Movie of the Week

• The Odyssey

Cinemas

• Synthetic Sincerity
• A Year in London

Streaming/On-Demand

• Heartstopper Forever
• They Fight

CAST: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Himesh Patel, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Jimmy Gonzales, Andrew Holland, Travis Scott, Elliot Page, Jesse Garcia, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Anthony Molinari, Jovan Adepo, Sean Avery, James Remar, Ian Casselberry

CREW: Christopher Nolan (director, writer, producer), Emma Thomas (producer), Ludwig Göransson (composer), Hoyte van Hoytema (cinematographer), Jennifer Lame (editor)

PLOT: Following the end of the Trojan War, King Odysseus of Ithaca (Damon) embarks on a journey home to his wife Penelope (Hathaway) and their son Telemachus (Holland), only to have a series of mythical encounters that further delay his arrival…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• After scoring numerous Oscars for Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan embarks on his biggest filmmaking journey yet with an all-new adaptation of Homer’s classic epic poem
• Matt Damon leads the astonishing A-list cast as the long-suffering Odysseus, with other major players including Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and previous Nolan collaborators Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson
• Nolan brings an incredible mix of practical effects and seamless CGI to some of the more fantastical elements of the story, further immersing audiences in the world of gods and monsters
• It is the first-ever film to be shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film, which was achieved by the invention of a new type of camera created exclusively for this movie
• What else do we have to say about it – it’s Christopher Nolan directing The Odyssey, surely that’s all the reason you need?!

The Odyssey is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 July 2026

CAST: Marc Isaacs, Illinca Manolache

CREW: Marc Isaacs (director, producer, cinematographer, editor), Adam Gnaz (writer), Yahli Lev (composer)

PLOT: Filmmaker Marc Isaacs is brought in by the Synthetic Sincerity Lab at the University of Southern England to document its mission to create authentic AI film characters, as well as to help them better understand the human component that the characters otherwise lack…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• As the conversation surrounding AI in creative industries rages on, documentarian Marc Isaacs captures a compelling breakthrough that could well change the game forever
• Isaacs blends documentary with fiction as he uses both humour and narrative poignancy to create a portrait of humanity’s current relationship with AI and its bleak future within film
• Among the cast of real and non-real figures include tech researchers and an AI creation made in collaboration with Romanian actor Ilinca Manolache, previously seen in Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
• The process eventually becomes rather dramatic, with the line between reality and fiction becoming blurred in unexpected ways
• Whether you’re for or against the use of AI in cinema, you’ll find this a fascinating watch as it hints at what the future of cinema could indeed look like

Synthetic Sincerity is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 July 2026

CAST: Melanie Liburd, Nina Pons, Matteo Bassi, Clementina Aliberti, Shaun Ramos, Carlotta Morelli, Karin Giegerich, Jahrhys Greenidge, Nagaieh Dad, Nando Irene, Sutara Gayle, Ralph Palka, Giuseppe Mari Omiseo, Elisabetta Rizzo, Harry Jardine, Valentina Roma, Maria Teresa Terrasi

CREW: Flaminia Graziadei (director, writer, producer), Laura Swain (writer), Adrea Maffini and Valentina Quarantini (producers), Riccardo Di Fiandra and Daniele Di Pentima (composers), Francesco Ciccone (cinematographer), Giuliana Sarli (editor)

PLOT: Olivia (Pons) travels from Italy to London to attend a prestigious fashion academy, where she develops a close and eventually intimate bond with her professor and mentor Nina (Liburd)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Feel the passion burning all throughout this sensual romantic drama that combines the best of both Italian and British cultures
• The Anglo-Italian co-production comes from the mind of award-winning director and co-writer Flaminia Graziadei, who herself is a citizen of both countries
• Melanie Liburd, previously seen in Bad Boys: Ride or Die as well as various episodes of This Is Us, shares some sparkling chemistry with fresher-faced Italian actor Nina Pons
• In addition to exploring LGBTQ+ relations, the film also takes a look at gender fluidity, diversity, inclusion and the sustainability of all these heavy themes
• Some striking cinematography, captured across not just London but also Rome and parts of Southern Italy, gives the central love story an even greater kick of passion

A Year in London is showing in cinemas from Friday 17 July 2026

CAST: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Anna Maxwell Martin, Eddie Marsan, Derek Jacobi, Darragh Hand, Yasmin Finney, Joseph Balderrama, Rhea Norwood, Jack Barton, Raiko Gohara, Jenny Walser, William Gao, Fisayo Akinade, Tobie Donovan, Corinna Brown, Alan Turkington, Oliver Maltman, Nima Taleghani, Kizzy Edgell, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, Bradley Riches, Ash Self

CREW: Wash Westmoreland (director), Alice Oseman (writer), Brett Thomas (producer), James Rhodes (cinematographer), Todd Downing (editor)

PLOT: As they prepare for life beyond school, lovers Nick (Connor) and Charlie (Locke) face new challenges in their relationship…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The Netflix phenomenon, based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series, reaches its crescendo with a feature-length finale that wraps up the teen romance in an enormously satisfying way
• After plans for a fourth season fell through due to dropping viewer figures and the busy schedules of its actors, the whole thing was reworked into a movie to give fans the closure they deserve
• Kit Connor and Joe Locke are back as star-crossed lovers Nick and Charlie, as are the majority of the show’s cast – with the exception of Olivia Colman, who’s been replaced with Anna Maxwell Martin as Nick’s mother
• The two leads are also credited as executive producers, with Still Alice and Colette director Wash Westmoreland taking the helm
• Although this film ends the beloved series on a definitive note, its wholesomeness ensures that the story will live on for generations to come

Heartstopper Forever is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 17 July 2026

CAST: André Holland, Wendell Pierce, Samira Wiley, Anthony B. Jenkins, Toissaint Francois Battiste, Mykelti Williamson

CREW: Sheldon Candis (director, writer), Andrew Renzi (writer, producer), Jason Michael Berman and Ben Renzo (producers), Gary Gunn (composer), Mark Jeevaratnam (cinematographer), Nona Khodai (editor)

PLOT: Walt Manigan (Holland) is a former boxer and ex-con attempting to mend his relationship with his former flame Ketta (Wiley), when he unexpectedly finds himself coaching a team of teenage boxers for the upcoming national junior championships…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The inspiring story of a team of young boxing champions is dramatised in a winning crowd-pleaser that will have everyone cheering
• It’s a semi-fictionalised version of the 2018 documentary of the same name, with that film’s director Andrew Renzi contributing to the script for this one
• The cast is led by a fierce performance by André Holland as the troubled coach brought in to turn the fortunes of the central ragtag group around
• Director Sheldon Candis has cited the works of John G. Alvidson, specifically The Karate Kid and of course the Oscar-winning Rocky, as a major inspiration for his version of the story
• It may not pack many surprises in the script department, but its energy and also its wholesome spirit both give this gritty sports drama the punch that it needs

They Fight is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 17 July 2026