Movie of the Week

• Borderlands

Cinemas

• Trap
• It Ends with Us
• Babes
• Tuesday
• Radical
• Sky Peals
• Duchess
• Gracie and Pedro: Mission Impossible

Streaming/On-Demand

• The Instigators
• Arthur the King
• One Fast Move
• Self Reliance

Re-Releases

• Spider-Man 2
• Caligula: The Ultimate Cut

CAST: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Jamie Lee Curtis, Edgar Ramírez, Gina Gershon, Haley Bennett, Bobby Lee, Olivier Richters, Janina Gavankar, Cheyenne Jackson, Charles Babalola, Benjamin Byron Davis, Steven Boyer, Ryann Redmond, Harry Ford

CREW: Eli Roth (director, writer), Joe Crombie (writer), Avi Arad and Erik Feig (producers), Steve Jablonsky (composer), Rogier Stoffers (cinematographer), Julian Clarke and Evan Henke (editors)

PLOT: Deep within the galaxy, infamous bounty hunter Lillith (Blanchett) reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to locate the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful man, Atlas (Ramírez). There, she forms an unlikely team of heroes – including disgraced mercenary Roland (Hart), feral young demolitionist Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), her muscular protector Krieg (Munteanu), borderline insane scientist Dr. Patricia Tannis (Curtis), and snarky robot Claptrap (Black) – to find the daughter, who may hold the key to ultimate power within the universe…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The popular video game series receives the gloriously unhinged big screen treatment, after years of development
• Eli Roth directs and co-writes the action-heavy film, and his manic energy is felt in every frame of the carnage
• An all-star cast portrays some of the most recognisable characters from the games, including Cate Blanchett as protagonist Lillith, Ariana Greenblatt as the trouble-making Tiny Tina, and Jack Black as the voice of Claptrap the robot
• Expect plenty of plentiful sci-fi action and much of Roth’s trademark sense of humour to dominate this blockbuster experience
• Depending on the film’s success, this could very well be the beginning of a new film franchise with plenty of odd pockets to explore!

Borderlands is showing in cinemas from Thursday 8 August 2024

CAST: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, Alison Pill, Marnie McPhail, Vanessa Smythe, Kid Cudi

CREW: M. Night Shyamalan (director, writer, producer), Marc Bienstock and Ashwin Rajan (producers), Herdís Stefánsdóttir (composer), Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (cinematographer), Noemi Katharina Preiswerk (editor)

PLOT: Whilst attending a concert by famous pop star Lady Raven (Shyamalan) with his daughter Riley (Donoghue), Cooper (Hartnett) learns that the event is actually intended as a trap for the serial killer known as “the Butcher” – which is bad news for Cooper, because he IS the Butcher…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Night Shyamalan is back with an enthralling and sinister new thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat
• Described as if Silence of the Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert, the film plays with viewers’ expectations about how – or even if – the killer will evade his captors
• Josh Hartnett is terrifying as the troubled killer at the centre of everything, while there’s some strong musical support from Shyamalan’s singer daughter Saleka, who plays the in-film pop star Lady Raven
• It is based loosely on a real-life sting operation that caught countless fugitives at a convention centre under the promise of offering free NFL tickets
• Who knows what kind of shocking surprises that Shyamalan has up his sleeve, and no doubt they’ll keep the suspense bubbling throughout!

Trap is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Blake Likely, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Amy Morton, Isabela Ferrer, Alex Neustaedter

CREW: Justin Baldoni (director), Christy Hall (writer, producer), Jamey Heath and Alex Sax (producers), Duncan Blickenstaff and Rob Simonsen (composers), Barry Peterson (cinematographer), Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan (editors)

PLOT: After overcoming a traumatic childhood, Lily Bloom (Lively) begins a new life in Boston, where she meets and begins a relationship with handsome neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni). However, when Ryle begins displaying behaviour that reminds Lily of her childhood, and after her first love Atlas Corrigan (Sklenar) re-enters her life, she is forced to make a decision for her own future…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel brings the tender and emotional narrative to wider audiences
• Blake Lively leads the way as the troubled protagonist Lily Bloom, who has been slightly aged up from the book in a slight controversy amongst book fans
• Director Justin Baldoni also portrays the dangerous love interest Ryle Kincaid, in a performance that is both charming and also quite disturbing
• As in the book, the film deals with heavy mature themes such as abuse and trauma, which may provide some uncomfortable feelings for viewers who have experienced similar events
• Ultimately, it is a powerful tale of empowerment and strength that should resonate well enough with most audiences

It Ends with Us is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch, Hasan Minhaj, Stephan James, Oliver Platt, Kenny Lucas, Keith Lucas, Sandra Bernhard

CREW: Pamela Adlon (director), Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz (writers, producers), Ashley Fox, Susan Fox, Breean Pojunas and Breean Solberg (producers), Jay Lifton and Ryan Miller (composers), Jeffrey Kim (cinematographer), Annie Eifrig and Elizabeth Merrick (editors)

PLOT: Eden (Glazer) and Dawn (Buteau) have been inseparable best friends since childhood, but their dynamic changes when Dawn gives birth. Shortly after, Eden falls pregnant herself after a one-night stand, which brings her friendship with Dawn to new and unpredictable levels…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Motherhood clashes with friendship in this highly amusing pregnancy comedy
• Broad City co-creator Ilana Glazer stars in the film opposite Michelle Buteau, and also co-writes the script with Josh Rabinowitz
• It is the directorial debut of actor and voiceover artist Pamela Adlon, whom King of the Hill fans will recognise as the voice of Bobby Hill
• The film offers plenty of laugh-out-loud commentary on the trials of young motherhood that anyone with kids can easily relate to
• With its outrageous situations and heartfelt friendship drama, it’s a true original that fits nicely in the category of pregnancy comedies

Babes is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Lola Petticrew, Leah Harvey, Arinzé Kene, Ellie James, Taru Devani, Jay Simpson, David Sibley, Nathan Amzi, Justin Edwards, Hugh Futcher, Nathan Ives-Moiba, Ewens Abid, Bijal Raj, Florencia Nunez

CREW: Daina O. Pusić (director, writer), Helen Gladders, Ivana MacKinnon and Oliver Roskill (producers), Anna Meredith (composer), Alexis Zabé (cinematographer), Arttu Salmi (editor)

PLOT: Zora (Louis-Dreyfuss) cares for her terminally ill daughter Tuesday (Petticrew), but is struggling to cope with her inevitable loss. Soon, Death (Kene) arrives in the form of a size-shifting macaw, who guides mother and daughter on an emotional journey together…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This beautiful and deeply emotional meditation on life and death reaches for the stars with its grand ambition
• Debut filmmaker Daina O. Pusić mixes tender human drama with a fantastical element that surprises in all the right ways
• Julia Louis-Dreyfuss shines in a rare dramatic turn as the grieving mother of her soon-to-be-passed daughter, played with warmth by Lola Petticrew
• The film is a UK-USA co-production, with the majority of the film being shot in the United Kingdom with the partial backing of American distributor A24
• Its unique approach to sensitive topics like grief and terminal illness will make it a special experience for those in need of something powerful to consume at the movies

Tuesday is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Eugenio Derbez, Daniel Haddad, Jennifer Trejo, Mia Fernanda Solis, Danilo Guardiola, Víctor Estrada

CREW: Christopher Zalla (director, writer), Joshua Davis, Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell (producers), Pascual Reyes and Juan Pablo Villa (composers), Mateo Londono (cinematographer), Eugenio Richer (editor)

PLOT: Sergio (Derbez) is a teacher who arrives to work at an underperforming elementary school in the Mexican town of Matamoros, which is rife with crime and corruption. He soon adopts some unorthodox methods to encourage his pupils to unlock their creative potential, which begins to boost their academic prospects…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The classic “inspirational teacher” template gets a formidable update in this moving and uplifting Mexican drama
• Eugenio Derbez delivers one of his most compelling performances as the teacher tasked with turning the lives of his low-scoring students around
• Writer-director Christopher Zalla takes inspiration from a 2013 Wired article that details the real-life radical teaching methods that ultimately helped underperforming children in a Mexican school
• Following its debut at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, it picked up the audience-voted Festival Favourite Award
• Those looking for a pleasing new spin on a reliable formula, as well as plenty of life-affirming charm, will find plenty of that and more

Radical is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Faraz Ayub, Natalie Gavin, Claire Rushbrook, Simon Nagra, Steve Oram, Jeff Mirza, Bill Fellows, Adrian Hood, Maizie Wickson, Alan Cammish

CREW: Moin Hussain (director, writer), Michelle Stein (producer), Sarah Davachi (composer), Nick Cooke (cinematographer), Nse Asuquo (editor)

PLOT: Adam (Ayub), a lonely man working night shifts at a motorway service station, learns that his estranged father has died, leaving him with unanswered questions. As he attempts to piece together who his father might have been, Adam becomes convinced that he was descended from an alien race…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Filmmaker Moin Hussain announces himself as an original talent to watch with his arresting and unpredictable debut feature
• Hussain blends tender human drama with surprisingly intense sci-fi undertones as he explores the feeling of not belonging in contemporary worlds
• Faraz Ayub delivers an astounding lead performance as the main figure that realises something other-worldly about his heritage
• It has impressed critics and audiences at festivals across the world, including at Venice where it first made a sizeable splash
• Anyone who may be similarly struggling with their own identity may find some comfort in the film’s far-reaching depictions of isolation and misplacement

Sky Peals is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Charlotte Kirk, Philip Winchester, Colm Meaney, Sean Pertwee, Stephanie Beacham, Colin Egglesfield, Yan Tual, Alex Morgan, David Chevers, Mellissa Laycy, Giada Falzoni, Hoji Fortuna, Harvey Dean, Boré Buika, Iván Hermés, Pau Poch, Joana Pastrana, Judy Donovan, Boris Martinez, Ignacio Herráez, Annine Ngesang

CREW: Neil Marshall (director, writer, editor), Charlotte Kirk (writer), Emily Corcoran and Kristyna Sellnerova (producers), Paul Lawlor (composer), Simon Rowling (cinematographer), Adam Trotman (editor)

PLOT: Scarlett Monaghan (Kirk), a small-time crook with the alias “Duchess”, tries her hand at diamond trafficking, only to be left for dead after a deal goes wrong. Now, she sets out for revenge against those who had wronged her…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Filmmaker Neil Marshall collaborates once more with star and co-writer Charlotte Kirk for a brutal revenge thriller set in a seedy criminal underworld
• Kirk gives the lead role her all as she puts herself through plenty of tough ordeals under the direction of Marshall (her real-life partner)
• There’s some compelling action and tongue-in-cheek wit reminiscent of early-career Guy Ritchie throughout this film
• As Kirk’s ruthless anti-hero piles through one gangster after another, you can practically feel all the blows she delivers to any and all assailants
• It’s a firmly executed crime flick with enough action and suspense to hold any cinema lover over

Duchess is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024 (and will be available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 12 August 2024)

CAST: Claire Alan, Cory Doran, Bill Nighy, Susan Sarandon, Alicia Silverstone, Danny Trejo, Brooke Shields, Al Franken, Bianca Alongi, Judy Marshak, Mike Nadajewski

CREW: Kevin Donovan and Gottfried Roodt (directors), Jaisa C. Bishop, Kelly Peters and Bruce A. Taylor (writers), Mariah Owen and Amy Katherine Taylor (producers), Deon van Heerden (composer), TBA (editor)

PLOT: Gracie (Alan), a pampered dog, and Pedro (Doran), a world-weary rescue cat, are accidentally left behind at the airport when their family move across the country. Forced to journey together in order to make it home, Gracie and Pedro begin to find surprising things in common…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A little pair of pets go a long way in this adventurous animated journey for the whole family
• The film is an international co-production, made by animation companies in the US, Canada and South Africa
• Bill Nighy and Susan Sarandon are among the supporting voice cast who pop up to help (or not help) our furry heroes
• Some bright cartoon action should entertain the little ones that need big-screen entertainment whilst school’s out for the summer
• With plenty of fun and healthy laughs for all ages, this is a neat choice of film to take the family to see on the big screen

Gracie and Pedro: Mission Impossible is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Paul Walter Hauser, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, Jack Harlow, Ron Perlman, Caylee Cowan, Don DiPetta, Heidi Garza, David Gborie, Sidney Bottino, Tom Mariano, Richie Moriarty

CREW: Doug Liman (director), Casey Affleck and Chuck MacLean (writers), Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, John Graham, Jeff Robinov, Kevin Walsh and Alison Winter (producers), Christophe Beck (composer), Henry Braham (cinematographer), William Goldenberg, Saar Klein and Tatiana S. Riegel (editors)

PLOT: Rory (Damon), a former Marine desperate to reconnect with his son, reluctantly teams with ex-con Cobby (Affleck) for a heist that sees them take the ill-gotten gains of the corrupt Mayor Miccelli (Perlman). However, when the job goes south, the two men are forced to go on the run, bringing Rory’s therapist Donna (Chau) along with them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Apple’s latest blockbuster, from director Doug Liman, is a fun and action-packed heist flick with thrills galore
• Matt Damon not only stars in the film, but also produces with Ben Affleck under their production company Artists Equity
• Joining Damon in the already stacked cast is Oscar-winner Casey Affleck, Oscar-nominee Hong Chau, character actors Michael Stuhlbarg and Ron Perlman, and even rap sensation Jack Harlow
• Some unexpected twists and turns, all delivered at a comfortable pace, keep the narrative from running out of steam
• With its strong sense of humour as well as some rather intense blue-collar action, it’s an old-fashioned romp that should have audiences hooked

The Instigators is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu, Juliet Rylance, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ali Suliman, Bear Grylls, Paul Guilfoyle, Rob Collins, Michael Landes

CREW: Simon Cellan Jones (director), Michael Brandt (writer), Mark Canton, Stephen Levinson, Courtney Solomon, Tessa Tooley, Tuckey Tooley and Mark Wahlberg (producers), Kevin Matley (composer), Jacques Jouffret (cinematographer), Gary Roach (editor)

PLOT: In 2018, professional runner Michael Light (Wahlberg) and his team of adventure racers enter a gruelling 435-mile endurance race in the Dominican Republic. Along the way, they encounter and eventually adopt a stray dog that they name Arthur, the King, which inspires them in ways they never thought possible…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The inspiring true story of a mismatched racing team and their unlikely canine companion forms the heartfelt centre of this adventurous sports drama
• Mark Wahlberg leads a cast that also includes Simu Liu, Nathalie Emmanuel, and even Bear Grylls who pops up in a cameo as himself
• As for the dog of the title, he effortlessly wins the heart of the viewer as well as his human co-stars, who all have exceptional chemistry with the adorable little mutt
• Some beautiful cinematography captures the expansive and often perilous atmosphere within the Dominican Republic wilderness
• With emotional lessons to be learned about the importance of teamwork and perseverance, it’s a film that will easily resonate with anyone, especially dog-lovers!

Arthur the King is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: KJ Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco, Edward James Olmos, Austin North, Jackson Hurst

CREW: Kelly Blatz (director, writer), William Bindley, Mike Karz, Matt Luber and Lena Roklin (producers), Nami Melumad (composer), Luca Del Puppo (cinematographer), Seth Clark (editor)

PLOT: After being released from prison, down-on-his-luck Wes Neal (Apa) seeks out his estranged father Dean (Dane) to help him realise his dream of becoming a professional motorcycle racer…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The harsh and dangerous world of motorcycle racing is the backdrop for an intimate drama about a reconnecting father and son
• Riverdale lead KJ Apa and Euphoria’s Eric Dane play the aforementioned son and father respectively, while there are some plentiful supporting turns by Maia Reficco and legendary character actor Edward James Olmos
• There are some brutal motorcycle stunts that bring attention to the exceptional skills that professional riders perform with absolute precision
• It all leads to a tense finale where, as in the best sports movies, everything personal is at stake for our heroes
• You’ll feel breathless as the visceral sporting action whizzes past you with the most inhuman of speeds

One Fast Move is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 8 August 2024

CAST: Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, Andy Samberg, Mary Holland, Emily Hampshire, Nancy Lenehan, Daryl J. Johnson, Miriam Flynn, Boban Marjanović, Biff Wiff, Eduardo Franco, Jeff Kober, Christopher Lloyd, Wayne Brady, GaTa, Eric Edelstein, Ilia Volok, Karen Maruyama

CREW: Jake Johnson (director, writer, producer), Ali Bell and Joe Hardesty (producers), Dan Romer (composer), Adam Silver (cinematographer), Ryan Brown (editor)

PLOT: Tommy (Johnson), a regular and disillusioned guy, is suddenly given the opportunity to participate in an underground reality game show with a cash prize of $1 million. All that Tommy has to do is survive a month of hunters trying to kill him, but since they can only strike when he is alone, Tommy sets out to find anyone, be it friends or family or complete strangers, to buddy up with for the remainder of the game…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Jake Johnson’s directorial debut is a hilarious and eerily relevant satire about the lengths people will go to for a shot at fame and fortune
• The former New Girl breakout also stars in the film, alongside an ensemble that includes Anna Kendrick, Christopher Lloyd, and Andy Samberg as a warped version of himself
• Written during the pandemic, Johnson draws on then-prominent themes of isolation and loneliness, as well as an extreme depiction of reality television that soared in popularity during that period
• It was shot in just 19 days around the city of Los Angeles, also making a mini love letter to the area that Johnson clearly admires a lot
• With sardonic humour undercutting the often-sudden bursts of violence, it’s an original and hugely entertaining first go by Johnson behind the camera

Self Reliance is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, Donna Murphy, J.K. Simmons, Daniel Gillies, Dylan Baker, Elizabeth Banks, John Paxton, Ted Raimi, Bill Nunn, Elya Baskin, Mageina Tovah

CREW: Sam Raimi (director), Alvin Sargent (writer), Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin (producers), Danny Elfman (composer), Bill Pope (cinematographer), Bob Murawski (editor)

PLOT: Peter Parker (Maguire) is struggling to balance his personal life and relationships, especially with Mary Jane Watson (Dunst), and his duties as the web-slinger superhero Spider-Man. Meanwhile, scientist Otto Octavius (Molina) finds himself fused with mechanical tentacles that transforms him into the fearsome criminal Doctor Octopus. Soon, Peter finds himself facing a personal crisis, just as Octavius sets forth his diabolical plans…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The second in Sam Raimi’s superhero trilogy marks its 20th anniversary with an all-new theatrical re-release (along with all the other Spider-Man movies across numerous weeks)
• Following in the wake of the record-breaking first movie, this film has received universal acclaim from critics and audiences, who have dubbed it one of the best superhero movies of all time
• In addition to expanding the dramatic arc of its titular hero, the film also introduced audiences to Alfred Molina’s complex and three-dimensional villain, known best as Doc Ock
• It features some of the best action in any Spider-Man movie, especially an iconic train sequence that helped the film earn the Oscar for Best Visual Effects (making it thus far the only Marvel film to win in that category)
• Don’t miss your chance to see the epic and heartfelt action on the big screen, where a film like this was always meant to be experienced

Spider-Man 2 is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024

CAST: Malcolm McDowell, Teresa Ann Savoy, Guido Mannari, John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole, Giancarlo Badessi, Bruno Brive, Adriana Asti, Leopoldo Trieste, Paolo Bonacelli, John Steiner, Mirella D’Angelo, Helen Mirren, Richard Parets, Paula Mitchell, Osiride Pevarello, Donato Placido, Anneka Di Lorenzo, Lori Wagner

CREW: Tinto Brass (director), Gore Vidal (writer), Thomas Negovan (producer), Troy Sterling Nies (composer), Silvano Ippoliti (cinematographer), Aaron Shaps (editor)

PLOT: Amidst the decline of the Roman Empire, young Caligula (McDowell) plots to overthrow his adoptive relative, Emperor Tiberius (O’Toole), and inherit the throne…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The legendary cult classic, which tells the hedonistic and provocative story of one of the last Emperors of the Roman Empire, is reintroduced to audiences with an all-new cut of director Tinto Brass’s film
• It is a completely fresh take on the film, pieced together by historian Thomas Negovan with never-before-seen footage of the film that closely follows the outline of writer Gore Vidal’s original script
• The original production was rich with attention-grabbing drama, including financier Bob Guccione (also the founder of Penthouse magazine) ordering the insertion of hardcore sexual content, which partially led to both Brass and Vidal disowning the film
• Though negatively received at the time, it has been retrospectively viewed as a misunderstood historical epic, with a magnetic lead turn by Malcolm McDowell lighting its near-three hours of utter debauchery
• This new cut of the film should hopefully restore a large chunk of its dignity, and open the possibility of newer audiences discovering the madness of Caligula for themselves

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is showing in cinemas from Friday 9 August 2024