Movie of the Week

• Blink Twice

Cinemas

• The Crow
• Kneecap
• Cuckoo
• Widow Clicquot
• Between the Temples
• The Mountain Within Me
• Cadejo Blanco
• Noah’s Ark: A Musical Adventure

Streaming/On-Demand

• Incoming
• The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
• The Beast Within
• Black Dog

Re-Releases

• The Amazing Spider-Man
• Pulp Fiction

CAST: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Alia Shawkat, Levon Hawke

CREW: Zoë Kravitz (director, writer, producer), E.T. Feigenbaum (writer), Bruce Cohen, Garret Levitz, Tiffany Persons and Channing Tatum (producers), Chanda Dancy (composer), Adam Newport-Berra (cinematographer), Kathryn J. Schubert (editor)

PLOT: Frida (Ackie), a cocktail waitress, meets the charming tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) at a fundraising gala, and he quickly invites her and her friend Jess (Shawkat) to his private island for a dream getaway. However, when a series of strange incidents begin to occur, such as the sudden disappearance of Jess, Frida finds her sense of reality starting to crumble…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Zoë Kravitz makes a compelling and eye-catching filmmaking debut with this mysterious and unpredictable horror-tinged satirical thriller
• Originally titled Pussy Island – no prizes for guessing why that title sadly didn’t stick – the film takes aim at the unchecked power and toxic misogyny within affluent, male-dominated circles
• Leading the charge is a sinister and charismatic turn by Channing Tatum, whom actual lead Naomi Ackie struggles to convince other guests – among them Hit Man’s Adria Arjona and even former child actor Haley Joel Osment – is not whom he seems
• Some shocking developments have you questioning the motives of every single character, up to an equally outrageous climax
• It’s a solid behind-the-camera debut for Kravitz, who displays a genuine and proud voice that should delight audiences for years to come

Blink Twice is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, Jordan Bolger, Karel Dobrý, Paul A. Maynard

CREW: Rupert Sanders (director), Zach Baylin and William Schneider (writers), Victor Hadida, Molly Hassell, John Jencks and Edward R. Pressman (producers), Volker Bertelmann (composer), Steve Annis (cinematographer), Jason Ballantine (editor)

PLOT: Eric (Skarsgård), a rock musician, is engaged to the beautiful Shelly (Twigs), but their union comes to an abrupt halt when they are assaulted and left for dead by thugs. In the afterlife, Eric is given the chance to be brought back with special abilities, which he uses to exact vengeance on those who took Shelly from him…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• After years in development hell, the big-screen reboot of the Crow franchise is finally ready to fly into cinemas
• It is considered a new adaptation of the original comic book series, rather than a remake of the infamous 1994 film which starred Brandon Lee (who sadly lost his life during filming)
• Before Bill Skarsgård was officially cast to play the titular anti-hero, numerous other actors like Bradley Cooper, Jason Momoa, Tom Hiddleston and even Skarsgård’s sibling Alexander were attached throughout its long development phase
• There is plenty of graphic supernatural violence to complement the dark and depraved criminal underworld that the protagonist infiltrates
• The film should provide new audiences with a fresh introduction to this gothic universe, which could be expanded upon in potential follow-ups

The Crow is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, Josie Walker, Fionnula Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, Simone Kirby, Michael Fassbender

CREW: Rich Peppiatt (director, writer), Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling (producers), Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and Gemma Doherty (composers), Ryan Kernaghan (cinematographer), Chris Gill and Julian Ulrichs (editors)

PLOT: In 2019, Liam (Ó Hannaidh), Naoise (Ó Cairealláin) and JJ (Ó Dochartaigh) – three young men who hail from the Gaeltacht Quarter in West Belfast – form a provocative hip-hop trio known as Kneecap…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The monumental Belfast-based rap group are the focus of a lively and musical biopic of their unlikely formation
• All three members of the group play themselves in the film, making their acting debuts alongside more experienced Irish actors like Josie Walker, Simone Kirby, and Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender
• It also marks the directorial debut of Rich Peppiatt, who previously directed a music video for the band
• The film made headlines as the first Irish-language film to debut at the Sundance Film Festival, where it picked up the NEXT Audience Award
• With a structure and style as unconventional as the band itself, this is filled with anarchic energy that’s impossible to resist

Kneecap is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Jan Bluthardt, Márton Csókás, Greta Fernández, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Konrad Singer, Proschat Madani, Kalin Morrow, Mila Lieu

CREW: Tilman Singer (director, writer), Thor Bradwell, Markus Halberschmidt, Ken Kao, Ben Rimmer, Josh Rosenbaum and Maria Tsigka (producers), Simon Waskow (composer), Paul Faltz (cinematographer), Terel Gibson and Philipp Thomas (editors)

PLOT: Gretchen (Schafer), an American teenager, reluctantly goes to live with her father Luis (Csókás) and his new family at a resort in the German Alps. She soon meets Mr. König (Stevens), her father’s mysterious boss, who offers Gretchen a job working at the resort, but she soon discovers a horrifying secret that involves her family…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• There really is trouble in paradise as this creepy and nerve-wracking psychological horror presents a terrifying situation that you’ll be freaked out by
• Hunter Schafer, of the hit show Euphoria, astounds in her first lead role in a film, where she gets to look absolutely freaked out for most of the runtime
• She has some solid support, particularly from Dan Stevens in a mysterious role that completes his 2024 trilogy of eccentric character performances (the others being his memorable turns in Abigail and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire)
• The film contains some seriously freaky scares and visuals that will be imprinted in your mind for ages after you witness them
• It is destined for cult film status, with ambitious ideas and surprising turns that will no doubt gain this film an audience over time

Cuckoo is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Haley Bennet, Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Anson Boom, Leo Suter, Ben Miles, Natasha O’Keeffe, Cecily Cleeve, Paul Rhys, Ian Conningham, Christopher Villers, Cara Seymour, Phoebe Nicholls, Nick Farrell, Chris Larkin, Mark Tandy

CREW: Thomas Napper (director), Erin Dignam (writer), Haley Bennett, Christina Weiss Lurie and Joe Wright (producers), Bryce Dessner (composer), Caroline Champetier (cinematographer), Richard Marizy (editor)

PLOT: In early 1800s France, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot (Bennett) defies convention by, in the wake of her husband François Clicquot’s (Sturridge) untimely death, taking the reins of the prosperous wine company that they had established together, transforming her into one of the first great businesswomen…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Discover the story of an influential figure in modern business with this inspiring and often bubbly historical biopic
• Haley Bennett stars as the French champagne pioneer Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, whose savvy business skills and fierce determination changed the wine business forever
• Bennett also produces the film with her real-life partner, filmmaker Joe Wright who previously directed the actor in Cyrano
• The story dives into the economic and misogynist woes that Clicquot had to endure throughout her quest to revitalise the business, all set to some gorgeous countryside cinematography that brings out the beauty of the vineyards
• It’s a handsomely told film that gives audiences the chance to put a face to the world-famous luxury champagne known as Veuve Clicquot

Widow Clicquot is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly de Leon, Caroline Aaron, Robert Smigel, Madeline Weinstein, Matthew Shear, Lindsay Burdge, Jason Grisell, Cindy Silver, John Magary, Annie Hamilton, Jacob Morrell

CREW: Nathan Silver (director, writer), C. Mason Wells (writer), Tim Headington, Taylor Hess, Nate Kamiya, Adam Kersh and Theresa Steele Page (producers), Sean Price Williams (cinematographer), John Magary (editor)

PLOT: Ben Gottlieb (Schwartzman) is a Jewish cantor who is having a severe crisis of faith, but things begin to turn around for him when his old music teacher, Carla O’Connor (Kane), becomes his new bat mitzvah student…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The appeal of this delightfully deadpan comedy-drama isn’t just limited to those of the Jewish faith
• Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane make an unlikely comedic pair, and there’s also some memorable support from Triangle of Sadness breakout Dolly de Leon
• It has played very well with audiences at international film festivals like Sundance, Tribeca and Berlin
• The script, co-written by director Nathan Silver, explores plenty of thoughtful and complex human emotions with a sardonic sense of wit
• There are plenty of heartfelt laughs to make viewers laugh but also feel some sweetness deep within

Between the Temples is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Ed Jackson

CREW: Polly Steele (director), George Chignell (producer), Donna McKevitt (composer), TBA (cinematographer), Sabrina Burnard (editor)

PLOT: After a career-ending spinal cord injury, professional rugby player Ed Jackson sets out to conquer the mountains of Snowdonia, the Alps and the Himalayas as part of his recovery process…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The inspirational story of Ed Jackson and his impossible climbing expeditions is captured in a riveting documentary format
• Jackson opens up about his emotional and physical struggles following an injury that nearly cost him his life, and how climbing some of the world’s tallest mountains helped him to recover
• Filmmaker Polly Steele manages to follow Jackson across some extraordinary, not to mention rather dangerous, environments around the globe
• It reminds us all of the indomitable power of the human spirit, which can push us to doing things we never thought we could
• If you enjoyed climbing documentaries like the Oscar-winning Free Solo, then this will surely give you an extra dollop of inspiration

The Mountain Within Me is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Karen Martínez, Rudy Rodriguez, Pamela Martínez, Brandon López, Juan Pablo Olyslager

CREW: Justin Lerner (director, writer, producer, editor), Mauricio Escobar, Ryan Friedkin and Jack Patrick Hurley (producers), Jonatan Szer (composer), Roman Kasseroller (cinematographer), Cesar Diaz (editor)

PLOT: In Guatemala City, Sarita (K. Martínez) becomes concerned when her sister Bea (P. Martínez) doesn’t return home after a night out. She soon suspects that Bea’s ex-boyfriend Andrés (Rodriguez), who leads a ruthless street gang, might have something to do with her disappearance, so she infiltrates his gang in order to uncover the truth, but eventually becomes too involved…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The lives of Guatemalan street gangs are given a fresh and sobering new perspective in writer-director Justin Lerner’s tense crime drama
• Many of the actors come from non-professional backgrounds, which adds a resounding realism to the gritty environments shown within the film
• There is some disturbing violence that will ring true for anyone who’s ever been caught in the middle of gang warfare
• At the Film Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year, it was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award, which recognises films made for less than $1 million
• With some gripping criminal activity as well as a thoughtful study of morality, this is a thriller that you’ll be thinking of long after you see it

Cadejo Blanco is showing in cinemas (and will be available to rent/buy on digital platfotms) from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Rodrigo Santoro, Marcelo Adnet, Alice Braga, Keith Silverstein, Ian James Corlett, Luis Bermudez, Laila McCann, Debra Wilson, Christopher Corey Smith, Triya Leong, Rachel Butera, Misty Lee, Rick Zieff, David Lodge, Bill Rogers, Karen Strassman, Mark Lewis

CREW: Sérgio Machado (director, writer), Daniel Greco, Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane, Felipe Sabino and Walter Salles (producers), TBA (composer), Marcelo Junqueira (editor)

PLOT: Tom (Adnet) and Vini (Santoro) are two mice who attempt to board the giant ark that’s been built by Noah (Corlett), but they are turned away as only one male and one female of each species are allowed to come onto the ship. Soon, they find a way to sneak onto the ark, with unexpected results…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Young children will be hugely entertained by this colourful and enjoyable new take on the classic Biblical story
• The animated film is a co-production between Brazil and India, with the end result being extraordinarily universal
• It adopts an animation style similar to that of the Spider-Verse films, with a lower frame rate to give off the illusion of traditional 2D drawings within the fully CG landscapes
• As the title suggests, there are lots of musical moments to dance about to, set to some delightfully anachronistic tunes
• It introduces the timeless tale to new audience members who can follow it along and retain it in their memories forever

Noah’s Ark: A Musical Adventure is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Mason Thames, Ramon Reed, Raphael Alejandro, Bardia Seiri, Loren Gray, Bobby Cannavale, Kaitlin Olson, Scott MacArthur, Isabella Ferreira, Ali Gallo, Thomas Barbusca, Sammi-Jack Martincak, Anissa Borrego, Gattlin Griffith, Imogen Tear, Haylee Baldwin

CREW: Dave Chernin and John Chernin (directors, writers), Gary Barber, Todd Garner, Mark Korshak, Peter Oillataguerre, Peter Principato, Ben Silverman, Nicholas Stoller and Conor Welch (producers), Jonathan Sadoff (composer), Ricardo Diaz (cinematographer), Josh Crockett and Elizabeth Praino (editors)

PLOT: Benji (Thames), Eddie (Reed), Connor (Alejandro) and Koosh (Seiri) are four young high school freshmen who are invited to their first-ever party, where they undergo a whirlwind of new adolescent experiences…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• From writer-director siblings Dave and John Chernin comes a film that offers teen audiences a fresh and wild new take on that most glorious rite of passage: the high school party
• The young cast includes familiar faces like Mason Thames, who previously impressed in The Black Phone, while Bobby Cannavale and Kaitlin Olson pop up in some fun supporting roles
• Although it was shot back in 2022, it wasn’t picked up by distributor Netflix until late last year, with the film having been completed in the time between
• Expect some rambunctious teen partying with everything from underage drinking to ill-advised hook-ups and possibly more
• It seeks to give a new generation of viewers their own teen comedy to learn about the trials and tribulations of adolescence from

Incoming is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Russell Hornsby, Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle, Abigail Achiri, Dijon Means, Ryan Paynter, Cleveland Berto, Xavier Mills, Donna Biscoe, Tony Winters, Raymond Greene-Joyner, Jason Turner

CREW: Tina Mabry (director, writer), Cee Marcellus (writer), Apolline Berty, Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and Zahra Phillips (producers), Kathryn Bostic (composer), Sean McElwee (cinematographer), Tariq Anwar (editor)

PLOT: Odette (Ellis-Taylor), Barbara Jean (Lathan) and Clarice (Aduba) are three lifelong best friends who dub themselves “The Supremes”, and over the decades confide in each other as they go through hardships and personal tragedies…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• No, it’s not a loose biopic of Diana Ross’s band, but rather a lively and heartfelt adaptation of the best-selling novel by Edward Kelsey Moore
• Director and co-writer Tina Mabry directs a lively lead trio that includes Oscar-nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Emmy-winner Uzo Aduba and Sanaa Lathan
• Their on-screen chemistry generates endless pleasure as the characters experience numerous dramatic life events with each other
• The gentle filmmaking allows the heavier themes to land with a lighter blow, but still enough to leave a major impact
• It’s a charming and uplifting tale of friendship that should put you in an excellent mood after you watch it

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: Kit Harington, Ashleigh Cummings, James Cosmo, Caoilinn Springall, Ian Giles, Martina McClements

CREW: Alexander J. Farrell (director, writer), Greer Ellison (writer), Alex Chang, Jack Christian, Ryan Hamilton, Merlin Merton, Martin Owen, Evan Ross, Sebastian Street and Jordan Wagner (producers), Jack Halama and Nathan W. Klein (composers), Daniel Katz (cinematographer), Matthieu Laclau (editor)

PLOT: Noah (Harington) lives on an isolated compound deep in the English countryside with his loving wife Imogen (Cummings) and their young daughter Willow (Springall). However, when curiosity leads Willow to follow her father on his strange nightly journeys during a full moon, she ends up discovering a terrifying secret about him that could change the family forever…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Nothing is scarier than family in this intense supernatural thriller that redefines a classic movie monster
• Game of Thrones star Kit Harington puts in a frighteningly physical performance as the family man at the centre of the horror
• It plays with the concept of parenthood and how one destructive outburst can upset that fragile bond for good
• Some chilling effects, both practical and visual, create a scary environment that could well give you nightmares
• There are some surprises that may just leave you in utter awe of the creativity behind this and many other monster movies

The Beast Within is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 19 August 2024

CAST: Jamie Flatters, Keenan Munn-Francis, Nicholas Pinnock, Paul Kaye, Ruby Stokes, Hattie Morahan, Amrita Acharia, Jason Flemyng, Liv Hill

CREW: George Jaques (director, writer, producer), Jamie Flatters (writer, producer), Ken Petrie and Ian Sharp (producers), Blair Mowat (composer), Hamish Anderson (cinematographer), Caitlin Spiller (editor)

PLOT: After running away from his foster home in London, teenager Daniel (Flatters) encounters Sam (Munn-Francis) who’s on his way to the northeast of England to see his mother. Eager to find his sister in Scotland, Daniel convinces Sam to accompany him on his journey, but after the trip takes a sudden turn, they discover how close they actually are…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Two young men are in for a life-changing road trip in a British drama with a uniquely universal appeal
• Lead actor Jamie Flatters also co-wrote the script with director George Jaques, who makes his feature debut at the prime young age of 24
• Jaques shot the film on a shoestring budget across four weeks, compacting several scenes of intense emotion into an impressively short schedule
• It competed for the Sunderland Prize at last year’s BFI London Film Festival, which honours first-time filmmakers and their debut features
• With powerful performances and unexpected twists, this is a drama to lift your spirits as well as bring you crashing back down to earth

Black Dog is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 19 August 2024

CAST: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Chris Zylka, Embeth Davidtz, Leif Gantvoort, Michael Barra, Tom Waite, Hannah Marks, Kelsey Chow, C. Thomas Howell, Max Charles

CREW: Marc Webb (director), Steve Kloves, Alvin Sargent and James Vanderbilt (writers), Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Laura Ziskin (producers), James Horner (composer), John Schwartzman (cinematographer), Alan Edward Bell and Pietro Scalia (editors)

PLOT: Peter Parker (Garfield), a socially awkward high school student, is bitted by a genetically altered spider that grants him spider-like powers. Soon, he uses them to prevent his mentor, Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), from a nefarious scheme after he is transformed into a giant reptilian lizard, with the help of his classmate and crush Gwen Stacy (Stone)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The marathon of Spider-Man re-releases continues with the return of 2012’s big-screen reboot of the franchise
• After plans for a fourth film in Sam Raimi’s series fell through, director Marc Webb was hired (partially, one presumes, because of his appropriate surname) to bring the saga back to its teen-centric roots
• Despite initial scepticism about the need to revisit the hero’s origin story, audiences were quickly won over by Andrew Garfield’s charismatic take on the hero, as well as his shining romantic chemistry with co-star Emma Stone
• There are some fun action sequences that rank among the liveliest in the entire Spider-Man franchise, including a showdown set in Peter Parker’s high school
• Its success with both critics and audiences immediately saw plans for a sequel receive the greenlight – wait until next week to find out how that went…

The Amazing Spider-Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024

CAST: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis, Bronagh Gallagher, Phil LaMarr, Quentin Tarantino, Frank Whaley, Burr Steers, Angela Jones, Duane Whitaker, Peter Greene, Stephen Hibbert

CREW: Quentin Tarantino (director, writer), Lawence Bender (producer), Andrzej Sekula (cinematographer), Sally Menke (editor)

PLOT: Two hitmen, Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson), set out to retrieve a mysterious briefcase for their boss, the crime lord Marcellus Wallace (Rhames). Later, Vincent keeps Marcellus’s wife Mia (Thurman) company during a night that soon takes a turn for the worse. Meanwhile, aging boxer Butch Coolidge (Willis) is paid by Wallace to throw an upcoming fight, but things take an unexpected turn. Finally, petty criminals Pumpkin (Roth) and Honey Bunny (Plummer) attempt to hold up a diner…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Quentin Tarantino’s timeless classic is back on the big screen with an all-new 4K restoration for its 30th anniversary
• It cemented Tarantino as one of Hollywood’s brightest voices, following his acclaimed debut feature Reservoir Dogs
• The stacked ensemble includes John Travolta (who experienced a career resurgence following this film), soon-to-be Tarantino regulars like Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman, and plenty more memorable turns by esteemed character actors
• It became an enormous instant hit with critics and audiences, winning the Palme D’Or at Cannes and the Oscar for Original Screenplay, as well as scoring nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and more
• With its quotable dialogue, memorable sequences and its iconic non-linear narrative, it’s a film that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime

Pulp Fiction is showing in cinemas from Friday 23 August 2024