Movie of the Week

• Moana 2

Cinemas

• Conclave
• Your Monster
• All We Imagine as Light
• The Contestant
• The Taste of Mango
• Made in Ethiopia

Streaming/On-Demand

• Our Little Secret
• The Silent Hour
• Nutcrackers
• Beatles ’64
• Dear Santa
• Monster Summer

Re-Releases

• The Polar Express

CAST: Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Hualālai Chung, Rachel House, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey, Alan Tudyk

CREW: Dana Ledoux Miller (director, writer), David G. Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand (directors), Jared Bush (writer), Christina Chen, Yvett Merino and Osnat Shurer (producers), Opetaia Foa’I and Mark Mancina (composers), TBA (editor)

PLOT: Moana (Cravalho), the adventurous explorer from the Polynesian island of Motunui, receives an unexpected message from her wayfaring ancestors that sees her and a motley crew – including her old friend, the shapeshifting demigod Maui (Johnson) – sail out to the far seas of Oceania to break an ancient curse…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Disney’s brightest new hero returns with an all-new adventure that was meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible
• Originally developed as a long-form series for Disney+, the film was reworked into a theatrical sequel that transports audiences and numerous familiar characters to new uncharted waters
• Auliʻi Cravalho returns as the voice of Moana herself, as does Dwayne Johnson as the mischievous Maui for some fresh escapades
• A new list of original songs – this time penned by songwriter duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear – aims to rival the memorable tracks from the original Oscar-nominated film
• There is plenty of exciting action and adventure to please just about every family member that’s in search of a fun trip to the cinema!

Moana 2 is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Carlos Diehz, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini, Loris Loddi, Brían F. O’Byrne, Merab Ninidze, Thomas Loibl, Jacek Koman

CREW: Edward Berger (director), Peter Straughan (writer), Alice Dawson, Robert Harris, Juliette Howell, Michael Jackman and Tessa Ross (producers), Volker Bertelmann (composer), Stéphane Fontaine (cinematographer), Nick Emerson (editor)

PLOT: After the sudden death of the Pope, a group of cardinals gather at the Vatican to participate in the unpredictable process of selecting a new pontiff. Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) is selected to oversee the election, but discovers some alarming information about some of the most prominent candidates…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Political intrigue seeps its way into the most secretive voting system in the world in this entertaining thriller
• Edward Berger, the director of the Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front, makes his exciting English-language debut with his and screenwriter Peter Straughan’s adaptation of the Robert Harris novel
• Ralph Fiennes delivers one of his most soulful lead performances, amidst a supporting cast that includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini as a nun with a powerful secret
• There are some truly shocking twists that you will not be able to see coming, keeping the mystery and intrigue alive and well
• It may not sound like an exciting thrill ride, but rest assured that this is one of the most invigorating theatrical experiences you may have all year!

Conclave is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster, Meghann Fahy

CREW: Caroline Lindy (director, writer, producer), Kira Carstensen, Melanie Donkers, Kayla Foster and Shannon Reilly (producers), Tim Williams (composer), Will Stone (cinematographer), Daysha Broadway and Jon Higgins (editors)

PLOT: After her life falls apart, struggling actor Laura Franco (Barrera) is left in a crippling depression. However, she is soon visited by a terrifying Monster (Dewey) living in her closet, whose strange charm helps her to finally let go of her worries…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A modern-day Beauty and the Beast is how this unique romantic comedy-horror has been described by early critics
• Melissa Barrera puts in a captivating lead turn as the troubled Beauty to Tommy Dewey’s ferocious yet unexpected endearing Beast
• Filmmaker Caroline Lindy adapts her 2019 short film of the same name into a wider-reaching and ultimately heartwarming narrative
• It has won the acclaim of many audiences at film festivals, including at Sundance London where it picked up the coveted Audience Favourite Award
• With its mesmerising blend of magical-realist fantasy and real-world drama, this is the kind of film that deserves its future cult film status

Your Monster is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, Azees Nedumangad, Tintumol Joseph

CREW: Payal Kapadia (director, writer), Julien Graff and Thomas Hakim (producers), Dhritiman Das and Topshe (composers), Ranabir Das (cinematographer), Clément Pinteaux (editor)

PLOT: In Mumbai, a nurse named Prabha (Kusruti) is perturbed by an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Meanwhile, her younger roommate Anu (Prabha) attempts to find a safe place where she can have sex with her Muslim boyfriend Shiaz (Haroon)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Witness a different side of Mumbai than the movies have yet shown in this tender and at times poignant Indian drama
• Writer-director Payal Kapadia follows the relatable lives of women that are struggling to survive in a largely patriarchal society
• Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha deliver a pair of compelling lead performances as characters that could not be more different to one another
• The film won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it became the first Indian film to be shown in competition in thirty years
• With its heartwarming and optimistic approach to the drama, this is a truly special film from a part of the world that deserves more recognition within cinema

All We Imagine as Light is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Tomoaki Hamatsu, Toshio Tsuchiya, Jason Her, Miki Yamashita, June Yoon, Fred Armisen

CREW: Clair Titley (director, writer), Ian Bonhôte, Amit Dey and Andee Ryder (producers), Nainita Desai (composer), Mikul Eriksson (cinematographer), Katie Bryer and Rachel Meyrick (editors)

PLOT: In 1998 Japan, aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu is ordered by a TV executive to strip naked inside an almost-empty apartment, and instructed not to leave until he fills out numerous magazine sweepstakes that will earn him food, clothing and other essential needs. He remains in the apartment for more than a year, during which he unwittingly becomes the country’s most popular reality show star…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This shocking and at times unbelievable documentary explores the bizarre odyssey of a pioneering reality show star
• Filmmaker Clair Titley documents the year-long mission of Tomoaki Hamatsu to complete a series of mind-numbing tasks, all while being secretly filmed for the world to watch and enjoy
• The incident is long thought of as a major early breakthrough in what would become modern reality TV, as well as a dehumanising experiment reminiscent of The Truman Show (which debuted that same year)
• Much of what is shown appears to have been the precursor for what consists of not just reality television but also much of YouTube and TikTok, where people share perhaps a bit too much of themselves for the amusement of others
• With its themes of exploitation and greed providing a sobering backdrop, this is a film where you’ll come out with too many emotions to count

The Contestant is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Chloe Abrahams

CREW: Chloe Abrahams (director, writer, producer, editor), Elliott Whitton (producer), Suren Seneviratne (composer), Isidore Bethel and Stella Heath Kier (editors)

PLOT: Filmmaker Chloe Abrahams probes a traumatic past that she shares with her mother and grandmother…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Three generations of women unite in this deeply personal documentary from filmmaker Chloe Abrahams
• The first-time Sri Lankan-British director turns the camera on both herself and her close maternal figures, as they all recount the complicated history of their family
• It won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at last year’s BFI London Film Festival, and Abrahams was awarded the Best Debut Director prize at the 2023 BIFAs
• As it unearths a deeply upsetting past rooted in patriarchal control, you realise just how strong the bond of all three women truly is
• It may make you emotional about your own family roots, whether they be as difficult as the ones on display here or not

The Taste of Mango is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Various

CREW: Max Duncan (director, writer, producer, cinematographer), Xinyan Yu (director, writer, producer), Tamara Mariam Dawit (producer), Ali Helnwein (composer), Biel Andrés, Jeppe Bødskov and Siyi Chen (editors)

PLOT: In rural Ethiopia, a major Chinese factory complex sets ambitious plans for expansion, only to find its promises of prosperity and growth within the surrounding area challenged…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This investigative documentary explores the questionable heart of industrialisation and the people it ends up affecting the most
• Filmmakers Max Duncan and Xinyan Yu shot the film over the course of four years, during which time plenty happens that makes for compelling factual entertainment
• Several people involved on both sides of the situation, from affluent Chinese businesspeople to overworked Ethiopian labourers, to create a multi-faceted picture of what’s really going on
• It raises numerous ethical dilemmas about foreign businesses laying claim to international territory, as well as the general expansion of unreliable resources
• You will come away with a newfound interest in the nature of international business, and its numerous pros and cons

Made in Ethiopia is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Rudnitsky, Chris Parnell, Tim Meadows, Dan Bucatinsky, Henry Czerny, Katie Baker, Ash Santos, Jake Brennan, Brian Unger, Judy Reyes, Bobbie Eakes

CREW: Stephen Herek (director), Hailey DeDominicis (writer), Mike Elliott and Lisa Gooding (producers), Emily Bear (composer), Graham Robbins (cinematographer), Heath Ryan (editor)

PLOT: Avery (Lohan) and Logan (Harding) have not spoken to each other in ten years since their break-up. Their new partners, however, turn out to be siblings, which awkwardly reunites Avery and Logan when they accompany their lovers to a Christmas celebration, but although they decide to keep their past relationship a secret, certain complications make things more difficult…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Lindsay Lohan continues her career resurgence as she reunites with Netflix for an all-new festive rom-com
• The Freaky Friday and Mean Girls actor shares fun chemistry with co-star Ian Harding, with whom she also displays a genuine romantic connection with
• Look out for some amusing appearances by SNL alumni Chris Parnell and Tim Meadows, while there’s also a sizeable supporting role for Broadway legend Kristin Chenoweth
• Expect plenty of Christmas décor to light up practically every frame, in ways that will have you even more excited for the big day
• Even though you might know exactly where things are going, the ride is so much fun – especially with charming actors like Lohan at its centre!

Our Little Secret is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Wednesday 27 November 2024

CAST: Joel Kinnaman, Sandra Mae Frank, Mekhi Phifer, Mark Strong, Michael Eklund, Djinda Kane, Katrina Lupi

CREW: Brad Anderson (director), Dan Hall (writer), Eric Paquette (producer), Anton Sanko (composer), Daniel Aranyó (cinematographer), Matt Lyon (editor)

PLOT: After an on-the-job accident leaves him with permanent hearing loss, Boston detective Frank Shaw (Kinnaman) is recruited by his partner Doug (Strong) to protect Ava (Frank), a deaf woman who witnessed a brutal murder. However, when a group of criminals and corrupt cops enter Ava’s apartment building to subdue her, Frank must do what he can to spare her from harm…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• After previously kicking ass without the ability to speak in last year’s Silent Night, Joel Kinnaman is back in action hero mode without being able to hear
• Kinnaman teams with The Machinist director Brad Anderson for a nail-biting action-thriller that is primarily set within a vulnerable apartment building, à la The Raid
• Appearing opposite the actor is Mark Strong, 8 Mile star Mekhi Phifer as an intimidating villain, and deaf actor Sandra Mae Frank who leads the film’s strong HOH representation
• The gritty action sequences will have your heart pumping, enough to where even viewers with hearing difficulties will be able to feel its vibrations
• It has plenty of suspense and thrills to satisfy your movie cravings during an evening in front of the TV

The Silent Hour is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Wednesday 27 November 2024

CAST: Ben Stiller, Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker, Toby Huss, Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, Arlo Janson, Maren Heisler

CREW: David Gordon Green (director), Leland Douglas (writer), Nate Meyer, Rob Paris and Mike Witherill (producers), Aaron M. Fernandez Olson (composer), Michael Simmonds (cinematographer), Colin Patton (editor)

PLOT: Mike (Stiller), an uptight businessman, finds himself becoming the unexpected carer of his orphaned nephews, who are living alone on their family farm. As he attempts to balance his new role with his demanding work, Mike soon discovers an unusual talent among the brothers…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Ben Stiller returns to the realm of slapstick comedy in this endearing and hilarious new comedy
• It is Stiller’s first lead role in more than half a decade, and he easily slips back into his old habits opposite young real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson
• David Gordon Green, the ever-versatile director of comedies like Pineapple Express and horrors like the recent Halloween trilogy, dips his toes into more crowd-pleasing territory with this film
• Following its debut as the opening film of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, it was acquired for an eight-figure sum, easily one of the festival’s largest acquisitions
• It is a gentle throwback to juvenile shenanigans films like The Bad News Bears while also doing its own thing in terms of overall content

Nutcrackers is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr

CREW: David Tedeshi (director), Margaret Bodde and Martin Scorsese (producers), Ellen Kuras (cinematographer), Mariah Rehmet (editor)

PLOT: In 1964, The Beatles make their US debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, skyrocketing them into the international spotlight…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Relive the momentous moment from sixty years ago when the Liverpool-based band known as The Beatles catapulted into the history books
• Never-before-seen footage of the band gives audiences an intimate look as they prepare to perform on US television for the first time
• Martin Scorsese produces the film, having previously made the George Harrison documentary Living in the Material World
• It also takes a hard look at the dedicated fans who single-handedly inspired the “Beatlemania” movement
• This documentary is a must-watch for Beatles fans, especially those wondering how exactly they became the worldwide icons they are today

Beatles ’64 is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 29 November 2024

CAST: Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Jason Alexander, Robert Timothy Smith, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P. J. Byrne, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Gavin Munn, Jaden Carson Baker, Kai Cech

CREW: Bobby Farrelly (director, producer), Peter Farrelly (writer, producer), Ricky Blitt (writer), Jeremy Kramer (producer), Rupert Gregson-Williams (composer), C. Kim Miles (cinematographer), Julie Garcés (editor)

PLOT: With Christmas fast approaching, young Liam (Smith) mails a letter to Santa – except, since Liam misspells that crucial name, it ends up with Satan (Black), who decides to pay Liam a visit and cause some hellish mischief…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Jack Black hams it up big time as a much more devilish version of Santa in this irreverent but fun festive comedy
• Black reunites with the Farrelly Brothers (Bobby directs, while Peter co-writes the script) after previously working with them on the 2001 comedy Shallow Hal
• Look out for some scene-stealing supporting turns from Keegan-Michael Key, Seinfeld legend Jason Alexander, and even music sensation Post Malone
• Though the antics remain firmly family-friendly, there are still plenty of laughs to be had with the ways in which Black’s Satan inflicts all sorts of Christmas chaos
• Anyone looking for a new holiday classic might just find all that they need with this film

Dear Santa is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ from Tuesday 26 November 2024

CAST: Mason Thames, Julian Lerner, Abby James Witherspoon, Noah Cottrell, Nora Zehetner, Patrick Renna, Lorraine Bracco, Mel Gibson, Kevin James, Sofia Espinoza, Ava Espinal, Logan Kelly, Abrielle Cincotti

CREW: David Henrie (director), Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano (writers), John Blanford, Mark Fasano, James Henrie and Dan McDonough (producers), Frederik Wiedmann (composer), Larry Blanford (cinematographer), Robb Sullivan (editor)

PLOT: During a summer of fun and adventure, a mysterious force begins turning people into catatonic zombies, forcing a group of kids to turn to retired police detective Gene Carruthers (Gibson) to help defeat the evil…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This intense throwback horror delivers spooks and thrills aplenty
• It takes full advantage of its retro setting and youth-oriented storytelling, putting it in line with the likes of Stranger Things and It
• Mel Gibson has a substantial supporting role, and look out for other familiar faces to show up like Kevin James and Goodfellas star Lorraine Bracco
• Among the more youthful cast, there’s a lead role for The Black Phone’s Mason Thames, as well as Abby James Witherspoon, the niece of Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon
• Expect the unexpected as the central mystery yields some surprising results

Monster Summer is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 25 November 2024

CAST: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen, Michael Jeter, Isabella Peregina, Dylan Cash, Charles Fleischer, Steven Tyler

CREW: Robert Zemeckis (director, writer, producer), William Broyles Jr. (writer), Gary Goetzman, Steve Starkey and William Teitler (producers), Alan Silvestri (composer), Don Burgess and Robert Presley (cinematographers), R. Orlando Duenas      and Jeremiah O’Driscoll (editors)

PLOT: On Christmas Eve, a young boy (Sabara) is invited to board the Polar Express and head on a magical adventure to the North Pole, during which he learns some valuable lessons about the spirit of Christmas…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Robert Zemeckis’s modern Christmas classic is back in cinemas for its 20th anniversary
• The film was one of the very first to be fully shot and animated with motion-capture technology, aspects of which haven’t exactly aged well (those eyes, man, those eyes…)
• Tom Hanks takes on numerous roles such as the eccentric train conductor, and even Santa Claus himself
• Some dazzling 3D effects make it worth seeing on the big screen, especially in IMAX if available
• Experience the wondrous magic of the story exactly where it was always meant to be seen

The Polar Express is showing in cinemas from Friday 29 November 2024