This Week’s Movie Menu (24 – 30 June 2024)

You’ll be shouting from the rooftops – and then promptly gobbled up by sharp-eared alien creatures – when you learn about the fantastic films on offer this week, from a terrifying apocalyptic prequel to a star-studded anthology, to the return of a mad-as-hell news anchor…

Movie of the Week

 

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024, dir. Michael Sarnoski)

CAST: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, Eliane Umuhire

CREW: Michael Sarnoski (director, writer), Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Full and John Krasinski (producers), Pat Scola (cinematographer), Andrew Mondshein and Gregory Plotkin (editors)

PLOT: In New York, the arrival of deadly extraterrestrial creatures who hunt with ultrasonic hearing plunges the city into chaos, leaving a handful of survivors including Sam (Nyong’o) and Eric (Quinn) to avoid certain death by not making a sound…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • See how the world went quiet in this chilling prequel to director John Krasinski’s horror hit A Quiet Place
  • Krasinski steps aside to let Pig writer-director Michael Sarnoski bring his own nail-biting vision to the universe, though the original filmmaker is staying on as a producer
  • Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o and Stranger Things alumni Joseph Quinn form an unlikely pair as they find themselves trapped in a city overrun by terrifying creatures
  • The setting of the notoriously loud New York City makes for a fascinatingly carnivorous hunting ground for the creatures themselves, who are scarier than ever in this film
  • Where it goes next (if at all) is anyone’s guess, though there’s a distinct chance that both this spin-off and the Emily Blunt-led main timeline could clash in future instalments!

A Quiet Place: Day One is showing in cinemas from Thursday 27 June 2024

What’s Showing in Cinemas This Week?

 

Kinds of Kindness (2024, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)

CAST: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer, Yorgos Stefanakos, Merah Benoit

CREW: Yorgos Lanthimos (director, writer, producer), Efthimis Filippou (writer), Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and Kasia Malipan (producers), Jerskin Fendrix (composer), Robbie Ryan (cinematographer), Yorgos Mavropsaridis (editor)

PLOT: A collection of three different but loosely connected stories, including office worker Robert (Plemons) taking charge of his own destiny after breaking away from his powerful boss Raymond (Dafoe); a cop questioning his wife’s identity after her return from a supposed drowning, and a cultist setting out to find a supposed prophet with an unusual power…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Fresh from his multi-Oscar winning fantasy Poor Things, filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos returns to his more absurdist roots with a shocking and provocative new anthology
  • Lanthimos reunites with screenwriter Efthimis Filippou, who previously wrote Dogtooth, The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer with the auteur
  • An impressive ensemble cast – including Lanthimos’ Poor Things stars Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe, as well as Jesse Plemons and Hunter Schafer – take on multiple roles across three distinct narratives
  • Expect some seriously demented twists and turns within the seemingly straightforward plots, which play into Lanthimos’ natural ability for truly odd executions of even odder ideas
  • You simply won’t know where these stories are going – and that can only be a good thing when it comes to this filmmaker and his strange vision!

Kinds of Kindness is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

 

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024, dir. Kevin Costner)

CAST: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Danny Huston, Michael Rooker, Jena Malone, Michael Angarano, Abbey Lee, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jon Beavers, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Wasé Chief, Luke Wilson, Ella Hunt, Tom Payne, Will Patton, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Thomas Haden Church, Alejandro Edda, Tim Guinee, Colin Cunningham, Scott Haze, Angus Macfadyen, Douglas Smith, Michael Provost, Kathleen Quinlan, Larry Bagby, James Russo, Dale Dickey, Hayes Costner, James Landry Hébert, Dalton Baker, Georgia MacPhail, Naomi Winders, Austin Archer, Charles Baker

CREW: Kevin Costner (director, writer, producer), Jon Baird (writer), Mark George Gillard and Howard Kaplan (producers), John Debney (composer), J. Michael Muro (cinematographer), Miklos Wright (editor)

PLOT: During the American Civil War, the Old West is expanded and populated with various settlers…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The epic Western makes a glorious comeback in director/writer/star Kevin Costner’s expansive vision of how the West was formed
  • It is Costner’s first directorial outing in over 20 years, and his fourth overall after first coming into his own as a filmmaker with the Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves
  • The filmmaker gathers a huge ensemble cast to fill various roles, from character actors like Michael Rooker and Will Patton, to more recognisable faces like Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington
  • It is so massive that this isn’t the only film in this story: Chapter 2 is currently scheduled for a late August release, while a third, fourth and fifth chapter are in active development
  • Anyone who misses when Westerns were massive cinematic events will have a true field day as they lay into this magnificent theatrical achievement

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

 

Rose (2024, dir. Niels Arden Oplev)

CAST: Sofie Gråbøl, Lene Maria Christensen, Anders W. Berthelsen, Søren Malling, Luca Reichardt Ben Coker, Peter Gantzler, Christiane G. Koch, Karen-Lise Mynster, Illyés Salah, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Yale Arden, Kathrine Jacobsen, Tine Roland Grauengaard

CREW: Niels Arden Oplev (director, writer), Thomas Heinesen (producer), Henrik Skram (composer), Rasmus Videbæk (cinematographer), Lars Therkelsen and Anne Østerud (editors)

PLOT: Inger (Gråbøl) and Ellen (Christensen) are two sisters who, whilst on a coach trip to Paris, find their relationship challenged in the wake of one sister’s devastating reveal…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Swedish filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev, best known for the 2009 adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, creates a deeply personal film about the stigma surrounding mental illness
  • Oplev based the film loosely on his own experiences, particularly how he coped with a sibling who was diagnosed with schizophrenia
  • The somewhat unique setting of a coach trip allows for different reactions to the protagonist’s illness to be contained within one moving vehicle
  • As we travel to various locations around the French capital, we see an underlying beauty that is personified by the colourful characters
  • It leads to an emotional climax that brings out some of the most poignant work of Oplev’s career

Rose is showing in cinemas (and will be available to rent/buy on digital platforms) from Friday 28 June 2024

 

A Greyhound of a Girl (2023, dir. Enzo D’Alò)

CAST: Mia O’Connor, Sharon Horgan, Brendan Gleeson, Charlene McKenna, Rosaleen Linehan, Vanessa Emme, Paul Tylak

CREW: Enzo D’Alò (director, writer), Dave Ingham (writer), Adrien Chef, Mark Cumberton, Xenia Douglas, Richard Gordon, Vilnis Kalnaellis, Arthur Kubiczek, Riina Sildos and Paul Thiltges (producers), Richard Evans and David Rhodes (composers), Gianluca Cristofari (editor)

PLOT: In Ireland, Mary O’Hara (O’Connor) is a young girl with a passion for cooking, which her dying grandmother Emer (Linehan) greatly encourages. Upon the arrival of a mysterious woman named Tansey (McKenna), who turns out to have an unexpected connection to Emer, Mary and her mother Scarlett (Horgan) set off on a meaningful journey together…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This charming and gentle animated drama offers some valuable life lessons to children both young and old
  • It is an adaptation of the children’s book of the same name by acclaimed Irish author Roddy Doyle, who also wrote The Commitments which was turned into a successful film by the late Alan Parker
  • The voice cast features some prominent Irish talent including Oscar-nominee Brendan Gleeson and BAFTA-winner Sharon Horgan
  • Some gorgeous hand-drawn 2D animation calls back to an era where not every cartoon film was made entirely by computers
  • There is a truly emotional core at its centre that may leave you a bit weepy by the end

A Greyhound of a Girl is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

 

Eternal You (2024, dirs. Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck)

CAST: Christi Angel, Joshua Barbeau, Sherry Turkle, Jason Rohrer, Sam Altman, Carl Öhman, Sara M. Watson, Justin Harrison, Mark Sagar

CREW: Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck (directors), Christian Beetz, Zora Nessi, Lena Raith and Georg Tschurtschenthaler (producers), Gregor Keienburg and Raffael Seyfried (composers), Tom Bergmann, Mecky Creus, Niclas Reed Middleton, Carolina Steinbrecher and Konrad Waldmann (cinematographers), Lisa Zoe Geretschläger and Anne Jünemann (editors)

PLOT: The ups and downs of numerous tech start-ups that use artificial intelligence to create digital avatars of deceased people, who talk with their loved ones long after their passing…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:  

  • The possibilities – and horrors – of AI continue to be challenged in this fascinating documentary with a plot straight out of science-fiction!
  • We follow a number of digital start-ups that offer people the chance to talk with dead people via generated stand-ins, and how they either comfort or disturb those who use them
  • Numerous ethical questions about the reliance of technology and use of sensitive data are all explored by filmmakers Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck
  • Critics gave it near-universal praise upon its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year
  • Whether or not you’re supportive of the growing role of AI in modern society, you’ll come away from this film thinking about things that you never imagined you would regarding the subject

Eternal You is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

 

Bye Bye Tiberias (2024, dir. Lina Soualem)

CAST: Hiam Abbass, Um Ali Tabari, Nemat Tabari Abbas, Said Abbas, Omaya Younes, Johayna Hussein Abbas, Buthayna Abbas Hajo, Diana Hussein, Wafa Malgo, Zahera Bounechada, Hanan Abbas Diab, Naief Abbas, Jalla Abbas, Amer Khalil, Lina Soualem

CREW: Lina Soualem (director, writer), Nadine Naous (writer), Jean-Marie Nizan (producer), Amin Bouhafa (composer), Frida Marzouk (cinematographer), Gladys Joujou (editor)

PLOT: Filmmaker Lina Soualem follows her mother, French actor Hiam Abbass, as she returns to her birth village in Israel which she originally left behind for her career…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Award-winning documentary filmmaker Lina Soualem turns the camera on her famous mother Hiam Abbass in this deeply personal documentary for both women
  • The actor, known for roles in Succession and Steven Spielberg’s Munich, revisits her past self as she encounters familiar locations and family members in her old Israeli village
  • Both Abbass and Soualem discover more about their shared cultural and familial history in ways that surprise them both, as well as the viewer
  • It won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at last year’s BFI London Film Festival, and was even put forward as Palestine’s official entry for the International Feature Film Oscar
  • With the conflict between Israel and Palestine continuing to rage on, this is a core reminder of what people like Abbass left behind many years prior

Bye Bye Tiberias is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

What’s Showing At Home This Week?

 

A Family Affair (2024, dir. Richard LaGravenese)

CAST: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Liza Koshy, Kathy Bates, Shirley MacLaine, Sherry Cola, Gissette Valentin, Olivia Macklin

CREW: Richard LaGravenese (director), Carrie Solomon (writer), Alyssa Altman, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Joe Roth (producers), Don Burgess (cinematographer), Melissa Bretherton (editor)

PLOT: Zara (King), the personal assistant to self-absorbed movie star Chris Cole (Efron), is horrified to discover that he has fallen for her mother Brooke (Kidman)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Netflix’s answer to Prime Video’s The Idea of You presents a very different dynamic between an older woman and her younger lover (and the daughter caught in between them)
  • Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron share surprising chemistry as the unlikely couple, while Joey King navigates their romance with endless stress and embarrassment
  • Director Richard LaGravenese injects plenty of light-hearted humour into an accessible tale of love, sex and identity
  • Hopefully it will be a more pleasant union between Kidman and Efron, after their last pairing in Lee Daniels’ The Paperboy got, erm, pretty messy!
  • There’s plenty of strong comedy and heartfelt romance to please just about everyone

A Family Affair is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 28 June 2024

 

Poolman (2024, dir. Chris Pine)

CAST: Chris Pine, Annette Bening, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown, John Ortiz, Ray Wise, Juliet Mills, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito

CREW: Chris Pine (director, writer, producer), Ian Gotler (writer), Patty Jenkins and Stacey Sher (producers), Andrew Bird (composer), Matthew Jensen (cinematographer), Stacey Schroeder (editor)

PLOT: Darren Barrenman (Pine), a free-spirited pool cleaner in Los Angeles, uncovers a major conspiracy surrounding the city’s water supply, launching him on a wild odyssey to investigate and expose the truth…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Hollywood hunk Chris Pine makes his directorial debut in this wild and hilarious shaggy-dog story of a crime caper
  • Pine also stars in the film, alongside an A-list ensemble that includes Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Jason Leigh and DeWanda Wise
  • The film’s irreverent comedic style bears strong resemblance to films like The Big Lebowski and The Nice Guys, within a narrative that models itself after the classic Chinatown
  • Upon its debut on last year’s festival circuit, the film received plenty of attention – though not exactly for the right reasons – which signals that we might have a new cult classic on our hands!
  • Pine’s film is an exuberant love letter to the city of Los Angeles, and its many eccentric dreamers and personalities

Poolman is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 28 June 2024

 

I Am: Celine Dion (2024, dir. Irene Taylor)

CAST: Celine Dion

CREW: Irene Taylor (director, producer), Julie Begey Seureau, Stacy Lorts and Tom Mackay (producers), TBA (cinematographer), Richard Comeau and Christian Jensen (editors)

PLOT: Renowned international superstar Celine Dion receives a life-changing diagnosis, which she attempts to overcome as the illness begins to take hold…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The dramatic recent developments in the life and career of music icon Celine Dion are explored in this inspiring new documentary
  • The French-Canadian musician allows the camera to follow her all the way through her struggle with a rare neurological condition known as stiff-person syndrome
  • Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor captures an intimate and emotional side to the singer, who here is presented as being more vulnerable than ever
  • It’s not all doom and gloom, for the film also serves as a celebration of both Dion herself and the dedication to her profession, including performing various sold-out concerts
  • Hardcore Dion fans should prepare to reach for the tissues as their favourite singer opens herself up to the world

I Am: Celine Dion is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Tuesday 25 June 2024

 

Fancy Dance (2024, dir. Erica Tremblay)

CAST: Lily Gladstone, Isabel DeRoy-Olson, Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, Audrey Wasilewski, Shea Whigham, Dennis Newman

CREW: Erica Tremblay (director, writer, producer), Miciana Alise (writer), Deidre Backs, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Tommy Oliver and Heather Rae (producers), Carolina Costa (cinematographer), Robert Grigsby Wilson (editor)

PLOT: On a Native reservation in Oklahoma, Jax (Gladstone) has been caring for her teen niece Roki (DeRoy-Olson) since her sister’s disappearance. When she faces losing custody to Roki’s grandfather Frank (Whigham), Jax and Roki set out on a journey to track down Roki’s mother in time for an upcoming powwow, but their search soon turns into a much deeper investigation…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Fresh from her Oscar-nominated turn in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone delivers another compelling performance in this sombre drama
  • She plays the troubled carer of an equally distraught teen, whose own frustrations are perfectly captured by newcomer Isabel DeRoy-Olson
  • Writer-director Erica Tremblay uses the tender narrative to explore some complex themes revolving around the role of Indigenous women in a colonised society
  • It has played at festivals all over the world, from Sundance to London, and just about everywhere the film, along with Gladstone’s fearless lead turn, has received critical acclaim
  • Those still bummed about Gladstone’s Oscar loss to Emma Stone (though there’s not a trace of bad blood between the two actors) can look to this as proof that her time to thank the Academy will soon come

Fancy Dance is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 28 June 2024

 

A Sacrifice (2024, dir. Jordan Scott)

CAST: Eric Bana, Sadie Sink, Sylvia Hoeks, Jonas Dassler, Sophie Rois, Stephan Kampwirth, Lara Feith

CREW: Jordan Scott (director, writer), Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, Georgina Pope, Michael Pruss and Ridley Scott (producers), Volker Bertelmann (composer), Julie Kirkwood (cinematographer), Rachel Durance (editor)

PLOT: Ben Monroe (Bana), a social psychologist, investigates a local cult that is connected to a recent tragic event. After Ben’s rebellious daughter Mazzie (Sink) becomes involved with the very cult he’s investigating, he is embroiled in a race against time to save her…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • This tense psychological thriller highlights the intense danger of becoming involved with sinister cults
  • Eric Bana heads a cast that includes Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink and Blade Runner 2049’s Sylvia Hoeks
  • Writer-director Jordan Scott is the offspring of legendary director Ridley Scott, who is also on board as a producer
  • Some disturbing scenes show how alarmingly easy it can be to become attracted to and eventually consumed by destructive alternative lifestyles
  • It’s a thrilling and rather engaging movie that will leave you utterly transfixed on the unpredictable plot

A Sacrifice is streaming exclusively on Sky Cinema from Friday 28 June 2024

 

The Prank (2024, dir. Maureen Bharoocha)

CAST: Rita Moreno, Connor Kalopsis, Ramona Young, Keith David, Kate Flannery, Meredith Salenger, Jonathan Kimmel, Nathan Janak, Betsy Sodaro, Romel De Silva

CREW: Maureen Bharoocha (director), Rebecca Flinn-White and Zak White (writers), Steven J. Wolfe (producer), Deron Johnson (composer), Mathew Rudenberg (cinematographer), Sarah C. Reeves (editor)

PLOT: Ben (Kalopsis), a high school student, needs to earn good grades in order to obtain a scholarship, but his strict physics teacher Mrs. Wheeler (Moreno) threatens to fail the entire class after she discovers that one of her students cheated on an exam. Reeling from the decision, Ben and his best friend Tanner (Young) hatch a plan to frame Mrs. Wheeler for the murder of a missing student, only for things to take an unexpected turn…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • Screen legend Rita Moreno brings to life a truly monstrous teacher that makes Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers look like Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society!
  • The EGOT winner acts opposite younger performers Connor Kalopsis and Ramona Young in a darkly funny battle of wits
  • It escalates to surprising and even shocking levels as more facts are revealed that put everything in a whole new light
  • Director Maureen Bharoocha has fun with the concept of social media and its destructive capabilities
  • It leads to an ending that will leave you on the edge of your seat, as well as doubtless of the legendary Moreno’s acting prowess

The Prank is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 24 June 2024

What’s Returning to Cinemas This Week?

 

Network (1976, dir. Sidney Lumet)

CAST: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty, Jordan Charney, Conchata Ferrell, Darryl Hickman, Roy Poole, William Price, Beatrice Straight, Marlene Warfield, Arthur Burghardt, Kathy Cronkite, Lee Richardson

CREW: Sidney Lumet (director), Paddy Chayefsky (writer), Howard Gottfried (producer), Elliot Lawrence (composer), Owen Roizman (cinematographer), Alan Heim (editor)

PLOT: After news anchor Howard Beale (Finch) learns that he is to be fired from his job due to low ratings, he launches an on-air tirade that quickly draws attention from viewers. His television network, headed by power-hungry executive Diana Christensen (Dunaway), decides to exploit Beale’s newfound notoriety for the sake of driving up their viewership, but when Beale becomes increasingly difficult to control, drastic measures are taken…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

  • The acclaimed satire from legendary director Sidney Lumet returns to cinemas as part of a wider celebration of the filmmaker’s 100th anniversary
  • Paddy Chayefsky’s screenplay is often considered to be one of the greatest scripts ever written, with its darkly funny social commentary, complex characters, and quotable lines
  • It won four Oscars, including three acting awards including one for Peter Finch (who passed away before the ceremony) and one for Beatrice Straight, whose five minute and two second performance is the shortest ever to win an Academy Award
  • Though made in the mid-70s, many believe it to have all too accurately predicted the modern ratings-obsessed state of television
  • As relevant today as it was nearly fifty years ago, this is a powerful and deeply unsettling film that has become a classic for a very good reason

Network is showing in cinemas from Friday 28 June 2024

That’s about it for this week – be sure to come back next week for a whole new set of movies to work up an appetite for!

Want to see our past menus?

Want to find a specific film?

Search for it in the box below:

Love Hurts (dir. Jonathan Eusebio)

A real-estate agent is forced to return to his violent past life…

Dog Man (dir. Peter Hastings)

After an accident, a cop and his dog companion are brought together in an unexpected way…

September 5 (dir. Tim Fehlbaum)

During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team covers a devastating event…

Kinda Pregnant (dir. Tyler Spindel)

A woman pretends to be pregnant for attention…

The Fire Inside (dir. Rachel Morrison)

In 2012, 16-year-old boxer Claressa Shields makes Olympic history…

Hard Truths (dir. Mike Leigh)

Two sisters have two very different reactions to grief…

You’re Cordially Invited (dir. Nicholas Stoller)

A pair of competing wedding parties must share their double-booked venue…

Saturday Night (dir. Jason Reitman)

The behind-the-scenes chaos before the first-ever Saturday Night Live…

Companion (dir. Drew Hancock)

Iris embarks on a twisted romance with Josh…

Flight Risk (dir. Mel Gibson)

A hit man poses as a pilot to kill his latest target…

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