Movie of the Week

• Joker: Folie à Deux

Cinemas

• A Different Man
• Things Will Be Different
• The Battle for Laikipia
• Die Before You Die

Streaming/On-Demand

• Hold Your Breath
• It’s What’s Inside
• The Platform 2
• House of Spoils
• Azrael: Angel of Death
• Unit 234: The Lock Up

Re-Releases

• Young Frankenstein

CAST: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Harry Lawtey, Steve Coogan, Leigh Gill, Sharon Washington, Brendan Gleeson, Jacob Lofland, Ken Leung

CREW: Todd Phillips (director, writer, producer), Scott Silver (writer), Joseph Garner and Emma Tillinger Koskoff (producers), Hildur Guðnadóttir (composer), Lawrence Sher (cinematographer), Jeff Growth (editor)

PLOT: Two years after his destructive actions, Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) is imprisoned in Arkham Asylum whilst awaiting trial for his crimes. He soon meets and falls in love with music therapist Harleen Quinzel (Gaga), who develops an obsession with him and encourages him to embrace his inner showman…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The heavily anticipated sequel to Todd Phillips’s divisive supervillain origin story leans heavily into musical territory for a radically different follow-up
• Joaquin Phoenix reprises his Oscar-winning role as the iconic Batman villain, while Lady Gaga matches his crazy as a more grounded rendition of the character’s loyal sidekick Harley Quinn
• Expect no less than fifteen classic songs to be given an imaginative reworking in this film, with the possibility of one or two originals set to Hildur Guðnadóttir’s haunting score
• Things take an even darker turn than before as we see a version of Gotham City descending into even greater chaos as a result of Joker’s reign of terror
• While this particular universe is not connected to either the concurrent Matt Reeves Batman franchise or the upcoming revamped DC Studios, it’s still fun to revisit this standalone corner of superhero cinema

Joker: Folie à Deux is showing in cinemas from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, C. Mason Wells, Owen Kline, Charlie Korsmo, Patrick Wang, Michael Shannon

CREW: Aaron Schimberg (director, writer), Gabriel Mayers, Vanessa McDonnell and Christine Vachon (producers), Umberto Smerilli (composer), Wyatt Garfield (cinematographer), Taylor Levy (editor)

PLOT: Edward (Stan), a man born with neurofibromatosis, undergoes facial treatment in order to live a normal life. Soon, however, he develops a fixation on Oswald (Pearson), an actor who also has neurofibromatosis and has been cast in a play about Edward’s past…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This dark surrealist comedy explores the many ways that humanity strives to fit in, or in some cases not at all
• Sebastian Stan gives a career-best performance as he undergoes heavy make-up to portray a man with neurofibromatosis (a genetic condition that causes benign tumours to grow across the face and body)
• Adam Pearson, an actor who has neurofibromatosis in real-life, is a scene-stealer as the object of Stan’s character’s growingly bizarre obsession
• There are some odd choices made by writer-director Aaron Schimberg that create an uneasy atmosphere surrounding the protagonist’s fracturing psyche
• Audiences everywhere from Sundance to Berlin have praised the film for its ability to venture into unexpected territory while still delivering a mostly satisfying narrative

A Different Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Adam David Thompson, Riley Dandy, Chloe Skoczen, Justin Benson, Sarah Bolger, Jori Lynn Felker

CREW: Michael Felker (director, writer, producer, editor), Jacob Rosenthal and Shane Spiegel (producers), Jimmy LaValle and Michael A. Muller (composers), Carissa Dorson (cinematographer), Rebeca Marques (editor)

PLOT: Joseph (Thompson) and Sidney (Dandy), a pair of estranged siblings, are on the run from the police after committing a robbery. They hide out in a remote farmhouse, which happens to harbour the mysterious ability to send them to another point in time, where they escape to in order to evade the authorities. However, they are soon confronted by a malevolent force that pushes their familial bond to its breaking point…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This time-bending thriller contains surprises that will make you want to revisit it time and time again
• Adam David Thompson and Riley Dandy carry the film with a pair of unnerved performances that throw every one of their actions into doubt
• First-time feature filmmaker Michael Felker has the support of fellow mind-benders Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who are listed as executive producers on the film
• Its twisty and sinister psychological tone makes it an unlikely double-feature with the similarly distorting horror Brightwood, reviewed by us earlier this year
• It’s an original take on time-travel that gives the concept an all-new lease of life on the big screen

Things Will Be Different is showing in cinemas from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Various

CREW: Daphne Matziaraki (director, producer), Peter Murimi (director), Toni Kamau (producer), William Ryan Fritch (composer), Maya Craig (cinematographer), Sam Soko (editor)

PLOT: In Laikipia, Kenya, a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners comes to a head…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The expansive wildlife conservation of the title forms the fighting ground for a tense showdown, as documented in this gripping feature
• Filmmakers Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi capture both sides of the ongoing struggle for dominance of the local African territory
• Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, previously of the documentary Life, Animated and last year’s wrestling drama Cassandro, is credited as an executive producer
• It puts on display the long-term consequences of white colonisation, which has all but removed its Indigenous population from their rightful claim to the land
• Some shocking footage shows the limits that people on either side will go to in order to hold onto what they believe is theirs by right

The Battle for Laikipia is showing in cinemas from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Ziad Abaza, Priya Blackburn, Falah Hashim, Laurent C. Lucas, Harry Reid, Ghazwan Safadi, Mim Shaikh

CREW: Dan Pringle (director, writer, editor), Ziad Abaza (writer), Adam J. Merrifield (producer), Nina Humphreys (composer), Ben Saffer (cinematographer)

PLOT: After an internet challenge goes horribly wrong, hot-headed influencer Adi BC (Abaza) suddenly finds himself trapped several feet underground, which forces him on a personal journey of self-reflection…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The abrasive and overly ambitious nature of online influencers is given a royal kick up the arse in this tense psychological thriller
• It is an impressive sophomore feature from director and co-writer Dan Pringle, who previously made the underground hit K-Shop
• Lead actor Ziad Abaza, who also co-wrote the script, delivers a layered and deeply wounded central turn as his character grapples with many aspects of his identity
• Get ready to feel breathless as the claustrophobic cinematography makes you feel as on edge as the protagonist is throughout
• There are some unexpected turns that will leave you glad that you stuck through all the unbearable (in a good way!) underground scenes

Die Before You Die is showing in cinemas (and will be available to rent/buy on digital platforms) from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Sarah Paulson, Amiah Miller, Annaleigh Ashford, Alona Jane Robbins, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Bill Heck

CREW: Karrie Crouse (director, writer), Will Joines (director), Lucas Joaquin and Alix Madigan (producers), Colin Stetson (composer), Zoë White (cinematographer), Luke Ciarrocchi (editor)

PLOT: In 1930s Oklahoma, Margaret Bellum (Paulson) attempts to look after her young daughters Rose (Miller) and Ollie (Robbins) during a series of deadly windstorms. Soon, however, she is plagued by strange occurrences surrounding a mysterious ghostly figure known as “the Grey Man”…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• American Horror Story star Sarah Paulson headlines a chilling (and very dusty) new supernatural thriller
• Being set during some freakish weather in Oklahoma, it could almost be seen as the horror movie companion piece to this year’s summer blockbuster Twisters
• Karrie Crouse and Will Joines make their feature directorial debuts with an effective collection of spooky imagery and intense performances, including a mysterious supporting turn from Emmy-winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach
• A sinister presence lurks throughout the film, and thanks to some choice cinematography and editing they stay firmly in the shadows during most of it
• Sure to evoke memories of past chillers like The Others, this is a supernatural horror with a bit more on its mind than simply ghost stuff

Hold Your Breath is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Thursday 3 October 2024

CAST: Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Devon Terrell, Gavin Leatherwood, Reina Hardesty, Nina Bloomgarden, David W. Thompson, Madison Davenport

CREW: Greg Jardin (director, writer, editor), Kate Andrews, Jason Baum, Raúl Domingo and William Rosenfeld (producers), Andrew Hewitt (composer), Kevin Fletcher (cinematographer)

PLOT: A group of young friends at a pre-wedding house party find their festivities going down an unexpectedly existential route when estranged pal Forbes (Thompson) brings along a mysterious device that allows them to swap minds with one another…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The body-swap caper is given an original new spin in the mind-bending feature debut of director/writer/editor Greg Jardin
• Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo is an executive producer on the film, while his husband Raúl Domingo produces it, through their Edith Productions company
• The young actors that make up the ensemble undergo numerous transformations as they hop from one body to the next
• Shortly after its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year, Netflix picked it up for a cushy $17 million, by far the biggest acquisition made at the 2024 edition of the film festival
• With unpredictable twists and underlying motives, this is a suspenseful and funny tale of what it is to walk in someone else’s shoes

It’s What’s Inside is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Milena Smit, Hovik Keuchkerian, Natalia Tena, Óscar Jaenada, Antonia San Juan, Bastien Ughetto, Tadashi Ito

CREW: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia (director, writer, producer), David Desola, Egoitz Moreno and Pedro Rivero (writers), Carlos Juárez and Raquel Perea (producers), Aitor Etxebarria (composer), Jon Sangroniz (cinematographer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: In a dystopian world, “the Platform” is a tower-based prison where inmates are stored on different levels, with a free-floating platform of food being offered once a day in descending order. As a mysterious leader imposes their rule in the prison, a new arrival (Smit) must find a way to survive the prison’s brutal feeding system…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The sequel to the Spanish sci-fi satirical thriller ups the ante in several uncomfortable ways
• Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia returns to direct and co-write the follow-up to his debut feature, which became a surprise hit on Netflix during the pandemic
• Like the first film, there are shades of Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer and Gareth Evans’ The Raid in its depiction of brutal class division and literal hierarchal madness
• A new cast of prisoners, among them Game of Thrones alumni Natalia Tena, make their manic claim for screen time
• Fans of the original can expect to learn a lot more about this strange prison dystopia, as well as many other surprises along the way

The Platform 2 is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 4 October 2024

CAST: Ariana DeBose, Barbie Ferreira, Arian Moayed, Marton Csokas, Amara Karan

CREW: Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy (directors, writers), Jason Blum, Greg Gilreath, Adam Hendricks, Drew Houpt, Lucas Joaquin and Alex Scharfman (producers), Jim Williams (composer), Eric Lin (cinematographer), Marc Vives (editor)

PLOT: An ambitious chef (DeBose) opens up her first restaurant on an old estate, where she not only experiences kitchen chaos and self-doubt, but also the ghostly presence of the estate’s former owner which seems to sabotage her every move…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Not even Gordon Ramsay can claim to have a kitchen nightmare as big as the one in this culinary-themed psychological horror
• Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose champions the film in the central role as a chef tormented by a number of stressful, and possibly even supernatural, obstacles
• It is the latest offering from Blumhouse, which recently impressed with their suspenseful remake Speak No Evil
• Those hoping for tense kitchen drama à la The Bear might get something with a little extra flavour to help the tension go down much easier
• While a fun horror experience for any genre fan, it will undoubtedly be hell for anyone who cannot stomach the sight of rotting food (of which there is a lot throughout the film)

House of Spoils is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 3 October 2024

CAST: Samara Weaving, Vic Carmen Sonne, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Katariina Unt

CREW: E.L. Katz (director), Simon Barrett (writer, producer), Dave Caplan and Dan Kagan (producers), Tóti Guðnason (composer), Mart Taniel (cinematographer), Ben Baudhuin (editor)

PLOT: In a post-apocalyptic future, a mute cult hunts down a woman named Azrael (Weaving), who will do anything to ensure her own survival…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• In the post-apocalypse, no-one can hear you scream… quite literally, as this gruesome horror-thriller contains virtually no dialogue whatsoever!
• Director E.L. Katz conveys an entirely visual experience from a script by Adam Wingard’s regular writing partner Simon Barrett
• Samara Weaving solidifies her status as a modern scream queen (despite the noticeable lack of audible screaming) as a fierce lead who shows no mercy to her enemies
• There are some surprising foes beyond the sinister cult, some of which may well be supernatural in origin
• With gory violence and terrifying scenarios, you’ll be left wanting to declare your approval in all the ways that the characters in this movie can’t

Azrael: Angel of Death is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 30 September 2024

CAST: Isabelle Fuhrman, Don Johnson, Jack Huston, Anirudh Pisharody, Christopher James Baker, James DuMont, Jenna Z, Amber Ashley Smith, Rosemberg Salgado

CREW: Andy Tennant (director), Derek Steiner (writer), Lee Dreyfuss, Blythe Frank, Doug Murray, Hadeel Reta and William G. Santor (producers), George Fenton (composer), John Pardue (cinematographer), Piper Kroeze (editor)

PLOT: Whilst working an overnight shift at her family’s remote storage facility, Laurie (Fuhrman) makes a shocking discovery inside of unit 234: an unconscious man named Clayton (Huston) who’s chained to a gurney and missing a kidney. Soon, a ruthless gang leader (Johnson) arrives to claim its property, forcing Laurie to fight back…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A tense game of cat-and-mouse occurs within a largely empty storage facility in the suspenseful thriller from director Andy Tennant
• The director, previously behind rom-com hits like Sweet Home Alabama and Hitch, creates a grim and unpredictable atmosphere throughout the film
• Orphan star Isabelle Fuhrman holds her own against acting veteran Don Johnson and fellow rising star Jack Huston
• With an arsenal of twists under its belt, prepare for the unexpected as the night plods on for our seemingly helpless hero
• It’s a thrilling ride that proves how there’s suspense aplenty to be found in some of the emptiest places of our society

Unit 234: The Lock Up is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 30 September 2024

CAST: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars, Madeline Kahn, Richard Haydn, Richard Roth, Monte Landis, Rusty Blitz, Gene Hackman, Mel Brooks

CREW: Mel Brooks (director, writer), Gene Wilder (writer), Michael Gruskoff (producer), John Morris (composer), Gerald Hirschfeld (cinematographer), John C. Howard (editor)

PLOT: Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Wilder), the American grandson of the infamous scientist Victor Frankenstein, reluctantly inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania, where he discovers his ancestor’s process for reanimating the human body. With the assistance of his hunchbacked servant Igor (Feldman) and his young assistant Inga (Garr), Frankenstein successfully revitalises a corpse (Boyle) that causes all sorts of havoc…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Mel Brooks’ timeless and hilarious spoof of the classic Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein is back on the big screen to mark its 50th anniversary
• Brooks also co-wrote the film with Gene Wilder, who also stars as the titular descendent of the mad scientist from the original novel
• There are some big laughs to be had from the outrageously silly humour that’s always on display, whether it’s in comedic supporting turns from the likes of Marty Feldman and Madeline Kahn, or some unexpectedly musical moments
• The film became a huge audience hit at the time of its release, going on to be nominated for two Oscars (including for Brooks and Wilder’s screenplay), and was even turned into a successful Broadway musical
• Today, the film is regarded as one of the greatest comedies of all time, with Brooks himself calling it one of his best films (though not necessarily his funniest, but that’s just his opinion)

Young Frankenstein is showing in cinemas from Friday 4 October 2024