Movie of the Week

• Drive-Away Dolls

Cinemas

• Monster
• The New Boy
• Banel & Adama
• Janey
• Phantom Parrot
• Yodha

Streaming/On-Demand

• Irish Wish
• Frida
• Fast Charlie
• Little Wing

Re-Releases

• Fight Club

CAST: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson

CREW: Ethan Coen (director, writer, producer, editor), Tricia Cooke (writer, producer, editor), Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Robert Graf (producers), Carter Burwell (composer), Ari Wegner (cinematographer)

PLOT: Jamie (Qualley), a free-spirited woman reeling from a break-up from her girlfriend, decides to hit the road to Tallahassee with her more reserved friend Marian (Vaswanathan). However, when they discover a mysterious briefcase in the boot of their rental car, the two friends find themselves hunted by a group of inept criminals who are desperate to reclaim the case and its surprising contents…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This hilarious and unpredictable queer road trip comedy comes courtesy of director Ethan Coen, who makes his solo narrative feature debut without his brother Joel
• Coen also co-wrote the script, and edited the film, with his wife Tricia Cooke, who identifies as gay despite her marriage to the filmmaker
• Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan make for a sparkling central duo, and there’s room for scene-stealing supporting turns from the likes of Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo
• Even at a brisk 84-minute length, the film packs plenty of wild laughs and madcap plotting into its tight narrative
• It’s a fun and lively callback to the more comedic films that Ethan would make with his brother Joel, such as Raising Arizona, Burn After Reading and, of course, The Big Lebowski

Drive-Away Dolls is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Sakura Andō, Eita Nagayama, Sōya Kurokawa, Hinata Hiiragi, Yūko Tanaka, Mitsuki Takahata, Akihiro Tsunoda, Shidō Nakamura

CREW: Hirokazu Kore-eda (director, editor), Yûji Sakamoto (writer), Minami Ichikawa, Ryo Ota, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Hajime Ushioda, Kenji Yamada and Tatsumi Yoda (producers), Ryuichi Sakamoto (composer), Ryûto Kondô (cinematographer)

PLOT: In Japan, single mother Saori (Andō) becomes concerned that her young son Minato (Kurokawa) is being abused by his teacher Mr. Hori (Nagayama) after Minato displays a series of odd behaviour. Soon, however, the truth unfolds in surprising ways…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest masterpiece is an unpredictable and sometimes shocking mystery drama that reveals hidden new layers with each major beat
• Without giving anything away about its unique structure, it owes a great deal to Akira Kurosawa’s classic multi-perspective film Rashomon
• At last year’s Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme D’Or and screenwriter Yûji Sakamoto came home with the Best Screenplay prize
• It features the final score by acclaimed Oscar-winning musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who sadly passed away last year
• It tells a compelling story filled with compassion and endless surprises, which make for an endlessly fascinating viewing experience

Monster is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Aswan Reid, Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Shane McKenzie-Brady, Tyrique Brady, Laiken Beau Woolmington, Kailem Miller, Kyle Miller, Tyzailin Roderick, Tyler Rockman Spencer, Andrew Upton, Tyson Pawley

CREW: Warwick Thornton (director, writer, cinematographer), Cate Blanchett, Lorenzo De Maio, Georgie Pym, Kath Shelper and Andrew Upton (producers), Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (composers), Nick Meyers (editor)

PLOT: In 1940s Australia, a nameless young Aboriginal boy (Reid) is taken to a Christian monastery for Indigenous children, which is run by renegade nun Sister Eileen (Blanchett). Soon, the newly-nicknamed “New Boy” displays some alarming and unexpected behaviour that causes him to question his faith as well as his heritage…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This unusual Australian historical drama adopts a magical realist take on faith and heritage, which leads to some rather unpredictable consequences
• It comes from filmmaker Warwick Thornton, who previously won plaudits for his 2017 Western film Sweet Country
• Cate Blanchett both stars in the film and serves as a producer, having become attached to Thornton’s script during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The film’s true main drive, though, is the debut performance of young Aswan Reid, who is said to deliver one of the strongest child performances in recent memory
• With its spiritual overtones as well as a stern discussion on the racial politics in 20th century Australia, this is a drama with more to offer than a simple faith-based narrative

The New Boy is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Khady Mane, Mamadou Diallo, Binta Racine Sy, Moussa Sow, Ndiabel Diallo, Oumar Samba Dia, Amadou Ndiaye

CREW: Ramata-Toulaye Sy (director, writer), Margaux Juvénal, Maud Leclair-Névé and Éric Névé (producers), Bachar Khalifé (composer), Amine Berrada (cinematographer), Vincent Tricon (editor)

PLOT: In a remote village in northern Senegal, Banel (Mane) and Adama (Diallo) are lovers whose union is disapproved by their families, for it does not align with their respective traditions. However, when a drought plunges the village into uncertainty, the couple’s love is tested…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Straight from Senegal comes a passionate and deeply soulful romantic drama that defies tradition and embraces love in all its forms
• It marks the feature debut of award-winning filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy, whose poetic gaze has been likened to Terrence Malick
• The film competed for the Palme D’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, and was also selected as Senegal’s entry for the International Feature Film Oscar (though it ultimately wasn’t nominated)
• UK distributor We Are Parable continues its championing of bold and original new projects by Black filmmakers after their success with the BAFTA-winning feature Earth Mama
• Filled to the brim with romantic feelings and beautiful storytelling, it’s a film that embraces its cinematic origins

Banel & Adama is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Janey Godley, Jimmy Carr, Nicola Sturgeon, Ashley Storrie

CREW: John Archer (director, producer), John Lemke (composer), Laura Kingwell (cinematographer), James Alcock (editor)

PLOT: After being diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, Scottish comedian Janey Godley reflects on her controversial career and her troubled upbringing, all while preparing for her latest tour that culminates in an emotional sell-out show in Glasgow…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The unfiltered and unpredictable Scottish comedian Janey Godley is the subject of this moving documentary about her life and career
• Godley allows filmmaker John Archer to capture some tender moments from her traumatic childhood, which she revisits in a number of emotional scenes
• The film covers some of Godley’s most outlandish moments from throughout her career, including her protesting of Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland and her “cancellation” following the resurfacing of old tweets
• Some of the familiar faces popping up for support include fellow comic Jimmy Carr, and even Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (whom Godley famously impersonated in several YouTube videos)
• As the film charts Godley’s fateful diagnosis, leading up to a moving stand-up set on her home turf, a more vulnerable side to the fiery comedian is shown for the very first time

Janey is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Muhammad Rabbani

CREW: Kate Stonehill (director, cinematographer), Steven Lake (producer), Nainita Desai (composer), Matthew Bockelman, J.P. Lewis and Ronnie McQuillan (cinematographers), Emiliano Battista and Vera Simmonds (editors)

PLOT: After human rights activist Muhammad Rabbani is prosecuted under terror laws for refusing to hand over the passwords to his electronic devices, a secret government surveillance program is unveiled, raising numerous ethical questions about law, modern technology and privacy…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Filmmaker Kate Stonehill uncovers a major government conspiracy in this shocking documentary about modern-day surveillance and data-collecting
• The film follows activist Muhammad Rabbai as he spreads the word about governmental interference in people’s private lives through their various technological items
• Some alarming statistics reveal a widespread operation involving major governmental bodies across the world
• It has attracted the attention of audiences at several global documentary film festivals, including Sheffield Doc Fest and Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX where it won the F:ACT Award (given to films that align with investigative journalism)
• You might never look at your precious smartphone, high-quality webcam or any other commonplace piece of technology ever again!

Phantom Parrot is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Sidharth Malhotra, Raashii Khanna, Disha Patani, Ankit Raj, Col Ravi Sharma, Kumpal Patel, Amit Singh Thakur, Mohd Talib, Abhishek Mishra, Sadiq Farooqui, Shivangi Bhardwaj, Apeksha Pandey, Anvishaa Tyagi

CREW: Sagar Ambre (director, writer), Pushkar Ojha (director), Hiroo Johar, Karan Johar, Shashank Khaitan and Apoorva Mehta (producers), Inder Bawra, Sunny Bawra and Shantanu Moitra (composers), Jishnu Bhattacharjee (cinematographer), Shivkumar V. Panicker and Aarif Sheikh (editors)

PLOT: After a passenger plane is hijacked by terrorists, an off-duty soldier (Malhotra) springs into action to defeat the terrorists and save the passengers survival before the plane meets a destructive end…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Fasten your seatbelts, as this high-octane Indian action-thriller is set to be a bumpy ride!
• Bollywood action star Sidharth Malhotra is the headlining act, as a commando tasked with bringing a group of plane hijackers to justice
• It features some gloriously OTT action this side of RRR and the many other bonkers action flicks from India
• The plot has traces of Die Hard, Air Force One, The Expendables and John Wick (among countless others), which should amount to one hell of an action stew
• You’ll be gripped, moved, and above all entertained as Sidharth punches, kicks and shoots his way to victory

Yodha is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Lindsay Lohan, Ed Speleers, Alexander Vlahos, Ayesha Curry, Elizabeth Tan, Jane Seymour, Jacinta Mulcahy, Matty McCabe, Dakota Lohan

CREW: Janeen Damian (director), Kirsten Hansen (writer), Michael Damian and Brad Krevoy (producers), Nathan Lanier (composer), Graham Robbins (cinematographer), Scott Hill (editor)

PLOT: Maddie (Lohan) is left heartbroken when the love of her life, Paul (Vlahos), gets engaged to her best friend Emma (Tan), but decides to put her feelings aside when she travels to Ireland for their wedding, where she is to be a bridesmaid. However, after spontaneously making a wish for true love, she wakes up to find that she is now the bride-to-be, which at first is everything she always wanted – but after meeting cynical photographer James (Speleers), Maddie realises that her true love is someone else entirely…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Lindsay Lohan reteams with Netflix for a brand-new rom-com after the success of their festive collaboration Falling for Christmas
• The former Mean Girls and Freaky Friday star travels to Ireland, where a bit of local magic points her in the direction of many hilarious and romantic hijinks
• Her handsome co-stars include Welsh actor Alexander Vlahos as her presumed Mr. Right, and Downton Abbey’s Ed Speleers as the one who may be (oh, let’s be honest, is) her truest match
• Filming took place across Ireland, ensuring that the country’s beautiful landscapes are always in the background, ready to stun at a moment’s notice
• It’s absolutely the kind of fluffy romantic-comedy that you’d expect from Netflix at this point – and by God, is it so much fun to watch!

Irish Wish is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Frida Kahlo, Fernanda Echevarría del Rivero

CREW: Carla Guiterrez (director, editor), Sara Bernstein, Loren Hammonds, Alexandra Johnes, Katia Maguire and Justin Wilkes (producers), Victor Hernandez Stumpfhauser (composer)

PLOT: The life and career of famed artist Frida Kahlo, as told through her diaries, letters, essays and interviews…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Step into the unique world of artist Frida Kahlo in this imaginative and all-encompassing documentary
• Carla Gutierrez, formerly an editor for the likes of Oscar-nominated doc RBG, makes her directorial debut here
• The film offers a more personal look at Kahlo’s life, with much of the film comprised from the artist’s own words as documented throughout history
• It had its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it received high praise from general audiences as well as fans of the artist
• Similar to the 2002 dramatic biopic starring Salma Hayek in the title role, this rendition of Frida aims to break through her thick canvas and find a deeply human portrait underneath

Frida is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 14 March 2024

CAST: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Christopher Matthew Cook, David Chattam, Toby Huss, Fredric Lehne, Sharon Gless, Brennan Keel Cook, Susan Gallagher, Lindsey G. Smith, David Kallaway, Stephen Louis Grush, Jared Bankens, Jacob Grodnik

CREW: Phillip Noyce (director), Richard Wenk (writer), Daniel Grodnik, Jeff Holland, Brent C. Johnson, Ryan Donnell Smith and Mitchell Welch (producers), Fil Eisler (composer), Warwick Thornton (cinematographer), Lee Haugen, Sherwood Jones and Jered Zalman (editors)

PLOT: Charlie (Brosnan), a veteran hitman, has worked for Florida mob boss Stan (Caan) for the last twenty years. However, when Stan and his crew are brutally killed, Charlie sets out to avenge his former boss…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Pierce Brosnan brings his 007 coolness to the lead role of this Southern-fried revenge thriller
• Director Phillip Noyce, known for political thrillers like Clear and Present Danger, brings a seasoned vision to some classic mobster action
• It features the final role of legendary actor James Caan, who passed away shortly after filming wrapped
• The film’s screenwriter, Richard Wenk, adapts Victor Gischler’s novel Gun Monkeys with a similar grittiness to his Equalizer trilogy
• Expect plenty of action and sun-drenched suspense, all with a seriously cool manner about itself

Fast Charlie is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 15 March 2024

CAST: Brooklynn Prince, Brian Cox, Kelly Reilly, Che Tafari, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jeanine Jackson, Simon Khan, Ina Chang, Parker Hall, Lowell Deo, Erik Levi

CREW: Dean Israelite (director), John Gatins (writer, producer), Naomi Despres (producer), Anne Nikitin (composer), Jeff Cutter (cinematographer), Martin Bernfeld (editor)

PLOT: Kaitlyn (Prince) is a young teen who is struggling to cope with her parents’ divorce and the impending loss of her childhood home. In an attempt to solve the financial woes of her mother Maddie (Reilly), Kaitlyn and her best friend Adam (Tafari) steal a valuable bird from local pigeon racer Jaan (Cox), but she ends up forming an unexpected bond with the eccentric man…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• In this moving and engaging coming-of-age drama, the trials and tribulations of teendom collide unexpectedly with the world of pigeon racing
• Bright young actor Brooklynn Prince leads a cast that includes Succession star Brian Cox and Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly
• Director Dean Israelite, formerly of the 2017 Power Rangers reboot, directs an engaging script by Oscar-nominated writer John Gatins
• It is produced by Awesomeness, a production company dedicated to providing plentiful media for Gen Z audiences
• With its gentle and easy-to-like nature, this is a film that should be a sleeper hit among home audiences everywhere

Little Wing is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ from Thursday 14 March 2024

CAST: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, Jared Leto, Holt McCallany, Zach Grenier, Eion Bailey, Peter Iacangelo, Thom Gossom Jr.

CREW: David Fincher (director), Jim Uhls (writer), Ross Grayson Bell, Ceán Chaffin and Art Linson (producers), The Dust Brothers (composers), Jeff Cronenweth (cinematographer), James Haygood (editor)

PLOT: An insomniac office worker (Norton) meets mysterious soap salesman Tyler Durden (Pitt), and the two of them form an underground fight club for them and other local men to violently vent their frustrations. Soon, however, the club becomes increasingly dangerous, with Durden leading its members towards a destructive path…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• David Fincher’s cult classic celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new theatrical release
• Since its release in 1999, the film has become an iconic cautionary tale of toxic masculinity and anti-consumerist mentalities
• It cemented the star statuses of both Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, who at the time were already pretty major draws for audiences
• The film was not without its criticisms upon its debut, with most critics torn on its anarchic nature and even Rosie O’Donnell famously spoiling the infamous twist on her talk show
• Since the first two rules of Fight Club have already been broken (you know which ones), I guess it’s fair to talk about how much this is a big-screen experience that you cannot afford to miss

Fight Club is showing in cinemas from Friday 15 March 2024