This Week’s Movie Menu (4 – 10 August 2025)

It’s time to glide right into a whole new week of movies, including a body-switching sequel, a terrifying suburban horror, and the return of a Jane Austen classic…

Movie of the Week

 

Freakier Friday (dir. Nisha Ganatra)

CAST: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Rosalind Chao, Vanessa Bayer, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Ryan Malgarini, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jordan E. Cooper, Elaine Hendrix, June Diane Raphael, Aryan Simhadri

CREW: Nisha Ganatra (director), Jordan Weiss (writer), Kristin Burr, Jamie Lee Curtis and Andrew Gunn (producers), Amie Doherty (composer), Matthew Clark (cinematographer), Eleanor Infante (editor)

PLOT: Twenty-two years after experiencing life in each other’s bodies, Tess (Curtis) and her now-adult daughter Anna (Lohan) are preparing for Anna’s upcoming wedding to Eric (Jacinto), but tensions between Anna’s teen daughter Harper (Butters) and her soon-to-be-stepdaughter Lily (Hammons) threaten to derail everything. But then, all four suddenly find themselves in each other’s bodies – again, in the case of Tess and Anna…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The long-awaited sequel to the hit 2003 remake of Disney’s 1976 adaptation of the 1971 book (phew, that’s a mouthful!) is finally here to get its freak on
  • Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan (in her first major theatrical role in nearly twenty years) reunite for an all-new twist on the story, this time with an all-new generation involved
  • Their physical and comedic timing remains perfect, in a story that promises plenty of meaningful callbacks and fresh situations to work their way through
  • While older audiences can appreciate the nostalgia, newer viewers will enjoy the heartfelt themes of family and appreciation for past generations
  • Who knows where the franchise is headed next (Freakiest Friday, anyone?), but for now it’s good to revisit a beloved millennial classic

Freakier Friday is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

What’s Showing in Cinemas This Week?

 

Weapons (dir. Zach Cregger)

CAST: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, June Diane Raphael, Clayton Farris, Whitmer Thomas, Toby Huss, Luke Speakman

CREW: Zach Cregger (director, writer, producer, composer), Roy Lee, J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules and Miri Yoon (producers), Hays Holladay and Ryan Holladay (composers), Larkin Seiple (cinematographer), Joe Murphy (editor)

PLOT: One night, all but one of the children in the class of schoolteacher Justine Gandy (Garner) mysteriously vanish at the same time, leaving the community and the parents of the missing children, including Archer (Brolin), in disarray. But as the town searches for answers, a much more horrifying truth begins to emerge…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Filmmaker Zach Cregger’s anticipated follow-up to his shocking horror Barbarian ups the ante even further with some truly unhinged spectacle
  • There’s a gripping central mystery that quickly swerves into unpredictably nightmarish territory as more and more truths are slowly revealed
  • Cregger has assembled a firm ensemble cast including Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich and Benedict Wong to deliver some of the film’s most shocking moments
  • Some sneaky viral marketing has suggested that there may in fact be one or two connections with Barbarian – which, if you’ve seen that movie, you’ll know to spell trouble for the protagonists
  • It’s an ambitious high-concept studio horror that doesn’t get made very often, so go and support it to get a whole lot more filmmaker-driven projects like this!

Weapons is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

 

The Kingdom (dir. Julien Colonna)

CAST: Ghjuvanna Benedetti, Saveriu Santucci, Anthony Morganti, Andrea Cossu, Fédéric Poggi, Régis Gomez

CREW: Julien Colonna (director, writer), Jeanne Herry (writer), Antoine Lafon and Hugo Sélignac (producers), Audrey Ismaël (composer), Antoine Cormier (cinematographer), Albertine Lastera and Yann Malcor (editor)

PLOT: In 1995, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, 15-year-old Lesia (Benedetti) is reluctantly brought to her crime boss father Pierre-Paul (Santucci) as fellow mobsters close in on them, and she becomes further drawn into his criminal world…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Debut filmmaker Julien Colonna makes a serious splash with this crime drama that explores the powerful influence between a parent and their child
  • Colonna was reportedly inspired to make the film after the birth of his own daughter, and has crafted a film that will undoubtedly speak to any father trying to raise their own daughters
  • Production took place across more than three years, being shot on-location within the island of Corsica with a cast of non-professional actors
  • It was nominated for the Un Certain Regard award at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, as well as the Camera D’Or prize for the best first feature film
  • Both a striking crime epic and a tender tale of a father and his daughter, there’s something for anyone to take away from this movie

The Kingdom is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

 

Young Hearts (dir. Anthony Schatteman)

CAST: Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo, Dirk Van Dijck, Saar Rogiers, Jul Goossens, Wim Opbrouck, Florence Hebbelynck, Olivier Englebert, LaDiva Live

CREW: Anthony Schatteman (director, writer), Xavier Rombaut (producer), Ruben De Gheselle (composer), Pieter Van Campe (cinematographer), Emiel Nuninga (editor)

PLOT: In the Belgian countryside, young Elias (Goossens) forms a friendship with his new neighbour Alexander (De Saeger), but soon realises that he may be falling in love for the first time…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This heartfelt coming-of-age romance is bound to become a favourite among LGBTQIA+ youth who are beginning to discover their identity
  • It is the directorial debut of Belgian filmmaker Anthony Schatteman, who also wrote the screenplay that he based loosely on his own childhood experiences
  • Young actors Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger share adorable chemistry as their characters slowly realise the extent of their close bond
  • The film has been shown and received acclaim at numerous international film festivals, including in Berlin where it had its world premiere
  • It’s a charming and emotional story of first love that will resonate with anyone who’s ever gone through such feelings at a similar young age

Young Hearts is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

 

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (dir. Shoshannah Stern)

CAST: Marlee Matlin, Randa Haines, Sian Heder, Jack Jason, Troy Kotsur, John Maucere, Lauren Ridloff, Aaron Sorkin, Shoshannah Stern, Liz Tannebaum, Henry Winkler

CREW: Shoshannah Stern (director, producer), Bonni Cohen, Robyn Kopp and Justine Nagan (producers), Kathryn Bostic (composer), Jon Shenk (cinematographer), Sara Newens (editor)

PLOT: A look at the life and career of Deaf actor, author and activist Marlee Matlin…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • One of Hollywood’s leading Deaf performers and advocates is finally given her dues in a celebratory documentary about her extraordinary journey to stardom
  • Through on-camera interviews conducted (via American Sign Language) by director Shoshannah Stern, Matlin takes viewers through her early breakthrough as the first Deaf actor to win an Oscar
  • Stern also conducts several interviews with Matlin’s past collaborators (some of them also via ASL), including West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, TV icon Henry Winkler, and her fellow Oscar-winning CODA star Troy Kotsur
  • Subtitles are heavily featured for audiences who themselves may be Deaf or Hard of Hearing, which is becoming more and more the common choice for some moviegoers
  • It offers some surprising facts that even Matlin’s biggest admirers may not have known, in a film that dutifully carries her undying and infectious spirit

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

 

Can’t Look Away (dirs. Matthew O’Neill and Perri Peltz)

CAST: Laura Marquez-Garret, Glenn Draper, Matthew Bergman, Brandy Roberts, Toney Roberts, Marsha Blackburn, Richard Blumenthal, Jennie Deserio, Arturo Béjar, Mitchell Prinstein, Jason Tanner, Amy Neville, Lowell Larson, Jenn Buta, John DeMay, Lawrence Riff, Jessica Grant

CREW: Matthew O’Neill and Perri Peltz (directors, producers), Anna Casper (producer), Jonathan Zalben (composer), Jeff Arak, Kyle I. Kelley and Taylor Krauss (cinematographers), David Meneses (editor)

PLOT: A look at the harmful impacts of social media on younger users, which more than often leads to tragic consequences…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This eye-opening documentary exposes the dark side of social media and the tech companies behind some of the world’s most used platforms
  • Filmmakers Matthew O’Neill and Perri Peltz follow the various legal battles against said companies for their negligence over dangerous algorithms that have influenced often fatal behaviour in its users
  • Their investigation reveals some shocking statistics about the levels of self-harm and suicide among youth that are heavily connected to the content being pushed onto everyday apps like TikTok and Snapchat
  • A great deal of attention is placed on the families of those who have lost loved ones to dangerous online content, which makes the emotional engagement much stronger
  • It may well inspire viewers to take a different approach to social media, and the methods with which they can hold the biggest companies in the world accountable for their actions

Can’t Look Away is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

What’s Showing At Home This Week?

 

The Pickup (dir. Tim Story)

CAST: Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, Eva Longoria, Andrew Dice Clay, Marshawn Lynch, Jack Kesy, Roman Reigns, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Jef Holbrook

CREW: Tim Story (director, producer), Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (writers), John Davis, John Fox, Charisse Hewitt-Webster and Eddie Murphy (producers), Christopher Lennertz (composer), Larry Blanford (cinematographer), Craig Alpert (editor)

PLOT: Russell (Murphy) and Travis (Davidson) are two mismatched armoured truck drivers who, whilst on a routine cash pickup, are ambushed by criminals led by Zoe (Palmer) who put into motion a plan that goes beyond the stolen cash…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Eddie Murphy continues his slow-but-sure comeback with a leading role in this riotous new action-comedy
  • The legendary comedian/actor teams with fellow SNL veteran Pete Davidson for an explosive ride that brings out the best in both
  • They’re under the direction of prolific director Tim Story, best known for the original Barbershop, the 2005 Fantastic Four movie, and more recently the slasher spoof The Blackening
  • Expect some major twists that throw the seemingly straightforward plot through a loop, particularly regarding Keke Palmer’s mysterious criminal mastermind
  • Whether you want to laugh or feel excited, this movie will do everything you want it to do and so much more!

The Pickup is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Wednesday 6 August 2025

 

Summer of 69 (dir. Jillian Bell)

CAST: Chloe Fineman, Sam Morelos, Matt Cornett, Charlie Day, Natalie Morales, Alex Moffat, Paula Pell, Liza Koshy, Nicole Byer, Ian Karmel

CREW: Jillian Bell (director, writer, producer), Jules Byrne and Liz Nico (writers), Breanna Bell-Singer, Lucas Carter, Molle DeBartolo, Jeremy Garelick, Adam Goodman, Will Phelps and Matt Skiena (producers), Matt Bowen (composer), Maria Rusche (cinematographer), Casey Brooks (editor)

PLOT: Abby Flores (Morelos), a socially awkward high school senior, learns that her crush Max (Cornett) is newly single and, in an attempt to seem more attractive despite her lack of sexual experience, reaches out to stripper Santa Monica (Fineman) for advice…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The teen sex comedy is given a much-needed burst of heart with this funny and surprisingly wise coming-of-age tale
  • Actor Jillian Bell makes her directorial debut with a film she also co-wrote, and she manages to prove she has what it takes to deliver hilarious jokes within a touching tone
  • SNL star Chloe Fineman is on top form as the sex worker who makes an unlikely bond with bright young co-star Sam Morelos, with their chemistry being an unexpected highlight
  • Its non-judgemental and even empowering approach to adult services and the larger industry is refreshing to see in a world that is not so quick to appreciate them
  • With sweet life lessons and plenty of raunchy humour, this is a teen flick that easily enters the ranks of fellow teen classics like American Pie and The Girl Next Door

Summer of 69 is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 8 August 2025

What’s Returning to Cinemas This Week?

 

Sense and Sensibility (dir. Ang Lee)

CAST: Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Imogen Stubbs, Greg Wise, Gemma Jones, Harriet Walter, James Fleet, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Robert Hardy, Elizabeth Spriggs, Tom Wilkinson, Emilie François, Richard Lumsden

CREW: Ang Lee (director), Emma Thompson (writer), Lindsay Doran (producer), Patrick Doyle (composer), Michael Coulter (cinematographer), Tim Squyres (editor)

PLOT: After the death of their wealthy father Mr. Dashwood (Wilkinson), sisters Elinor (Thompson), Marianne (Winslet) and Margaret (François) find themselves destitute after the bulk of their estate goes to his firstborn son John (Fleet). As responsibility falls to Elinor and Marianne to provide for the family, they must also deal with impending romances, including with the dashing Edward Ferrars (Grant) and the much older Colonel Brandon (Rickman)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Experience what is widely considered one of the greatest Jane Austen adaptations of all time on the big screen as it celebrates its 30th anniversary
  • Ang Lee directs a charming version of Austen’s 1811 novel from a script by Emma Thompson, who also stars in the film as the hapless Elinor Dashwood
  • The cast is filled with British acting legends like Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet (in one of her first acting roles), and the late duo of Alan Rickman and Tom Wilkinson
  • In addition to scoring highly with critics and at the box office, it was nominated for seven Oscars including Best Picture, and won for Thompson’s screenplay (making her the only person to have won for both acting and writing)
  • The film is credited with kick-starting a fresh interest in the works of Jane Austen and other Regency-era writers, which has continued to this very day

Sense and Sensibility is showing in cinemas from Friday 8 August 2025

That’s about it for this week – be sure to come back next week for a whole new set of movies to work up an appetite for!

Want to see our past menus?

Want to find a specific film?

Search for it in the box below:

The Strangers: Chapter 2 (dir. Renny Harlin)

Despite surviving her encounter with masked invaders, Maya isn’t yet out of the woods – literally and figuratively…

All of You (dir. William Bridges)

A pair of friends find their relationship tested after a scientific soulmate match…

One Battle After Another (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

A former revolutionary comes out of hiding for a noble mission…

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (dir. Kogonada)

Two strangers embark on a fantastical adventure together…

Swiped (dir. Rachel Lee Goldenberg)

Whitney Wolfe Herd, the co-founder of Tinder, launches a competing dating app…

The Glassworker (dir. Usman Riaz)

The son of a glassworker develops a wartime romance…

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (dir. Rob Reiner)

The aging members of rock band Spinal Tap reunite for one last concert…

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (dir. Simon Curtis)

The residents and staff of Downton Abbey prepare for an uncertain future…

Islands (dir. Jan-Ole Gerster)

A washed-up tennis coach develops a bond with a family on holiday…

The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)

In a dystopian America, a group of young men compete in a deadly walking contest…

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