Welcome back for an all-new week of exciting movie releases, including a sexy trilogy-closer, the devastating gathering of a group of traumatised women, a scathing criticism of 80s homophobia, and the return of a top-grossing historical romance…
MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Magic Mike’s Last Dance (dir. Steven Soderbergh)
CAST: Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek Pinault, Ayub Khan Din, Jemelia George, Juliette Motamed, Vicki Pepperdine, Gavin Spokes, Caitlin Gerard, Christopher Bencomo
CREW: Steven Soderbergh (director), Reid Carolin (writer, producer), Gregory Jacobs, Peter Kiernan, Channing Tatum and Nick Wechsler (producers), Peter Andrews (cinematographer), Mary Ann Bernard (editor)
PLOT: After losing everything when a business deal goes wrong, former male stripper “Magic” Mike Lane (Tatum) has resorted to taking bartending jobs across Florida. He soon crosses the path of a wealthy socialite (Hayek Pinault), who offers him the chance to choreograph a taboo-breaking new stage show in London…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Channing Tatum is back in full-on hunk mode as the savvy male stripper known as “Magic Mike” – and, according to his new co-star Salma Hayek Pinault, his dancing has gotten even better than ever before!
2) Original director Steven Soderbergh is also returning after opting out of the previous sequel, Magic Mike XXL
3) Beyond Tatum, there are plenty of fresh-faced hunks with killer dance moves to get all hot and bothered over
4) The action moves across the Atlantic to the streets of London, where exciting new opportunities await both the characters and the viewers
5) It’s being touted as the final film in this particular film series, so be sure to get in as much beefcake action as you can while it lasts!
Magic Mike’s Last Dance is showing in cinemas from Friday 10th February 2023
WHAT ELSE IS COMING OUT THIS WEEK?
Women Talking (dir. Sarah Polley)
CAST: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod, Kate Hallett, Liv McNeil, Emily Mitchell, Kira Guloien, Shayla Brown, August Winter
CREW: Sarah Polley (director, writer), Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand (producers), Hildur Guðnadóttir (composer), Luc Montpellier (cinematographer), Christopher Donaldson and Roslyn Kalloo (editors)
PLOT: In 2010, the women in an isolated Mennonite colony have been repeatedly drugged and raped by the men in their community. After they are arrested and taken away, a small group of women (Mara, Foy, Buckley, Ivey, McLeod, McCarthy) are left to determine which out of three options will be their next course of action: forgive the men and do nothing, stay and become more vigilant against the attacks, or leave the colony and begin afresh…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Filmmaker Sarah Polley adapts the harrowing novel by Miriam Toews into a deeply emotional and thoughtful debate drama that contains shocking revelations but also a glimmer of hope amidst the bleakness
2) The ensemble cast features some of our finest working actors, including Oscar nominees Rooney Mara and Jessie Buckley, The Crown breakout Claire Foy, and Frances McDormand who pops up in a small but vital role
3) McDormand is also credited as a producer on the film, alongside powerhouse duo Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, who previously brought home Best Picture Oscars for 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight
4) The central topics of female agency, religious doubt, and disturbing sexual violence ring all so true in today’s world, where depressing stories about misogyny, far-right Christianity, and the subtraction of women’s rights are constantly dominating the news
5) It’s picked up a couple of well-deserved Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay
Women Talking is showing in cinemas from Friday 10th February 2023
Your Place or Mine (dir. Aline Brosh McKenna)
CAST: Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Jesse Williams, Tig Notaro, Rachel Bloom, Zoë Chao, Steve Zahn, Wesley Kimmel
CREW: Aline Brosh McKenna (director, writer, producer), Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, Lauren Neustadter and Reese Witherspoon (producers), Siddhartha Khosla (composer), Florian Ballhaus (cinematographer), Chris A. Peterson (editor)
PLOT: Debbie (Witherspoon) and Peter (Kutcher) are two best friends who live very different lives on opposite sides of the country – she craves routine in Los Angeles, whereas he seeks progress in New York. When the two of them soon decide to swap houses for a week, they begin to see how each other lives, which soon gives them an idea of what they truly want in life…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) With Valentine’s Day just days away, here’s a sweet little rom-com designed for you to snuggle in front of the telly with your significant other (if any, of course)
2) Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher charm up the screen as our two long-distance friends – and potential matches?!
3) Witherspoon also produces under her Hello Sunshine production company, which found some box office success last year with Where The Crawdads Sing
4) It marks the directorial debut of seasoned screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, who’s written some recent rom-com classics like The Devil Wears Prada and 27 Dresses
5) Beyond the love story, it’s a life-affirming film that shows the necessity of stepping outside of your comfort zone every once in a while
Your Place or Mine is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 10th February 2023
Blue Jean (dir. Georgia Oakley)
CAST: Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lucy Halliday, Lydia Page, Stacy Abalogun, Amy Booth-Steel, Aoife Kennan, Farrah Cave, Lainey Shaw, Izzy Neish, Becky Lindsay, Ellen Gowland, Gavin Kitchen, Maya Torres, Deka Walmsley, Edmund Wiseman, Kylie Ann Ford, Emily Fairweather, Elizabeth Shaw, Kate Soulsby, Isla Bowles, Oliver Maratty Quinn
CREW: Georgia Oakley (director, writer), Hélène Sifre (producer), Chris Roe (composer), Victor Seguin (cinematographer), Izabella Curry (editor)
PLOT: In 1988, as the British government installs a law stigmatizing gay people, school teacher Jean (McEwen) is forced to live a double life where she can fully embrace her sexuality. However, the arrival of new student Lois (Halliday) causes a chain of events that leave Jean shaken to her core…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Filmmaker Georgia Oakley’s feature debut is a piercing critique on institutionalised homophobia in the 1980s, a topic that is sadly still relevant to this day
2) It features a ferocious breakout lead performance by Rosy McEwen, who neatly adds layer upon layer of sympathy as a teacher forced into the closet
3) The film has impressed audiences at festivals the world over, with many declaring it to be a new classic of queer cinema
4) David Bowie fans may have picked up that this film is named after the singer’s hit 1984 single, and it does indeed have a special place on the soundtrack!
5) Awards voters are already taking notice of it, as it picked up a few nominations at last year’s British Independent Film Awards, winning four including for the lead and supporting performances of McEwen and Kerrie Hayes respectively – and as if that wasn’t enough, it’s just been BAFTA-nominated for Outstanding British Debut!
Blue Jean is showing in cinemas from Friday 10th February 2023
Somebody I Used To Know (dir. Dave Franco)
CAST: Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons, Julie Hagerty, Haley Joel Osment, Amy Sedaris, Danny Pudi, Zoë Chao, Evan Jonigkeit, Olga Merediz, Ayden Mayeri, Kelvin Yu
CREW: Dave Franco (director, writer), Alison Brie (writer), Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Michael Heimler, Leigh Kittay, Isaac Klausner and Ben Stillman (producers), Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (composers), Brian Lannin (cinematographer), Ernie Gilbert (editor)
PLOT: During a trip to her old hometown, Ally (Brie) happens to run into her ex-boyfriend Sean (Ellis), and as she begins to reconnect with him, she starts to question everything about the person she’s become. This is only exacerbated when she meets Cassidy (Clemons), Sean’s free-spirited fiancé who reminds Ally of her own youthful ventures…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Alison Brie stars and co-writes (with her real-life partner Dave Franco, who also directs) this life-affirming romantic-comedy about getting comfortable with who we really are
2) There are surprises around every corner, not just with Brie’s unpredictable protagonist, but supporting players like Jay Ellis as her charming ex, and Kiersey Clemons as the free spirit who comes between them
3) It’s also a Community mini-reunion, with Danny Pudi joining his former co-star Brie on-screen for the first time since the cult show concluded – which is enough to appease those still waiting for the now-confirmed Community movie!
4) Expect some eye-opening set-pieces, including raunchy strolls through golf courses where dedicated performers bare all for the camera!
5) Its indie sensibility gives it the feel of something you’d discover at Sundance, but has enough humour and warmth to please most general audiences
Somebody I Used To Know is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 10th February 2023
Epic Tails (dir. David Alaux)
CAST: Josh Widdecombe, Rob Beckett, Giovanna Fletcher
CREW: David Alaux (director, writer), Jean-François Tosti (writer, producer), Eric Tosti (writer), Olivier Cussac (composer), TBA (editor)
PLOT: In Ancient Greece, a small but smart mouse named Pattie (??) and her feline friend Sam (??) embark upon an exciting adventure when their city is threatened by Poseidon (Beckett), the brother of Greek god Zeus (Widdecombe)…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) The hit French animated film hits British shores with an all-new English dub to win over new international young audiences
2) Comedians Josh Widdecombe and Rob Beckett are among the voice cast, along with TV presenter Giovanna Fletcher
3) Widdecombe and Beckett voice a wide variety of Greek gods here, lending their own comedic touches to deities like Zeus and Poseidon
4) Ancient Greece is the unique setting for this wild fantasy adventure, with plenty of unusual creatures from Greek mythology popping up along the way
5) Children will be wildly entertained by the cute characters, fun slapstick, and the important moral lessons about believing in yourself
Epic Tails is showing in cinemas from Friday 10th February 2023
At Midnight (dir. Jonah Feingold)
CAST: Diego Boneta, Monica Barbaro, Anders Holm, Casey Thomas Brown, Catherine Cohen, Fernando Carsa, Whitney Cummings, Maya Zapata, Sara Sampaio, Dazelle Yvette, Victor Oliveira
CREW: Jonah Feingold (director, writer), Maria Hinojos and Giovanni M. Porta (writers), Fred Berger, David Bernon, Diego Boneta, Josh Glick, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Eréndira Núñez Larios (producers), Grant Fonda (composer), TBA (cinematographer), Veronica Rutledge (editor)
PLOT: In Mexico, ambitious manager Alejandro (Boneta) hopes to one day open his own boutique establishment. He soon crosses paths with Sophie (Barbaro), a rising movie star who is staying in Alejandro’s hotel while she films her upcoming superhero blockbuster, but is disheartened to find her co-star and boyfriend Adam (Holms) is cheating on her. Despite their radically different lives, Sophie and Alejandro begin to see each other at midnight…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) Paramount+ dips its toes into the rom-com genre for the first time, offering viewers a healthily romantic at-home option
2) Monica Barbaro, a standout in last year’s Top Gun: Maverick, lands her first true lead role opposite Diego Boneta, who is also a producer on the film
3) Supporting turns from Workaholics’ Anders Holm and comedian Whitney Cummings should bring plenty of laughs to compliment the romance
4) The Latinx-heavy cast and Mexico setting offer some atmospheric thrills that one can only find south of the border
5) There’s charm to spare around every corner, whether it’s in the chemistry of our leads or the simple but cute love story at its centre
At Midnight is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ from Friday 10th February 2023
Titanic (dir. James Cameron) [RE-RELEASE]
CAST: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Zane, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Suzy Amis, Danny Nucci, David Warner, Jason Barry, Kathy Bates, Victor Garber, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Eric Braedon, Bernard Fox, Michael Ensign, Jonathan Evan-Jones, Mark Lindsay Chapman, Ewan Stewart, Jonathan Phillips, Simon Crane, Ioan Gruffudd, Edward Fletcher, James Lancaster, Lew Palter, Elsa Raven, Martin Jarvis, Rosalind Ayres, Rochelle Rose, Scott G. Anderson, Paul Brightwell, Martin East, Gregory Cooke, Craig Kelly, Liam Tuohy, Terry Forrestal
CREW: James Cameron (director, writer, producer, editor), Jon Landau (producer), James Horner (composer), Russell Carpenter (cinematographer), Conrad Buff and Richard A. Harris (editors)
PLOT: In 1912, the RMS Titanic passenger liner embarks on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. On-board, first-class passenger Rose (Winslet) meets and falls in love with impoverished artist Jack (DiCaprio), much to the chagrin of Rose’s wealthy fiancé Cal (Zane) – but when an iceberg strikes the ship, their love is put to the ultimate test…
FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:
1) James Cameron’s record-breaking, multi award-winning historical masterpiece returns to cinemas for its 25th anniversary, just in time for Valentine’s Day
2) You can fall in love all over again with Jack and Rose, the roles that catapulted Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to mega-stardom, in 4K 3D for the very first time
3) To this day, its total Oscars haul of 11 (including Best Picture and Best Director) matches that of Ben-Hur and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King as the most ever awarded to a single film
4) Celine Dion’s all-time classic “My Heart Will Go On” hits you extra-hard in the feels when projected through cinema-quality audio speakers, ensuring that the waterworks come quicker and faster than ever!
5) It’s a true cinematic epic that is entirely worthy of the big screen, and remains the best possible place to witness this monumental film achievement
Titanic is showing in cinemas from Friday 10th February 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!
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