Movie of the Week

• Karate Kid: Legends

Cinemas

• The Salt Path
• The Ballad of Wallis Island
• The Ritual
• Along Came Love
• Bogancloch

Streaming/On-Demand

• Bono: Stories of Surrender
• Mountainhead

Re-Releases

• Darling

CAST: Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Wyatt Oleff, Jennifer-Lyn Christie

CREW: Jonathan Entwistle (director), Rob Lieber (writer), Karen Rosenfelt (producer), Dominic Lewis (composer), Justin Brown (cinematographer), Dana E. Glauberman and Colby Parker Jr. (editors)

PLOT: After a personal tragedy, young kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang) is forced to relocate from Beijing to New York City, where he encounters trouble around every corner. Eventually, Li is compelled to enter a karate tournament to prove his worth, receiving help from his old teacher Mr. Han (Chan), who in turn seeks out former karate champion Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) for assistance…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The expansive Karate Kid universe collides in epic fashion with an all-new story in the shared continuity
• Not only is the original Karate Kid himself Ralph Macchio back in his iconic role, after previously featuring in the hit sequel series Cobra Kai, but Jackie Chan – who took on the Mr. Miyagi role in 2010’s reboot – also reprises his acclaimed character
• Young actor Ben Wang brings a tough charisma to the screen as the new Karate Kid whom Macchio and Chan must whip into shape (no word yet on whether there’ll be any waxing on or off during training)
• The fight scenes themselves are expertly choreographed under the direction of Jonathan Entwistle, previously the showrunner of Netflix’s acclaimed but short-lived series I Am Not Okay with This
• It’s a fresh new entry in the franchise that follows the familiar but reliable formula to a tee, though with the added benefit of watching two icons of the series finally crossing paths with one another

Karate Kid: Legends is showing in cinemas from Wednesday 28 May 2025

CAST: Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs, James Lance, Hermione Norris, Lloyd Hutchinson, Robbie O’Neill, Megan Placito, Rebecca Ineson

CREW: Marianne Elliott (director), Rebecca Lenkiewicz (writer), Peter Hampden, Kristin Irving, Elizabeth Karlsen, Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin, Norman Merry, Thorsten Schumacher and Stephen Woolley (producers), Chris Roe (composer), Hélène Louvart (cinematographer), Gareth C. Scales and Lucia Zucchetti (editors)

PLOT: After being evicted from their home, penniless couple Moth (Isaacs) and Raynor Winn (Anderson) embark on a year-long trek across the South West Coast Path, which is further complicated by Moth’s diagnosis of a terminal illness…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This atmospheric adaptation of Raynor Winn’s acclaimed memoir is a powerful tale of overcoming impossible odds
• Gillian Anderson, as Raynor, shares bountiful romantic chemistry with Jason Isaacs as her husband Moth, whom the actor lovingly honours with an impressively empathetic performance
• It marks the film debut of Tony-winning theatre director Marianne Elliott, who has under her belt a number of hit stage productions of plays such as War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• The beautiful coastal scenery of the South West of England forms a tough backdrop for themes of homelessness and unconditional love
• You’ll be moved by the unbreakable connection between a couple who, despite losing everything, keep fighting for the things that are most important to each other

The Salt Path is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Steve Marsh, Luka Downie, Kerrie Thomason

CREW: James Griffiths (director), Tom Basden and Tim Key (writers), Rupert Majendie (producer), Adem Ilhan (composer), G. Magni Ágústsson (cinematographer), Quin Williams (editor)

PLOT: Herb McGwyer (Basden), a washed-up folk singer, is invited to perform on the secluded island of eccentric lottery winner Charles (Key), where he runs into his former singing and romantic partner Nell Mortimer (Mulligan)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A tender and musical journey of self-discovery is at the centre of this sweet-natured comedy-drama that everyone can fall in love with
• It is a feature-length adaptation of the BAFTA-nominated short The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, with director James Griffiths and writers Tom Basden and Tim Key all returning to their respective roles
• Key also features in a lovable supporting role opposite Tom Basden (another returnee from the short) and Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan, who star as singers and former lovers brought back together
• A soothing soundtrack of folk music touches the soul as the performers inject plenty of warmth into their comforting vocals
• It’s hard not to be charmed by this unusual tale of romance and music, where you’ll be humming while your heart is beating

The Ballad of Wallis Island is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene, Patricia Heaton, Abigail Cowen, Ritchie Montgomery, María Camila Giraldo, Emily Brinks, Enrico Natale, Liann Pattison, Courtney Rae Allen

CREW: David Midell (director, writer), Enrico Natale (writer, producer, editor), Ross Kagan Marks, Andrew Stevens and Mitchell Welch (producers), Jason Lazarus and Joseph Trapanese (composers), Adam Biddle (cinematographer)

PLOT: In 1928, veteran exorcist Father Theophilus Riesinger (Pacino) enlists troubled priest Father Joseph Steiger (Stevens) and nurse Sister Rose (Greene) to assist him with a series of exorcisms on allegedly possessed young woman Emma Schmidt (Cowen)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This old-fashioned exorcism movie takes heavy inspiration from a real-life case of alleged demonic possession that makes things even more terrifying
• Screen legend Al Pacino lights up the screen as the exorcist in charge of the case, as do supporting players Dan Stevens and Ashley Greene as the respective priest and nurse assistants
• Director and co-writer David Midell employs a claustrophobic approach to his filmmaking that gives his movie a raw documentary-like vibe
• Fans of exorcism movies can expect plenty of the familiar attributes, from contorting bodies to chilling evil grins by the possessed individual
• It’s spooky viewing for anyone looking for a new movie to quench their thirst for films similar to the horror classic The Exorcist

The Ritual is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Anaïs Demoustier, Vincent Lacoste, Morgan Bailey, Hélios Karyo, Josse Capet, Paul Beaurepaire

CREW: Katell Quillévéré (director, writer), Gilles Taurand (writer), Justin Taurand and David Thion (producers), Amin Bouhafa (composer), Tom Harari (cinematographer), Jean-Baptiste Morin (editor)

PLOT: Shortly after the end of the Second World War, working-class waitress and single mother Madeleine (Demoustier) meets wealthy intellectual François (Lacoste) and builds a fragile but loving lifetime relationship with him, despite their own personal secrets…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This touching Belgian-French romantic drama takes a look at a connection that spans several years in 20th century Europe
• Anaïs Demoustier and Vincent Lacoste are magnetic in a pair of complex lead performances under the direction of filmmaker Katell Quillévéré
• Quillévéré partially based the film on a personal revelation by her own grandmother regarding the lineage of her eldest child, which forms a significant plot point here with just as much shock and intrigue
• It was nominated for the Queer Palm at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, since one of the lead characters identifies as bisexual
• With a healthy mix of Douglas Sirk-inspired melodrama and genuine romantic flair, this is a European treat that you’ll be happy to indulge in

Along Came Love is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Jake Williams

CREW: Ben Rivers (director, producer, cinematographer, editor), John Archer and Sarah Neely (producers)

PLOT: The life and times of Jake Williams, a hermit living a solitary life in the forests of rural Scotland…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• See what it is to live in total isolation in this striking slice-of-life documentary
• Filmmaker Ben Rivers reunites with his subject Jake Williams, who was also featured in his 2011 feature Two Years at Sea
• Like that film, Rivers shoots the movie on stark black-and-white 16mm film to create a grainy visual aesthetic
• In addition to simply following Williams on his simple but calming daily routing, Rivers also invents a number of scenarios for his subject to overcome
• It’s an effective study of how one can live a sustainable life far away from civilisation, and the resilience of those with the willpower to endure such a life

Bogancloch is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Bono, Gemma Doherty, Kate Ellis, Jacknife Lee

CREW: Andrew Dominik (director), Dede Gardner, Jon Kamen, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt and Dave Sirulnick (producers), Erik Messerschmidt (cinematographer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: A reimagining of U2 frontman Bono’s acclaimed one-man show Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Dive into the life and times of arguably one of the most influential people in the world in this vivid blend of documentary and stage performance
• Bono recreates his titular one-man show under the direction of filmmaker Andrew Dominick, best known for films like Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and the controversial Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde
• The entertainer reveals tender secrets about his past and family while also sharing anecdotes from his journey towards becoming a certified rock legend, all captured by Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt
• Viewers also get to witness some never-before-seen footage of Bono’s tour, including performances of some of his greatest hits
• Long-time U2 fans will definitely want to check out this fascinating reimagining of a deeply personal look at the band’s legendary leader

Bono: Stories of Surrender is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 30 May 2025

CAST: Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, Ramy Youssef, Hadley Robinson, Andy Daly, Ali Kinkade, Daniel Oreskes, David W. Thompson, Amie MacKenzie, Ava Kostia

CREW: Jesse Armstrong (director, writer, producer), Jon Brown, Jill Footlick, Mark Mylod, Lucy Prebble, Frank Rich, Tony Roche and Will Tracy (producers), Nicholas Britell (composer), Marcel Zyskind (cinematographer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: Tech billionaires Randall (Carell), Hugo (Schwartzman), Venis (Smith) and Jeff (Youssef) meet up for a weekend at a remote mansion in the mountains, just as the world around them is succumbing to a catastrophe that they helped create…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Jesse Armstrong, the lauded creator of the hit show Succession, is back with a spiky new feature-length satire targeting some of the most powerful people in the world
• Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef are on top obnoxious form as a quartet of tech bros linked to a growing global catastrophe
• The real-life parallels may be glaringly obvious, but Armstrong brings a sharp wit and biting commentary to the proceedings which allow us to point and laugh at the actual figures being mocked
• Taking place almost entirely in a singular setting, the film makes eerie use of its isolated snowy environments as the characters descend further into egomaniacal madness
• Amidst the humour and tension, it also serves as a stark warning about letting the most ignorant and petulant people in existence anywhere close to all-consuming power

Mountainhead is streaming exclusively on Sky and NOW from Sunday 1 June 2025

CAST: Julie Christie, Laurence Harvey, Dirk Bogarde, José Luis de Vilallonga, Roland Curram, Basil Henson, Helen Lindsay, Alex Scott, Ernest Walder, Brian Wilde, Pauline Yates, Peter Bayliss, T.B. Bowen, Carlo Palmucci, Dante Posani, Umberto Raho, Marika Rivera, Richard Bidlake, Annette Carell, Jean Claudio, Georgina Cookson, James Cossins, Jane Downs, Tyler Butterworth, Hugo Dyson, Ann Firbank, Angus MacKay, Lucile Soong, Silvia Dionisio, Ray Lovelock, John Steiner, Vernon Dobtcheff, Zakes Mokae, John Woodvine, John Schlesinger

CREW: John Schlesinger (director), Frederic Raphael (writer), Joseph Janni (producer), John Dankworth (composer), Ken Higgins (cinematographer), James Clark (editor)

PLOT: In 60s London, ambitious young model Diana Scott (Christie) seeks a path towards wealth and fame, which includes toying with the emotions of television journalist Robert Gold (Bogarde) and influential advertising executive Miles Brand (Harvey)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The classic tale of love and betrayal amidst the backdrop of Swinging London returns to cinemas with an all-new 4K restoration for its 60th anniversary
• Julie Christie won an Oscar for her portrayal of the ambitious model at its centre, acting circles around her co-stars Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Harvey
• It was also a breakout film for director John Schlesinger, who would go on to make films like Midnight Cowboy (which he won an Oscar for), Sunday Bloody Sunday and Marathon Man
• The film was a major box office success in both the UK and the US, and in addition to Christie’s win (and two others for Original Screenplay and Costume Design) also scored Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director
• It’s an uncomfortably realistic look behind the scenes of a fashionable period that birthed some of the most cherished corners of London’s wider culture

Darling is showing in cinemas from Friday 30 May 2025