Movie of the Week

• Poor Things

Cinemas

• The Boys in the Boat
• The Beekeeper
• Freaks vs The Reich
• The Disappearance of Shere Hite
• Goldbeak

Streaming/On-Demand

• Lift
• Role Play
• About My Father
• Lord of Misrule

CAST: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Margaret Qualley, Kathryn Hunter, Suzy Bemba, Hanna Schygulla, Vicki Pepperdine, Wayne Brett, Tom Stourton, Carminho, Jerskin Fendrix

CREW: Yorgos Lanthimos (director, producer), Tony McNamara (writer), Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and Emma Stone (producers), Jerskin Fendrix (composer), Robbie Ryan (cinematographer), Yorgos Mavropsaridis (editor)

PLOT: In Victorian England, scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe) resurrects the corpse of a young woman (Stone), implanting the brain of her unborn child inside of her head. Reborn as Bella Baxter, her childlike mentality soon gives way to a greater curiosity about the world, leading her to run away with slick lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo) and learn more about herself…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Yorgos Lanthimos presents perhaps his strangest, but also his most accessible, film to date, and it’s one hell of a good time!
• Adapted from Alasdair Gray’s novel of the same name by The Great creator Tony McNamara (who also co-wrote The Favourite for Lanthimos), the film presents a weird yet fascinating universe of science and wonder
• Emma Stone delivers a career-best turn as the leading Frankenstein’s Monster figure, while some memorable turns from the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and others provide lively support
• It is set to be a top contender during the current awards season, especially with accolades such as the Golden Lion trophy at last year’s Venice Film Festival
• Funny, eccentric, liberating, and wholly satisfying, you’ll likely have never experienced anything like it before, or maybe ever will again!

Poor Things is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Callum Turner, Joel Edgerton, Jack Mulhern, Sam Strike, Alec Newman, Peter Guinness, Luke Slattery, Thomas Elms, Tom Varey, Bruce Herbelin-Earle, Wil Coban, Hadley Robinson, Courtney Henggler, James Wolk, Chris Diamantopoulos

CREW: George Clooney (director, producer), Mark L. Smith (writer), Grant Heslov (producer), Alexandre Desplat (composer), Martin Ruhe (cinematographer), Tanya Swerling (editor)

PLOT: In the 1930s, the rowing team of the University of Washington, as coached by Al Ulbrickson (Edgerton), rises from an underdog team to a fully-trained squad as they prepare to compete at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• George Clooney is back in the director’s chair to bring the inspiring story of the University of Washington rowing team to the big screen
• The script, adapted by The Revenant co-writer Mark L. Smith from the non-fiction book of the same name, charts the team’s unexpected rise in the ranks of the sport, all the way to their decisive participation in the 1936 Olympics (in Nazi Germany, of all places)
• Some winning turns by Joel Edgerton, as the team’s unbreakable coach, and Callum Turner as one of the rowers, make this an even more plentiful crowd-pleaser
• Rowing enthusiasts will appreciate the rigorous training that goes into the sport, as well as a look into how it was conducted in Depression-era times
• In a crowded sea of hard-hitting awards contenders, this is a much gentler alternative for anyone looking for something traditional yet endearing

The Boys in the Boat is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, Jeremy Irons

CREW: David Ayer (director), Kurt Wimmer (writer, producer), Bill Block, Chris Long and Jason Statham (producers), Jared Michael Fry and David Sardy (composers), Gabriel Beristain (cinematographer), Geoffrey O’Brien (editor)

PLOT: Mr. Clay (Statham) is a former operative who belonged to a secretive and powerful organisation known as “Beekeepers”, but now lives a peaceful life away from the action. However, after someone close to him tragically falls victim to a phishing scam, Mr. Clay sets out to exact vengeance against the company responsible, uncovering a much larger conspiracy in the process…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Jason Statham goes full John Wick in this action-packed revenge thriller
• David Ayer, the director behind Fury, End of Watch and, erm, 2016’s Suicide Squad, brings his kinetic energy to some truly visceral set-pieces
• It has a script by Kurt Wimmer, who has plenty of experience in the action-thriller genre with his scripts for Law Abiding Citizen, Equilibrium, Salt and (unfortunately) last year’s Expend4bles
• The film introduces audiences to a secretive new organisation that has great potential to be explored here and in possible future entries
• If it’s a hardcore action treat you’re after, then leave it to Statham to deliver that in spades!

The Beekeeper is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Claudio Santamaria, Pietro Castellitto, Giancarlo Martini, Aurora Giovinazzo, Giorgio Tirabassi, Max Mazzotta, Franz Rogowski

CREW: Gabriele Mainetti (director, writer, producer, composer), Nicola Guaglianone (writer), Andrea Occhipinti (producer), Michele Braga (composer), Michele D’Attanasio (cinematographer), Francesco Di Stefano (editor)

PLOT: In 1943, a group of super-powered circus performers in Rome hope to travel to America and escape the war. However, when six-fingered Nazi Franz (Rogowski) attempts to capture them and use their powers to help deliver a victory for Hitler and the Third Reich, the group must do whatever they can to defeat their enemies and change the course of the war forever…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This highly imaginative fantasy-drama from Italy finally makes it way to UK shores, three years after its original debut
• The film was originally scheduled for release in 2020, but was subject to heavy delays by the COVID-19 pandemic, before finally screening a year later at the Venice Film Festival
• It features a different kind of superhero team, made up of unusual circus performers straight out of Tod Browning’s classic horror Freaks
• Franz Rogowski, who delivered one of last year’s most impressive turns in Ira Sachs’ Passages, is the team’s ultimate foe: a six-fingered Nazi with clairvoyant powers
• Unusual in its concept, yet surprisingly heartfelt in its execution, this is a unique slice of alternate history that you can’t afford to miss!

Freaks vs The Reich is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Dakota Johnson, Shere Hite, Michael Conrad, Mike Douglas, David Hasselhoff, Maury Povich, Oprah Winfrey

CREW: Nicole Newnham (director, producer), R.J. Cutler, Kimberly Ferdinando, Molly O’Brien, Elise Pearlstein and Trevor Smith (producers), Lisbeth Scott (composer), Naomi Amarger and Rose Bush (cinematographer), Eileen Meyer (editor)

PLOT: The life of Shere Hite, the American-born German sexologist whose provocative studies contributed to the feminist movement of the 1970s…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The radical life and essential work of sex educator Shere Hite is the focus of this invigorating biographical documentary
• Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham dives into her subject’s powerful research and her unfortunate ostracising from a deeply misogynist society
• Dakota Johnson, also an executive producer on the film, provides narration that takes the viewer deeper into Hite’s mindset
• It explores how Hite became an important figure in the rising feminist movement, which is still campaigning for gender equality to this day
• If you’ve somehow never heard of Shere Hite (and it seems that’s unfortunately designed by the system she fought against), then this is a compelling place to start

The Disappearance of Shere Hite is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Jason Patrick, Zeno Robinson, Sean Kenin, Debi Derryberry, Debra Wilson

CREW: Nigel W. Tierney (director, producer), Dong Long (director), Robert N. Skir, Jeff Sloniker and Vivian Yoon (writers), TBA (composer), Yiding Ma (editor)

PLOT: Young Goldbeak (TBA) is an eagle raised among chickens, who soon decides to embark on a journey to discover his roots…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Soar into adventure with this charming and free-spirited animated family adventure
• Originally produced in China, the film has been modified for English audiences with a dubbed version that makes the themes even more universal
• Children will be enthralled by the heroic flying sequences, which are brought to life with pleasing animation and amusing slapstick
• Its themes of recognising and accepting who we are lend a sizeable amount of heart to the story
• There’s plenty of family goodness to get out of this harmless piece of animation

Goldbeak is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, Jean Reno, Sam Worthington, Paul Anderson, Viveik Kalra, Kim Yoon-ji, Burn Gorman

CREW: F. Gary Gray (director), Daniel Kunka (writer), Audrey Chon, Kevin Hart, Adam Kassan, Simon Kinberg, Matt Reeves and Bryan Smiley (producers), Dominic Lewis and Guillaume Roussel (composers), Bernhard Jasper (cinematographer), William Yeh (editor)

PLOT: Cyrus Whitaker (Hart), a professional thief, is recruited by his ex-girlfriend, FBI agent Abby (Mbatha-Raw), to lead his international crew on a daring heist, where they must steal $500 million in gold bars during their airborne transportation on a flight to Zurich…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Kevin Hart leads this high-concept heist thriller with an added twist: the goods are located several thousand feet in their air!
• Gary Gray, no stranger to directing big-budget capers like Fast & Furious 8 and the 2003 remake of The Italian Job, livens up a fun script by Daniel Kunka
• In addition to Hart, the all-star international cast includes Loki’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jean Reno, Úrsula Corberó and more
• All sorts of twists and turns are to be expected, as well as some light comedy that Hart and his co-stars are more than apt at delivering
• With the stakes as high as the altitude, this is an exciting heist movie that you’ll want to tune into

Lift is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Kaley Cuoco, David Oyelowo, Connie Nielsen, Bill Nighy, Rudi Dharmalingam, Lucia Aliu, Reagan Bryan-Gudgeon, Simon Delaney, Sonita Henry, Jade Dregorius, Julia Schunevitsch, Stephanie Levy-Jones, Steffen Jung, Betty Kaplan, Dee Yoon, Matthias Schmidt, Moritz Berg, Angus McGruther, Dominic Holmes

CREW: Thomas Vincent (director), Seth Owens (writer), Kaley Cuoco, Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona (producers), Rael Jones (composer), Maxime Alexandre (cinematographer), Gareth C. Scales (editor)

PLOT: Emma (Cuoco) lives a seemingly perfect suburban life with her husband Dave (Oyelowo) and their children. Unbeknownst to them, however, she leads a secret life as an assassin for hire, which Dave finds out about when they attempt to spice up their marriage with some role play…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Former Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco leads this high-octane action-comedy about the unexpected dangers of role-playing
• Cuoco (also a producer on the film) and co-star David Oyelowo share sizzling chemistry as partners in both marriage and international crime
• Look out for some familiar faces among the supporting cast, including Connie Nielsen and Oscar-nominee Bill Nighy
• Her latest role as a cold-blooded assassin is the latest in a line of parts for Cuoco to branch away from the light-hearted sitcom personality she became famous for
• Filled with fun action and even a bit of raunchy comedy, this should tickle viewers in all the most pleasurable areas

Role Play is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 12 January 2024

CAST: Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb, Anders Holm, David Rasche, Kim Cattrall, Brett Dier

CREW: Laura Terruso (director), Austen Earl and Sebastian Maniscalco (writers), Chelsea Kujawa, Judi Marmel, Andrew Miano, James Myers, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz (producers), Stephanie Economou (composer), Rogier Stoffers (cinematographer), Scott D. Hanson (editor)

PLOT: Sebastian (Maniscalco) is encouraged by his fiancé Ellie (Bibb) to bring his father, Italian immigrant and hairdresser Salvo (De Niro), with them to visit her wealthy and eccentric family for a weekend get-together. There, Sebastian and Salvo find themselves struggling to fit in with the high-class atmosphere, and end up growing closer as father and son…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, who is quickly becoming a rising star in the world of comedy, co-writes and stars in this hilarious culture clash comedy
• The film is very loosely inspired by Maniscalco’s real-life experiences with his own father, portrayed in the film by none other than Oscar-winning screen legend Robert De Niro
• It also details a heavily exaggerated account of Maniscalco’s awkward meeting of his now-wife’s family for the first time, complete with enough embarrassing hijinks to rival the Meet the Parents movies
• Be on the lookout for a majestic peacock that steals many a scene, but may also meet an untimely – and hilarious – fate
• The movie ultimately shows the power of family bonding, with plenty of tender and emotional moments between Maniscalco and De Niro that will leave you both laughing and tearing up

About My Father is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Wednesday 10 January 2024

CAST: Tuppence Middleton, Ralph Ineson, Matt Stokoe, Rosalind March, Anton Valensi, Evie Templeton, Alexa Goodall, Robert Goodman, David Langham, Jane Wood, Simon Bundock, Marc Hockley, Luc Ineson, George Keeler, Cartiona Yuill, Sophie Romer, Rachael Joanne Brown, Sally Plumb, Joe Citro

CREW: William Brent Bell (director, producer), Tom de Ville (writer), Nik Bower, Alison Brister, Laurie Cook, Deepak Nayar, Jason Newmark and James Tomlinson (producers), Brett Detar (composer), Simon Rowling (cinematographer), Andrew Leven (editor)

PLOT: Rebecca (Middleton) arrives in a rural English village to become its new vicar, but whilst attending a local folk festival with her young daughter Grace (Templeton), she is left devastated when Grace disappears without a trace. As local villagers and the police assist in her search, Rebecca soon unearths some dark secrets about the history of the village, which leads to a terrifying encounter…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The latest horror from filmmaker William Brent Bell, previously of The Boy and The Devil Inside, is a chilling folk horror in the same vein as The Wicker Man
• Tuppence Middleton stars as a vicar confronted with an unspeakable evil within a seemingly idyllic English village that counts the ever-intense Ralph Ineson as one of its residents
• Some creepy cinematography and unnerving costume designs make the atmosphere far more sinister than it already is
• It all leads to a terrifying reveal that goes a few steps beyond the ones seen in previous other folk horrors like Midsommar
• Themes of faith and spirituality play into the story, providing a relieving light for the otherwise constant darkness

Lord of Misrule is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 8 January 2024