This Week’s Movie Menu (12 – 18 January 2026)

This week’s crop of new releases is enough to rage over, especially when they include an anticipated post-apocalyptic follow-up, a charming tale of connection, a devastating reenactment, and a hard-boiled cop thriller…

Movie of the Week

 

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (dir. Nia DaCosta)

CAST: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Laird, Maura Bird, Cillian Murphy

CREW: Nia DaCosta (director), Alex Garland (writer, producer), Bernard Bellew, Danny Boyle, Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice (producers), Hildur Guðnadóttir (composer), Sean Bobbitt (cinematographer), Jake Roberts (editor)

PLOT: In a quarantined Britain following the initial outbreak of the Rage virus, young Spike (Williams) becomes part of a sinister cult led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (O’Connell), while Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes) forms a new relationship that could lead to world-changing consequences…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The story that began in last year’s 28 Years Later continues in a terrifying follow-up that expands upon the post-apocalyptic world of a zombie-filled Britain
  • Nia DaCosta takes over directing duties from Danny Boyle, who stays on as producer alongside writer Alex Garland, for a film which was made back-to-back with the previous film
  • Young standout Alfie Williams continues to impress as our protagonist Spike, as does Ralph Fiennes as the compassionate former GP, though this entry belongs to Jack O’Connell who makes his proper introduction as a psychotic Jimmy Saville-inspired cult leader
  • It’s also confirmed that original star Cillian Murphy is set to briefly appear, potentially setting up a third and final entry that’s contingent on this movie’s success
  • For those who were scared or even moved by the previous film, this will provide double the emotion as it presents a more complex environment than ever before in this series

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is showing in cinemas from Wednesday 14 January 2026

What’s Showing in Cinemas This Week?

 

Rental Family (dir. Hikari)

CAST: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto, Shino Shinozaki

CREW: Hikari (director, writer, producer), Stephen Blahut (writer), Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman and Shin Yamaguchi (producers), Jon Thor Birgisson and Alex Somers (composers), Takurô Ishizaka (cinematographer), Alan Baumgarten and Thomas A. Krueger (editors)

PLOT: Phillip Vandarploeug (Fraser) is a struggling American actor living in Tokyo where he suddenly lands a recurring gig at an unusual agency that hires performers to play stand-in family members and friends for strangers, which allows him to form unexpected bonds with his clients…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser further capitalises on his natural lovability in a tender drama that’s filled with heart
  • Fraser heads an ensemble cast that also includes various Japanese actors including Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Akira Emoto and young breakout Shannon Mahina Gorman
  • Director and co-writer Hikari taps into the absurdity of the premise with a genuine warmth that provides so many moments for audiences to fall in love with
  • The various backdrops of Tokyo and other pristine Japanese locations adds to the lyrical nature of the story, which comes with laughs, tears, surprises, and plenty of other emotions
  • It’s a truly uplifting film that could almost exist in the Paddington universe for its cuddly and eternally optimistic tone, and feels like the movie we all desperately need right now

Rental Family is showing in cinemas from Friday 16 January 2026

 

The Voice of Hind Rajab (dir. Kaouther Ben Hania)

CAST: Amer Hlehel, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees, Saja Kilani

CREW: Kaouther Ben Hania (director, writer, editor), Nadim Cheikhrouha, Odessa Rae and James Wilson (producers), Amine Bouhafa (composer), Juan Sarmiento G. (cinematographer), Qutaiba Barhamji and Maxime Mathis (editors)

PLOT: On January 29, 2024, a group of Red Crescent volunteers operating outside of war-torn Gaza receive an emergency call from a six-year-old girl named Hind Rajab, who is desperately calling for help after being trapped in a car under fire by Israeli forces…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The devastating phone call that put a human face to the atrocities of the Israel-Palestine conflict is dramatised in an essential new docudrama from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania
  • Actors portray the various volunteers who are the only figures we ever see on-screen, while the actual recordings of Hind Rajab herself speak very much for themselves
  • The entire 70-minute phone call is reenacted in its entirety, with each second revealing a new layer of heartbreak if you know how this unfortunate situation ends
  • At its world premiere in Venice last year, the film broke the all-time festival record for longest standing ovation at almost 24 minutes (the previous record-holder was Pan’s Labyrinth with 22 minutes at its own Cannes debut)
  • With various starry executive producers on its side, including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón and Jonathan Glazer, it’ll be impossible to ignore what it sure to be one of the most arresting films you’ll see all year

The Voice of Hind Rajab is showing in cinemas from Friday 16 January 2026

 

Miss Moxy (dirs. Vincent Bal and Wip Vernooij)

CAST: Sarah Bannier, Pieter Embrechts, Frank Focketyn, Barbara Sarafian, Sana Bouchti, Roué Verveer, Jessica Zeylmaker, Jetty Mathurin, Meral Polat, Maureen Versprille, Esther Scheldwacht, Tom Vermeir, Nathalie Stas, Fedy Bakker, Jan Dircksens, Marcel Hensema

CREW: Vincent Bal and Wip Vernooij (directors), Maureen Versprille (writer), Petra Goedings and Linda Snoep (producers), Steve Willaert (composer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: Miss Moxy (Bannier), a pampered housecat, is separated from her human family during a trip through the South of France, and must rely on unlikely sources in order to find her way home…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Families can kick-start their New Year at the movies with a bright and colourful adventure that young kids will love
  • There’s plenty of fun slapstick and meaningful life lessons that children can enjoy along with their parents
  • It boasts some stylised CGI animation that has had its frame rate slowed down à la the Spider-Verse movies
  • The film was originally a Dutch and Belgian co-production, though its themes and characters prove themselves to be universal
  • For anyone wanting inoffensive and entirely charming family entertainment, this is perfect for anyone who may not have the stomach for some of this week’s more intense releases

Miss Moxy is showing in cinemas from Friday 16 January 2026

 

State of Statelessness (dirs. Various)

CAST: Tenzin Choegyal, Thupten Dhargay, Kalsang Dolma, Oanh Kieu, Nguyen Phuong Linh, Tenzin Norbu, Tenzin Pema, Tenzin Phuntsok, Phi Nhung Nguyen Thi, Tenzin Tseten

CREW: Tenzin Tsetan Choklay (director, writer, writer, producer, editor), Tsering Tashi Gyalthang, Tenzing Sonam and Sonam Tseten (directors, writers, editors), Ritu Sarin (director), Yodon Thonden (producer), Tenzin Choegyal and Tashi Gyatso (composers), Anand Bansal, Tenzin Kalden and Ray Lavers (cinematographers)

PLOT: A collection of stories focused on Tibetans living across the world and the issues they face surrounding their migration…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The first-ever Tibetan anthology film is a relevant and timely study of the harsh realities surrounding immigration
  • It contains four separate stories directed by various Tibetan filmmakers, all living in exile across the world in countries like India, Vietnam and America
  • Each filmmaker brings a distinct visual lens to intimate tales that tap into the humanity of characters who are all connected by their lack of national identity
  • The stories themselves may not be long in length, but their emotional weight ensures that they stay long after they finish
  • It offers a valuable window into the lives of people who just want to belong somewhere, only for life’s unfortunate circumstances to deny them of their basic human rights

State of Statelessness is showing in cinemas from Friday 16 January 2026

What’s Showing At Home This Week?

 

The Rip (dir. Joe Carnahan)

CAST: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler, Néstor Carbonell, Lina Esco

CREW: Joe Carnahan (director, writer), Ben Affleck, Luciana Barroso, Dani Bernfeld and Matt Damon (producers), Clinton Shorter (composer), Juanmi Azpiroz (cinematographer), Kevin Hale (editor)

PLOT: In Miami, a group of cops – including JD Byrne (Affleck) and Dane Dumars (Damon) – discovers millions in cash during a raid on a derelict stash house, causing the trust among them to disintegrate as their personal greed, as well as the threat from outside forces, closes in on them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Real-life besties Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are back together to lead director Joe Carnahan’s intense crime thriller
  • Affleck and Damon also produce through their production company Artists Equity, with Damon’s wife Luciana Barroso also on board as a producer
  • Joining the A-list leads is a wide array of talent, including Oscar nominees Steven Yeun and Catalina Sandino Moreno, One Battle After Another breakout Teyana Taylor, and even action star Scott Adkins
  • Some fierce action bookends nerve-wracking scenes of our deeply flawed protagonists slowly turning against each other
  • It’s a thrill ride from beginning to end as Carnahan makes strong use of Affleck and Damon’s on-screen chemistry as they’re pushed to their limits as performers

The Rip is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 16 January 2026

 

Oh, Canada (dir. Paul Schrader)

CAST: Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman, Victoria Hill, Michael Imperioli, Penelope Mitchell, Kristine Froseth, Zach Shaffer

CREW: Paul Schrader (director, writer), Tiffany Boyle, David Gonzales, Meghan Hanlon, Scott LaStaiti and Luisa Law (producers), Phosphorescent (composer), Andrew Wonder (cinematographer), Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. (editor)

PLOT: Leo Fife (Gere), a dying Canadian-American filmmaker, agrees to be interviewed on-camera by former student Malcolm (Imperioli) about his life as a progressive icon, but reveals that as a young man (Elordi) he built his reputation on lies and deceit…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The legendary Paul Schrader steps behind the camera once again to tell the intimate tale of an extremely complicated man and his rocky legacy
  • Richard Gere reunites with the filmmaker for the first time since the 1980 film American Gigolo, playing a very against-type role that is free of ego and full of raw humanity
  • Jacob Elordi plays a younger version of Gere’s character, while the likes of Uma Thurman and Michael Imperioli take on substantial supporting roles
  • Schrader employs a mysterious nature to the storytelling as more is unveiled about the unreliable protagonist during his on-camera recollections
  • It’s a quiet, contemplative character study filled with impressive acting and thoughtful themes which will make anyone want to think long and hard afterwards

Oh, Canada is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 12 January 2026

What’s Returning to Cinemas This Week?

 

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Editions (dir. Peter Jackson)

CAST: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Karl Urban, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, John Noble, Craig Parker, Ian Holm, John Bach

CREW: Peter Jackson (director, writer, producer), Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh (writers, producers), Stephen Sinclair (writer), Barrie M. Osborne and Tim Sanders (producers), Howard Shore (composer), Andrew Lesnie (cinematographer), John Gilbert, Michael Horton and Jamie Selkirk (editors)

PLOT: In the land of Middle-Earth, a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Wood) is bequeathed a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo (Holm), but the aging wizard Gandalf the Grey (McKellen) informs him that it is actually the One Ring, which belongs to the evil Lord Sauron who aims to use the ring to return to power. In order to destroy the One Ring for good, a Fellowship is formed – consisting of Frodo, Gandalf, fellow Hobbits Samwise (Astin), Merry (Monaghan) and Pippin (Boyd), solitary Ranger Aragorn (Mortensen), elf Legolas (Bloom), dwarf Gimli (Rhys-Davies) and nobleman Boromir (Bean) – to journey toward the fiery pits of Mount Doom…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • All three films in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations are making a gargantuan return to the big screen to kick off this year’s celebrations for the 25th anniversary of its first entry, Fellowship of the Ring
  • As a bonus, it’s the Extended Editions that are being shown theatrically, meaning that there’s plenty more footage of Jackson’s iconic take on Middle-Earth to absorb in cinemas
  • If you’re up for the challenge, this is your chance to sit down and watch all 12+ hours of these lengthened versions on the big screen
  • Revisit timeless moments like the Balrog showdown, the Battles of Helm’s Deep and Minas Tirith, and any scene with Andy Serkis’s groundbreaking Gollum, as well as scenes only available in these versions like a certain evil wizard’s demise that had been cut from the original theatrical edition
  • Needless to say, it’s a must-watch for any die-hard Lord of the Rings fan who may have the Extended Editions at home, but until now has never had the chance to see the entirety of Jackson’s vision play out on the biggest screen possible

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Editions is showing in cinemas from Friday 16 January 2026

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 Voice of Hind Rajab (dir. Kaouther Ben Hania)

In January 2024, a group of Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call from Gaza…

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (dir. Nia DaCosta)

The continuing adventures of young Spike as he ventures through a zombie-infested Britain…

Rental Family (dir. Hikari)

A struggling actor is hired by an unusual firm in Japan…

Oh, Canada (dir. Paul Schrader)

A dying filmmaker gives his final on-screen testimony about his past…

Giant (dir. Rowan Athale)

British-Yemeni boxer Naseem Hamed rises in the sport…

Hamnet (dir. Chloé Zhao)

William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes deal with an unspeakable loss…

Peter Hujar’s Day (dir. Ira Sachs)

In 1974, photographer Peter Hujar confides in his artist friend Linda Rosenkrantz…

Song Sung Blue (dir. Craig Brewer)

A musician and single mother form a Neil Diamond tribute band…

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