. The closing chapter to the last Marvel phase once again sees Tom Holland as our hero Peter Parker/ Spider-Man in his second standalone movie, this time joined by Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Rumors still exist that Holland will be making a guest appearance in this year’s ‘Venom: Let Their Be Carnage‘. As well as one that Spider-Man will cameo in the upcoming and now sadly delayed until October ‘Morbius‘.
Boys Will Be Boys
Also slipping down a place to lock and load in the seventh position, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return one more time in ‘Bad Boys For Life‘. The film was the highest-grossing movie of last year thanks to its opening in January which gave it a solid two months to earn its cash at the box office before the cinemas were forced to lockdown and is the best-reviewed film in the franchise. Despite being hailed as the final adventure for the pair, a fourth adventure is currently being written and planned for.
Another film that sees a single place fall is Greta Gerwig’s stunning adaptation of the classic novel ‘Little Women‘. Cruelly overlooked for the honors at awards ceremonies last year, the film is yet another wonderful adaptation of the material and continues to entertain the masses at home. Despite now residing in the eighth-placed position and being available on Sky Movies, the film continues its winning form on home entertainment.
‘Jumanji: The Next Level‘ was one of the highest-selling titles of 2020 on home entertainment. And looks like it wants to continue that form going into 2021. It steadfastly refuses to budge from the chart, digging its heels in, hitting the pause button, and holding onto the ninth place.
Jackman Magic
And finally, in the tenth and final position in the Official Film Chart this week. Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron put on a show as ‘The Greatest Showman‘ leaps twenty-five places from last week’s number thirty-five to land itself as the final re-entry into the chart. The film is regarded as a favourite amongst the nation who can’t get enough of Jackman’s performance as the legendary showman, P.T Barnum.
In Summary
Our time inside the Official Film Chart has come to an end for another week. Once again, I offer my thanks to you for joining me on this journey through what is keeping the nation entertained. What will be hitting the heights next week? Will ‘Wonder Woman 1984‘ blow the rest of the chart away in its wake?. Or will it have the same impact as a wet lettuce leaf? Why not drop us a line right here at The Future Of The Force. We would love to hear from you!
Until next time, whatever you decide, whatever you buy, stay safe, be kind, look after each other and happy viewing!
Anyone wishing to buy any of the titles featured in The Official Film Chart can do so via FindAnyFilm.com. All videos and information have been supplied by Find Any Film and used under authorization.
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Future of the Force News Editor, Liverpool F.C fan, Halloween Movie Fan, Friday The 13th movies fan, Star Wars Fan, Star Trek Fan.
