The showdown of the summer is finally here: auteurs Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan are about to go head-to-head with two of the year’s most anticipated blockbusters, one being a radical new take on an iconic doll, and an epic biopic about the man who created the nuclear bomb.
However, since we just can’t decide between them, we’ve decided to make them BOTH our Movie(s) of the Week, just to make the competition a little less fierce!
(oh, and there’s also a few other movies out this week too…)
Movie(s) of the Week
Cinemas
Streaming + On-Demand
MOVIE(S) OF THE WEEK
Barbie (2023, dir. Greta Gerwig)
CAST: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Dua Lipa, Nicole Coughlan, Ana Cruz Kayne, Ritu Arya, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, John Cena, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Connor Swindells, Michael Cera, Jamie Demetriou, Emerald Fennell, Rhea Perlman, Ariana Greenblatt, Marisa Abela, Helen Mirren
CREW: Greta Gerwig (director, writer), Noah Baumbach (writer), Tom Ackerley, Robbie Brenner, David Heyman and Margot Robbie (producers), Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt (composers), Rodrigo Prieto (cinematographer), Nick Houy (editor)
PLOT: In the bright, cheerful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land, Barbie (Robbie) lives a perfect life with various other Barbies, as does Ken (Gosling) and the many other Kens. However, when Barbie begins to question her place in paradise, she and Ken set out on an adventure together that takes them to the real world, where they discover how life operates amongst normal humans…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) The iconic doll gets her own live-action adventure, which takes a humorous approach to the glamorous lifestyle she has lived for over sixty years
2) Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are perfect casting as our central Barbie and Ken respectively, though there’s plenty of room for other Barbies and Kens to shine, including the likes of Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Emma Mackey and future Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa
3) Greta Gerwig puts her all into her third directorial outing after previously leaving a mark with the Oscar-nominated Lady Bird and Little Women, even collaborating on the screenplay with real-life partner Noah Baumbach
4) The colours are popping from every possible direction, thanks to some impressive set design, crisp visual effects, and some bright cinematography that could get some attention during the upcoming awards season
5) With self-aware humour to rival the likes of The LEGO Movie, and a thoughtful bunch of messages that apply to just about anyone, you’ll have a sparkling time whether or not you’re a fan of the original Mattel toy
Oppenheimer (2023, dir. Christopher Nolan)
CAST: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Dylan Arnold, David Krumholtz, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Jack Quaid, David Dastmalchian, Jason Clarke, Josh Peck, Devon Bostik, Alex Wolff, Tony Goldwyn, Scott Grimes, Josh Zuckerman, James D’Arcy, Matthias Schweighöfer, Christopher Denham, David Rysdahl, Guy Burnet, Danny Deferrari, Louise Lombard, Harrison Gilbertson, Emma Dumont, Gustaf Skarsgård, Trond Fausa Aurvåg, Olli Haaskivi, Gary Oldman, Olivia Thirlby, Casey Affleck, Tom Conti
CREW: Christopher Nolan (director, writer, producer), Charles Roven and Emma Thomas (producers), Ludwig Göransson (composer), Hoyte Van Hoytema (cinematographer), Jennifer Lame (editor)
PLOT: During the Second World War, renowned physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy) is recruited by the US Government to work on the Manhattan Project, a program designed to develop and test nuclear weapons that could bring a swift end to the war. His work would soon become legendary, but also deadly when his developed weapons are later used to bring the world to an even greater sense of doom…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Christopher Nolan goes nuclear for quite possibly his biggest – and certainly most explosive – production to date
2) It’s also his first in twenty years not to be distributed by Warner Bros (Universal are handling this one), after the studio’s controversial decision to implement a hybrid theatrical/streaming release for most of its pandemic-era releases
3) Long-time Nolan player Cillian Murphy takes his first leading role under the director as J. Robert Oppenheimer himself, fronting a stacked supporting cast of A-list actors and recognisable character actors, from Emily Blunt to Matt Damon to Florence Pugh to even Robert Downey Jr.!
4) Nolan brings his usual filmmaking trademarks such as shooting various sequences on IMAX film, including a number of black-and-white scenes which are the first ever to be shot on the format
5) With the world’s eyes firmly on Russia and its own arsenal of nuclear weaponry, this could be a blockbuster that feels extremely of-the-moment and destined to be depressingly relevant for many years to come
Barbie and Oppenheimer are showing in cinemas from Friday 21st July 2023
WHAT’S SHOWING IN
CINEMAS THIS WEEK?
My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock (2023, dir. Mark Cousins)
CAST: Alfred Hitchcock, Alistair McGowan
CREW: Mark Cousins (director, writer), John Archer (producer), Donna McKevitt (composer), Timo Langer (editor)
PLOT: A look through the vast filmography of legendary auteur Alfred Hitchcock, as told through the perspective of the man himself…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Filmmaker Mark Cousins’ latest film explores the illustrious work of the respected, and sometimes controversial, “Master of Suspense” himself, Alfred Hitchcock
2) Impressionist Alistair McGowan portrays Hitchcock as he guides the viewer through a guide to his many films, some dating as far back as 1922 (yes, over 100 years ago!)
3) On top of looking at his most well-known work like Psycho, Vertigo, Dial M for Murder and The Birds, the film also looks at parts of the director’s questionable personal life, including his well-documented abuse of actor Tippi Hedren
4) It also raises the question as to whether or not the mentality and patriarchy-favouring narratives of some of his movies would be acceptable in a modern environment
5) Beyond that, this is a rousing celebration of a master filmmaker’s extraordinary line of work, and should be required viewing for any budding cinephile out there
My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock is showing in cinemas from Friday 21st July 2023 (and will be available to rent/buy on most digital platforms)
The Secret Kingdom (2023, dir. Matt Drummond)
CAST: Sam Everingham, Alyla Browne, Alice Parkinson, Beth Champion, Gabrielle Chan, Christopher Gabardi, Darius Williams, Rowland Holmes
CREW: Matt Drummond (director, writer, producer), Megan Drummond (producer), Chris Wright (composer), TBA (cinematographer), Joseph Morris (editor)
PLOT: After moving to their father’s old home, siblings Peter (Everingham) and Verity (Browne) unexpectedly fall through the floorboards and into a magical world called The Below. Now, Peter must confront his biggest fears if he and his sister are to return home…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Families will be delighted by this exciting new fantasy adventure that’s already been a hit in its native Australia
2) Matt Drummond, a VFX supervisor turned filmmaker, directs and writes as well as produces with his wife Megan Drummond
3) The film boasts plenty of striking visuals that bring several different characters to life, including a two-headed turtle and even a flying dragon
4) It has good morals for young children, such as the need to face their own fears in order to make it past any obstacles
5) For anyone not so keen on any of the other family-friendly movies out there at the moment, this is a pretty decent alternative
The Secret Kingdom is showing in cinemas from Friday 21st July 2023
WHAT’S SHOWING AT
HOME THIS WEEK?
They Cloned Tyrone (2023, dir. Juel Taylor)
CAST: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx, Kiefer Sutherland, J. Alphonse Nicholson, David Alan Grier, Tamberla Perry, Eric Robinson Jr.
CREW: Juel Taylor (director, writer, producer), Tony Rettenmaier (writer, producer), Jamie Foxx, Charles D. King, Stephen “Dr” Love, Kim Roth and Datari Turner (producers), Pierre Charles and Desmond Murray (composers), Ken Seng (cinematographer), Saira Haider (editor)
PLOT: When neighbourhood drug dealer Fontaine (Boyega) suddenly finds himself part of an eerie government conspiracy, he and two unlikely teammates – sex worker Yo-Yo (Parris) and pimp Slick Charles (Foxx) – set out to uncover the dark secrets hiding below the surface…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) This pulpy new satirical thriller, which marks the feature directorial debut of Creed II writer Juel Taylor, comes with a whole lot of style and charisma to its name
2) John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx (the latter also being a producer) share great on-screen chemistry as an unlikely trio of anti-heroes investigating a strange mystery
3) As the title suggests, things take an unexpectedly sci-fi turn with a twist that comes straight out of Get Out’s playbook
4) On top of being rather suspenseful, the film also has a strong sense of humour about itself
5) It’s a plot that’s hard to predict, and elevated by the stylish filmmaking and winning lead performances
They Cloned Tyrone is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 21st July 2023
Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023, dir. Peter Nicks)
CAST: Stephen Curry, Dell Curry, Sonya Curry, Reggie Miller, Kevin Durant, Bob McKillop, Matt Matheny, Jim Fox, Andrew Lovedale, Thomas Sander, Steve Rossiter, Jason Richards, Dr. Gayle Kaufman, Michael Kruse, Lauren Biggers, Ayesha Curry, Ryan Curry, Canon Curry, Riley Curry, Candy Adams, Lexus Safford, Mercedes Safford, Shonn Brown, Brandon Payne
CREW: Peter Nicks (director, producer), Sean Havey (producer, cinematographer), Ryan Coogler, Ben Cotner, Jenelle Lindsay and Erick Peyton (producers), Nathan Matthew David (composer), J.D. Marlow (editor)
PLOT: An account of Stephen Curry, the NBA superstar whose underdog status as an undersized college basketball player was unexpectedly trounced by his record as a four-time champion in the sport…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Apple’s latest documentary sheds light on young NBA player Stephen Curry, who defied the odds to create one of the most endearing sports legacies in the modern era
2) The film is produced by Ryan Coogler, no stranger to sports movies himself having directed the first Creed movie (and even produced the LeBron James-starring Space Jam: A New Legacy)
3) It combines archival footage and on-screen interviews with Curry and those closest to him, as well as the classic documentary style of cinéma verité (basically filming everything with an improvisational flow)
4) Fellow basketball legends Kevin Durant and Reggie Miller also pop up to recall their own experiences with the main subject
5) If ever there was an inspirational story that every aspiring basketball player needs to hear, it’s all encapsulated in this crowd-pleasing feature
Stephen Curry: Underrated is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 21st July 2023
The Deepest Breath (2023, dir. Laura McGann)
CAST: Alessia Zecchini, Stephen Keenan
CREW: Laura McGann (director, writer), John Battsek, Jamie D’Alton, Anne McLoughlin and Sarah Thomson (producers), Nainita Desai (composer), Tim Cragg (cinematographer), Julian Hart (editor)
PLOT: Alessia Zecchini, the Italian champion freediver (which is when one descends to unimaginable depths without scuba gear), seeks to set a new world record in the dangerous extreme sport, and along with Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan he trains to conquer the legendary Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt, a 85-foot-long tunnel located 184 feet below the Red Sea…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Netflix’s new sports documentary takes an unnerving look at freediving, which is considered one of the most dangerous sports on the planet
2) Champion diver Alessia Zecchini is the main focus of the film, as is his professional relationship with renowned safety diver Stephen Keenan
3) The camera captures some incredible underwater footage of the divers doing what they do best, and with such thrilling suspense
4) It comes at a somewhat inconvenient time for the otherwise fascinating world of underwater exploration, given the recent tragedy of the lost Titan submersible and its passengers
5) You’ll find it hard to breathe yourself as you witness the impossible feats that these divers achieve in their pursuit for notoriety within the sport
The Deepest Breath is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Wednesday 19th July 2023
That’s about it for this week – thanks for joining us, and be sure to come back next week for a whole new set of movies to work up an appetite for!
If you liked what you saw, and want to support Film Feeder going forward, then there’s plenty of ways you can do that:
- You can visit our Patreon (coming soon), where you can sign up to receive a whole bunch of exclusives, including early access to our reviews, opportunities to chat personally on our Discord server, and other content you won’t get anywhere else!
- You can sign up for our weekly e-mail, which rounds up everything you may have missed over the previous week (including reviews, previews, and more), and sends it straight to your inbox – click here to sign up today!
- You can give us a follow on our social media pages – find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Letterboxd, and even LinkedIn, where you can stay up to date with all the latest developments in the film world!
- You can even leave a comment at the bottom of this page, or better yet share it with your friends and family, so they too can get a taste of Film Feeder!
