Movie of the Week

• The Amateur

Cinemas

• Drop
• The Return
• The King of Kings
• Fran the Man
• One to One: John & Yoko
• Holy Cow

Streaming/On-Demand

• G20

Re-Releases

• Babe

CAST: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, Takehiro Hira

CREW: James Hawes (director), Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli (writers), Joel B. Michaels, Hutch Parker and Dan Wilson (producers), Volker Bertelmann (composer), Martin Ruhe (cinematographer), Jonathan Amos (editor)

PLOT: After his wife Sarah (Brosnahan) is killed in a London terror attack, CIA cryptographer Charles Heller (Malek) requests access to field operative training, so that he can locate and exact vengeance on those responsible…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• An unlikely new hero emerges in this intense espionage thriller that provides all the thrills and suspense you could hope for
• Oscar-winner Rami Malek delivers a striking performance as the mild-mannered desk clerk turned surprisingly badass CIA-skilled vigilante
• Also among the cast in the film by director James Hawes (previously of the moving drama One Life) are character actors Laurence Fishburne and Holt McCallany, the ever-awesome Jon Bernthal, and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel herself (and future Lois Lane) Rachel Brosnahan
• It is the second adaptation of Robert Littel’s 1981 novel, following a film released that same year with memorable turns from the likes of John Savage and Christopher Plummer
• This modern take on the material is a non-stop thrill-ride that will leave you shocked at how much vengeance can consume a person

The Amateur is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, Travis Nelson

CREW: Christopher Landon (director), Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach (writers), Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller and Cameron Fuller (producers), Bear McCreary (composer), Marc Spicer (cinematographer), Ben Baudhuin (editor)

PLOT: Violet (Fahy), a widowed mother, is on her first date in years with the charming Henry (Sklenar) when she receives a series of threatening anonymous messages on her phone instructing her to kill Henry or else her son Toby (Robinson) will be murdered…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Director Christopher Landon takes a short break from slasher mish-mashes to realise a tense modern-day thriller that Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of
• The White Lotus breakout Meghann Fahy gives a terrified lead turn as someone whose date take a sinister turn for the worse, thanks to the ever-handy AirDrop phone feature
• Producers Michael Bay and Jason Blum – who previously collaborated on the Purge franchise – team up once again for a mystery that grows more unpredictable by the minute
• Some inventive sequences make use of the rather high location of the restaurant where most of the action unfolds, which may spell bad news for anyone with a fear of heights
• Combining genuine thrills and a surprisingly engaging romance at its centre, this could be the genre-clashing original movie we need more of right now at the movies

Drop is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Charlie Plummer, Tom Rhys Harries, Marwan Kenzari, Claudio Santamaria, Ayman Al Aboud, Amir Wilson, Francesco Bianchi, Nicolas Retrivi, Bruno Cassandra, Cosmi Desii, Ángela Molina, Stefano Santomauro

CREW: Uberto Pasolini (director, writer, producer), Edward Bond and John Collee (writers), James Clayton, Paolo Del Brocco, Konstantinos Kontovrakis and Roberto Sessa (producers), Rachel Portman (composer), Marius Panduru (cinematographer), David Charap (editor)

PLOT: After twenty years away fighting in the Trojan Wars, the general-king Odysseus (Fiennes) returns to the shores of Ithica to find his wife Penelope (Binoche) a prisoner in her own home, hounded by endless suitors who will stop at nothing to wed the apparent widow, while their son Telemachus (Plummer) is seen as a potential threat to their endeavours. To save his family and restore order, Odysseus must face his past and regain his inner strength to take down those who stand in his way…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Before Christopher Nolan dazzles us all with his upcoming epic take on Homer’s legendary poem, filmmaker Uberto Pasolini presents a much more sombre retelling of a climactic section of The Odyssey
• Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche reunite on-screen for the first time since the Oscar-winner The English Patient, as the legendary couple Odysseus and Penelope respectively
• Fiennes in particular has never been more vicious in an extremely physical performance that sees him unleash some brutal retribution in ways the Oscar-nominated actor hasn’t done before
• There is some shocking violence throughout the movie that gives viewers a much more dangerous vision of Ancient Greece than in most other media
• A rollocking action-adventure with a hint of regret and sorrow, this is a solid reinterpretation of the classic text that will hold you over until Nolan’s undoubtedly massive version

The Return is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Kenneth Branagh, Oscar Isaac, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, Ava Sanger

CREW: Jang Seong-Ho (director, writer, producer, editor), Kim Woo-hyung (producer, composer)

PLOT: In Victorian England, famed author Charles Dickens (Branagh) recalls to his son Walter Dickens (Davis) the Biblical story of Jesus Christ (Isaac)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Just in time for Easter comes a brand-new retelling of arguably the most famous story in history – as told by a very unlikely narrator!
• Kenneth Branagh and Oscar Isaac lead a starry voice cast as Charles Dickens and Jesus respectively, with the likes of Pierce Brosnan, Mark Hamill and Sir Ben Kingsley also popping up
• It is based on a long-lost Dickens children’s book The Life of Our Lord, which was published more than sixty years after the iconic author’s death
• Some heavenly animation captures many important moments in the short life of Jesus, with Dickens handily providing some delightful perspective
• For the faith-based crowd, it’s a harmless family outing that will give children and audiences a fun new look at the inspiring life of the renowned Son of God

The King of Kings is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Darragh Humphreys, Ardal O’Hanlon, Amy Huberman, Risteárd Cooper, Toni O’Rourke, Deirdre O’Kane, Eddie Marsan, Mark Huberman, Paul Reid, Baz Black, Stephen Mullan, Darren Dixon, Jed Murray, Donncha O’Dea, Alex Connolly, Declan Gill

CREW: Stephen Bradley (director), Richie Conroy (writer), Collie McCarthy (producer), Ross O’Callaghan (cinematographer), Stephen Vickers (editor)

PLOT: Fran Costello (Humphreys), the hapless assistant manager of a non-league Irish football club, is forced to step his game up when his club becomes embroiled in an international match fixing scandal…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The winning footie spirit of Ted Lasso translates well to this Irish comedy that scores plenty of its own goals
• It is a feature spin-off of the short-lived cult comedy show Fran, and sees lead actor Darragh Humphreys reprise his role as the titular hero
• There are some memorable supporting turns from the likes of Father Ted legend Ardal O’Hanlon, and Eddie Marsan in an as-yet unidentified role
• The mockumentary format allows for plenty of naturalistic humour to emerge from the performers as they give their all to the material
• You’ll leave in great spirits thanks to its uproarious comedy and the heartfelt soul of its lovable main characters

Fran the Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: John Lennon, Yoko Ono

CREW: Kevin Macdonald (director, producer), Sam Rice-Edwards (director, editor), Alice Webb and Peter Worsley (producers), David Katznelson (cinematographer)

PLOT: In the early 70s, former Beatle John Lennon and his musician wife Yoko Ono develop new music together in their New York apartment, as well as a benefit concert that eventually took place in Madison Square Garden…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The latest documentary from Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald gives viewers a closer look than ever at the unbreakable bond between two of the biggest names in music history
• Its focus on the titular benefit concert, which turned out to be the only post-Beatles performances John Lennon gave, offers a viewpoint into an untapped point in time for music lovers
• The various archival footage, ranging from personal home movies to remastered audio recordings, was overseen and approved by Lennon and Ono’s son Sean
• Though their union was always deemed controversial among Beatles fans, the film nonetheless celebrates their unique artistry and their shared eccentric approach to the creative process
• It’s a rare chance to see its hugely popular subjects doing what they do best on the big screen, in addition to being a must-watch film for any longtime Beatles follower

One to One: John & Yoko is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Clément Faveau, Maiwene Barthelemy, Luna Garret, Dimitry Baudry, Mathis Bernard, Armand Sancey, Lucas Marillier

CREW: Louise Courvoisier (director, writer), Théo Abadie (writer), Muriel Meynard (producer), Charlie Courvoisier and Linda Courvoisier (composers), Elio Balézeaux (cinematographer), Sarah Grosset (editor)

PLOT: In rural France, carefree 18-year-old Totone (Faveau) must become the primary carer of his 7-year-old sister Claire (Garret) after a family tragedy. Seeking income, he soon enters a competition to produce a winning Comté cheese and achieve a cash prize, teaming up with young dairy farm owner Marie-Lise (Barthelemy) to make it…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This winning French comedy-drama puts a great deal of heart into the niche world of cheese-making competitions
• It marks the debut of both filmmaker Louise Courvoisier and lead actor Clément Faveau, who each deliver work that makes them come across as seasoned veterans
• Courvoisier’s film debuted in the prestigious Un Certain Regard field at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it also competed for the Camera d’Or prize for the best first feature
• There’s plenty of juvenile drama and even a bit of adolescent romance in a coming-of-age narrative that feels authentic and firmly grounded
• With a heart as big and plentiful as the most ravenous wheel of cheese, this is a sweet and tasty treat for fans of crowd-pleasing European cinema

Holy Cow is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025

CAST: Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson, Marsai Martin, Ramón Rodríguez, Antony Starr, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Marvel, Sabrina Impacciatore, Gideon Emery, Clark Gregg, Christopher Farrar, John Hoogenakker, MeeWha Alana Lee, Theo Bongani Ndyalvane, Conrad Kemp, Joseph Steven Yang, Emmanuel Castis, Shaleeni Ranchhod, David James, Noxolo Dlamini, Angela Sarafyan

CREW: Patricia Riggen (director), Logan Miller, Noah Miller, Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss (writers), Viola Davis, Andrew Lazar and Julius Tennon (producers), Joseph Trapanese (composer), Checco Varese (cinematographer), Doc Crotzer and Emma E. Hickox (editor)

PLOT: U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Davis) attends a G20 summit in South Africa, but when a group of terrorists infiltrate the meeting and hold various world leaders – and members of Sutton’s family – hostage, she must outsmart their ruthless leader Rutledge (Starr) to save the day…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Oscar-winning powerhouse Viola Davis steps up her game to portray a combat-ready POTUS in this breathtaking action-thriller
• Davis leads a cast that includes Black-ish veterans Anthony Anderson and Marsai Martin, and the ever-fearsome Antony Starr channelling his inner Homelander as the film’s sinister villain
• Director Patricia Riggen crafts some impressively choreographed action set-pieces that make solid use of the contained setting
• Though the production was granted a waiver to keep filming during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Davis nobly declined to continue filming in solidarity with the unions
• With loads of applause-worthy action and a solid lead turn by the ever-reliable Davis, you’ll be treated to a thrill ride that might just restore your faith in democracy

G20 is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 10 April 2025

CAST: James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, Christine Cavanaugh, Danny Mann, Miriam Margolyse, Hugo Weaving, Miriam Flynn, Russi Taylor, Michael Edward-Stevens, Charles Bartlett, Paul Livingston, Zoe Burton, Paul Goddard, Wade Hayward, Brittany Byrnes, Mary Acres, Roscoe Lee Browne

CREW: Chris Noonan (director, writer), George Miller (writer, producer), Bill Miller and Doug Mitchell (producers), Nigel Westlake (composer), Andrew Lesnie (cinematographer), Marcus D’Arcy and Jay Friedkin (editors)

PLOT: Babe (Cavanaugh), an orphaned piglet, is won at a county fair by gentle farmer Arthur Hoggett (Cromwell), who initially intends the pig to serve as food. However, when Babe displays unusual sheep-herding skills, he catches Hoggett’s attention, as well as a mixed response from the other farm animals…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The beloved animal-centric family classic returns to the big screen to mark its landmark 30th anniversary
• Adapted from Dick King-Smith’s novel The Sheep-Pig by co-writer and producer George Miller, the film used a then-groundbreaking mix of real animals and puppetry to bring the talking animals to life
• The film’s incredible heart helped make it a major box office success, and the film was even nominated for several Oscars including Best Picture, winning one for its visual effects
• It also inspired a Miller-directed sequel Babe: Pig in the City, which did not receive as much acclaim or financial success at the time, but has since developed a strong cult following
• All these years later, it remains such an endearing story that’ll very much do with audiences both new and old

Babe is showing in cinemas from Friday 11 April 2025