Movie of the Week

• The Bikeriders

Cinemas

• The Exorcism
• Green Border
• Something in the Water
• The G
• Before Dawn
• Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow

Streaming/On-Demand

• Trigger Warning
• Sleeping Dogs
• Birthday Girl

CAST: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Happy Anderson

CREW: Jeff Nichols (director, writer), Sarah Green, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Arnon Milchan (producers), David Wingo (composer), Adam Stone (cinematographer), Julie Monroe (editor)

PLOT: In 1960s Chicago, an outlaw motorcycle gang called the Vandals is founded by truck driver Johnny (Hardy), with roguish youth Benny (Butler) as his right-hand man. However, as the gang transforms from a surrogate family for fellow outsiders into a violent outlet for organised crime, the lives of Johnny, Benny, the latter’s lover Kathy (Comer) and other Vandals are forever altered…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Jeff Nichols takes on the rampant motorcycling culture of the late 60s in a sweeping and magnetic new historical epic
• An all-star cast including Jodie Comer, Oscar-nominees Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, and many others pile on the charisma and charm in a plethora of outstanding performances
• It is loosely based on the photo-book of the same name by photojournalist Danny Lyon, who is also a character in the film as played by Challengers star Mike Faist
• Originally set for release late last year under 20th Century Studios (to where it was making the festival rounds) it was dropped by the distributor during the actors’ strike, and subsequently picked up by Universal
• A tender, layered and deeply provocative study of masculinity and power, this is an impressive feature that you don’t have to be a motorcycle enthusiast to enjoy

The Bikeriders is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Chloe Bailey, Sam Worthington, David Hyde Pierce, Samantha Mathis, Marcenae Lynette, Tracey Bonner, Adrian Pasdar, Adam Goldberg

CREW: Joshua John Miller (director, writer), M. A. Fortin (writer), Bill Block, Ben Fast and Kevin Williamson (producers), Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (composers), Simon Duggan (cinematographer), Gardner Gould and Matthew Woolley (editors)

PLOT: Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor, begins to unravel whilst shooting a supernatural horror film, leading his daughter Lee (Simpkins) to wonder if there’s something much more sinister at play…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Horror takes a slightly meta new direction in this terrifying celebration of the genre itself
• Director Joshua John Miller is perhaps best known for co-writing the similarly subversive script to cult horror The Final Girls with M.A. Fortin (who also co-writes this film)
• Oscar-winner Russell Crowe leads a rather impressive cast that also includes Sam Worthington, Ryan Simpkins, Chloe Bailey, and Frasier star David Hyde Pierce in his first acting role in over ten years
• The film went into production at the tail end of 2019, but has been sitting around for almost five years since
• With such a stacked cast and its original approach to horror, it will surely be worth the wait!

The Exorcism is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Tomasz Włosok, Behi Djanati Atai, Mohamad Al Rashi, Dalia Naous, Maciej Stuhr, Agata Kulesza, Piotr Stramowski, Jaśmina Polak, Marta Stalmierska, Magdalena Popławska, Joely Mbundu, Monika Frajczyk, Taim Ajjan, Talia Ajjan

CREW: Agnieszka Holland (director, writer, producer), Gabriela Lazarkiewicz and Maciej Pisuk (writers), Fred Bernstein and Marcin Wierzchoslawski (producers), Frédéric Vercheval (composer), Tomasz Naumiuk (cinematographer), Pavel Hrdlicka (editor)

PLOT: At the Polish-Belarusian border, psychologist and activist Julia (Ostaszewska) becomes involved in dramatic events involving a Syrian refugee family and young border guard Jan (Włosok)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland presents a harrowing but important parable of the ongoing EU refugee crisis
• A multi-layered narrative offers various different perspectives of how governmental bureaucracy and war-torn continents have made the migrant experience so much more complicated
• Upon its debut at last year’s Venice Film Festival, where it picked up the Special Jury Prize, the film received near-unanimous praise for its bold and provocative storytelling
• However, it inspired controversy in its home country of Poland, to where the country refused to put it forward as its official International Feature Film Oscar selection
• It’s a difficult watch, but vital in our collective attempts to better understand the international crisis that rages on to this day

Green Border is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, Natalie Mitson, Nicole Rieko Setsuko, Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart, Laura Costa, Gabriel Prevost-Takahashi

CREW: Hayley Easton Street (director), Cat Clarke (writer), Julie Baines (producer), Nainita Desai and Harry Peat (composers), Niels Reedtz Johansen (cinematographer), Pani Scott (editor)

PLOT: Meg (Quasem), who has recently survived a traumatic event, reluctantly flies out to the Caribbean with her fellow pals Cam (Setsuko) and Ruth (Shakespeare-Hart), and former partner Kayla (Mitson), for the wedding of their old friend Lizzie (Lyle). However, the idyllic holiday soon turns into a nightmarish battle for survival when the friends find themselves trapped at sea with a blood-thirsty shark nearby…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This tense survival thriller is a fun throwback to killer shark movies made in the wake of Jaws
• The central cast put in some terrified turns as they battle their fearsome underwater foe
• A sunny Caribbean setting provides a bright contrast for the dark and grim events that we’re witnessing
• It is genuinely unpredictable who will end up surviving, which raises the suspense that carries on from start to finish
• With its strong B-movie vibes, it should provide a fun experience for audiences wanting to lose themselves in a straightforward piece of escapism

Something in the Water is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Dale Dickey, Romane Denis, Roc Lafortune, Bruce Ramsay, Jonathan Koensgen

CREW: Karl R. Hearne (director, writer, producer), Philippe Brault (composer), Vlad Horodinca (cinematographer), Arthur Tarnowski (editor)

PLOT: Ann Hunter (Dickey) is suddenly uprooted from her comfortable suburban life by Rivera (Ramsay), a corrupt legal guardian who strips her of her assets and places her in a prison-like retirement home. Along with her granddaughter Emma (Denis), Ann sets out for revenge…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Character actor Dale Dickey unleashes her badass side in this slick, understated revenge thriller
• It highlights how easy it is for an elderly person to be screwed over by greed and immorality in today’s society
• Filmmaker Karl R. Hearne adopts a less showy approach that favours the underlying bleakness of the situation over the more straightforward action
• You’ll be left angered by the corrupt corners within the old age industry that this movie exposes in its narrative
• Most of all, it will have you thinking twice about where you place your elderly loved ones when it’s time for them to fully retire!

The G is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Travis Jeffery, Stephen Peacocke, Myles Pollard, Tim Franklin, Jordan Dulieu, Oscar Millar, Lawrence Murphy, Peter Sullivan, Peter Williams, Isaac Davies, Paul Walenkamp

CREW: Jordon Prince-Wright (director, producer), Jarrad Russell (writer), Sean Tinnion (composer), Daniel Quinn (cinematographer), Saxon Wright (editor)

PLOT: During the First World War, young farmer Jim Collins (Miller) leaves his family’s sheep station to join the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in order to help make a difference. Once he is shipped to the western front, Jim experiences the true horrors of war, and later becomes involved in the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, which would become one of Australia’s greatest victories during the war…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This gripping Australian war drama brings a fresh perspective to the large amount of WW1 movies out there
• It details the heroic efforts of ANZAC during the First World War, which helped turn the tide of the conflict in Europe
• Young actor Levi Miller puts in a deeply committed lead turn as a fictional soldier who learns the hard way how brutal war can actually be
• A major section of the film is dedicated to the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, which saw Australian troops unite with British and American forces to break through the all-important Hindenburg Line
• Lovers of war movies will appreciate seeing a film that explores a different militaristic perspective during one of history’s greatest conflicts

Before Dawn is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Ronny Chieng, Emily Kleimo, Jennifer Childs Greer, Rich Orlow, Iain Batchelor, Scott Geer, Jeanette Grace Gonglewski, Paul Louis Miller

CREW: Julio Soto Gúrpide (director, producer), Rocco Pucillo (writer, producer), Jason Kaminsky, Adriana Malfatti Chen, Karl Richards, Peter Rogers and Dario Sanchez (producers), Fernando Velázquez (composer), Zayra Muñoz Dominguez (editor)

PLOT: In 1934, anthropomorphic spider and renowned detective Inspector Sun (Chieng) boards a plane to San Francisco for a long-awaited holiday. However, when the life of enigmatic millionaire Dr. Bugsy Spindlethorp (Geer) is threatened, Sun is on the case…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The spirit of Agatha Christie is alive and well in this thrilling animated mystery for families everywhere to enjoy
• Originally produced in Spain, the film has enough for it to translate well for international audiences
• Ronny Chieng, who recently had memorable roles in M3GAN and Joy Ride, voices the titular character in the English dub
• It is surprisingly suspenseful (at least, enough for children to be comfortable with) and unpredictable in its central investigation
• Young children can enjoy the action and mysterious elements, while adults will appreciate how it is introducing new audiences to the murder-mystery genre

Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow is showing in cinemas from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Jessica Alba, Anthony Michael Hall, Mark Webber, Jake Weary, Tone Bell, Alejandro De Hoyos, Gabriel Basso, Kaiwi Lyman, Hari Dhillon, Nadiv Molcho, Peter Monro, Stephanie Jones, James Cady, Jerry G. Angelo, David DeLao

CREW: Mouly Surya (director), John Brancato, Halley Gross and Josh Olson (writers), Esther Hornstein, Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee (producers), Enis Rotthoff (composer), Zoë White (cinematographer), Chris Tonick and Robert Grigsby Wilson (editors)

PLOT: After her father suddenly dies, skilled but PTSD-ridden Special Forces officer Parker (Alba) returns to her hometown to take ownership of his bar. There, whilst searching for answers to her father’s death, she runs afoul of a violent gang and must draw on her commando expertise to defend herself, whilst uncovering a much larger conspiracy in the process…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Vengeance comes home in this gripping action-thriller that offers plenty of suspense for eager viewers
• Jessica Alba fulfils a longtime dream of becoming a fully-fledged action hero, in a role that sees her tapping deep into her protagonist’s vulnerabilities for added drama
• It marks the English-language debut of Indonesian filmmaker Mouly Surya, best known for local dramas like What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love and Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts
• There are some shady figures around every corner, from members of the villainous gang to some authority figures played by the likes of Anthony Michael Hall
• Checking all the boxes when it comes to satisfying action-thrillers, this is pure entertainment through and through!

Trigger Warning is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Russell Crowe, Karen Gillan, Marton Csokas, Tommy Flanagan, Harry Greenwood, Thomas M. Wright, Elizabeth Blackmore, Lynn Gilmartin, Pacharo Mzembe, Paula Arundell

CREW: Adam Cooper (director, writer, producer), Bill Collage (writer, producer), Mark Fasano, Deborah Glover, Arun Kumar, Pouya Shahbazian and Henry Winterstern (producers), David Hirschfelder (composer), Ben Nott (cinematographer), Matt Villa (editor)

PLOT: Roy Freeman (Crowe), a retired homicide detective undergoing treatment for Alzheimer’s, is compelled to reopen an old murder case when new information comes to light, only to discover a shocking secret at its centre…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• It’s a double-helping of Russell Crowe this week (after The Exorcism) as the Oscar-winner also stars in this mysterious crime thriller
• Crowe plays a detective battling Alzheimer’s, in a film that plays around with memory and perception in some rather twisted ways
• Karen Gillan and Marton Csokas take on some meaty supporting roles in writer-director Adam Cooper’s nail-biting narrative
• Based loosely on the novel The Book of Mirrors by Eugen Chirovici, it adopts various different perspectives of the central case in a unique twist on the Rashomon effect
• Lovers of crime fiction will be curious to see how this particular mystery plays out, and if the results are truly worthy of the intense build-up!

Sleeping Dogs is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 21 June 2024

CAST: Trine Dyrholm, Flora Ofelia Hoffmann Lindahl, Herman Tømmeraas, Maja Ida Thiele, Keith Eric Chappelle, Sebastian DeMots, Viktor Bjerke Hofgaard, Nathan Popa

CREW: Michael Noer (director, writer), Jesper Fink (writer), Matilda Appelin and Rene Ezra (producers), Nils Martin Larsen (composer), Adam Wallensten (cinematographer), Jacob Thuesen (editor)

PLOT: Nanna (Dyrholm) takes her daughter Cille (Lindahl) on a Caribbean cruise for her birthday, but after Cille is assaulted, Nanna spends the next few days tracking down the unknown attacker before they escape…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A mother’s dedication to her daughter is the driving force of this tense thriller set entirely on a cruise ship in the middle of international waters
• The Danish-language film from director and co-writer Michael Noer throws numerous wrenches into the mix as the hunt for an assaulter escalates to unexpected heights
• Esteemed actor Trine Dyrholm delivers a fierce and tightly wound performance as a woman in desperate search of the truth
• Some suspenseful sequences highlight the lawlessness of the ocean, where anyone is capable of just about anything
• It’s thrilling stuff, and a higher-strung counterpart to last year’s similar trouble-in-paradise drama How to Have Sex

Birthday Girl is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 17 June 2024