Movie of the Week

• The Smashing Machine

Cinemas

• Him
• Urchin
• Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight
• The Shadow’s Edge
• Mr. Blake, At Your Service!
• The Partisan
• Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
• The Kitchen Brigade

Streaming/On-Demand

• The Lost Bus
• Steve
• Play Dirty
• The Threesome
• Please Don’t Feed the Children

Re-Releases

• Avatar: The Way of Water
• GoldenEye

CAST: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk, Lyndsey Gavin, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, Yoko Hamamura, Stephen Quadros, Paul Cheng, Cyborg Abreu, Andre Tricoteux, Marcus Aurélio, Whitney Moore, Paul Lazenby, Olga Dzyurak, Eric Odbaatar, Zoe Kosovic

CREW: Benny Safdie (director, writer, producer, editor), Eli Bush, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Dwayne Johnson and David Koplan (producers), Nala Sinephro (composer), Maceo Bishop (cinematographer)

PLOT: The story of Mark Kerr (Johnson), the amateur wrestler and mixed martial arts athlete who helped usher in the popularity of the latter sport, but also faced personal hardships such as an addiction to painkillers that put a wedge between him and his devoted partner Dawn (Blunt)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Get ready to see a whole new side to Dwayne Johnson as he takes the layered lead role in this heartbreaking and innovative sports biopic
• Johnson reunites with his Jungle Cruise star Emily Blunt, both under the direction of Uncut Gems filmmaker Benny Safdie who goes solo for the first time without his brother Josh Safdie (who himself has Marty Supreme due out later this year)
• Safdie adopts a gritty documentarian approach that offers a sense of realism and authenticity which few other movies of its kind tend to offer
• The MMA fight sequences are presented with a raw ferocity that brings out some of the most powerful and physical moments in the career of its lead actor
• With talk that it could go all the way this awards season, this surely won’t be the last that you’ll hear of this powerful movie and its equally compelling central performance

The Smashing Machine is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Naomi Grossman, GiGi Erneta, Norman Towns, Maurice Greene, Guapdad 4000, Tierra Whack

CREW: Justin Tipping (director, writer), Zach Akers and Skip Bronkie (writers), Ian Cooper, Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld (producers), The Haxan Cloak (composer), Kira Kelly (cinematographer), Taylor Mason (editor)

PLOT: Cameron Cade (Withers), a young up-and-coming American football player, is invited to train at the isolated compound of Isaiah White (Wayans), a legendary quarterback who takes his protégé on an increasingly intense journey towards greatness…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The world of American football is the mere backdrop for a blood-soaked and utterly unhinged study of what people are capable of when reaching for the stars
• Director and co-writer Justin Tipping has horror maestro Jordan Peele in his corner as a producer, so expect plenty of terrifying madness with an underlying intelligence
• It features a career-redefining performance by Marlon Wayans as a coach so menacing that JK Simmons in Whiplash would run away sobbing
• Some unsettling imagery illustrates the psychological toll of sacrificing every last bit of your humanity in order to achieve perfection
• It’s a tense and ferociously entertaining ride that is set to score more than a mere touchdown with sports-crazy audiences

Him is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Frank Dillane, Megan Northam, Karyna Khymchuk, Shonagh Marie, Amr Waked, Harris Dickinson

CREW: Harris Dickinson (director, writer), Scott O’Donnell and Archie Pearch (producers), Alan Myson (composer), Josée Deshaies (cinematographer), Rafael Torres Calderon (editor)

PLOT: Mike (Dillane), a self-destructive homeless man, attempts to turn his life around but finds it difficult to shake his dangerous habits…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Actor Harris Dickinson makes his directorial debut with an emotional and complex character study that will move you in unexpected ways
• It features a star-making lead turn by Frank Dillane, who effortlessly portrays someone trying their hardest to fit into a society that has all but discarded him
• Dickinson’s tender direction has been likened to Andrea Arnold for its grounded depiction of characters living on the sidelines of society
• The film debuted in the Un Certain Regard selection at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and came away with a Best Actor prize for Dillane and the FIPRESCI Prize for Dickinson’s enterprising filmmaking
• Its avoidance of sentimental tropes and melodrama make this a warm-hearted and crowd-pleasing film that should catapult both its director and lead actor further into the spotlight

Urchin is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Lexi Venter, Embeth Davidtz, Zikhona Bali, Fumani Shilubana, Rob Van Vuuren, Anina Reed

CREW: Embeth Davidtz (director, writer, producer), Paul Buys and Helena Spring (producers), Chris Letcher (composer), Willie Nel (cinematographer), Nicholas Costaras (editor)

PLOT: In 1980 Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe), shortly before the end of the country’s war for independence, 7-year-old Bobo (Venter) lives on her family farm as she tries to make sense of both sides of the struggle…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• For her feature filmmaking debut, Matilda actor Embeth Davidtz tells a bright coming-of-age story amidst a complex era of African conflict
• Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, the film offers a more innocent look at the Rhodesian Bush War that saw the country regain independence from British and white minority rule
• Child actor Lexi Venter delivers an excellent lead performance as the young Fuller, and there’s also a meaty role for Davidtz herself as Fuller’s mother
• Despite running the risk of feeling like a white-saviour narrative in a situation involving the discrimination and abuse of Black civilians, the film flips that notion on its head with a levelled and mature perspective that helps audience understand the turmoil experienced by everyone during that time and place
• Like Urchin, it’s a striking debut by Davidtz that should set its actor-turned-filmmaker up for further bright ventures in the near future

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Jackie Chan, Zhang Zifeng, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Ci Sha, Wen Junhui, Lang Yueting, Leo Wang, Chaney Lin, Zhou Zhengjie

CREW: Larry Yang (director, writer), Victoria Hon (producer), Nicolas Errèra (composer), Tiantian Qian (cinematographer), Yibo Zhang (editor)

PLOT: In Macau, Wong Tak-chong (Chan) is a retired surveillance expert who’s called back in to help capture an elusive gang of professional thieves, as led by notorious fugitive Fu Lung-sang aka The Shadow (Leung Ka-Fai) who isn’t about to go down without a fight…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Screen legends Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-Fai reunite for a heart-pounding crime thriller that provides plenty of entertainment
• It is a loose remake of Hong Kong filmmaker Yau Nai-hoi’s Eye in the Sky, in which Leung Ka-Fai also featured as the same character
• Expect action by the bucketloads, from slick explosions to the likes of Chan performing some incredible stunts and fight choreography
• Director Larry Yang (on his second collaboration with Chan after the action-comedy Ride On) brings a sophisticated style to the action and suspense, enough to rival some of the more prominent genre filmmakers
• Audiences eager to see two of the most respected performers in the business do what they do best will get that and so much more with its non-stop excitement and thrilling set-pieces

The Shadow’s Edge is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: John Malkovich, Fanny Ardant, Émilie Dequenne, Philippe Bas, Eugénie Anselin, Al Ginter, Anne Brionne, Christel Henon

CREW: Gilles Legardinier (director, writer), Christel Henon (writer, producer), Clément Calvet, Lilian Eche and Jérémie Fajner (producers), Erwann Chandon (composer), Stéphane Le Parc (cinematographer), Chrystel Alépée (editor)

PLOT: Andrew Blake (Malkovich), a widowed British businessman, takes a job as the head butler of a manor house in France, where he navigates the odd behaviour of Nathalie Beauvillier (Ardant), the eccentric lady of the manor, as well as the rest of the household staff…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Downton Abbey may finally be over for good, but this wacky French comedy also concerning the residents and staff at a stately home keeps its winning spirit alive and well
• Screen legend John Malkovich stars in the title role opposite acclaimed French actors such as Fanny Ardant and Émilie Dequenne, the latter of whom sadly passed away earlier this year
• Malkovich spends the majority of the movie speaking French, a language he was already fluent in, but required the help of a dialect coach (who so happened to be the offspring of director Gilles Legardinier) to learn all the lines properly
• There is plenty of sweetness among the memorable and good-hearted characters, leading up to a truly heartfelt conclusion
• It’s a charming and emotional bit of entertainment that will lift your spirits and maybe even inspire you to make friends with the least likely of people

Mr. Blake, at Your Service! is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Morgane Polanski, Frederick Schmidt, Agata Kulesza, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Malcolm McDowell, Piotr Adamczyk, Grégoire Colin, Steven Waddington, Lech Dyblik, Piotr Trojan, Jacek Beler, Andrew Schofield, Dorota Landowska

CREW: James Marquand (director, writer), Robert Chadaj, Krystian Kozlowski and Mathew Whyte (producers), Joe Wilson Davies (composer), Karol Lakomiec (cinematographer), Przemyslaw Chruscielewski (editor)

PLOT: During the Second World War, Krystyna Skarbek (Polanski) is a Polish resistance fighter working for British intelligence who, after a devastating betrayal, must navigate a deadly underworld of treachery and deception in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, all while feeding the Germans a lie that could change the course of history…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A lesser-known war hero leads the charge in a suspenseful thriller that charts perhaps their most important contribution to the Second World War
• French-Polish actor Morgane Polanski, the daughter of controversial filmmaker Roman Polanski, portrays the infamous Krystyna Skarbek, who worked for the British as an intelligence agent during the war
• She’s front and centre of some nail-biting action that’s elevated by writer-director James Marquand’s sharp filmmaking
• Look out for screen legend Malcolm McDowell in a meaty supporting role that reminds us all why he’s so good at playing intimidating figures (even when seemingly on the right side!)
• It’s a formidable history lesson that gives audiences further insight into a historical figure whose work hasn’t been as widely known until now

The Partisan is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Richard O’Brien, Jack Black, Trixie Mattel, Barry Bostwick, Lou Adler, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Jim Sharman, Sue Blane, Austin Fresh, John Goldstone, Richard Hartley, Peter Hinwood, Lillias Piro, Chrissie Shrimpton, Belinda Sinclair, Joel Thurm, Karen Tongson, Sean Waters, Jeffrey Weinstock

CREW: Linus O’Brien (director, producer), Avner Shiloah (writer, producer, editor), Adam Gibbs and Garret Price (producers), Giosuè Greco (composer), Warren Kommers (cinematographer)

PLOT: The legacy of the classic movie musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and how it grew from an obscure stage play into a cultural phenomenon…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The 50th anniversary of one of cinema’s most iconic cult classics wouldn’t be complete without an all-new documentary charting its rise to notoriety
• Filmmaker Linus O’Brien, son of the musical’s creator Richard O’Brien, offers an in-depth look at the impact that the film has had on viewers since its release
• Numerous stars are interviewed about their experiences with the film, including celebrity fans like Jack Black and Trixie Mattel, as well as actors from the movie itself such as Susan Sarandon and the iconic Tim Curry
• Particular attention is paid to the fandom that spawned from its popularity, one that considers the film to be a safe and inclusive space for people from all walks of life
• Needless to say, those who love The Rocky Horror Picture Show will absolutely want to check out this special new film that celebrates everything about it!

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Audrey Lamy, François Cluzet, Chantal Neuwirth, Fatoumata Kaba, Yannick Kalombo, Amadou Bah, Mamadou Koita, Alpha Barry, Yadaf Awel, Demba Guiro, Boubacare Balde, Irakli Maisaia, Mohamat Hamit Moussa, Sayed Farid Hossini, Saikat Barua, Amadi Diallo, Aiham Deeb, Stéphane Brel, Chloé Astor, Christophe Aironi, Adèle Galloy, Antoine Gourlier, Charlotte Léo

CREW: Louis-Julien Petit (director, writer), Liza Benguigui-Duquesne (writer, producer), Sophie Bensadoun (writer), Laurent Perez Del Mar (composer), David Chambille (cinematographer), Nathan Delannoy and Antoine Vareille (editors)

PLOT: Cathy Marie (Lamy), a disgruntled sous-chef, quits her job at a high-end gourmet restaurant to open her own establishment, but when that doesn’t work out she lands a job in the run-down kitchen of a migrant shelter, where she begins teaching the residents to cook…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This big-hearted French comedy sets out to satisfy more than just your already salivating taste buds
• Filmmaker Louis-Julien Petit, who previously served as an assistant director for the likes of Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, brings formidable storytelling skills undoubtedly learned from those directors
• It features a rousing lead turn by French actor Audrey Lamy, who fronts a cast made up of largely unknown actors portraying the migrants turned unlikely chefs
• Of course, there’s plenty of delicious-looking food to make your stomach growl every time you see a fancy gourmet-style dish being prepared and served
• With lovable characters, a timely message and plenty of good-natured laughs, it’s a dish that’s best served for everyone with a healthy appetite!

The Kitchen Brigade is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vasquez, Ashlie Atkinson, Spencer Watson, Danny McCarthy, Kimberli Flores, Levi McConaughey, Kay McCabe McConaughey, Kate Wharton

CREW: Paul Greengrass (director, writer), Brad Inglesby (writer, producer), Jason Blum, Jamie Lee Curtis and Gregory Goodman (producers), James Newton Howard (composer), Pål Ulvik Rokseth (cinematographer), Peter M. Dudgeon, William Goldenberg and Paul Rubell (editors)

PLOT: In 2018 California, bus driver Kevin McKay (McConaughey) comes to the aid of schoolteacher Mary Ludwig (Ferrera) and her class of young children when they are trapped by a raging wildfire…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The terrifying inferno of the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in the history of California, is harrowingly recreated in director Paul Greengrass’s heart-stopping action-thriller
• Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey delivers a deeply emotional lead turn as the bus driver risking everything to save the lives of others, among them Oscar-nominee America Ferrera
• It isn’t just Greengrass who’s bringing prestige from behind the camera, for Mare of Easttown creator Brad Inglesby is a co-writer (after also penning Apple’s recent thriller Echo Valley) and it’s produced by Jason Blum and even screen legend Jamie Lee Curtis
• There’s an extra layer of unfortunate relevance to the film, as it comes months after a series of fires spread throughout areas like Los Angeles and destroyed numerous homes and neighbourhoods
• It’s a movie that not only highlights the bravery of everyday citizens during unprecedented natural disasters, but the resilience of California natives who have to deal with such devastating conditions all year round

The Lost Bus is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo, Emily Watson, Roger Allam, Douggie McMeekin, Youssef Kerkour, Marcus Garvey, Charles Beaven, Luke Ayres, Joshua J. Parker, Araloyin Oshunremi, Tut Nyuot, Tom Moya, Ahmed Ismail, Joshua Barry, Archie Fisher, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Priyanga Burford, George Fouracres, Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis

CREW: Tim Mielants (director), Max Porter (writer), Alan Moloney and Cillian Murphy (producers), Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury (composers), Robrecht Heyvaert (cinematographer), Danielle Palmer (editor)

PLOT: In mid-90s England, Steve (Murphy) is the headmaster of a reform school for boys with societal and behavioural difficulties, and across one long and eventful day, he attempts to navigate the chaotic environment and reach his students, including troubled teen Shy (Lycurgo)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy reunites with Small Things Like These director Tim Mielants for a film that is very much of a different tone and pitch than the more sombre drama
• It is a radical reimagining of Max Porter’s novel Shy, with the author himself adapting the book into a vivid and rather stressful look at life in a last-chance reform school
• Mielants delivers stylish pressure-cooker filmmaking that fits neatly alongside the intense performances given by the likes of Murphy, Tracy Ullman, young breakout Jay Lycurgo (previously seen in Last Swim) and Murphy’s Small Things Like These co-star Emily Watson
• In addition to starring, Murphy also produces under his new production banner Big Things Films which previously worked on (you guessed it) Small Things Like These
• Even across a compact runtime, it’s an unforgettable ride that you won’t be able to shake from your mind

Steve is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Mark Wahlberg, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Tony Shalhoub, Keegan-Michael Key, Nat Wolff, Chukwudi Iwuji, Gretchen Mol, Thomas Jane, Saskia Archer

CREW: Shane Black (director, writer), Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry (writers), Jules Daly, James W. Skotchdopole and Marc Toberoff (producers), Alan Silvestri (composer), Philippe Rousselot (cinematographer), Chris Lebenzon and Joel Negron (editors)

PLOT: Parker (Wahlberg), a professional thief, and his skilled crew including Grofield (Stanfield) and Zen (Salazar) receive an opportunity for the biggest heist of their careers, one that puts them up against numerous powerful figures…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Shane Black returns to the director’s chair for a suitably witty and action-packed crime thriller with plenty of entertainment for all
• Black also co-writes the film, which is a brand-new adaptation of the popular literary character Parker, as created by author Richard Stark (the pen name of the late Donald E. Westlake)
• Mark Wahlberg inhabits a role previously filled by the likes of Jason Statham and Lee Marvin, with a packed supporting cast including Keegan-Michael Key, Rosa Salazar and LaKeith Stanfield who plays another recurring character from Stark’s book series
• In typical Shane Black style, the film is packed with stylish action, hilarious banter, and even a Christmas setting
• Fans of the books and previous iterations of the character will find this to be a fun addition that could ignite an all-new action-thriller franchise

Play Dirty is streaming on Prime Video from Wednesday 1 October 2025

CAST: Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod, Julia Sweeney

CREW: Chad Hartigan (director), Ethan Ogilby (writer), Vince Jolivette, Steve Shapiro, Tim White and Trevor White (producers), Keegan DeWitt (composer), Sing Howe Yam (cinematographer), Autumn Dea (editor)

PLOT: Connor (Hauer-King) and his commitment-phobe crush Olivia (Deutch) have an unexpected intimate encounter with young graduate student Jenny (Cruz), which turns out to have long-lasting consequences for all of them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Three really is a crowd in this bittersweet rom-com that takes the classic love-triangle scenario to interesting new levels
• Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King and Ruby Crus share tender and believable chemistry with one another as the titular threesome
• Director Chad Hartigan brings to life a soulful script by Ethan Ogilby, an animator on The Simpsons who here makes his screenwriting debut
• It takes familiar tropes and gives them a heartfelt makeover, in ways that enrichen the characters and make the overall drama feel more grounded
• Whether you’re watching it alone or with your partner or as part of your own threesome, this is a solid choice that all parties will enjoy

The Threesome is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Saturday 4 October 2025

CAST: Michelle Dockery, Zoe Colletti, Andrew Liner, Dean Scott Vazquez, Regan Aliyah, Emma Meisel, Joshuah Melnick, Vernon Davis, Giancarlo Esposito

CREW: Destry Allyn Spielberg (director), Paul Bertino (writer), Jason Dubin, Michael Hagerty, Bill Kenwright, Josh Kesselman and Daniel Ryniker (producers), Cornel Wilczek (composer), Shane Sigler (cinematographer), Todd Sandler (editor)

PLOT: In a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has eradicated much of the adult population, a group of orphaned children set out in search of a new life, only to come into contact with a mysterious woman named Clara (Dockery) who turns out to have sinister motives…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Contagious filmmaking seems to run in the family as Destry Allyn Spielberg, the daughter of cinema icon Steven Spielberg, makes her directorial debut with this creepy horror-thriller
• The first-time director brings to life an intense screenplay by first-time writer Paul Bertino that imagines a bleak future where anything could, and most likely does, happen
• It features one of the most deranged on-screen performances yet by Downton Abbey veteran Michelle Dockery, whose elegant charm ignites some of the film’s most terrifying sequences
• For her first feature, Spielberg Jr. makes a formidable impression with tense direction that isn’t afraid to go to some twisted places
• Not only is it a riotous experience for any fans of post-apocalyptic horror, but it introduces a strong new filmmaking talent that could well prove to be the dawn of a new era of Spielberg

Please Don’t Feed the Children is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 29 September 2025

CAST: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans Jr., Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, Jeremy Irwin, Chloe Coleman

CREW: James Cameron (director, writer, producer, editor), Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (writers), Jon Landau (producer), Simon Franglen (composer), Russell Carpenter (cinematographer), David Brenner, John Refoua and Stephen Rivkin (editors)

PLOT: On the alien planet Pandora, Jake Sully (Worthington) lives among the native Na’vi where he and his partner Neyteri (Saldaña) raise their children peacefully. But when the human-run Resources Development Administration returns to the planet and engages in all-out retaliatory war against the Na’vi, Jack and his family are forced to flee and take refuge among an aquatic tribe…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Before James Cameron takes you back to Pandora this December for the anticipated third chapter in his record-breaking Avatar series, take the opportunity to refresh your memory of the most recent sci-fi spectacle
• Like the 2009 original, which still reigns as the highest-grossing movie of all time, this years-in-the-making sequel features absolutely breathtaking visuals that bring this alien planet and its numerous inhabitants to life
• Cameron introduces here the wider family of hero Jake Sully, who all have big roles to play in this film as well as in upcoming instalments, including Avatar: Fire and Ash later this year
• Ever the filmmaking pioneer, Cameron utilised some groundbreaking performance-capture methods to create some striking underwater scenes, which helped the film win its sole Oscar for Visual Effects
• It deserves to be experienced (again) on the biggest screen possible, as Cameron guides you through his world for another epic journey before things get much more serious in the near future

Avatar: The Way of Water is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025

CAST: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Joe Don Baker, Robbie Coltrane, Tchéky Karyo, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Michael Kitchen, Serena Gordon, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Judi Dench, Minnie Driver

CREW: Martin Campbell (director), Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein (writers), Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson (producers), Eric Serra (composer), Phil Meheux (cinematographer), Terry Rawlings (editor)

PLOT: After a deadly satellite weapon system known as “GoldenEye” is stolen, James Bond (Brosnan) is assigned to track down the weapon’s access codes in post-Soviet Russia, where he finds himself up against fellow MI6 agent Alec Trevelyan (Bean) who has sinister plans for the weapon…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The first film in Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as Ian Fleming’s world-famous spy makes an explosive big-screen comeback for its 30th anniversary
• Directed by Martin Campbell (who would later direct Daniel Craig’s 007 debut Casino Royale), it was the first in the franchise to not use any story elements from Fleming’s original works, as well as the first to use CGI
• Brosnan immediately charmed audiences with his suave take on the classic character, while Judi Dench in her brief debut as M, a character she would continue to play up to Skyfall
• It’s got plenty of thrilling action, memorable characters (namely Famke Janssen’s sadistic henchperson Xenia Onatopp) and a kicking Tina Turner title track
• As the world holds its breath for news on who will play the lead in Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming entry for Amazon, this is a fun reminder that whichever actor lands the part has a high bar to reach

GoldenEye is showing in cinemas from Friday 3 October 2025