This Week’s Movie Menu (13 – 19 January 2025)

In the wake of the devastating wildfires that are continuing to ravage several areas of California, including Hollywood itself, we are hopeful that those residing in and around the affected areas are safe and far away from harm. If you want to help or donate to anyone who may be affected, please consider visiting these links:

The Red Cross | The Salvation Army | World Central Kitchen | California Fire Foundation Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund | CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation | Wildfire Recovery Fund

But even amid such tragic destruction, we as a movie-going public must remain optimistic, especially with this week’s round-up of new releases, including a long-awaited biopic of a folk icon, a multi-year slice-of-life drama, and not one but TWO movies about werewolves and pandas…

Movie of the Week

 

A Complete Unknown (dir. James Mangold)

CAST: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Don Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, Scoot McNairy, P.J. Byrne, Will Harrison, Eriko Hatsune, Charlie Tahan, Ryan Harris Brown, Eli Brown, Nick Pupo, Big Bill Morganfield, Laura Kariuki, Stephen Carter Carlsen, Eric Berryman, David Alan Basche, Joe Tippett, James Austin Johnson, Kayli Carter, Sarah King, Alaina Surgener, Michael Chernus, Will Price

CREW: James Mangold (director, writer, producer), Jay Cocks (writer), Fred Berger, Bob Bookman, Timothée Chalamet, Alan Gasmer, Alex Heineman, Peter Jaysen and Jeff Rosen (producers), Phedon Papamichael (cinematographer), Andrew Buckland and Scott Morris (editors)

PLOT: In 1961, young Bob Dylan (Chalamet) arrives in New York, where he quickly becomes a sensation in the world of folk music, until in 1965 when he shocks the world with a controversial yet ultimately influential new sound…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Bob Dylan finally gets the biopic treatment in director James Mangold’s soulful take on the iconic musician’s early career
  • Timothée Chalamet delivers a magnetic and possibly Oscar-worthy performance as the man himself, with the actor near-flawlessly emulating Dylan’s recognisable mannerisms and vocals
  • A sprawling supporting cast plays numerous musical figures operating around the same time, including Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Top Gun: Maverick’s Monica Barbaro as fellow folk singer Joan Baez, and Mangold regular Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash (who Mangold previously focused on in Walk the Line)
  • The film captures the poetic and artistically liberating world of folk music that Bob Dylan would go on to personify, all the way up to the point when the genre would be transformed forever
  • Whether or not you enjoy the music of Bob Dylan, this film offers a tender look at his enigmatic life that will provide everything you need to know about the man behind it all

A Complete Unknown is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

What’s Showing in Cinemas This Week?

 

Wolf Man (dir. Leigh Whannell)

CAST: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Ben Prendergast, Benedict Hardie, Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, Milo Cawthorne

CREW: Leigh Whannell (director, writer), Corbett Tuck (writer), Jason Blum and Ryan Gosling (producers), Benjamin Wallfisch (composer), Stefan Duscio (cinematographer), Andy Canny (editor)

PLOT: Shortly after relocating with his wife Charlotte (Garner) and their young daughter Ginger (Firth) to his old childhood home on a secluded farm in Oregon, Blake (Abbott) is attacked by a mysterious creature, which causes him to transform into something horrifying that could harm his beloved family…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • After successfully updating the classic story of The Invisible Man, writer-director Leigh Whannell works his magic on another iconic – and decidedly furrier – Universal Monster
  • Christopher Abbott takes on the transformative role of the title, offering a terrifying and all too relatable take on the werewolf mythos
  • Jason Blum is also on board as a producer, as is Ryan Gosling who at one point was set to star in the film under the direction of his Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance
  • In true Whannell fashion, the scares are legitimately terrifying, thanks to a truly unnerving atmosphere and some top-notch performances from his scared-as-hell actors
  • It’s all part of a refreshing change of course for what was intended to be the now-infamous Dark Universe, which is now favouring standalone features rather than an interconnected universe

Wolf Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

 

Here (dir. Robert Zemeckis)

CAST: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Dockery, Gwilym Lee, Ophelia Lovibond, David Fynn, Leslie Zemeckis, Lauren McQueen, Beau Gadsdon, Jonathan Aris, Daniel Betts, Harry Marcus, Albie Salter, Lilly Aspell, Joel Oulette, Dannie McCallum, Nicholas Pinnock, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Cache Vanderpuye, Anya Marco Harris, Zsa Zsa Zemeckis, Dexter Sol Ansell, Stuart Bowman, Angus Wright, Tony Way, Jemima Rooper, Mohammed George

CREW: Robert Zemeckis (director, writer, producer), Eric Roth (writer), Bill Block, Derek Hogue and Jack Rapke (producers), Alan Silvestri (composer), Don Burgess (cinematographer), Jesse Goldsmith (editor)

PLOT: A millennia-spanning story of life, love, loss and laughter, including the relationship between 20th century couple Richard (Hanks) and Margaret (Wright), a Neanderthal tribe, and the colonial estate of William Franklin (Betts) – all in the exact same location…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Robert Zemeckis is back to making big, ambitious filmmaking with this original and technologically marvellous study of life and time
  • The central gimmick is that the camera never moves from its singular spot, with centuries literally passing the viewer by as everything unfolds around them
  • It is also an unofficial Forrest Gump reunion, for Zemeckis not only brings actors Tom Hanks and Robin Wright back together, but that film’s screenwriter Eric Roth is also adapting Richard McGuire’s similarly ambitious graphic novel
  • Hanks and Wright are de-aged with some impressive visual effects, making it look as though their younger selves are actually appearing in front of us once again
  • For anyone who likes when renowned filmmakers make massive creative swings like this, Here will give you everything that you could have hoped for

Here is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

 

William Tell (dir. Nick Hamm)

CAST: Claes Bang, Connor Swindells, Golshifteh Farahani, Jonah Hauer-King, Ellie Bamber, Rafe Spall, Emily Beecham, Jonathan Pryce, Ben Kingsley, Amar Chadha-Patel, Sam Keeley, Jake Dunn, Tobias Jowett, Solly McLeod

CREW: Nick Hamm (director, writer), Marie-Christine Jaeger-Firmenich and Piers Tempest (producers), Steven Price (composer), Jamie Ramsay (cinematographer), Yan Miles (editor)

PLOT: In 14th century Europe, the ruthless Austrian Empire invades peaceful Switzerland, forcing heroic huntsman William Tell (Bang) to lead a fierce resistance…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • A legendary folk hero gets the big, rousing and action-packed historical epic he deserves
  • Claes Bang takes on the iconic title role, leading an ensemble cast that also includes Sex Education star Connor Swindells, acclaimed character actor Jonathan Pryce and Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley
  • Nick Hamm, known for 2000s cult classics like The Hole and Godsend, brings to life a sprawling vision of medieval Europe
  • One major set-piece revolves around William Tell’s most famous triumph, one that specifically includes an arrow and an apple on top of someone’s head
  • No word on if the iconic overture named after him will feature on the soundtrack, but even if it doesn’t show up you’ll be entertained by the impressive scope of this big-budget feature

William Tell is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

 

Emmanuelle (dir. Audrey Diwan)

CAST: Noémie Merlant, Naomi Watts, Will Sharpe, Jamie Campbell Bower, Chacha Huang, Anthony Wong, Carole Franck

CREW: Audrey Diwan (director, writer, producer), Rebecca Zlotowski (writer), Brahim Chioua, Laurence Clerc, Reginald de Guillebon, Marion Delord, Vincent Maraval, Victor van der Staay and Edouard Weil (producers), Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine (composers), Laurent Tangy (cinematographer), Pauline Gaillard (editor)

PLOT: Emmanuelle (Merlant) is a quality controller for a chain of luxury hotels, and is sent to Hong Kong with the task of finding a reason to terminate Margot (Watts), the woman in charge of the country’s hotel. Once there, Emmanuelle finds herself having a number of arousing experiences, including with her mysterious client Kei (Sharpe)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The erotic adventures of the titular heroine, based on the notorious book by Emmanuelle Arsan (the pen-name of Marayat Rollet-Andriane), are rebooted for the modern era
  • Noémie Merlant is the latest actor to take on the explicit role, and like her predecessors gets into plenty of sensual – and, indeed, sexual – escapades all throughout
  • It is directed and co-written by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Audrey Diwan, who previously made waves with her timely abortion drama Happening
  • The Hong Kong setting allows for a truly intimate atmosphere to dominate the otherwise routine corporate thriller at its heart
  • Mainstream erotic thrillers are increasingly rare nowadays, so it’s nice to see one like this come along and remind audiences of how titillating and entertaining they can be

Emmanuelle is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025 (and will be available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Friday 24 January 2025)

 

Vermiglio (dir. Maura Delpero)

CAST: Giuseppe De Domenico, Tommaso Ragno, Martina Scrinzi, Roberta Rovelli, Carlotta Gamba, Orietta Notari, Sara Serraiocco

CREW: Maura Delpero (director, writer, producer), Francesca Andreoli, Santiago Fondevila and Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli (producers), Mikhail Krichman (cinematographer), Luca Mattei (editor)

PLOT: In 1944 Italy, army deserter Pietro (Domenico) arrives in the remote mountain village of Vermiglio, where he becomes embedded in the family of local schoolteacher Cesare (Ragno), with unexpectedly tragic results…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This gorgeous historical drama takes a profound look at family life in Europe during the final days of the Second World War
  • Filmmaker Maura Delpero applies a unique filmic lens to convey the emotional toll of its complex characters as they experience a wide range of feelings
  • It won the Grand Jury Prize at last year’s Venice Film Festival, and has been selected to officially represent Italy for this year’s International Feature Film Oscar
  • Delpero made the film in response to her own father’s passing, as a way of ensuring the traditions he grew up with would not die with him
  • With striking cinematography and compassionate direction, this is a sprawling epic that will have you feeling everything all at once

Vermiglio is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

 

Panda Bear in Africa (dirs. Richard Claus and Karsten Kiilerich)

CAST: Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, Georgina Verbaan, Mick Aerts, Maurits Delchot, Thom Hoffman, Silas Lekgoathi, Namisa Mdalose, Candice Modiselle, Sthandile Nkosi, Thulani Nzonzo, Charles Ouda,

CREW: Richard Claus and Karsten Kiilerich (directors, writers, producers), Rob Sprackling and Zhang Sujuan (writers), Anders Mastrup (producer), Vidjay Beerepoot (composer), Niels Grønlykke (cinematographer), Job ter Burg (editor)

PLOT: In China, a young panda named Pang (Wong-Loi-Sing) is best friends with a dragon named Jielong (Verbaan). However, when Jielong is kidnapped and transported to Africa, where she is to be presented as a gift to a young lion prince, Pang must make a perilous journey to the continent in order to rescue her…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This fun and exciting family feature is pleasant viewing for small children and open-minded parents/guardians
  • The animated film is a truly international production, with inputs from animators across European countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, and all the way in China
  • Witness how the cuddly panda of the title hilariously adapts to a very different – and more dangerous – continental climate
  • Driving the perilous rescue mission is a heartwarming story of friendship that is bound to resonate with anyone of any age
  • It has plenty of fun gags for little ones and meaningful life lessons for just about everyone else

Panda Bear in Africa is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

 

Panda Plan (dir. Zhang Luan)

CAST: Jackie Chan, Wei Xiang, Shi Ce, Han Yanbo, Jia Bing, Rui Dani

CREW: Zhang Luan (director, writer), Wei Xu and Meng Yida (writers), Han Mei and Wei Wang (producers), Yixin Huang (composer), Daxin Dong (cinematographer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: Legendary action star Jackie Chan (as himself) is invited to adopt a rare baby panda named Hu Hu, only to find himself defending the animal from an international crime syndicate that has put out a massive bounty for its capture…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The iconic Jackie Chan co-stars opposite an adorable baby panda in this fun-filled family action-comedy
  • However, it’s a bittersweet occasion as this film is said to be the last such film of the 70-year-old performer’s career
  • After seeing him take on numerous foes who are after said panda, you won’t exactly blame him for wanting to step away from such energetic action
  • Expect lots of cute humour to go neatly alongside the impressive stunt work that Chan puts in
  • While he won’t be performing nearly as many high-end stunts going forward, it’s a delightful opportunity to watch Jackie Chan do what he does best for likely the final time

Panda Plan is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 January 2025

What’s Showing At Home This Week?

 

Back in Action (dir. Seth Gordon)

CAST: Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson

CREW: Seth Gordon (director, writer, producer), Brendan O’Brien (writer), Beau Bauman, Peter Chernin, Sharla Sumpter Bridgett and Jenno Topping (producers), Christopher Lennertz (composer), Ken Seng (cinematographer), Peter S. Elliot (editor)

PLOT: Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) are former CIA spies who retired from the game to start a family, but after their secret identities are exposed, they are dragged back into the lethal world of espionage that they left behind…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • After a decade away from the spotlight, Cameron Diaz makes her anticipated return to acting in this action-packed spy comedy
  • She shares formidable chemistry with Jamie Fozz, who brings his own flavour of charm and charisma as one-half of the indomitable duo at the centre of the story
  • This actually marks their third movie together, after Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday and the 2014 remake of Annie (which happens to be the last film Diaz starred in before her original retirement)
  • Expect plenty of awesome fight choreography and top-notch blockbuster effects in director and co-writer Seth Gordon’s love letter to the espionage genre
  • It’s great to not only see the ever-charming Diaz back on our screens, but to also see her having so much fun, as though she never left in the first place

Back in Action is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 17 January 2025

 

Werewolves (dir. Steven C. Miller)

CAST: Frank Grillo, Katrina Law, Ilfenesh Hadera, James Michael Cummings, Lou Diamond Phillips, James Kyson

CREW: Steven C. Miller (director, producer), Matthew Kennedy (writer), Jim Cardwell, Craig Chapman, Sevier Crespo, James Michael Cummings and Nyles Mestel (producers), James Burkholder and The Newman Brothers (composers), Brandon Cox (cinematographer), Greg MacLennan (editor)

PLOT: One year after a supermoon event caused people to transform into monstrous werewolves for the night once they were exposed to moonlight, former marine Wesley Marshall (Grillo) teams up with scientists Dr. Aranda (Phillips) and Dr. Amy Chen (Law) to find a cure before the next supermoon rises…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The week’s second major werewolf picture is a much sillier but just as entertaining B-movie throwback
  • Frank Grillo is the action hero with the cool one-liners fighting an entire horde of dangerous creatures, calling back to the glory days of Stallone, Schwarzenegger et al
  • The werewolves themselves are brought to life by some impressive practical effects, as crafted by the same team who worked on Prey, It, Alien: Romulus and more
  • It is said to be the mix between The Purge and Dog Soldiers that we never thought we needed in our lives!
  • You’ll be howling with delight as you embrace the B-movie violence and general entertaining madness

Werewolves is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 13 January 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:

Captain America: Brave New World (dir. Julius Onah)

Sam Wilson investigates a dangerous new conspiracy as Captain America…

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (dir. Michael Morris)

Bridget Jones embarks on the next chapter of her ever-rocky love life…

Heart Eyes (dir. Josh Ruben)

A masked serial killer stalks a couple on Valentine’s Day…

Memoir of a Snail (dir. Adam Elliot)

In 70s Australia, young Grace is tragically separated from her twin brother…

Love Hurts (dir. Jonathan Eusebio)

A real-estate agent is forced to return to his violent past life…

Dog Man (dir. Peter Hastings)

After an accident, a cop and his dog companion are brought together in an unexpected way…

September 5 (dir. Tim Fehlbaum)

During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team covers a devastating event…

Kinda Pregnant (dir. Tyler Spindel)

A woman pretends to be pregnant for attention…

The Fire Inside (dir. Rachel Morrison)

In 2012, 16-year-old boxer Claressa Shields makes Olympic history…

Hard Truths (dir. Mike Leigh)

Two sisters have two very different reactions to grief…

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