Movie of the Week

• Despicable Me 4

Cinemas

• Fly Me to the Moon
• Longlegs
• In a Violent Nature
• Hundreds of Beavers
• The Commandant’s Shadow
• Sleep
• Heart of an Oak
• Agent of Happiness

Streaming/On-Demand

• Descendants: The Rise of Red
• Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black

Re-Releases

• Bushman

CAST: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, Steve Coogan, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan

CREW: Chris Renaud (director), Ken Daurio and Mike White (writers), Brett Hoffman and Christopher Meledandri (producers), Heitor Pereira (composer), Tiffany Hillkurtz (editor)

PLOT: Gru (Carell) is living with his wife Lucy (Wiig), adopted children Margo (Cosgrove), Edith (Gaier) and Agnes (Polan), and newborn son Gru Jr. – as well as Gru’s army of loyal Minions – when he receives word that escaped supervillain Maxime Le Mal (Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Vergara) are seeking vengeance on Gru and his family. Forced to go on the run, Gru makes plans to defeat his new enemy…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The fourth film in the lucrative Despicable Me franchise – or sixth, if you count the two Minions spin-off movies – raises the stakes higher than ever before for Gru and his family
• Returning voices Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove and Steve Coogan are joined by new additions including Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara and Stephen Colbert
• Most importantly, those yellow Minions are also back in full force, this time with superpowers that transform some of them into the all-powerful Mega Minions
• That gorgeous Illumination animation continues to impress, with the Mike White-penned script also leaning into the series’ hugely popular cartoon slapstick
• It’s the perfect film to take young kids to see during the summer season, as everyone will be laughing themselves silly at all the hilarious antics

Despicable Me 4 is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Donald Elise Watkins, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson, Joe Chrest, Art Newkirk, Ashley Kings, Jonathan Orea Lopez, Eva Pilar, Chad Crowe, Will Jacobs, Melissa Litow, Lauren Revard

CREW: Greg Berlanti (director), Rose Gilroy (writer), Keenan Flynn, Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Lia and Sarah Schechter (producers), Daniel Pemberton (composer), Dariusz Wolski (cinematographer), Harry Jierjian (editor)

PLOT: In the 1960s, the United States is embroiled in a “Space Race” with the Soviet Union. With public interest in the American space program dwindling, NASA hires marketing specialist Kelly Jones (Johansson) to improve its image, which conflicts with the views of NASA director Cole Davis (Tatum), who is heading the upcoming Apollo 11 launch. Against all odds, and in the midst of a stressful publicity campaign for NASA, a romance blossoms between them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• There is something comfortably old-fashioned about this historical romantic-comedy set during the tense Space Race of the 60s
• Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum bring their movie star charm to a humorous take on the events leading up to the eventual Apollo 11 mission in 1969, along with standout supporting turns from the likes of Ray Romano and Woody Harrelson
• A good chunk of the plot is dedicated to exploring the myth that NASA filmed a fake moon-landing in case the real one didn’t succeed
• It is the second major partnership between Sony Pictures and Apple after their success with Napoleon, with the former handling its theatrical release before landing on Apple TV+ at a later date
• This is the kind of fun, star-led movie that they just don’t have the guts to make – or at the very least put out into cinemas – nowadays

Fly Me to the Moon is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Kiernan Shipka, Dakota Daulby, Lisa Chandler, Erin Boyes, Rryla McIntosh, Charles Jarman, Lauren Acala

CREW: Osgood Perkins (director, writer), Nicolas Cage, Dave Caplan, Chris Ferguson, Dan Kagan and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (producers), Andrés Arochi (cinematographer), Graham Fortin and Greg Ng (editors)

PLOT: Lee Harker (Monroe), a young FBI agent, is assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer known as Longlegs (Cage). Her investigation becomes complicated when evidence pointing to the occult is unearthed, prompting her to make a close link with Longlegs that could stop him before he kills again…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This unsettling crime thriller could well be the most terrifying movie of 2024 so far
• Former actor turned filmmaker Osgood Perkins directs and writes an original story that takes heavy inspiration from dark modern classics like The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en
• Maika Monroe is on top form as the rookie FBI agent tasked with tracking down a serial killer, played by Nicolas Cage in quite possibly the scariest role of his career
• Early reactions have called the film a horror masterpiece, one that might even earn the attention of awards bodies at the end of the year
• It’s a creepy, gorgeously made and utterly engrossing thriller that will grip you until its shocking end

Longlegs is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Timothy Paul McCarthy, Lauren Taylor

CREW: Chris Nash (director, writer), Shannon Hanmer and Peter Kuplowsky (producers), Pierce Derks (cinematographer), Alex Jacobs (editor)

PLOT: A group of teenagers come across a fire tower that is said to be the resting place of a fabled killer known as Johnny (Barrett). After taking a locket from his grave, Johnny is resurrected and sets out on a murderous quest to reclaim what is his…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• A new slasher icon rises from the depths in a unique and ambient take on the classic horror subgenre
• We mostly see things through the perspective of the mute killer himself, which adds a seriously eerie tone to the already bleak atmosphere
• There are multiple long takes of the killer silently walking through the pristine woodlands of Ontario, Canada, which has drawn comparisons to the works of Gus Van Sant and Terrence Malick
• Your stomach will be constantly turning as the film indulges in some pretty gnarly violence that ranks high among the slasher subgenre’s most gruesome kills
• It is a powerful and effective gem that brings the slasher movie into a whole new artistic light

In a Violent Nature is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Olivia Graves, Wes Tank, Doug Mancheski, Luis Rico

CREW: Mike Cheslik (director, writer, editor), Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (writer, producer), Sam Hogerton, Kurt Ravenwood and Matt Sabljak (producers), Chris Ryan (composer), Quinn Hester (cinematographer)

PLOT: In 19th century North America, applejack salesman Jean Kayak (Tews) sets out to become a master fur trapper in order to win the hand of a merchant’s daughter (Graves). However, after coming across a mighty horde of beavers, he finds that capturing them is easier said than done…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This hilarious black-and-white comedy is a non-stop showcase for pure slapstick comedy
• It was made on a low budget of $150,000, with a six-person crew (including director Mike Cheslik) shooting it in rural Wisconsin and Michigan across twelve weeks in 2019 and 2020
• The beavers themselves are humorously played by people in mascot costumes, which adds to the heightened ridiculousness of the plot
• There are sight gags aplenty throughout this visually stylish film, many of which were inspired by the likes of Charlie Chaplin and the Looney Tunes
• You will be giggling to no end at the sight of all this inspired cartoonish mayhem!

Hundreds of Beavers is showing in cinemas from Tuesday 9 July 2024

CAST: Hans Jürgen Höss, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, Kay-Uwe Höss, Maya Lasker-Wallfisch

CREW: Daniela Völker (director, writer, producer), Gloria Abramoff (producer), Gabriel Chwojnik (composer), Rob Goldie and Piotr Trela (cinematographers), Claire Guillon (editor)

PLOT: During the Second World War, German SS Officer Rudolf Höss was placed in charge of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where over a million Jewish prisoners were executed while Höss and his family lived just beyond its walls. In the present day, Höss’s son Hans Jürgen Höss comes face-to-face for the first time with Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This powerful documentary explores the long-lasting effects of the Holocaust, including those who survived it and those who were oblivious to its deadly impact
• The moving piece, from filmmaker Daniela Völker, focuses on the contrasting lives of Auschwitz survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Hans Jürgen Höss, the son of the concentration camp’s nefarious commandant
• If the premise and names sound familiar, that’s because the story of Rudolf Höss and his family were recently depicted to harrowing effect in Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar-winning drama The Zone of Interest
• Like that film, this one carries themes of persecution and survival that feel especially relevant in today’s society, which is seeing a shocking rise in anti-Semitic hatred and attacks
• It is a moving and striking film that dares – nay, commands – audiences to acknowledge the very evils that we are dangerously close to repeating in our immediate future

The Commandant’s Shadow is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Jung Yu-mi, Lee Sun-kyun, Kim Gook-hee, Yoon Kyung-ho

CREW: Jason Yu (director, writer), Lewis Taewan Kim (producer), Chang Hyuk-jin and Chang Yong-jin (composers), Kim Tae-soo (cinematographer), Han Mee-yeon (editor)

PLOT: Newlywed couple Soo-jin (Yu-mi) and Hyeon-soo (Sun-kyun) live together in an apartment, where they are expecting their first child. One night, Soo-jin discovers some unusual sleeping patterns within Hyeon-soo, which soon become more and more harmful. Concerned that he will somehow endanger their unborn baby, Soo-jin seeks out some radical advice…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This chilling South Korean horror turns the very act of sleeping into a terrifying entity
• It is an impressive filmmaking debut for writer-director Jason Yu, who previously served as an assistant director for Oscar-winning Parasite director Bong Joon-ho
• Sadly, the film marks one of the final performances of Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun, who unexpectedly passed away last year
• The film takes a number of unexpected turns that are made more terrifying by the claustrophobic production design and sinister cinematography
• You will not be able to guess where it all eventually leads, which is part of what makes it a true standout horror movie

Sleep is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024 (and is available to rent exclusively on Curzon Home Cinema)

CAST: N/A

CREW: Michel Seydoux (director, writer, producer), Laurent Charbonnier (director), Barthelemy Fougea (producer), Cyrille Aufort (composer), Mathieu Giombini (cinematographer), Sylvie Lager (editor)

PLOT: A year in the life of a 210-year-old, 56ft tall oak tree in Sologne, France, and the various animals inhabiting it…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The wonders of nature are the absolute focus of this charming French nature documentary
• It is presented entirely wordless, without even a spoken commentary, allowing the natural acts of the tree, its furry inhabitants and the surrounding area to take full precedence
• The film comes from an original idea by co-director Laurent Charbonnier, who lives very close to the tree at the centre of this film
• Charbonnier, co-director Michel Seydoux and a small crew spent approximately 100 days capturing the tree and its animals, with one chase sequence taking 15 days to film
• For anyone just wanting to absorb nature for the length of a feature, this is the perfect opportunity to lose yourself in the wonders of our environment

Heart of an Oak is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024 (and is now streaming exclusively on Icon Film Channel)

CAST: Amber Kumar Gurung, Guna Raj Kuikel, Hemlata Gurung, Tshering Tshering, Yangka Lhamo, Wangmo Lhamo, Sarita Chhetri, Karma Wangdi, Tashi Tshomo, Dechen Selden

CREW: Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó (directors, cinematographers), Noémi Veronika Szakonyi and Máté Artur Vincze (producers), Ádám Balázs (composer), Péter Sass and Károly Szalai (editors)

PLOT: Amber Kumar Gurung, a “happiness agent”, travels across the Bhutanese Himalayas to survey the happiness of several people. During his journey across the remote mountains, he searches for personal fulfilment…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This uplifting documentary explores what true happiness may look like, and how easy it can be to achieve it
• We primarily follow Amber Kumar Gurung, a certified “happiness agent” whose job is to literally measure happiness in people
• As Amber journeys across the Tibetan mountains, the audience meets a number of people whose happiness is so infectious that it makes you want whatever they have
• The film gained universal acclaim following its debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year
• In these increasingly depressing times, it’s important that we look to others and see how we can still find a sense of happiness to help us through everything

Agent of Happiness is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, China Anne McClain, Dara Reneé, Rita Ora, Brandy Norwood, Paolo Montalban, Melanie Paxson, Levin Valayil, Shazia Pascal, Jeremy Swift, Leonardo Nam, Alex Boniello, Julee Cerda, Ruby Rose Turner, Morgan Dudley, Tristan Padil, Grace Narducci, Kabir Bery, Aiza Azaar, Sam Morelos, Peder Lindell, Marissa “Mars” Kruep, Joshua Colley, Anthony Pyatt

CREW: Jennifer Phang (director), Dan Frey and Russell Sommer (writers), Gary Marsh and Suzanne Todd (producers), Torin Borrowdale (composer), TBA (cinematographer), Katie Ennis (editor)

PLOT: In the land of Auradon, an invite is sent to Red (Cantrall), the daughter of Wonderland’s tyrannical Queen of Hearts (Ora), to attend Auradon Preparatory. The Queen of Hearts seeks revenge on Auradon and uses the opportunity to stage a coup, forcing Red and Chloe Charming (Baker) – the perfectionist daughter of Cinderella (Norwood) and Prince Charming (Montalban) – to travel back in time and undo the traumatic event in the Queen’s childhood that initially caused her grudge…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The fourth entry in Disney’s hugely popular franchise turns the tables once more on the classic world of Disney that we all know and love
• As before, we follow the offspring of numerous iconic Disney characters, from Cinderella to Aladdin, as they grapple with their legacies and how to forge their own paths in life
• Though the likes of Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson aren’t returning, there are plenty of fun new additions like Disney Channel star Kylie Cantrall and, perhaps most notably, Brandy Norwood who reprises her role of Cinderella from the beloved 1997 TV movie version
• Fans can expect plenty of lively new musical numbers to sing and dance along to, as there has been in the previous films
• It makes the most of its creative premise that ensures that the Disney films from our childhoods remain as timeless as they were back then

Descendants: The Rise of Red is streaming exclusively on Disney+ from Friday 12 July 2024

CAST: Meagan Good, Cory Hardrict, Debbi Morgan, Richard Lawson, Joseph Lee Anderson, Art Newkirk, Taylor Polidore, Shannon Wallace, Rakeem Laws, Joe Komara, Jeffrey Creightney, Ursula O. Robinson

CREW: Tyler Perry (director, writer, producer), Will Areu, Dianne Ashford and Angi Bones (producers), Sherri Chung (composer), Michael Watson (cinematographer), Storm Evans (editor)

PLOT: Ava (Good), a young bank professional, is left devastated when her husband Dallas (Hardrict) abruptly abandons their marriage. She becomes determined to fight in order to keep their union alive, but a series of malicious acts reveals her husband’s true nature…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• It’s time for another wild Tyler Perry thriller, and this one looks to be as entertainingly bonkers as we’ve come to expect from the filmmaker
• Meagan Good leads the way as a woman who slowly discovers her supposedly loving husband isn’t all he’s cracked up to be
• There are some steamy and unexpectedly erotic moments that underscore Perry’s apt handling of modern screen romance
• Expect plenty of shocking twists that completely transform everything we thought we knew about these characters
• Whether or not you’re a Tyler Perry fan, the arrival of one of his new dramatic thrillers is always bound to be an event in and of itself (though not always for the intended reasons)

Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 11 July 2024

CAST: Paul Eyam Nzie Okpokam, Elaine Featherstone, Lothario Lotho, Jack Nance, David Schickele, Donna Michelson, Timothy Near, Patrick Gleeson

CREW: David Schickele (director, writer, producer, editor), David Ames (composer), David Myers (cinematographer), Jennifer Chinlund (editor)

PLOT: In 1968, Gabriel (Okpokam) is a young Nigerian college student in San Francisco who experiences a number of personal and racial obstacles…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Don’t miss the extremely rare chance to catch filmmaker David Schickele’s “lost” 1971 feature on the big screen
• Schickele originally planned the film as a docudrama based on lead actor Paul Eyam Nzie Okpokam’s experiences as a college student in San Francisco during the cultural revolution of the late 1960s
• However, things took a surprising turn during production when Okpokam was imprisoned and subsequently deported after being falsely accused of terrorism
• The remainder of Schickele’s otherwise fictional feature turns into a devastating examination of his lead actor’s horrific treatment, which by sheer coincidence was how the script was originally meant to conclude
• More than fifty years later, it remains a compelling piece of Black-led cinema where reality comes crashing down like a ton of bricks

Bushman is showing in cinemas from Friday 12 July 2024