Movie of the Week

• I Know What You Did Last Summer

Cinemas

• Smurfs
• Friendship
• Harvest
• Four Letters of Love
• The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire
• Gold Songs

Streaming/On-Demand

• Apocalypse in the Tropics

Re-Releases

• Barry Lyndon
• Human Traffic

CAST: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Austin Nichols

CREW: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (director, writer), Sam Lansky (writer), Neal H. Moritz (producer), Chanda Dancy (composer), Elisha Christian (cinematographer), Saira Haider (editor)

PLOT: After accidentally killing a pedestrian in a car accident, a group of teens reluctantly decide to cover up their crime in order to avoid the consequences. Years later, the group is stalked and killed one at a time by a mysterious figure who claims to know what they did, and in order to survive they must turn to the survivors of a similar incident from 1997…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Following the success of Final Destination: Bloodlines comes an all-new take on another classic 90s slasher franchise that respects what came before whilst doing its own thing
• Director and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson ensures that the plot and structure is similar to the 1997 original, to prove that the concept can still work all these years later
• In addition to new cast members like Glass Onion standout Madelyn Cline and recent Doctor Who villain Jonah Hauer-King, there are also some major appearances from original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.
• As ever from this series, the kills are gruesome and merciless, meaning that nobody – maybe not even the legacy characters – are safe
• It’s sure to be worthwhile viewing that will transport fans of all kinds back to the 90s when slashers like this ruled supreme

I Know What You Did Last Summer is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, J.P. Karliak, Sandra Oh, Maya Erskine, Kurt Russell, John Goodman, Xolo Maridueña, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Billie Lourd, Marshmello, Jimmy Kimmel

CREW: Chris Miller (director), Pam Brady (writer), Rihanna (producer, composer), Jay Brown, Ryan Harris and Tyran Smith (producers), Henry Jackman (composer), Matt Landon (editor)

PLOT: When their beloved leader Papa Smurf (Goodman) is kidnapped by the evil wizard Gargamel (Karliak), a group of Smurfs – lead by Smurfette (Rihanna) – must make unexpected alliances and venture to a different world in order to save him…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The iconic tiny blue creatures are back in an all-new theatrical adventure that combines heavily stylised animation with engaging musical beats
• Music sensation Rihanna is one of the leading creative forces behind the film, not only voicing Smurfette but also serving as a producer and contributing some original songs to the soundtrack
• The rest of the voice cast is equally stacked with celebrities en masse, including James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel, and screen legends Kurt Russell and John Goodman
• Certain sequences see the Smurfs heading into the real world – but before you get flashbacks of the much-derided 2011 version, there’s clearly something else going on in the mind of writer Pam Brady, who previously collaborated with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on the South Park and Team America movies
• With bouncy songs and hilarious gags for children to giggle endlessly at, there’s more than enough for families to get their Smurf on to this summer

Smurfs is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Josh Segarra, Billy Byrk, Jason Veasey, Jon Glaser, Eric Rahill, Connor O’Malley, Carmen Christopher, Craig Frank, Omar Torres, Jacob Ming-Trent, Daniel London, Whitmer Thomas, Raphael Sbarge, Ivy Wolk, Meredith Garretson

CREW: Andrew DeYoung (director, writer), Johnny Holland, J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules and Nick Weidenfeld (producers), Keegan DeWitt (composer), Andy Rydzewski (cinematographer), Sophie Corra (editor)

PLOT: Craig (Robinson), a socially awkward marketing executive, strikes up a close friendship with his new neighbour, quirky meteorologist and aspiring weatherman Austin (Rudd), but soon their initial connection takes a dark turn…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Get ready to cringe like you’ve never cringed before during this hilariously dark comedy about the unevenness of male friendship
• Tim Robinson, best known for his hit Netflix sketch show I Think You Should Leave, fills a lead role written especially for him by writer-director Andrew DeYoung
• He and Paul Rudd share a charming chemistry that soon goes to some unpredictable places which will leave you feeling extremely uncomfortable but also laughing your heart out
• Its depiction of toxic male friendships is bound to draw comparisons to The Banshees of Inisherin, though this one may have you a bit more on edge (even though, as far as we know, there are no finger slicings in this!)
• You will never be sure if you’re supposed to laugh or to wince in emotional pain, but either way it’s a fully engrossing comedy that you’ll never forget

Friendship is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Caleb Landry Jones, Harry Melling, Rosy McEwen, Arinzé Kene, Thalissa Teixeira, Frank Dillane, Logan Buchanan, Gary Maitland, Antonia Quirke, Ruby Heritage Crabb, Maya Bonniwell, Chester Hayes, Oran Charlton, Gregor Warnock, Holly Blakey, Lupi Moll, Lisa Thompson, Andrew MacKeand, Tom Bonniwell, Nicola Moll, Jack Mackay, Edith Elliott, Paul Fegan, William Alexander, Leonie Charlton, Rory Barraclough

CREW: Athina Rachel Tsangari (director, writer, producer), Joslyn Barnes (writer, producer), Marie-Elena Dyche, Viola Fügen, Rebecca O’Brien and Michel Weber (producers), Nicolas Becker, Ian Hassett, Caleb Landry Jones and Lexx (composers), Sean Price Williams (cinematographer), Matt Johnson and Nico Leunen (editors)

PLOT: In Middle Ages Scotland, Walter Thirsk (Jones) is a peasant working on a secluded farm operated by the kindly but weak-willed landowner Charles Kent (Melling), but the peaceful community starts to unravel upon the arrival of cartographer Phillip Earle (Kene) and a trio of outsiders accused of sabotage…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This quietly epic historical drama explores the dangers of instability within tight-knit communities at a time of economic turmoil and uncertainty
• Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari, previously a producer for Yorgos Lanthimos, makes a striking English-language debut that retains her unique oddball approach in a slightly more conventional setting
• Caleb Landry Jones, Harry Melling and Rosy McEwen form part of the expansive ensemble cast, with plenty of theatrical performances to make the slow-burn narrative move much faster
• It was nominated for the Golden Lion award at last year’s Venice Film Festival, and also attracted attention at other international festivals in Toronto, Mumbai and London
• With gorgeous cinematography and compelling characters, Harvest is a film that you’ll want to reap every chance you get

Harvest is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Pierce Brosnan, Helena Bonham Carter, Gabriel Byrne, Fionn O’Shea, Ann Skelly, Dónal Finn, Olwen Fouéré, Michelle Lucy, Imelda May, Pat Shortt, Norma Sheahan, Brid Ní Chumhaill, Billy Lyons, Conor Dan Ryan, Mary O’Driscoll, Anthony O’Boyle, Johnny French, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo

CREW: Polly Steele (director), Niall Williams (writer), Douglas Cummins and Debbie Gray (producers), Anne Nikitin (composer), Damien Elliott (cinematographer), Chris Gill (editor)

PLOT: In Ireland, Nicholas (O’Shea) and Isabel (Skelly) are two young people who, despite being set on different paths, find that they were made for each other, only for fate and their respective families to drive them apart…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The majestic romance of Niall Williams’ bestselling novel is adapted into a breathtaking multigenerational drama that translates its numerous emotional beats into something truly profound
• Williams also writes the screenplay for director Polly Steele, who in turn assembles a starry cast including Pierce Brosnan, Helena Bonham Carter and Gabriel Byrne
• Meanwhile, Fionn O’Shea and Ann Skelly play the young lovers at the heart of the story, whose respective paths involving loss and faith prevent them from achieving their happy ending together
• The pristine landscapes of Irish counties Donegal and Antrim form a luscious backdrop that are almost as romantic as the central concept itself
• Bring all the tissues you can, for there’s a distinct chance you’ll be sobbing your eyes out as the emotional story comes to its revelatory conclusion

Four Letters of Love is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Zita Hanrot, Motell Foster, Josué Gutierrez, Reese Antoinette, Arielle François, Melisa Lopez, James Arthur Sims

CREW: Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich (director, writer), Marina Magloire (writer), Sophie Luo and Mike S. Ryan (producers), Sabine McCalla (composer), Alex Ashe (cinematographer), Nicole Otero and Emily Packer (editors)

PLOT: A small group of filmmakers and actors construct a suitably unusual look at the life of Caribbean surrealist Suzanne Césaire…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This bold cinematic experiment seeks to rewrite the rules of the conventional biopic with its unique take on the titular artist
• It marks the debut feature of filmmaker Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, who deconstructs the life of Suzanne Césaire using her own archives, as performed by actor Zita Hanrot
• Several aspects of Césaire’s story are told in unexpected ways, including her relationship with her husband, French politician Aimé Césaire, and famed surrealist André Breton
• As Césaire herself famously broke down the colonial lifestyle in her absurdist works, the filmmaker and her performers apply that spirit to their own similarly defiant piece of art
• It’s a true one-of-a-kind that even those who may not have heard of Suzanne Césaire will want to seek out

The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Domingos Marengula, Neusia Emidio Guiamba

CREW: Ico Costa (director, producer), Jérôme Blesson (producer), Raul Domingues (cinematographer), Clément Pinteaux (editor)

PLOT: In Mozambique, Domingos (Marengula) and Neusia (Guiamba) are a young couple whose lives are upended when Domingos embarks on a journey to the country’s northern gold mines, in search of a better life for both of them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The second feature of Portuguese filmmaker Ico Costa is a dramatic tale of love and ambition in an undervalued part of the world
• Originally filmed between 2021 and 2022, the film was crafted in close collaboration with the locals of Mozambique to further reflect the realistic environment
• At its centre are two vibrant lead performances by Domingos Marengula and Neusia Emidio Guiamba whose love and dedication to each other is as profoundly romantic as anything in mainstream cinema
• The striking cinematography by Raul Domingues captures the vast beauty of the area as well as the understated struggle underneath its pristine exterior
• Both a compelling drama about surviving in a harsh world and an emotional romance between two deeply devoted lovers, this is a real treasure you need to seek out

Gold Songs is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: Silas Malafaia, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Elizete Malafaia

CREW: Petra Costa (director, writer, producer), Alessandra Orofino (writer, producer), David Barker, Nels Bangerter and Tina Baz (writers, editors), Moara Passoni (writer), Rodrigo Leão (composer), João Atala, Murilo Salazar and Pedro Urano (cinematographers), Jordana Berg, Eduardo Gripa, Cao Guimarães, Bruno Lasevicius and Victor Miaciro (editors)

PLOT: In Brazil, the rising evangelical Christianity movement influences the far-right politics of elected leader Jair Bolsonaro, threatening the country with an all-consuming theocracy…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A concerning real-life threat to democracy is the basis for this fascinating documentary about the dangers of theocratic authoritarianism
• It is the latest project by Brazilian filmmaker Petra Costa, whose previous movie The Edge of Democracy was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar
• Costa dives deeper than before into her native country’s troubling political history, and how the rise of a deeply troubling sect of Christianity was easily able to take hold of elected officials
• Central to the filmmaker’s investigation is ousted President Jair Bolsonaro, whose ultra-conservative and populist policies have inspired endless comparisons to Donald Trump and other far-right figures
• Not only is it chilling to witness such sinister (and decisively non-Christian) ideals be put into practise, but also how easy it can be for neutral politics to be swayed by such a powerful influence

Apocalypse in the Tropics is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Monday 14 July 2025

CAST: Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Krüger, Gay Hamilton, Godfrey Quigley, Steven Berkoff, Marie Kean, Murray Melvin, Frank Middlemass, Leon Vitali, Dominic Savage, Leonard Rossiter, André Morell, Anthony Sharp, Philip Stone, David Morley, Diana Koerner, Arthur O’Sullivan, Billy Boyle, Jonathan Cecil, Peter Cellier, Geoffrey Chater, Wolf Kahler, Liam Redmond, Roger Booth, Ferdy Mayne, John Sharp, Pat Roach, Hans Meyer, Michael Hordern

CREW: Stanley Kubrick (director, writer, producer), John Alcott (cinematographer), Tony Lawson (editor)

PLOT: In 18th century England, Redmond Barry (O’Neal) is an Irish rogue who slowly climbs the ranks of high society by marrying wealthy widow Lady Lyndon (Berenson) and acquiring aristocratic status, only for things to soon come crashing down for him…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Stanley Kubrick’s widely underrated historical drama celebrates its milestone 50th anniversary with an all-new theatrical re-release
• Kubrick made the film after plans for a biopic of Napoleon fell through, but the iconic auteur utilised his research from that abandoned project into this film, set roughly around the same time
• The extensive 300-day production initially began in Ireland, but IRA bomb scares and even a kidnapping threat forced the filmmaker back to England, where the remaining two-thirds of the film was shot
• Despite underwhelming box office numbers and a mixed critical reception at the time, Barry Lyndon scored several Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director (winning four, including for its innovative cinematography), and is now considered one of the greatest films ever made
• If you’re a Kubrick die-hard who hasn’t already seen this amongst the filmmaker’s greatest hits, then now is the time to correct that mistake!

Barry Lyndon is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025

CAST: John Simm, Lorraine Pilkington, Shaun Parkes, Danny Dyer, Nicola Reynolds, Andrew Lincoln, Dean Davies, Richard Coyle

CREW: Justin Kerrigan (director, writer), Emer McCourt and Allan Niblo (producers), Mathew Herbert and Rob Mello (composers), David Bennett (cinematographer), Patrick Moore (editor)

PLOT: In 90s Cardiff, five friends – Jip (Simm), Lulu (Pilkington), Nina (Reynolds), Koop (Parkes) and Moff (Dyer) – embark on a drug and alcohol-fuelled odyssey through the city’s club scene…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The influential late-90s cult classic returns to the big screen with an all-new 4K restoration
• It was a breakout movie for its then-young stars, including John Simm, Danny Dyer, and Walking Dead alumni Andrew Lincoln
• The film proved popular with audiences, with a £2.5 million box office intake against its miniscule budget, and even more was made from VHS and DVD sales
• Rave culture was brought into the mainstream thanks in part to this film, with cameos from several notable 90s DJs including Pete Tong and Carl Cox
• Anyone nostalgic for that care-free time, when nothing mattered but friends and music, will definitely want to take in this blast from the past!

Human Traffic is showing in cinemas from Friday 18 July 2025