Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award winning masterpiece remains a landmark in the Western genre, offering a dark, reflective take on violence, redemption, and morality.

Set against the rugged backdrop of 1880s Wyoming, Unforgiven follows William Munny (Eastwood), a retired, reformed outlaw who is reluctantly drawn back into a perilous mission to track down and kill two men who disfigured a prostitute. Alongside him are his loyal old partner, Ned (Morgan Freeman) and a young gunslinger known as the Kid. As they venture deeper into the wild, the line between justice and revenge becomes increasingly blurred.

Eastwood delivers a powerful performance as Munny, portraying a vulnerable man torn between his violent past and his desire for redemption. However, it’s Gene Hackman who rightfully steals every scene as the morally complex and ruthless Sheriff Little Bill. An iconic figure of the American New Wave, celebrated for his performances in The French Connection, The Conversation and later famed for his role as Lex Luthor, Hackman earned his undeniable place among American cinema’s greatest actors. His recent passing at 95 marks the loss of a remarkable, generational talent, but also highlights the lasting impact of his extraordinary body of work.

A lone, wide-eyed cat journeys through a flood-ravaged world in Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis’ stunning animated odyssey.

Chased by a pack of dogs, our furry feline is soon swept away by rising waters and finds refuge on a drifting sailboat, already inhabited by a capybara. Along the journey, it encounters a golden retriever, a lemur and a flock of cranes, each with its own survival instincts. As they form an unlikely pack, the film subtly reflects on humanity’s environmental impact, evident in abandoned homes and a sunken city. The animals, though natural enemies, learn to cooperate and save one another, offering a pointed message about unity and the need for mutual support in times of crisis.

Painstakingly crafted over five-and-a-half years, Flow is a visual marvel, awash with breathtaking visuals, intricate design work and gorgeous animation. Immersive environments and authentic animal sounds underpin a beautiful, haunting score that conjures a timeless, fable-like quality that is such a precious luxury in the world of animation.

This year’s winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, it’s a wonderful reminder of what can be done with the medium.

Alex Parkinson's time-ticking thriller plunges into the high-risk world of saturation divers maintaining vital gas pipelines on the ocean floor.

A gripping adaptation of Parkinson’s 2019 documentary, the film follows three divers: Chris (Finn Cole), mentor Duncan (Woody Harrelson) and veteran Dave (Simu Liu). When a critical malfunction traps Chris underwater with less than 10 minutes of oxygen, the crew scrambles to rescue him, or face the grim reality of recovering his body.

Doc-style camerawork and video-link camera footage provide cuts between the the diving bell, the ship’s bridge and the coastline as the crew race against the oxygen countdown clock. Enhanced by superb cinematography, shifting between situational cameras and filmic ones, the claustrophobic, stormy settings and eerie ocean depths create a vortex of tension. Performances are understated yet powerful, with Harrelson and Liu driving the urgency, while Cole’s portrayal of Chris adds emotional weight. Nerve-rattling decisions, moments of heroism and offhanded humour all help us identify with normal people whose daily experiences are something we can barely imagine.

Riveting, seamless and at points genuinely shocking, Last Breath is a terrifyingly well-constructed adaptation of a nightmarish accident.

Harry Lawtey and Toby Jones shine in this heartfelt drama about the teacher who helped transform Welsh schoolboy Richard Jenkins into Hollywood legend Richard Burton.

Directed by Marc Evans, the film delves into the early life of the actor, following 17-year-old Richie as he navigates life in 1940s Port Talbot, a working-class town where mining or conscription seem his only options. Through a passion for Shakespeare, he forms a transformative bond with his teacher Philip Burton, who becomes both mentor and legal guardian, guiding him out of his bleak surroundings.

The dynamic between Lawtey and Jones is the heart of the film, with Jones offering a compassionate portrayal of Philip, whose belief in Richie propels him forward. This mentorship is highlighted through heartfelt moments, from Philip’s inspiring speeches to Richie’s struggles with self-doubt and his journey to develop the powerful voice that would make him a star. Lawtey brilliantly captures the essence of Burton, both in his vulnerability and his eventual transformation into a confident performer. Rich in emotional depth, it’s a poignant exploration of ambition, self-discovery and the power of mentorship. A very respectful tribute to both Burton’s legacy and the mentor who shaped him.

Margy Kinmonth’s feature documentary shines a light on the trailblazing role of women war artists on the front lines around the world.

This is the third instalment in Kinmonth’s trilogy of films about how artists depict war, following the acclaimed Eric Ravilious – Drawn To War and War Art with Eddie Redmayne.

This time, Kinmoth asks: when it's life or death, what do women see that men don’t? An entirely female cast of contributors and artists featured include Dame Rachel Whiteread, Zhanna Kadyrova, Maggi Hambling, Assil Diab, Dame Laura Knight, Marcelle Hanselaar, Cornelia Parker, Maya Lin, Shirin Neshat and Lee Miller. Their art, often created in the face of extreme violence, displacement, and genocide, serves not only as a powerful tool for witnessing the horrors of war but also as a means of provoking empathy and inspiring action on a global scale. Through their eyes, the film brings into focus the impact of war on women, especially the use of sexual violence as a weapon and the silencing of female voices in countries where journalism is restricted.

Demonstrating how culture breaks the taboo and crosses borders, this is a unique undertaking about the need to tell vital truths in turbulent times.

Fresh off the Conclave award circuit, Ralph Fiennes leads this stark, grounded take on Homer’s Odyssey.

Director Uberto Pasolini delivers a stripped-down adaptation, focusing on the story’s raw emotional core. Fiennes stars as Odysseus, returning home after 20 years of war, presumed dead and unrecognisable. His kingdom is in chaos, and his wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is under pressure to choose a new husband. Amid political turmoil, Odysseus must reconcile with his past before reclaiming his family and throne.

Fiennes and Binoche, a third reunion for the pair, anchor the film with two expert performances that are haunted by a sense of loss and resilience. Fiennes, playing a physically and mentally scarred Odysseus, captures the duality of a broken warrior who retains the cunning of his past. His portrayal is understated, deeply human and striking in its vulnerability. Binoche, regal and sharp, mirrors this complexity as Penelope. She is grieving yet determined, grappling with her personal and political struggles.

It’s a film that excels in its simplicity, forsaking the grandiose for an intimate meditation on the lasting scars of war.

Damián Szifron’s dark mind is on full display in a black-comedy masterclass quite unlike anything else over the past five years.

A satire of survival in a corrupt and cynical Argentina, each of the six short accounts on display here chronicle all walks of life; an enraged demolitions expert, a furious bride on her wedding day, a bout of in-flight paranoia. This is just a teaser of what to expect from a rabbit-hole of confusion and hilarity.

Frantic from the off, the pre-credits short sets the bench-mark so high that it takes almost an entire film to match it. The visuals are stunning, a real pleasure, and the bizarrely perfect soundtrack screams Spaghetti Western classic.

Ideally structured and often wickedly dark, Wild Tales, put simply, is an ingenious collection of nightmarish stories exploring the extremities of humans in distress. In Szifron’s mind, this world is going to hell. If everyone acted the way these characters behave, civilization certainly would crumble.

Barmy, brilliant and never banal, this twisted comedy is an absolute treat for the mind.

It’s double De Niro time as the veteran actor puts on silly prosthetics to play warring Mafia bosses in this 1950s New York crime caper.

Based on a true story, penned by GoodFellas screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, it stars De Niro in both leading roles: that of Frank Costello on the verge of a quiet retirement, and his hot-headed childhood friend and drug baron Vito Genovese.

Just before the war, Frank and Vito make a good living in black market alcohol and illegal lotteries. Vito then flees to Italy and when he comes back to NY in 1945, he finds that his old pal is only giving him a small slice. And, moreover, Frank is unwilling to expand further into drugs, having bribed his way into a cosy position in society. Frank infuriates Vito with an ambition to retire and his willingness to cooperate as a witness in front of grand juries. Vito suspects that this stance will only be carried off by selling out his former criminal pals and so orders a hit on Frank.

It all feels like handsomely crafted Scorsese-lite, but enjoyably so, like sinking into a shabby but much-loved armchair.

Robert Downey Jr’s first post-Avengers role sees him embody Hugh Lofting’s classic literary character that has been around for a century.

Dropping the ‘Dr’ from the title - because overly simplifying titles seems to be the ‘in’ thing - John Dolittle (Downey Jr, valiantly attempting something close to a Welsh accent) is a veterinarian who can talk to animals; having rejected his fellow humans after a tragic family death, the good doctor relies on his menagerie of animal companions. He is summoned to the bedside of Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley), who is gravely ill. Dolittle decrees that the cure comes from the fruit of the Eden tree on a remote island and so must voyage there with his animal pals in a Pirates-of the-Caribbean-y way and then voyage back, hoping that he is not too late.

It’s all very absurd but it’s paced for the attention span of a small child and so mostly resembles a live-action cartoon, bouncing from one chaotic set piece to the next, not to mention Emma Thompson voicing a parrot and Rami Malek as a gorilla. A bizarre, yet semi-enjoyable adventure. (Jack Whiting) And a great, easy favourite, against iffy reviews incl Jack’s luke warm. Come, you’ll love it.

Gia Coppola’s latest film stars Pamela Anderson as an older showgirl reflecting on a thankless career in the entertainment industry.

This beautiful and poignant drama follows Shelley (Anderson), a dancer in the long-running Vegas show, Razzle-Dazzle. The film captures the final two weeks of the show’s run through Shelly’s eyes as she comes to grips with being the oldest showgirl in the outdated show. She has an estranged relationship with her daughter and she may be interested in starting one with a producer of the show she’s on, Eddie (Dave Bautista).

She gets some advice about her life and work from a retired dancer/cocktail waitress and friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis). When bad news comes her way she has to re-evaluate her life and figure out what to do. Anderson, who of course was a massive sex symbol and icon of the nineties, gives the performance of her career. The industry that once celebrated her physical beauty has long since moved on, but that’s the way life goes; we never know what’s going to happen next. We don’t always get a happy ending. We only have right now.

Steve Coogan and one defiant penguin charm their way through Argentina’s dark chapter in this quietly affecting, oddly irresistible true story.

Directed by Peter Cattaneo and written by Jeff Pope, The Penguin Lessons is based on Tom Michell’s popular memoir and delivers an unexpected mix of warmth, wit and political undercurrents.

Set in 1976, the film follows Tom, an English teacher at an elite Argentine boarding school, whose sterile life is upended when he rescues a small, oil-slicked Magellanic penguin while vacationing in Uruguay. What begins as an impulsive act to impress a glamorous woman quickly spirals into something deeper. Unable to release the bird (soon named Juan Salvador), Tom sneaks him back to school, where their unlikely bond begins to change not only Tom, but those around him.

Coogan brings understated charm and emotional nuance to a character who in other hands might’ve felt too familiar. His chemistry with the scene-stealing penguin is disarmingly sincere. Juan Salvador becomes more than a companion, he’s a quiet mirror to the surrounding unrest and Tom’s own guarded heart.

With surprising depth and impact, this is a waddling delight

Edward Berger’s riveting papal drama blends spy-thriller suspense with a wry observation on the electoral process.

After the Pope dies, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with managing his fellow cardinals in the conclave, navigating tension between progressive candidates like his friend Bellini (Tucci) and more narrow-minded conservatives such as Tremblay (John Lithgow), who had a mysterious meeting with the Pope just before he died. As questions arise and contenders emerge, Lawrence begins digging into rumours, all while worried that he's getting votes himself. And no one notices that Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) is carefully observing all of this.

Berger and writer Peter Straughan expertly play with layers of narrative while a solid cast brings textured characters to life. Fiennes makes Lawrence inscrutable as he grapples with his self-image, refusing to see himself as a potential Pope until the world begins to shift. His camaraderie with the skilfully internalised Tucci is wonderful to watch.

It all may be set out as a look into the workings of the Catholic Church, but it's also a clever and timely swipe at organised religion, asking questions about the truth that often gets lost in institutional power plays.

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Hélène Vincent is wonderful as a devoted grandmother who isn’t quite what she seems in this understated French tale of family dysfunction.

This is another little treat from François Ozon; Michelle (Vincent) lives in the countryside, near her best friend, Marie-Claude (Josiane Balasko), who's grown up son Vincent (Pierre Lottin) is nearing the end of a prison term. Michelle has a tense, unhappy relationship with her recently divorced and permanently angry daughter Valérie (Ludivine Sagnier) but adores her grandson Lucas. They come to stay and Michelle inadvertently serves them poisonous mushrooms that she has picked in the nearby forest, and Valérie has to be taken to hospital.

Nothing, ultimately, comes from this accident except the expansion of animosities, and Michelle fears that she’ll never get to see Lucas again because of it.  Michelle is clearly capable of ruthlessness, lying and obstructing the course of justice, and perhaps she is guilty of a kind of unintended, delayed murder. But the film invites us to ignore this dark side to her and the dysfunction she has implanted in Lucas in favour of a bittersweet sadness.

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The feature film debut from former documentary maker Sandhya Suri combines gripping storytelling with deft acknowledgement of some of the murkier aspects of modern India.

Shahana Goswami plays Santosh, a young woman whose policeman husband is killed in a riot. She appears to have no options ahead, but the government system of “compassionate appointment” allows her to inherit her husband’s job as a police officer.

It’s an opportunity that grants her independence from her judgmental in-laws and a growing self-respect. Level-headed, serious and diligent, Santosh is instinctively suited to the job. When a scandal involving the murder of a girl threatens to ignite local unrest, Geeta (Sunita Rajwar), the veteran female cop brought in to quell the rising tension, immediately spots Santosh’s potential and brings her on to the case as her second-in-command.

Santosh quickly learns how to lean on innocents, and, as a woman, her police uniform sometimes protects her, sometimes doesn’t — and sometimes gives her far more power than she can handle. Santosh uses this opportunity to go on a personal mission to get closure or revenge for her husband. Unmissable viewing.

Bridget Jones is back for one last hoorah in this vulnerable, honest and very funny final chapter.

Spoiler. Mark Darcy is dead. In fact, he’s been dead for four years. Bridget is taking it about as well as can be expected. Now older and (slightly) wiser, she’s a singleton once more and finds herself at a crossroads. Though she’s grown, learned from her mistakes, and evolved, she’s still ultimately the same Bridget at heart. After jumping back into the dating pool, she finds herself caught between a younger man and her son's science teacher. Surrounded by her faithful friends (Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, and James Callis), her withering gynecologist (Emma Thompson), and ageing playboy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), Bridget weighs up whether to let herself fall in love all over again.

‘Fourquels’ are usually where film franchises start to flirt with rock bottom. But not this time. Renée Zellweger, who for 24 years has given us possibly the greatest romantic-comedy heroine of the millennium, is Mad About the Boy’s life-force. The nature of her performance and obvious admiration for the role brings everything together here, re-capturing the magic, humour, and heartbreak of the original and bowing out with its best sequel.

Steven Soderbergh and writer David Koepp have made a delicious spy film that features gadgets, guns and glamour, but also leans heavily into marital melodrama.

Thirteen years into his “retirement”, Soderbergh is still cranking out one cracking film after the next, this time it’s a London-set, John le Carré-esque caper. We follow the turtlenecked George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender), an icy operative in a British espionage agency. George’s boss, played by Pierce Brosnan (in surely a nod to 007), tasks him with discovering who has leaked to the Russians an important security device, and weed out the traitor.

George, with his fellow agent and wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) host a dinner party for the suspects, who are to be covertly fed a truth drug which results in a outpouring of suspicious craziness from: Clarissa (Marisa Abela), Zoe (Naomie Harris), James (Regé-Jean Page) and Freddie (Tom Burke). But what if Kathryn, to whom George is so eternally devoted, is the rat?

This is a richly rewarding thriller, which applies Soderbergh’s well-trodden heist mechanics to espionage with slickly rewarding results. If you’ve been enjoying the recent Slow Horses series in particular, this is an unmissable experience.

Rachel Zegler’s wide-eyed Snow White doesn’t just hope her prince will come; she wants to obtain independence, and be a good leader for her people.

She’s up against Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, cinched tight in jewels and slinking around being unrepentantly evil. Snow White loses her saintly parents, but not before her father has remarried. She is then put to work as a maid in her own palace before the queen becomes jealous of her beauty and orders her execution – only for Snow White to escape and take refuge in the mines with a bunch of CGI dwarves.

What's so unique about this live-action version of the 1937 original is that it seems as if half of Disney wanted to make an old-fashioned tribute to a feudal fairy tale, and the other half wanted to make a revisionist, Marxist call-to-arms. Some of these updates are for the better; the original’s overly simplistic story has been given some much-needed depth. And although Gadot cannot sing (and still can’t act) to save her life, Zegler’s natural talent, thankfully, shines through.

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Celeste Dalla Porta delivers a dynamic lead performance in Paolo Sorrentino’s beguiling and exquisite Italian drama.

We follow Parthenope (Dalla Porta), a woman of such great beauty that people stop and stare (Gary Oldman’s character says that her looks will open doors and start wars). She is from a well-off Neapolitan background who is haunted by a tragic incident in her past, when her two older brothers were both incestuously obsessed by her beauty.

Now she is destined to be an academic anthropologist, as her professor (Silvio Orlando) is profoundly impressed by her intellectual brilliance. He himself is a shy, divorced man living with his son, who is unseen and evidently has some kind of burdensome medical condition.

Along the way, a family tragedy sends her emotionally adrift, and as she’s ushered toward becoming a star of the silver screen, her conversations with older actresses illuminate the nature of her own desires — romantic, academic and otherwise. Each scene unfolds in dreamlike fashion despite being tethered to reality.

But it’s no mere coming-of-age story; rather, it’s a film about coming-to-oneself. It’s a moving artistic quest.

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The cobbled streets of Troyes set the stage for love, laughter, and plenty of good vintages in this charming French rom-com.

Wine dealer Jacques (Bernard Campan) suffers a heart attack while hauling a crate, forcing him to give up drinking and hire an assistant, Steve (Mounir Amamra), whose wine knowledge is lacking. Meanwhile, Jacques is intrigued by Hortense (Isabelle Carré), a kindhearted woman who buys expensive wine for the homeless. A wine tasting brings them closer, but secrets and past wounds complicate their budding romance. Can Jacques open his heart to love while navigating his new, sober life?

Best known for past romantic dramedies Irene and Cheating Love, director Ivan Calbérac keeps his latest film engaging, thanks largely to the charisma of its two leads. Campan and Carré may seem like an unlikely pair (though French cinema thrives on such pairings), but their chemistry feels genuine, and they bring depth to their characters’ past traumas.

With plenty of comedic relief, a touch of danger and tragedy, and a generous pour of double entendres and fine wine, it’s an all-round entertaining and satisfying experience

What if, rather than sparkly fairy creatures, unicorns were fearsome beasts with deranged eyes, huge teeth that could sever an arm, and horns covered in the entrails of their victims?

This horror comedy posits that question. College student Ridley (Jenna Ortega) and her father Elliot (Paul Rudd), a corporate lawyer, drive into the Canadian Rockies for a retreat with Elliot’s billionaire boss (Richard E. Grant) and his family, the Leopolds (Téa Leoni and Will Poulter), a clan of pharmaceutical executives.

They eventually run into a spot of bother. More specifically, they run into a unicorn. But while Ridley forges a spiritual connection with the mythical animal – she grasps its glowing horn and is immediately sucked into a trippy celestial hallucination – Elliot decides to put it out of its misery with a. It’s a messy business; both are splattered with unicorn blood, which they soon realise has miraculous curative properties. What they don't realise, however, is that their horns act as transmitters, and the creature’s body is beaming out a distress signal, summoning its relatives. This satirical B-movie is a wild ride, and a bloody good time.

One has to wonder if Jason Statham ever longs for more in life. Maybe he yearns to be taken seriously as an award winning thespian?

Who are we kidding, he’s put on this earth for one thing - to pummel Russians with his fists and regale us with dry, quippy one-liners. It’s a formula that works, and one in which A Working Man doesn’t mess with.

We meet Levon Cade (Statham) as he’s keeping his head down. He’s an ex-Royale Marine (of course), now working as a foreman for the Garcia family’s construction company while he fights a messy custody battle with his former father-in-law over his daughter Merry. Yet Levon’s violent past comes in handy when Jenny (Arianna Rivas), the daughter of his employers, is abducted. The Garcias offer Levon $70,000 to find her and he reluctantly agrees. That’s really all the setup you need, as Statham punches, kicks, shoots (and sledgehammers) his way through half of London to track the girl down. It’s silly, it’s violent, it’s perfect Friday night viewing; one that goes down nicely with a couple beers and a cheese board.

The most popular computer game of all time finally transports itself to the big screen in this dazzling romp through a world of building blocks.

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess, this caper follows four misfits: orphaned siblings Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and his older sister, Natalie (Emma Myers); Dawn (Danielle Brooks), an estate agent with a mobile zoo; and debt-ridden Garrett (Jason Momoa), an arcade game champion whose glory days are long past. The four are sucked through a portal to the Overworld, where they meet Steve (Jack Black) – in the game, one of the main playable characters; in the film, it’s, well, Jack Black, doing his thing. He was sucked into this world many years ago and has perfected the art of creation. The villain is an evil pig called Malgosha who hates creativity and is obsessed with hoarding wealth.

Kids and players of the game will be in awe at the veritable buffet of things they’ll recognise. Parents and Jack Black fans (and fans of his band, Tenacious D) will find his brand of humour a welcome aid through this candy-coloured CGI world.

Led Zeppelin was the first band to be formed with the express intent of becoming the biggest rock stars in the world that then actually succeeded in that goal.

We see the band emerge from the black-and-white rubble of postwar Britain to capture the hearts, and other body parts, of the technicolour US. It ends in 1969 with the chart-topping triumph of their second album, Led Zeppelin II.

Its chronology sidesteps the excesses of the gods of rock’s pomp in the 1970s. Double-necked guitars, 30-minute drum solos, a private jet named The Starship, scandalous activities with groupies, one infamously underage in guitarist Jimmy Page’s case — the film turns its gaze away from all that. Instead this is more of a celebration of the band’s early years, focussing on their master-musicianship, and their sudden rise to world fame.

Zep heads won’t come out of this with any new-found knowledge of the band, but what you do get is incredible music, and even better live performances, all up on the beautiful big screen in full surround sound; there’s a whole lot here to love.

Co-directors Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards deliver an intimate, immersive, and innovative portrait of John Lennon during one of the most restless and revealing periods of his life.

One to One takes us back to the early 1970s, offering a deep dive into the 18 months Lennon and Yoko Ono spent living in New York’s Greenwich Village. Far from a standard music doc, it paints an expansive picture of two artists—activists, lovers, and cultural disruptors—finding purpose in the city's chaotic heartbeat. At its core is Lennon’s only full-length post-Beatles concert, newly restored and presented with astonishing clarity.

Musically, some of the most electrifying moments come from gorgeously remastered performances of “Come Together,” “Instant Karma,” and “Hound Dog,” with audio meticulously overseen by Sean Ono Lennon. But it’s the film’s construction that truly stands out: a channel-flipping, archival montage that mirrors the disordered passion of the era. The pace is relentless yet purposeful, capturing the whirlwind energy of Lennon’s life at that moment.

Provocative, affecting, and full of raw vitality, it’s a welcome addition to the Beatles canon, one that invites you not just to remember Lennon, but to feel his world.

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This remarkable Palestinian-Israeli collaborative documentary offers a unique and devastating perspective from the ground regarding what life is like on the West Bank and why things need to change.

For half a decade, Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, films his community of Masafer Yatta being destroyed by Israel’s occupation, as he builds an unlikely alliance with an Israeli journalist, Yuval Abraham, who wants to join his fight. Neither Basel nor Yuval have answers, but they have hope, and it is that hope which makes No Other Land such a galvanising and imperative piece of documentary filmmaking.

Though undoubtedly grave, the film finds heart and humanity in the relationship that develops between the pair, and in the dignity with which the citizens of Masafer Yatta resist their gradual expulsion. And unlike many social-issue documentaries that come off as glorified news reports, the result is immersive and cinematic, anchored by alliance.

What is most moving is seeing how this everyday reality of eviction and resistance, of building and rebuilding, contrasts with another everyday reality that people want to have, which is to have a normal life. The more of this documentation, the better.

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Karan Kandhari’s excellent debut feature is a wild and surreal ride of rebellion and desire, anchored by a superb performance from Bollywood star Radhika Apte.

Sister Midnight follows Uma, a newly married woman living in a cramped Mumbai apartment with her awkward husband. The odd couple struggles to adjust to married life, until one night, a mosquito bite triggers a series of surreal, unsettling events that ignite Uma’s feral cravings and give way to a full-blown existential awakening. And more.

Visually amplified by gorgeous 35mm cinematography, the film presents like a flick book of postcards, with Apte channeling her best Buster Keaton as she occupies the dead centre of nearly every frame, reacting to the absurdities around her with a mix of incredulity and resignation. This eccentricity is matched by a fantastic soundtrack, curated by Interpol’s Paul Banks. Eclectic needle drops from Howlin’ Wolf to Iggy Pop perfectly underscore the jerky, dissonant clash of moods.

An audacious, genre-bending film that both entertains and provokes, it’s a fascinating portrait of a woman’s transformation. An exhilarating ride for those brave enough to embrace its unpredictability and a bold, energetic exploration of marriage, identity and defiance.

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Laurent Tirard’s fun and frothy French comedy sees a peloton of nuns race for renovation of their dilapidated hospice.

When the local nursing home is on the brink of collapse, it falls to Mother Veronique (Valérie Bonneton) and the five quirky sisters of the St. Benedict convent to find a solution. Their big break comes when they spot a poster for a bike race offering a €25,000 cash prize and a trip to the Vatican for the winner. It seems like the perfect opportunity, but there's one major problem: none of the sisters are skilled cyclists. To make matters worse, their rival convent, led by Mother Veronique's childhood nemesis, Mother Josephine (Sidse Babett Knudsen), has their own plans for the prize money. But as they say, God works in mysterious ways.

Tirard, a versatile filmmaker with a talent for balancing lighthearted narratives with emotional depth, died at the age of 57 last September following a long illness. Here, the stunning landscapes of France’s Jura region provide a beautiful backdrop for his final film, a heartfelt and uplifting tale of resilience, camaraderie, and faith.

Sidney Poitier’s commanding performance anchors this searing 1967 Southern noir classic.

Both a gripping murder mystery and a piercing exploration of racism in the American South, director Norman Jewison’s landmark entry in the detective genre is as emotionally charged as it is suspenseful.

When a wealthy industrialist is murdered in a small Mississippi town, the local police, led by bigoted Chief Gillespie (Rod Steiger), quickly arrest a black man at the train station, only to discover he’s Virgil Tibbs (Poitier), a top homicide detective from Philadelphia. Begrudgingly forced to work together, the two men must navigate hostility, prejudice, and growing mutual respect as they unravel the truth.

Poitier delivers a quietly commanding performance, imbuing Tibbs with intelligence, dignity, and simmering frustration. His iconic line “They call me Mister Tibbs!” lands like a thunderclap. Steiger, in an Oscar-winning turn, matches him with a complex portrayal of a man beginning to confront his own biases.

Taut, thoughtful, and still strikingly relevant, In the Heat of the Night is more than a crime drama. It’s a bold statement on justice, identity, and hard-earned change.

William Friedkin’s Oscar-winning thriller captures the murky underworld of 1970s New York like few films before or since.

Hard-nosed NYPD detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman), along with his quieter partner Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), uncovers a massive heroin smuggling operation with ties to France. What starts as a hunch spirals into a tense cat-and-mouse chase that takes them from grimy city streets to a legendary car-versus-train pursuit, still one of the most exhilarating action sequences ever filmed.

Gritty, gripping, and propelled by a relentless energy, The French Connection remains a landmark in crime cinema, blending documentary-style realism with nail-biting suspense.

Hackman is electric as Doyle, a deeply flawed yet obsessively driven man whose dogged pursuit of justice teeters on the edge of recklessness. His unpredictable energy gives the film its pulse, while Friedkin’s unflinching direction and Owen Roizman’s raw cinematography root the story in a world that feels startlingly real.

Uncompromising and intense, it’s a film that doesn’t just entertain, it grabs you by the collar and drags you through the asphalt. It’s a crime classic that never lets go.

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A raw and honest coming-of-age story set in rural France.

Louise Courvoisier’s Holy Cow follows the turbulent coming-of-age journey of an 18-year-old boy, set against the backdrop of a dairy farming village. The story centres on Totone (Clement Faveau), a reckless teen whose life changes when he becomes responsible for his 7-year-old sister, Claire. After taking a job at a local cheese factory, Totone finds himself caught between family drama, his budding romance with Marie-Lise and his desire to produce his own comté cheese.

The film's charm lies in its unflinching portrayal of youth: chaotic, messy and full of raw emotion. Courvoisier’s direction brings out authentic performances from first-time actors, with Faveau delivering a standout portrayal of Totone, capturing both his recklessness and his hidden depth. The chemistry between Faveau and Barthelmy is both complex and endearing, adding layers to their characters' evolving relationship.

A striking, realistic portrayal of growing up, with authentic depictions of both adolescence and rural life. Its honesty and youthful energy make it a thoroughly engaging and heartfelt film but at the centre, this is a simple tale of a boy becoming a man.

A haunting southern gothic brimming with soul

and style.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a thrilling and deeply atmospheric blend of supernatural horror and Southern blues, delivering a genre-defying tale rich in emotion.

Set in the 1930s American South, the story follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), who return to their hometown seeking atonement for past sins. But their homecoming quickly spirals into a chilling confrontation with a malevolent force tied to the region’s cursed musical roots.

With themes of redemption, legacy, and the darkness that lingers within us, the film strikes a perfect harmony between haunting narrative and electrifying spectacle.

Jordan delivers an effortless dual performance, shifting between the brothers’ complexities with grit and charisma. Hailee Steinfeld transforms in a strikingly mature role as Mary, while newcomer Miles Caton makes a powerful debut. Coogler’s direction is bold, magnetic, and brimming with energy. Alive with rhythm, dread, and defiant joy, it’s a soul-stirring and stylish ride.

Alex Garland’s heart-pounding exploration of the brutal, unvarnished truths of combat in the Iraq War, played out in real time.

Based on first-hand reports of an actual event in November 2006, the story follows a team of Navy SEALs led by Erik (Will Poulter) as they occupy a house in Ramadi for surveillance. After herding the local family into a room, tensions escalate when insurgents gather nearby. A grenade attack injures sniper Elliott (Joe Jarvis), prompting them to radio for backup. As more explosions erupt, the soldiers, now disoriented and wounded, struggle to survive until reinforcements arrive.

It's an utterly engulfing experience. You can vividly feel each man's yearning to get out of this house. With an unparalleled wealth of detail drawn from real soldiers' accounts, the film combines authenticity with a powerful thematic impact. Performances have a documentary feel, balancing machismo with more complex emotional openness and capture fleeting moments of humour, humanity and quiet heroism. The way their story is recounted without editorialising is remarkable.

Warfare is not just a film you watch, it’s an experience that lingers. It doesn’t just show war, it makes us feel it.

Errol Flynn’s commanding star power turns this early Technicolor triumph into one of Hollywood’s most enduring swashbucklers.

Both a rousing adventure and a dazzling showcase of old-school Hollywood craft, Michael Curtiz and William Keighley’s The Adventures of Robin Hood remains a landmark of Golden Age cinema. With its lush score, vibrant colours, and infectious sense of fun, it’s easy to see why the film still captivates nearly a century later.

Set in medieval England, the story follows noble outlaw Robin Hood (Flynn) as he battles the corrupt Prince John and the villainous Sir Guy of Gisbourne while fighting for justice on behalf of the oppressed Saxons. Along the way, he woos the spirited Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) and forms his iconic band of Merry Men.

Flynn, with his effortless charm and winking bravado, defined the action hero for generations. This role cemented him as one of the most iconic actors of the era, embodying romantic heroism with irresistible flair.

Still referenced, parodied, and beloved today, it’s an outright classic. The sense of adventure still thrills, the humour still lands, and its sheer cinematic joy remains as irresistible as ever