Movie of the Week

• The Substance

Cinemas

• Girls Will Be Girls
• 200% Wolf
• Strange Darling
• The Goldman Case
• Sugarcane
• Cyborg: A Documentary

Streaming/On-Demand

• His Three Daughters
• Place of Bones

Re-Releases

• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Interstellar

CAST: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Phillip Schurer, Joseph Balderrama, Tom Morton, Robin Greer

CREW: Coralie Fargeat (director, writer, producer, editor), Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (producers), Raffertie (composer), Benjamin Kracun (cinematographer), Jerome Eltabet and Valentin Féron (editors)

PLOT: In Los Angeles, aging celebrity Elizabeth Sparkle (Moore) is fired from her job as the host of an aerobics show. She soon learns of a revolutionary new substance that, when injected, creates a younger and more beautiful version of herself, named Sue (Qualley). However, both Elisabeth and Sue experience some unexpected side effects…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The year’s most outrageous and jaw-dropping body horror simply needs to be seen to be believed
• French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat makes an exceptionally confident sophomore film following her violent debut Revenge
• Demi Moore has never been better in the central role of a celebrity who is scrutinised for her age and fading looks, which offers an uncomfortable view into society’s unrealistic beauty standards
• Fargeat came away from this year’s Cannes Film Festival with the award for Best Screenplay, while the film also competed for the coveted Palme D’Or
• It goes to places that you never thought you’d see in a mainstream motion picture, which alone should make it a must-watch on the biggest screen possible!

The Substance is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Preeti Panigrahi, Kesav Binoy Kiron, Kani Kusruti, Kajol Chugh, Nandini Verma, Devika Shahani, Akash Pramanik, Aman Desai, Sumit Sharma, Jitin Gulati, Pratap Singh, Pradeep Kapoor, Neeraj Varma, Ved Amrita, Ahana Malla, Megha Singh Aggarwal

CREW: Shuchi Talati (director, writer, producer), Richa Chadha, Claire Chassagne and Sanjay Gulati (producers), Sneha Khanwalkar and Pierre Oberkampf (composers), Jih-E Peng (cinematographer), Amrita David (editor)

PLOT: Mira (Panigrahi), a 16-year-old attending a strict boarding school in the Himalayas, develops a passionate romance with charming new student Sri (Kiron). However, Mira’s coming-of-age is disrupted by her young mother Anila (Kusruti), who never got the chance to come of age herself…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This Indo-French coming-of-age tale dives deep into blossoming adolescent desires
• Debut filmmaker Shuchi Talati reportedly based the film on a combination of her own experiences as a young woman, as well as on classic stories by Enid Blyton
• The writer-director also employed a predominantly female cast and crew for production, in order to create a safe space where women could be free to express themselves without prejudice
• Following its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it was awarded the World Cinema Dramatic Audience award
• Both empowering and heartfelt, this is a liberating tale of young womanhood that anyone around the world can relate to

Girls Will Be Girls is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Ilai Swindells, Elizabeth Nabben, Jennifer Saunders, Sarah Georgina, Peter McAllum, Samara Weaving, Janice Petersen, Heather Mitchell, Michael Bourchier, Alexs Stadermann, Akmal Saleh, Sarah Harper

CREW: Alexs Stadermann (director), Fin Edquist (writer), Alexia Gates-Foale, Tracy Lenon, Carmen Pérez-Marsá and Barbara Stephen (producers), Ash Gibson Greig (composer), Adrian Weinbrecht (cinematographer), Jonathan Tappin (editor)

PLOT: Freddy Lupin (Swindells) is a werewolf who, unlike the rest of his pack, transforms into a tiny pink poodle in the moonlight. When he struggles to convince his fellow wolves that he is a natural leader, Freddy makes a wish to become a proper wolf, which causes a mischievous moon spirit to come crashing to Earth. Now, Freddy and his friends must set out to restore the cosmic balance before it’s too late…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Even more werewolf fun is afoot in this sequel to the Australian animated favourite
• Most of the voice cast returns, including leads Ilai Swindells and Samara Weaving, along with new arrivals such as Jennifer Saunders
• The first film became an unexpected theatrical hit during the 2020 pandemic, grossing over £1 million at a time when few movies were making that much!
• There’s plenty of fun and colourful animation for children and adults to howl about
• For those looking for a break from the new school term (already!), it’s a serviceable distraction that’ll take your mind off everything

200% Wolf is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, Ed Begley Jr, Madisen Beaty, Bianca Santos, Steven Michael Quezada, Sheri Foster, Jason Patric, Giovanni Ribisi

CREW: JT Mollner (director, writer), Giovanni Ribisi (producer, cinematographer), Bill Block, Chris Ivan Cevic, Roy Lee and Steven Schneider (producers), Craig DeLeon (composer), Christopher Robin Bell (editor)

PLOT: A young woman (Fitzgerald) is chased by a dangerous serial killer (Gallner) – but nothing is quite as it seems…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Filmmaker JT Mollner’s second feature is a shocking serial killer thriller that contains surprises around every corner
• Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald put in a pair of star-making turns as a terrifying murderer and his latest potential victim, respectively
• The film was shot entirely on 35mm, by actor and debut cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi (yes, the same one who was in the likes of Avatar and Saving Private Ryan)
• Critics have already called it a clever subversion of the psychological thriller, in addition to being a legitimately intense ride
• You’ll have to see what the twists are for yourself, since it is recommended that you go in to this one completely blind!

Strange Darling is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Arieh Worthalter, Arthur Harari, Stéphan Guérin-Tillié, Nicolas Briançon, Aurélien Chaussade, Christian Mazucchini, Jeremy Lewin, Chloé Lecerf, Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Laetitia Masson, Didier Borga, Arthur Verret, Priscilla Lopes, Paul Jeanson, François Favrat, Maxime Tshibangu, Romain Parent, Lucas Olmedo, Ulysse Dutilloy-Liégeois

CREW: Cédric Kahn (director, writer), Nathalie Hertzberg (writer), Benjamin Elalouf (producer), Patrick Ghiringhelli (cinematographer), Yann Dedat (editor)

PLOT: In 1976, far-left French revolutionary Pierre Goldman (Worthalter) is put on trial for armed robbery and murder, which creates chaos in the courtroom…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The divisive trial of outspoken French militant Pierre Goldman is dramatized in gripping and surprisingly intense fashion
• Lead actor Arieh Worthalter took home the Best Actor César (French Oscar) for his role as Goldman, while Arthur Harari – the Oscar-winning co-writer of last year’s French courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall – has a substantial role as Goldman’s lawyer
• Director Cédric Kahn lends his film a documentarian approach, with naturalistic performances and fly-on-the-wall cinematography
• It won acclaim across the board at international film festivals such as Cannes and London
• This is a golden opportunity to view life in 70s Europe, already on edge during the Cold War, at a critical political stage

The Goldman Case is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Charlene Belleau, Ed Archie NoiseCat, Julian Brave NoiseCat, Chief Willie Sellars, Whitney Spearing

CREW: Emily Kassie (director, producer, cinematographer), Julian Brave NoiseCat (director), Kellen Quinn (producer), Mali Obomsawin (composer), Christopher LaMarca (cinematographer), Maya Daisy Hawke and Nathan Punwar (editors)

PLOT: During an investigation into alleged wrongdoings at an Indigenous residential school in Canada, local residents are empowered to confront their own horrifying connections to the system…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The shocking erasure of cultural identity is at the heart of this emotional documentary from filmmakers Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat
• It serves as a damaging examination of the Canadian Indian residential school system, which sought to convert young Indigenous civilians to the Catholic faith
• The stories of several survivors and descendants paint a much more disturbing picture of what it was like to be brought up in such a repressive environment
• At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it won the Grand Jury award for Directing (US Documentary)
• This should be a powerful reminder of what humanity is capable of when it comes to eradicating entire ways of life, and what we all must do to stop it from happening again

Sugarcane is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Neil Harbisson, Manel De Aguas Muñoz, Moon Ribas

CREW: Carey Born (director, producer), Matthew Akers (cinematographer), Dave Briggs (editor)

PLOT: Neil Harbisson, a colourblind artist, has an antenna implanted in his head that allows him to “hear” colour, effectively making him the world’s first officially recognised cyborg…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• An under-looked advancement in the growing relationship between humanity and technology forms the focus of a fascinating new documentary
• The film follows artist Neil Harbisson on his life’s mission to promote some eye-opening ideas about our rapidly growing technological future
• Throughout, Harbisson and collaborator Moon Ribas confront numerous detractors and sceptics that offer some sobering commentary on the artist’s beliefs
• We also get to see how intricately layered Harbisson’s artistic vision truly is, thanks to his antenna that allows him to see what most other artists can’t
• Whatever your thoughts on modern technology, it’s interesting to see such a unique story like this be represented on the screen

Cyborg: A Documentary is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Rudy Galvan, Jose Febus, Jasmine Bracey

CREW: Azazel Jacobs (director, writer, producer, editor), Matt Aselton, Lia Buman, Tim Headington, Diaz Jacobs, Marc Marrie, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Jack Selby and Mal Ward (producers), Rodrigo Amarante (composer), Sam Levy (cinematographer)

PLOT: Katie (Coon), Rachel (Lyonne) and Christina (Olsen) are three estranged sisters who come together to look after their dying father throughout his final few days…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Grief paves the way for intimate human drama in this touching and often very funny look at familial strife
• Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen deliver a trio of outstanding performances that could well be recognised during the upcoming awards circuit
• Writer-director Azazel Jacobs keeps the drama largely confined to the walls of an apartment where years of frustrations and unrequited sibling love come to boiling point
• Following its debut at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, it got picked up by Netflix for a nifty $6 million, one of the largest acquisitions from that year
• With fantastic acting and moving drama, this is a real gem that should not go ignored this upcoming awards season

His Three Daughters is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Heather Graham, Tom Hopper, Corin Nemec, Brielle Robillard, Cowboy Cerrone, David Lipper, Gattlin Griffith, Zachary Keller, Ray Abruzzo, Jeanette Schock, Isabella Blake-Thomas

CREW: Audrey Cummings (director), Richard Taylor (writer), Robert A. Daly Jr., Eric Gozlan and David Lipper (producers), Jim McGrath (composer), Andrzej Sekula (cinematographer), Michael P. Mason (editor)

PLOT: In 1876, a woman named Pandora (Graham) lives with her daughter Hester (Robillard) on a remote ranch, where they take in a wounded outlaw Calhoun (Nemec). However, when a ruthless gang of bank robbers, led by the deadly Bear John (Hopper), come looking for their fortune that Calhoun stole from them, Pandora and Hester are forced to defend themselves…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Heather Graham headlines this fierce and often brutally violent Western thriller
• The Boogie Nights actor faces off against Umbrella Academy star Tom Hopper and his sinister band of outlaws during a tense cat-and-mouse standoff
• It is a lively and engaging throwback to some of the more provocative Western classics like Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch
• The carnage is captured by some neatly executed cinematography that captures the raw beauty of the American West
• You’ll be thrilled by its ferocious plot twists and by empowering characters who are easy to root for in this situation

Place of Bones is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 16 September 2024

CAST: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, Rhys Ifans, Thomas Haden Church, Charlie Cox, Angourie Rice, Hannibal Buress, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, J.K. Simmons, Gary Weeks, Paula Newsome, Arian Moayed, Mary Rivera

CREW: Jon Watts (director), Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (writers), Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal (producers), Michael Giacchino (composer), Mauro Fiore (cinematographer), Leigh Folsom Boyd and Jeffrey Ford (editors)

PLOT: After Peter Parker (Holland) is exposed to the world as Spider-Man, his life begins to fall apart, prompting him to approach Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) for help create a spell to make the world forget who he is. However, when the spell goes wrong, a number of super-villains from different universes – including Doctor Octopus (Molina), Electro (Foxx) and the Green Goblin (Dafoe) – are brought into his world, putting Peter to the ultimate test…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The mother of all Spider-Man movies closes out Sony’s extended re-release of films starring Marvel’s most famous web-slinger
• It combines many familiar villains (and maybe a few heroes as well) for a multiversal crossover that set the stage for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga
• Tom Holland puts in a deeply committed lead turn that makes him perhaps the definitive on-screen Spider-Man, as well as the strongest and most lovable Peter Parker
• The film became a major critical and commercial hit upon release, becoming the first post-pandemic release to make $1 billion worldwide, also making it the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie of all time
• Whatever is next in Spidey’s MCU future, it’ll be hard to top the absolute top-tier superhero drama on display here

Spider-Man: No Way Home is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024

CAST: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Timothée Chalamet, Wes Bentley, Bill Irwin, Topher Grace, David Gyasi, Matt Damon, Josh Stewart, Leah Cairns, David Oyelowo, Collette Wolfe, Francis X. McCarthy, William Devane, Elyes Gabel, Jeff Hephner

CREW: Christopher Nolan (director, writer, producer), Jonathan Nolan (writer), Lynda Obst and Emma Thomas (producers), Hanz Zimmer (composer), Hoyte van Hoytema (cinematographer), Lee Smith (editor)

PLOT: In the near future, as humanity faces extinction, former NASA test pilot Joseph Cooper (McConaughey) is recruited to lead a mission towards an interdimensional hole deep within space, in the hopes of finding a new hospitable world to call home…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic returns to its home on the big (and sometimes VERY big) screen in honour of its 10th anniversary
• Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey leads an eclectic ensemble of actors including Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and future A-listers like Timothée Chalamet
• Although initial reception was mixed next to some of Nolan’s other films, it has since been regarded as not just one of the filmmaker’s best films, but also one of the finest films of the 21st century thus far
• It blends a highly intellectual voyage to the stars with compelling and highly emotional family drama, which has been known to drive some viewers to tears
• With some gorgeous 70mm IMAX visuals, and a profound score by Hans Zimmer, this is a film that is practically screaming for a watch on the biggest screen imaginable

Interstellar is showing in cinemas from Friday 20 September 2024