Movie of the Week

• Dìdi

Cinemas

• Harold and the Purple Crayon
• Kensuke’s Kingdom
• A Story of Bones

Streaming/On-Demand

• Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
• If You Were the Last

Re-Releases

• Spider-Man
• The NeverEnding Story
• My Neighbour Totoro
• Werckmeister Harmonies

CAST: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua, Raul Dial, Aaron Chang, Mahaela Park, Chron Denk, Sunil Maurillo, Montay Boseman, Georgie August, Stephanie Hsu

CREW: Sean Wang (director, writer, producer), Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada and Josh Peters (producers), Giosuè Greco (composer), Sam Davis (cinematographer), Arielle Zakowski (editor)

PLOT: In 2008, Chris (Wang) is a young Taiwanese-American teenager who is spending his final summer before high school making skating videos with his friends, learning how to flirt with girls, and connecting with his hard-working mother Chungsing (J. Chen)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Return to the summer of 2008 in writer-director Sean Wang’s fun-filled and heartfelt coming-of-age saga
• Wang makes his feature filmmaking debut, after previously scoring an Oscar nomination for his documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó
• Young actor Izaac Wang, who previously appeared in the 2019 comedy Good Boys and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, leads an eclectic ensemble that also includes Chinese-American actor Joan Chen as an absolute warrior of a mother
• The film won immediate acclaim at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where the principal cast were awarded the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble
• Fans of modern teen flicks like Eighth Grade, mid90s and The Edge of Seventeen will find this to be a lively addition to the pack

Dìdi is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Benjamin Bottani, Zooey Deschanel, Jemaine Clement, Tanya Reynolds, Alfred Molina, Ravi Patel, Camille Guaty, Pete Gardner, Seth Robbins

CREW: Carlos Saldanha (director), David Guion and Michael Handelman (writers), John Davis (producer), Batu Sener (composer), Gabriel Beristain (cinematographer), Mark Helfrich and Tia Nolan (editors)

PLOT: Since his childhood, Harold (Levi) has lived in a storybook world where anything he draws with his magical purple crayon comes instantly to life. Desiring a life beyond the pages of his book, Harold draws himself and his friends Moose (Howery) and Porcupine (Reynolds) into the real world, where he creates all sorts of mischief…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The classic children’s book by Crockett Johnson is brought to imaginative life in this adventurous family-friendly fantasy
• Zachary Levi portrays an adult version of the eponymous Harold, who in the original book was only four years old but with an imagination to rival any grown-up
• It marks the live-action directing debut of Carlos Saldanha, who previously made numerous animated films for the now-defunct Blue Sky Studios (the makers of Ice Age, Rio and others)
• Gaze in wonder as the title character’s purple crayon creates all sorts of crazy designs that will surely capture the imagination
• In addition to providing a fun time for younger audiences, it will also appeal to adults who may carry some heavy nostalgia for the original book

Harold and the Purple Crayon is showing in cinemas from Wednesday 31 July 2024

CAST: Sally Hawkins, Cillian Murphy, Raffey Cassidy, Ken Watanabe, Aaron McGregor, Alfred Kodai Berglund

CREW: Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry (directors), Frank Cottrell Boyce (writer), Camilla Deakin, Ruth Fielding, Anne-Laure Labadie, Martin Metz, Adrian Politowski, Sarah Radclyffe and Barnaby Spurrier (producers), Stuart Hancock (composer), Richard Overall (editor)

PLOT: During a sailing trip with his mother (Hawkins), father (Murphy) and sister Becky (Cassidy), young Michael (McGregor) is swept away in a storm and soon after finds himself washed ashore on a deserted island. There, he meets the island’s only other resident, a man named Kensuke (Watanabe), who assists the young boy with his survival…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The emotional survival story by author Michael Morpurgo is adapted into an animated drama by fellow writer Frank Cottrell Boyce
• An all-star cast including Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, Oscar nominees Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe, and younger actors Raffey Cassidy and Aaron McGregor lend their voices to a small group of lovable characters
• The animation combines traditional hand-drawn designs with some CGI backdrops, creating an utterly gorgeous visual palette
• You will fall in love with the tender bond shared between two lost souls that eventually find peace and solace in one another
• It’s a rare chance to see proper animated storytelling illuminate the screen in such a compelling manner

Kensuke’s Kingdom is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Annina Van Neel, Peggy King Jorde

CREW: Joseph Curran and Dominic Aubrey de Vere (directors, cinematographers), Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo (producer), Bankey Ojo (composer), James Scott (editor)

PLOT: On the island of Saint Helena, known internationally as the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte, Environmental Officer Annina Van Neel witnesses the uncovering of a unmarked mass grave with the remains of thousands of formerly enslaved Africans, and sets out to properly honour their legacy…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A shocking piece of history is literally unearthed in a documentary that explores the dark truth of our colonial past
• Filmmakers Joseph Curran and Dominic Aubrey de Vere make their striking film debut with an emotional and profound investigation into the secrets of Saint Helena
• They primarily follow Annina Van Neel, the Environmental Officer and overseer of the island’s troubled airport project who makes it her mission to restore the dignity of countless unnamed African slaves
• Van Neel’s findings throughout the film prove that there is still a long way for us all to go in recognising the demons of our shared history
• It is a moving and important film that dares you to question the cruelty of our ancestors, even in the most idyllic-looking areas on the planet

A Story of Bones is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Bill Fagerbakke, Mr. Lawrence, Rodger Bumpass, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Matty Cardarople, Wanda Sykes, Johnny Knoxville, Craig Ferguson, Grey DeLisle

CREW: Liza Johnson (director), Kaz and Tom Stern (writers), Jack Petrik (producer), Moniker (composer), Greg Gardiner (cinematographer), Matthew Feinman and Billy Weber (editors)

PLOT: The underwater town of Bikini Bottom, home to SpongeBob SquarePants (Kenny) and his many friends, including the squirrel Sandy Cheeks (C. Lawrence), is suddenly scooped up from the ocean by evil CEO Sue Nahmee (Sykes), as part of a sinister plan. Sandy must now lead a daring mission, including SpongeBob and members of her own family, to save the town and its inhabitants…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The wonderful world of SpongeBob SquarePants gets a thrilling new feature-length adventure, this time with the title character’s friend Sandy Cheeks taking the lead
• All your favourite characters from the show and various other movies are present, and are all given plenty of funny and important roles to play in their biggest outing yet
• The CG animation – a departure from the traditional 2D drawings of the show – is mixed with live-action set-pieces for a fine blend of multi-format mayhem
• This spin-off feature is the first in a series of movies focusing on supporting characters, with one concerning show villain Plankton currently in development
• For kids seeking some nautical entertainment this summer holiday, there’s no better place to look than the comfort of their own living room!

Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Anthony Mackie, Zoë Chao, Natalie Morales, Geoff Stults, Missi Pyle, Sarah Voigt

CREW: Kristian Mercado (director), Angela Bourassa (writer), Dan Balgoyen, Jessamine Burgum, Kara Durrett, Jon Levin, Dennis Masel, Andrew Miano, Gabrielle Nadig, Britta Rowings and Sean Woods (producers), Christopher Bear (composer), Alex Disenhof (cinematographer), Henry Hayes (editor)

PLOT: Adam (Mackie) and Jane (Chao) are astronauts who are three years into a NASA mission when their ship breaks down and leaves them floating between Jupiter and Saturn. As they contemplate what to do until their possible rescue, Adam makes a suggestion that changes their relationship forever…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This delightful new sci-fi romantic-comedy reaches for the stars, and then some
• Anthony Mackie and Zoë Chao share tender chemistry with each other as astronauts caught in an intimate situation deep in space
• Director Kristian Mercado instils a cutesy aesthetic that emphasises the quirky nature of Angela Bourassa’s script
• There are some surprising turns that help the film explore more than just its rom-com template
• For anyone seeking a charming romance with some irreverent sci-fi wholesomeness, this should satisfy all your cravings

If You Were the Last is streaming exclusively on Sky Cinema from Saturday 3 August 2024

CAST: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Joe Manganiello, Michael Papajohn, Ron Perkins, Gerry Becker, Jack Betts, Stanley Anderson, K.K. Dodds, Bill Nunn, Ted Raimi, Elizabeth Banks, Tim DeZarn, Taylor Gilbert, Randy Savage, Bruce Campbell

CREW: Sam Raimi (director), David Koepp (writer), Ian Bryce and Laura Ziskin (producers), Danny Elfman (composer), Don Burgess (cinematographer), Arthur Coburn and Bob Murawski (editors)

PLOT: After being bitten by a radioactive spider, high school student Peter Parker (Maguire) rapidly develops spider-like abilities, which he uses to become the crime-fighter known as Spider-Man. Soon, he faces off against the nefarious Green Goblin, the alias of scientist Norman Osborn (Dafoe), who threatens his blossoming relationship with Mary Jane Watson (Dunst)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The early-2000s superhero classic, which introduced audiences around the world to the famous Marvel webslinger, swings its way back into cinemas
• In development for years, with James Cameron at one point working on his own version, the film’s critical acclaim and huge box office success was hugely instrumental in revitalising Marvel’s popularity in cinema
• Sam Raimi brought his trademark campiness to the world-famous origin story, with Tobey Maguire making the title role his own opposite Willem Dafoe’s equally iconic Green Goblin
• In the UK, its release brought about the introduction of the 12A certificate, after the backlash from its original 12 rating that prevented anyone under that age (i.e. most of its target audience) from seeing it
• It is only the start of a new series of re-releases for Spider-Man’s many big-screen outings, so keep an eye out over the next month or so for coverage on all of them!

Spider-Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway, Tami Stronach, Patricia Hayes, Sydney Bromley, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn, Alan Oppenheimer, Thomas Hill, Deep Roy, Tilo Prückner, Darryl Cooksey, Drum Garrett, Nicholas Gilbert, Robert Easton

CREW: Wolfgang Petersen (director, writer), Herman Weigel (writer), Bernd Eichinger, Dieter Geissler and Bernd Schaefers (producers), Klaus Doldinger and Giorgio Moroder (composers), Jost Vacano (cinematographer), Jane Seitz (editor)

PLOT: A young boy named Bastian (Oliver) comes across a mysterious storybook titled The NeverEnding Story, which charts the quest of young warrior Atreyu (Hathaway) to save the mythical land of Fantasia and its ruler, the Childlike Empress (Stronach), from the clutches of a dark force known as the Nothing…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The beloved family fantasy returns to cinemas in time for its 40th anniversary
• Adapted from Michael Ende’s book of the same name by the late filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen, the German production – then the most expensive to be made outside both the United States and the Soviet Union – became an unexpected box office hit
• It is fondly remembered for its thoughtful themes on the power of imagination, as well as a slew of memorable fantastical characters and that awesome synth-pop theme song
• The film also inspired two sequels (though the less said about those, the better), and it was recently announced that a new series of films based on the original book were in development
• With its theatrical return, a new generation of children will get to experience the wondrous world of Fantasia – and maybe spare a few tears for poor Artax (real ones will know why)

The NeverEnding Story is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST (ENGLISH VERSION): Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, Frank Welker, Paul Butcher, Pat Carroll, Ashley Rose Orr, Kath Soucie, David Midthunder, Peter Renaday, Russi Taylor, Matt Adler, Bridget Hoffman, Kath Soucie, Robert Clotworthy, Newell Alexander

CAST (JAPANESE VERSION): Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Hitoshi Takagi, Toshiyuki Amagasa, Tanie Kitabayashi, Naoki Tatsuta, Chie Kōjiro, Hiroko Maruyama, Masashi Hirose, Machiko Washio, Reiko Suzuki, Daiki Nakamura, Yūko Mizutani, Tomomichi Nishimura, Shigeru Chiba

CREW: Hayao Miyazaki (director, writer), Tôru Hara and Ned Lott (producers), Joe Hisaishi (composer), Hisao Shirai (cinematographer), Takeshi Seyama (editor)

PLOT: In 1950s Japan, young sisters Satsuki (D. Fanning/Hidaka) and Mei (E. Fanning/Sakamoto) move to an old countryside house while their mother Yasuko (Salonga/Shimamoto) recovers in hospital from a long-term illness. Whilst playing, they discover and befriend a number of woodland spirits, including the giant Totoro…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved animated classic gets a new chance to shine on the big screen
• It was Miyazaki’s third directorial feature after Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and was originally released in its native Japan as a double-bill with fellow anime legend Isao Takahata’s more adult-oriented Grave of the Fireflies
• The film achieved instant international acclaim, with the title character becoming hugely popular to where he even became Studio Ghibli’s official mascot (he shows up in the company’s logo)
• In the years since its release, it has inspired countless animators, as well as a Disney-backed 2004 English dub with the voices of Dakota and Elle Fanning, and more recently a well-received stage production
• Today, it is regarded as one of the greatest animated features of all time, and a must-watch for anyone of any age who’s yet to experience the universal charm of Studio Ghibli

My Neighbour Totoro is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024

CAST: Lars Rudolph, Peter Fitz, Hanna Schygulla, János Derzsi, Đoko Rosić, Tamás Wichmann, Ferenc Kállai, Péter Dobai

CREW: Béla Tarr (director, writer), Ágnes Hranitzky (director, editor), László Krasznahorkai (writer), Franz Goëss, Paul Saadoun, Miklós Szita and Joachim von Vietinghoff (producers), Mihály Vig (composer), Patrick de Ranter, Miklós Gurbán, Erwin Lanzensberger, Gábor Medvigy, Emil Novák and Rob Tregenza (cinematographers)

PLOT: In a provincial town within Communist-era Hungary, the lives of young newspaper-delivery man János (Rudolph) and his beloved uncle György (Fitz) are disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious and sinister travelling circus…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr’s captivating historical epic is making an unexpected return to cinemas with an all-new 4K restoration, as part of Curzon’s new retrospective series on the director
• Tarr spent several years filming and securing financing for the film, which was based on László Krasznahorkai’s novel The Melancholy of Resistance
• The film is comprised of just 39 lengthy tracking shots, filmed in black-and-white by various cinematographers
• It is regarded by critics as one of the finest films of the 21st century thus far, including the legendary Roger Ebert who placed the film on his list of “Great Movies”
• Fans of contemplative and engaging European cinema are duty-bound to seek out this influential and underappreciated gem from a daring and innovative filmmaker

Werckmeister Harmonies is showing in cinemas from Friday 2 August 2024