Movie of the Week

• Monkey Man

Cinemas

• The First Omen
• Seize Them!
• Io Capitano
• Evil Does Not Exist
• The Trouble with Jessica
• Yolo

Streaming/On-Demand

• Scoop
• How to Date Billy Walsh
• Música
• Girls State
• 10 Lives
• Yannick
• Wanted Man

Re-Releases

• On The Waterfront
• Luca

CAST: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Makarand Deshpande, Joseph J.U. Taylor

CREW: Dev Patel (director, writer, producer), Paul Angunawela and John Collee (writers), Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Bavand Karim, Erica Lee, Anjay Nagpal, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Samarth Sahni and Jomon Thomas (producers), Jed Kurzel (composer), Sharone Meir (cinematographer), Joe Galdo, Dávid Jancsó and Tim Murrell (editors)

PLOT: In India, a young man known only as Kid (Patel) makes a meagre living in an underground fight club, where he is regularly beaten by more popular fighters whilst wearing a monkey mask. After years of suppressed rage, Kid manages to infiltrate the city’s corrupt elite, wherein he and his mysteriously scarred hands sets a path for vengeance against the officials that murdered his mother and continue to dominate the helpless…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel makes one hell of a filmmaking debut with this ferocious and gloriously violent action-thriller
• In addition to starring in the lead role, Patel directs for the first time and also co-writes the script with Paul Angunawela and John Collee
• Originally set to debut on Netflix, producer Jordan Peele saw massive potential in the film and acquired the film for a theatrical release – and if there’s one name to trust with quality cinema, it’s Jordan Peele!
• Patel shows a serious talent for crafting some brutal and heavily choreographed fight sequences, which are not just hugely entertaining to watch but also radiant with style
• While John Wick takes a much-needed rest, this could very well fill the void of awesome revenge thrillers where the main character just lays into everyone unfortunate enough to cross him!

Monkey Man is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Nell Tiger Free, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy, Tawfeek Barhom, Nicole Sorace

CREW: Arkasha Stevenson (director, writer), Tim Smith and Keith Thomas (writers), David S. Goyer and Keith Levine (producers), Mark Korven (composer), Aaron Morton (cinematographer), Amy E. Duddleston and Bob Murawski (editors)

PLOT: Margaret (Free), a young American woman, is sent to Rome in order to begin a life of service to the Church. However, she soon uncovers a dark conspiracy to bring about the birth of the Antichrist, which causes her to start questioning her own faith…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Witness the literal birth of that devilish young whippersnapper Damien in this terrifying prequel to the classic horror film
• Arkasha Stevenson, who previously worked on the trippy TV series Legion, makes her feature directing debut with a story that will chill you to the bone
• The cast includes Servant breakout Nell Tiger Free, as well as British thespians Bill Nighy and Ralph Ineson (the latter filling the role that Patrick Troughton played in the 1976 original)
• Expect some surreal filmmaking to emphasise the creepy nature of the plot, if the reverse-motion trailer is any indication
• It may just inspire you to see how the story continues through the classic horror franchise, which are ripe for a rewatching nearly fifty years since it first began

The First Omen is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Aimee Lou Wood, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Hynes, Nick Frost, Lolly Adefope, James Acaster, Ben Ashenden, Paul Kaye, John Macmillan, Nitin Ganatra, Matthew Cottle

CREW: Curtis Vowell (director), Andy Riley (writer), Damian Jones and Matthew James Wilkinson (producers), Rael Jones (composer), Ashley Rowe (cinematographer), Mark Davies and Richard Shaw (editors)

PLOT: During the Dark Ages of Britain, the arrogant Queen Dagan (Wood) is overthrown during a revolution led by the charismatic Humble Joan (Coughlan). Now a fugitive in her own land, with a heavy bounty on her head, Dagan is forced to endure hardships and danger as she embarks with former servant Shulmay (Adefope) and dung-shoveller Bobik (Frost) on a quest to reclaim the throne…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Experience a lighter side of the Dark Ages in this hilarious new British historical comedy
• Sex Education star Aimee Lou Wood is on typically winning form in the lead role as a Queen who learns humility and grace during a perilous journey
• Several recognisable faces from the world of British comedy also feature, including Derry Girls’ Nicola Coughlan, comedian Lolly Adefope, and former Spaced co-stars Jessica Hynes and Nick Frost
• There are plenty of laugh-out-loud gags – some of which may or may not include the odd bit of bodily waste – to keep the audience entertained throughout
• It’s a silly and endearing take on history that, despite being fictional, will get viewers interested in this rough era of British sovereignty

Seize Them! is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Seydou Sarr, Moustapha Fall, Issaka Sawagodo, Hichem Yacoubi, Doodou Sagna, Khady Sy, Bamar Kane, Cheick Oumar Diaw

CREW: Matteo Garrone (director, writer, producer), Massimo Ceccherini, Massimo Gaudioso and Andrea Tagliaferri (writers), Paolo Del Brocco (producer), Andrea Farri (composer), Paolo Carnera (cinematographer), Marco Spoletini (editor)

PLOT: In Senegal, teenagers Seydou (Sarr) and Moussa (Fall) decide to leave their home in Dakar and travel to Europe for better life opportunities. However, they encounter a number of difficulties on their perilous journey…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Italian auteur Matteo Garrone turns his focus to a deeply human look at the migrant crisis
• The film is based on several true stories about emigration from Africa to Europe that Garrone gathered during research
• Garrone takes viewers on a dangerous but epic trek across deserts and oceans, along with his two young protagonists played by Senegalese newcomers Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall
• The film earned rapturous praise upon its debut at last year’s Venice Film Festival, where it picked up the Silver Lion prize, and was nominated for this year’s International Feature Film Oscar
• It injects an adventurous spirit into an otherwise disheartening humanitarian crisis, but nonetheless inspires the audience to see it all from the migrants’ unyielding perspective

Io Capitano is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, Hazuki Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Miura

CREW: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (director, writer, editor), Satoshi Takada (producer), Eiko Ishibashi (composer), Yoshio Kitagawa (cinematographer), Azusa Yamazaki (editor)

PLOT: In a rural village close to Tokyo, Takumi (Omika) lives a peaceful life with his young daughter Hana (Nishikawa). When a company intends to build a glamping site nearby for city tourists, Takumi realises that the planned construction will have dire consequences for the pristine environment around them…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, the Japanese filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning Drive My Car, returns with a brand-new drama that’s just as soulful and poetic in nature
• Hamaguchi originally intended the film to be a silent short film, but expanded it into a feature as production proved lengthier than expected
• The film won plenty of acclaim at numerous film festivals, winning the Grand Jury Prize at Venice and the coveted Best Film award at last year’s BFI London Film Festival
• Some beautiful cinematography and gentle editing (partially provided by Hamaguchi) help to tell an engrossing and unpredictable environmental story
• It proves that Hamaguchi is one of Japan’s leading auteurs with a distinctive cinematic vision that never fails to dazzle

Evil Does Not Exist is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Shirley Henderson, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, Indira Varma, Alan Tudyk, Anne Reid, Sylvester Groth, Jonathan Livingstone, Kwaku Mills, Amber Rose Revah, David Schaal

CREW: Matt Winn (director, writer, composer), James Handel (writer), Sarah Sulick (producer), Matt Cooper (composer), Tristan Oliver (cinematographer), David Freeman (editor)

PLOT: Sarah (Henderson) and Tom (Tudyk) have managed to find a buyer for their London home, which will save them from financial ruin, and have invited their friends Richard (Sewell) and Beth (Williams) over for a final dinner. However, things become morbidly complicated when their other friend Jessica (Varma) makes an unexpected appearance…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• This dark British comedy finds the morbidly humorous side to an uncomfortable domestic situation
• It features a fab ensemble cast including Olivia Williams, Shirley Henderson and A Knight’s Tale co-stars Rufus Sewell and Alan Tudyk
• Additionally, Indira Varma steals what precious few scenes she’s actually in as the deeply troubled Jessica of the title
• Things get seriously Weekend at Bernie’s as the plot moves into several hilariously twisted directions
• It’s perfect for anyone looking for some edgier laughs in their proper British comedy of manners

The Trouble with Jessica is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Jia Ling, Lei Jiayin, Zhang Xiaofei, Zhao Haiyan, Zhang Qi, Xu Jun Cong, Bu Yu, Zhu Tianfu, Liu Honglu, Yang Zi, Li Xueqin, Ma Li, Sha Yi

CREW: Jia Ling (director, writer), Liu Honglu, Sun Jibin, Guo Yupeng and Bu Yu (writers), Li Ning, Tian Tian, Zhou Xiquing and Zhang Wen (producers), Fei Peng (composer), Michael Liu (cinematographer), Xiaolin Zhou (editor)

PLOT: After graduating from college, Le Ying (Ling) chooses to withdraw from society and live a reclusive life in her family’s house. One day, she decides to cautiously venture out into the world, and soon comes across boxing coach Hao Kun (Jiayin), who gives her a whole new lease on life…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The smash-hit Chinese comedy makes its mark on international audiences with a much wider release than films from China often get outside the country
• It has made, as of writing, a whopping 1.6 billion yuan (that’s over $200 million in US currency, and over £175 in UK money) at the Chinese box office – which is pretty spectacular for a local comedy!
• Lead actor Jia Ling, who also directed and co-wrote the film, lost over 100lbs in weight to get in shape for the role
• Its themes of self-reliance and independence should ring true for anyone in similar positions, wherever they may be in the world
• With plenty of crowd-pleasing sports and lively characters for everyone to enjoy, this should easily find its audience among Western crowds

Yolo is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes, Connor Swindells, Romola Garai, Charity Wakefield, Paul Popplewell, Lia Williams, Theresa Godly

CREW: Philip Martin (director), Geoff Bussetil and Peter Moffat (writers), Radford Neville, Hilary Salmon and Sanjay Singhal (producers), Anne Nikitin and Hannah Peel (composers), Nanu Segal (cinematographer), Kristina Hetherington (editor)

PLOT: In 2019, BBC journalist Emily Maitlis (Anderson) manages to score a televised interview with Prince Andrew (Sewell), who has been linked to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The infamous Newsnight interview that damaged the public reputation of Prince Andrew is given the dramatized treatment
• Rufus Sewell portrays the disgraced royal, while Gillian Anderson plays fearless interviewer Emily Maitlis
• There is a stern build-up in director Philip Martin’s film that raises tension before the interview even takes place
• It is said to be the royal family equivalent of Frost/Nixon, another acclaimed real-life story about the clash between journalists and public figures
• The film manages to be a compelling drama about journalistic integrity while also staying faithful to the famed interview itself

Scoop is streaming exclusively on Netflix from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Sebastian Croft, Charithra Chandran, Tanner Buchanan, Kunal Nayyar, Nick Frost, Guz Khan, Lucy Punch, Tim Downie, Daisy Jelley

CREW: Alex Pillai (director), Greer Ellison and Alexander J. Farrell (writers), Matt Williams (producer), Rob Lord (composer), Hamish Doyne-Ditmas (cinematographer), Matt Platts-Mills (editor)

PLOT: Amelia (Chandran) and Archie (Croft) are teenagers who have been best friends since childhood, but Archie has struggled to admit his true feelings for her. Just when he is finally about to declare his love for Amelia, Archie is heartbroken to find that she has fallen for Billy Walsh (Buchanan), the new transfer student from America…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Adolescent romances don’t get wackier than in this good-natured but somewhat anarchic teen comedy
• Sebastian Croft and Charithra Chandran, the respective stars of Netflix’s Heartstopper and Bridgerton, find themselves in a lively love triangle with Cobra Kai’s Tanner Buchanan
• Look out for British comedy favourites like Nick Frost, Guz Khan and Lucy Punch among the supporting cast
• Plenty of schoolboy antics are at play as Croft’s lovestruck Archie attempts to turn the tables on his new romantic rival
• There may well be some unexpected surprises along the way that could result in a very untypical happily-ever-after

How to Date Billy Walsh is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Rudy Mancuso, Camila Mendes, J.B. Smoove, Francesca Reale, Maria Mancuso, Gabriela Amerth, Josanna Vaz, Bia Borin, Anthony Ferrara

CREW: Rudy Mancuso (director, writer, composer), Dan Lagana (writer), McG and Mary Viola (producers), Shane Hurlbut (cinematographer), Melissa Kent (editor)

PLOT: Rudy (Mancuso), a young and directionless street performer in New Jersey, suffers from a rare condition that amplifies everyday noises into complex musical rhythms. He soon meets beautiful fishmonger Isabella (Mendes) who may understand him better than anyone else, but he finds himself torn between her and his frustrated girlfriend Haley (Reale)…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Online personality and music sensation Rudy Mancuso makes the leap into filmmaking with a lively and unique musical romantic-comedy
• In addition to starring in the film, Mancuso also directs, co-writes the script and provides both the musical score and the choreography
• Mancuso provides meaty supporting roles for his real-life partner, Riverdale star Camila Mendes, and even his own mother Maria Mancuso
• Through a number of intricately crafted and highly creative sequences, the film highlights what it is like to live with the sensory condition known as synaesthesia
• It seeks to shake up the rom-com formula in the same way that other classic unconventional examples like Punch-Drunk Love and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind once did

Música is streaming exclusively on Prime Video from Thursday 4 April 2024

CAST: Cecilia Bartin, Brooke Taylor, Nisha Murali, Emily Worthmore, Maddie Rowan, Tochi Ihekona, Faith Glasgow

CREW: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (directors, producers), T. Griffin (composer), Daniel Carter, Laura Hudock, Laela Kilbourn, Erynn Patrick Lamont, Keri Oberly, Martina Radwan and Thorsten Thielow (cinematographers), Amy Foote (editor)

PLOT: In Missouri, a group of teenage girls attend a week-long experiment where they are expected to build a democratic government from the ground up…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Filmmakers Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss introduce an equally insightful companion piece to their award-winning 2020 documentary Boys State
• Whereas the first film focused on what happens when a group of teenage boys form a representative government, this one switches up the genders with surprisingly fresh results
• Teenage girls from all walks of life, and all with varying political views, are at the centre of an all-new experiment that considers the controversial policies from the past few years
• The results are unexpected, thought-provoking, and ultimately encouraging about the next generation of voters
• As the United States heads into another heated election year, with women’s health and bodily autonomy very much on the line, this is an important reminder of what can be achieved by respectable female politicians, even in experiments such as this one

Girls State is streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Mo Gilligan, Simone Ashley, Sophie Okonedo, Zayn Malik, Dylan Llewellyn, Jeremy Swift, Bill Nighy

CREW: Christopher Jenkins (director, writer), Ken Cinnamon and Karen Wengrod (writers), Genevieve Boisvert, Guy Collins, Valérie d’Auteuil, Sean Feeney, Martin Metz, Adrian Politowski, André Rouleau, Rebecca Swift, Patrick Worlock and Yann Zenou (producers), Tom Howe and Geoff Zanelli (composers), Lynn Hobson and Mirenda Ouellet (editors)

PLOT: Beckett (Gilligan) is a self-absorbed cat who takes for granted his pampered life, but when he carelessly uses up all nine of his lives, he makes a deal with Grace (Okonedo), the heavenly gatekeeper to the animal afterlife, to return back to Earth in a different body…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Families can snuggle up to this charming and funny animated adventure that shows the value of life, even when you’re a cat with nine of them!
• Comedian Mo Gilligan leads a voice cast that includes Oscar nominees Bill Nighy and Sophie Okonedo, Bridgerton breakout Simone Ashley, and former One Direction member Zayn Malik
• Some viewers will find parallels to the plots of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Pixar’s Soul, but it puts enough of its own take into its own story to stand out
• In addition to voicing a character in the film, Zayn Malik also provides an original song for the soundtrack with co-star Simone Ashley
• There’s plenty of fun gags and heartfelt lessons to entertain both kids and adults alike during their post-Easter movie binge

10 Lives is streaming exclusively on Sky Cinema from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Raphaël Quenard, Pio Marmaï, Blanche Gardin, Sébastien Chassagne, Agnès Hurstel, Jean-Paul Solal, Laurent Nicolas, Mustapha Abourachid, Sava Lolov, Charlotte Laemmel, Franck Lebreton, Félix Bossuet, Agathe L’Huillier, Caroline Piette, Loelia Salvador, Lucie Gallo, Stéphane Pezerat

CREW: Quentin Dupieux (director, writer, producer, cinematographer, editor), Hugo Sélignac, Mathieu Verhaeghe and Thomas Verhaeghe (producers)

PLOT: In Paris, during a stage performance of a comedic play, dissatisfied audience member Yannick (Quenard) takes the three actors (Marmaï, Gardin and Chassagne) and his fellow audience members hostage, and forces them to participate in his own play that he claims is better than the one he was watching…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• French absurdist Quentin Dupieux presents a characteristically strange satire of the theatre world
• The filmmaker sets the entire film in a half-empty theatre where the onstage actors, audience members and custodians all have roles to play
• At the centre is an unhinged turn by Raphaël Quenard, whose rampant dissatisfaction drives the rather tense plot
• Those who know Dupieux’s storytelling style inside out will know not to expect the expected, while anyone unfamiliar will be amusingly confused
• It’s another fascinating oddity from a filmmaker that once made a film about a killer tyre (yes, that film exists, and Rubber is as fascinating as you’ve heard)

Yannick is streaming exclusively on MUBI from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Dolph Lundgren, Christina Villa, Kelsey Grammer, Michael Paré, Roger Cross, Aaron McPherson

CREW: Dolph Lundgren (director, writer, producer), Hank Hugues and Michael Worth (writers), Craig Baumgarten (producer), Sacha Chaban (composer), Joe M. Han (cinematographer), Darren C. Bui (editor)

PLOT: Travis Johansen (Lundgren), an aging police detective, finds his job is on the line after his less than traditional methods draw bad publicity to his precinct. To save his job, Johansen travels to Mexico in order to extradite Rosa (Villa), a witness to the murder of two DEA agents, but finds himself targeted by criminals on both sides of the law as well as the border…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The legendary Dolph Lundgren directs and stars in this tense action-packed crime thriller
• Lundgren is no stranger to directing himself in movies like The Defender and Missionary Man, but here he takes his dual filmmaking and acting skills to the next level
• Some brutal shootouts unfold as Lundgren takes on a number of unexpected foes whilst on-camera, and shoots them with hard intensity whilst behind it
• With Kelsey Grammer on standby for some much-needed support, the action star perfectly growls his way through a tightly paced narrative
• It’s got enough action and suspense to serve as the perfect at-home rental for a mindless evening in front of the TV

Wanted Man is available to rent/buy on digital platforms from Monday 1 April 2024

CAST: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Pat Henning, Eva Marie Saint, John F. Hamilton, Ben Wagner, James Westerfield, Fred Gwynne, Tami Mauriello, Tony Galento, Leif Erickson, Rudy Bond, Martin Balsam, Katherine MacGregor, Pat Hingle, Nehemiah Persoff, Abe Simon, Thomas Handley

CREW: Elia Kazan (director), Budd Schulberg (writer), Sam Spiegel (producer), Leonard Bernstein (composer), Boris Kaufman (cinematographer), Gene Milford (editor)

PLOT: Terry Malloy (Brando), a former prize fighter, works as a longshoreman in New Jersey, where the docks are controlled by ruthless mobster Johnny Friendly (Cobb) and his right-hand man Charley (Steiger), who also happens to be Terry’s older brother. As Terry attempts to connect with Edie (Saint), the sister of a slain co-worker, he struggles to stand against the corruption happening around him…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• The Oscar-winning classic returns to the big screen in celebration of its 70th anniversary, as well as the 100th anniversary of both its star Marlon Brando and its distributor Columbia Pictures
• Brando’s performance, which earned him his first Best Actor Oscar, is often cited as the watershed moment for method acting
• It was directed by the legendary Elia Kazan, who previously directed Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, while famed composer Leonard Bernstein contributed the score, his only original composition for a feature film
• The iconic “I coulda been a contender” monologue, famously delivered by Brando, has earned a spot among one of cinema’s most memorable scenes
• It’s an exciting opportunity to see one of the most acclaimed films of all time on the big screen for the very first time

On the Waterfront is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024

CAST: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli, Jim Gaffigan, Peter Sohn, Lorenzo Crisci, Marina Massironi, Sandy Martin, Sacha Baron Cohen

CREW: Enrico Casarosa (director), Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones (writers), Andrea Warre (producer), Dan Romer (composer), David Juan Bianchi and Kim White (cinematographers), Catherine Apple and Jason Hudak (editors)

PLOT: Luca (Tremblay) is a young sea monster who is forbidden from going to the surface by his overprotective parents (Rudolph and Gaffigan). Soon, he befriends Alberto (Grazer), a fellow sea monster who, like Luca, transforms into a human when on dry land, and the two of them experience a summer of friendship when they come across human girl Giulia (Berman), who lives in the nearby Italian town of Portorosso…

FIVE REASONS TO BE EXCITED:

• Pixar’s charming slice-of-life fantasy comes to cinemas for the first time after going straight to streaming during the pandemic
• It has a narrative that’s lighter than usual for Pixar, which has won them acclaim as well as comparisons to the similarly loose style of Studio Ghibli
• There are plenty of colourful characters voiced by equally lively voice actors like Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer, under the direction of Enrico Casarosa who previously earned an Oscar nomination for his short film La Luna
• Luca earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, losing to Disney’s own entry Encanto (which, funnily enough, also prominently features someone named Bruno!)
• The relaxed storytelling is a breath of fresh air for those wanting something a bit different from the animation giant

Luca is showing in cinemas from Friday 5 April 2024