A bold reimagining of Homer’s epic, Christopher Nolan brings The Odyssey to the screen on an immense scale, combining myth, history and adventure into a sweeping cinematic spectacle.

After the fall of Troy, Odysseus (Matt Damon) begins the long journey home to Ithaca, where his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) continue to wait as ambitious suitors, led by Antinous (Robert Pattinson), threaten their future. Along the way, Odysseus and his dwindling crew encounter legendary figures including Circe (Samantha Morton) and Calypso (Charlize Theron), facing storms, monsters and seemingly impossible trials.

Rather than treating these encounters as straightforward fantasy, the story explores how myths are born, weaving together fragmented memories, flashbacks and competing accounts of past events. Nolan makes striking use of IMAX photography throughout, while the expansive ensemble gives the story a strong dramatic foundation. Damon leads confidently, supported by assured performances from Hathaway, Holland and Pattinson, with Samantha Morton and John Leguizamo making particular impressions in smaller but memorable roles.

Rich in spectacle and ideas, this ambitious adaptation offers a fresh perspective on a timeless story, balancing epic adventure with an intriguing exploration of memory, legend and the cost of war

This A-list ensemble is electrifying in Olivia Wilde’s spiky and riotous comedy about sex, marriage and partner-swapping.

The Invite puts the spotlight entirely upon four quite different actors playing two adult couples negotiating anxieties surrounding sex with other people.

A remake of the Spanish film The People Upstairs, it focuses on one disastrous hangout as Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Wilde) invite the freewheeling, un-married couple, Pina (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) from the apartment above them over for drinks. Tensions soon rise as uncomfortable truths are revealed and we get to revel (not to mention squirm) in the ever increasing awkwardness.

It might be too easy to compare this to vintage Woody Allen – sophisticated pitter-patter dialogue over wine – but there are shades of his best work here. The film knows how much we all vicariously enjoy watching couples spar, and it’s impossible not to insert ourselves into the night, turning us all into deeply invested armchair commentators. It seems that the chance to watch a genuinely funny and uncommonly intelligent comedy for adults is an invite we have all been waiting for

Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a chubby hip-hop loving pre-teen who’s been moved from home to home for most of his 13 years. Described by his child-services worker, Paula (Rachel House) as a ‘very bad egg’, his new foster placement is his last chance before being sent to juvenile lockup. Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Hec (Sam Neill) a self-sustaining old-ish couple living in a remote clearing at the edge of the bush, become Ricky’s guardians and, despite a slightly rocky start, their domestic situation seems promising. When tragedy strikes, Ricky escapes into the bush to avoid the inevitable return to the public system. Fortunately, his cantankerous “Uncle Hec” finds him hungry and cold in the wilderness. Then the real adventure begins. There’s Haiku poetry from Ricky who turns out to be the right foil for Hac’s laconic outdoorsman (and Neill’s great role). Director Taika Waltiti’s last film was the truly fabulously silly vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows with the Flight of the Conchords boys “It’s formulaic at heart but has a sweet predictable sense of humour and a nice way with words…” (ST Culture) (review Heather Graves) It’s fabulous. Don’t miss.

Jurassic Park is the perfect celluloid equivalent of a theme park ride; its flawless pacing assures nary a dull moment, and in the audience participation dept, you can count on a few screams!

Eccentric billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) wants to play God and zookeeper at the same time by cloning a bunch of dinosaurs from preserved DNA. Before giving his exotic island park the green-light, he needs the expert opinions of a palaeontologist, palaeobotanist and a mathematician?

Events get off to a shaky start when a greedy employer knocks out all power around the park, letting the once caged beasts roam free. This leaves the scientists fleeing for their lives, scrambling to find a way off of the island.

Director Steven Spielberg (who was shooting Shindler’s List whilst editing this) keeps everything PG, with a good deal of magical Spielberg ingredients.

No fancy 3D or unnecessary tinkering (save for a puppeteer’s hand removal) this is a perfectly preserved yarn that has hardly dated. Spielberg & Co paved the way for computer animation which large scale productions rely on so heavily today. When you witness that first brachiosaurus stomping across the screen, you’ll shed a tear, or something or other. (Jack W). Don’t forget to go before you leave! Oh yes and, stay out of the kitchen… dar dar dar dar dar dar dar dar

A faithful live-action retelling of Disney’s 2016 favourite, bringing familiar songs, characters and adventure to a new generation.

On the island of Motunui, Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) is preparing to one day lead her people, despite feeling drawn to the ocean they fear. Encouraged by her grandmother (Rena Owen), she sets sail to restore the heart of Te Fiti and save her island from a spreading darkness. Along the way she teams up with the reluctant demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), whose confidence often outweighs his willingness to help, while a host of memorable creatures and familiar faces accompany the journey.

Following the original story almost scene for scene, there are few significant changes, instead relying on the presence of its cast to give well-known moments a slightly different feel. Laga'aia makes an impressive feature debut, bringing warmth, humour and a powerful singing voice to the title role, while Johnson slips comfortably back into Maui, this time adding a little more personality through his on-screen performance.

There are, naturally, few new surprises, but this remains an enjoyable family adventure, celebrating courage, identity and finding your own path with the same appeal that made the original such a success

A fast-paced family adventure packed with laughs sees the lovable yellow troublemakers unleashed on another delightfully chaotic mission.

This time, the Minions find themselves in 1920s Hollywood, where an ambitious young filmmaker accidentally unleashes a collection of magical monsters. As the creatures escape and chaos spreads, the Minions do what they do best: make everything considerably worse before somehow making it better. Along the way, they stumble through one madcap situation after another, with plenty of mishaps, misunderstandings and explosive slapstick.

The pace rarely lets up, packing every scene with colourful animation, quick-fire jokes and the Minions' trademark gibberish humour. Younger viewers will love the constant visual comedy, while parents can enjoy the playful references and a story with just enough heart to hold everything together.

Bright, cheerful and consistently funny, this is exactly the kind of animated adventure we expect from the Minions. It may not reinvent the formula, but its infectious sense of fun, lovable characters and endless stream of gags make it an easy crowd-pleaser for audiences of all ages, with plenty of laughs to reward repeat viewings.

Sian Clifford goes gloriously over the top in this outrageous mockumentary comedy, playing an aristocrat whose grand ideas about herself match the chaos she creates. It’s a bizarre feature debut that mixes country-house eccentricity with tenderness to keep its heroine likeable.

Young filmmaker Sam (Laurie Kynaston) arrives at Lady Isabella’s estate hoping to document her life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in the world of a woman who describes herself as “aristocracy’s answer to the Kardashians”. Isabella hosts the children’s talent show, but now wants to enter it herself with a multimedia performance involving poetry, painting and photographs of her apparently dead body.

Sam sees Isabella as the perfect subject, but she quickly turns her attention towards his insecurities. Their relationship becomes increasingly chaotic, with absurd situations, awkward encounters and comic detours.

Clifford is having a ball, throwing herself into Isabella’s vanity, insecurity and spectacular entitlement. Kynaston makes an appealing foil, while Juliet Cowan gets laughs as the bewildered housekeeper. Beneath the silliness is a human idea about wanting to be noticed and taken seriously. Odd, messy and frequently hilarious, this is an eccentric comedy with plenty of personality.

A Paris-set psychological mystery with a playful Hitchcockian edge, anchored by Jodie Foster’s coolly composed central performance.

Lilian Steiner (Foster), an American psychoanalyst working in France, is unsettled when a patient, Paula (Virginie Efira), appears to have taken her own life. The case takes on a more troubling shape when Paula’s widower questions the circumstances and begins to direct his grief and anger towards Lilian, blaming her treatment. A further encounter with Paula’s daughter deepens Lilian’s suspicions, nudging her away from professional detachment and into private investigation. With the help of her affable ex-husband Gabriel, she begins following leads, while a theft from her consulting rooms adds another layer of unease.

Director Rebecca Zlotowski keeps the tone light on its feet, mixing genre nods with character-focused intrigue and a strong sense of place in Paris. Foster brings poise and intelligence to Lilian, gradually revealing a woman whose certainty starts to fracture as she becomes more personally entangled in the case.

Part mystery, part character study, the film leans into ambiguity, suggesting that the real investigation is less about solving a crime than confronting buried emotional truths.

A suburban family finds itself dropped into a prehistoric world in this hugely entertaining dinosaur adventure.

When Oak Street is mysteriously transported to an unknown location, Denise (Anne Hathaway), Greg (Ewan McGregor) and their family suddenly find their ordinary neighbourhood surrounded by giant reptiles. With no idea where they are or how to get home, the residents must work together to survive, while learning that dinosaurs are not particularly interested in respecting suburban boundaries.

The setting is the film’s biggest stroke of inspiration, turning familiar gardens, streets and houses into the backdrop for prehistoric chaos. David Robert Mitchell also embraces the feel of an 80s adventure movie, complete with a nostalgic, John Williams-esque score, period technology and the familiar idea of everyday families caught up in something far beyond their control. Hathaway and McGregor make an appealing central pairing, bringing warmth and humour to characters who feel like real parents rather than bland action hero stand-ins.

Blending big creature thrills with the cosy spirit of an old-fashioned summer blockbuster, Oak Street finds its appeal not in reinventing the dinosaur movie, but by merging family drama, suspense, humour and spectacular creatures into an easy-going crowd-pleaser.

Pixar returns to the franchise that started it all for a fifth go-around. Woody, Buzz, and the toy gang are now competing against every parents nightmare: the electronic tablet!

The story picks up a few years after the last instalment, and things have drastically changed. Aside from the new toys added to the mix, the biggest shocker is how Woody (Tom Hanks) has actually aged. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like much, until everyone’s favourite pull-string cowboy toy removes his hat and reveals he is balding.

The gang are then thrust into the digital age with the introduction of Lilypad (Greta Lee). All the kids are glued to their tablets and screens. Bonnie, now 8 years old, and her friends use their devices to interact with one another via group chats and online games. Lilypad becomes the film’s main antagonist as the toys grapple with her. Are they in danger of facing extinction now that kids don’t spend as much time with their toys?

This is the dilemma our heroes must face in this new adventure. Pixar once again showing they are masters of their craft.

(Subtitled)

Language: Italian

Maura Delpero’s Second World War drama finds extraordinary detail in an ordinary existence, following one family through the final months of the conflict without ever treating history as the main event.

In the snowy Italian Alps, Sicilian soldier Pietro arrives in the remote village of Vermiglio and takes shelter with schoolmaster Cesare and his sprawling family. Cesare’s eldest daughter Lucia is drawn to the newcomer, and their relationship gradually becomes the centre of village gossip before marriage changes the shape of both their lives. When Pietro returns to Sicily after the war, Lucia is left facing an uncertain future.

What makes things so distinctive is the refusal to hurry. Delpero watches this household as it eats, argues, prays, works and raises its children, allowing seemingly minor details to carry as much weight as major events. Characters feel natural, particularly Lucia who gradually reveals the frustrations beneath her composed exterior. The deliberate pace and sober tone could have so easily made the drama feel remote but it only lends to humanising a community whose deeply rooted traditions continue largely untouched by the upheavals beyond its borders.

This beautifully observed coming-of-age drama captures the complexities of friendship, identity and belonging through the everyday lives of two boys growing up in Luton.

Ish lives with his South Asian father Naeem, sister Samira and grandmother Nanu, still adjusting to the loss of his mother. His closest friend is Maram, a slightly older Palestinian boy with whom he explores the countryside, picks blackberries and watches planes pass overhead. But Maram's behaviour changes when older boys are around, and after he is stopped by plainclothes police, tensions begin to unsettle their friendship

Shot in shimmering black and white, first-time filmmaker Imran Perretta creates an evocative portrait of contemporary Britain, allowing larger issues around racism, masculinity and surveillance to emerge naturally from the characters' lives. News reports from Gaza and the use of facial recognition add a wider political dimension, while the inventive score and expressive cinematography give the film a distinctive texture.

The young cast bring an impressive naturalism, with Hasnat particularly affecting as a boy absorbing more than he can articulate. Rather than forcing its themes, Perretta finds their impact in everyday moments, creating a thoughtful and increasingly resonant portrait of growing up in a complicated world.

Bill Nighy gives a brilliant, scruffy performance in this family drama about a celebrated writer whose troubled relationship with his sons comes back to haunt him.

Reclusive novelist Andrew Dyer (Nighy) lives in a comfortable country manor, drinking heavily and rarely leaving the sofa. When he believes he is dying, he summons his estranged sons Richard (Johnny Flynn) and Jamie (George MacKay), who return with problems of their own. Richard wants to adapt his father’s bestselling novel, while Jamie plans to document his decline through his art. Meanwhile, their teenage half-brother is trying to work out where he fits into this complicated family.

The damage caused by Andrew’s choices is gradually revealed, particularly his abandonment of their mother Isabel (Imelda Staunton). Nighy embraces the character’s messier side, but Staunton provides the film’s strongest emotional anchor, bringing warmth and depth to a woman surrounded by years of resentment.

There’s a very intriguing story here about family patterns and whether we can escape the mistakes of our parents. The drama pushes hard, but the performances and complicated relationships give it grounding plenty to chew on.

A gentle and contemplative family drama, The Summer Book captures the quiet rhythms of grief, memory and connection through a simple summer spent together.

On a remote Finnish island, young Sophia (Emily Matthews) spends the summer with her grandmother (Glenn Close) and father (Anders Daniel Lie) at their family cottage. While they explore the landscape and share stories from the past, an unspoken sadness remains following the death of Sophia’s mother. Rather than addressing their loss directly, the family finds comfort in everyday routines, small discoveries and the natural world around them. Their days unfold through conversations, minor disagreements and moments of curiosity, creating a portrait of a family learning to exist alongside absence.

Adapted from Tove Jansson’s celebrated novel, Charlie McDowell’s film embraces an understated approach, finding emotion in conversations about memories, traditions and changing seasons rather than dramatic revelations. Close brings warmth and subtle humour to the grandmother, while Matthews gives Sophia a natural curiosity and sensitivity. Their relationship develops through shared experiences, observations and comfortable silences.

Patient and beautifully observed, this is a thoughtful portrait of family life and the ways people navigate change, finding meaning in ordinary moments rather than grand gestures.

Bob Dylan’s songs take centre stage in this atmospheric Depression-era musical. Conor McPherson’s filmed stage production is crowded with troubled characters and grim circumstances, but the music gives their everyday struggles an added sense of scale.

Set in 1934, the story unfolds inside a struggling guesthouse in Duluth, Minnesota, where a collection of lonely and damaged characters find themselves thrown together. The owners, Nick and Elizabeth, are struggling to keep the place afloat, while their son Gene dreams of becoming a writer and their adopted daughter Marianne faces an uncertain future. Around them are preachers, drifters, businessmen and other outsiders, each carrying their own problems.

There is a lot going on, and the large cast means the story sometimes feels more like a collection of interconnected episodes than a single narrative. Yet the production has a striking visual atmosphere, with shadowy lighting and a constantly shifting set creating a world that feels suspended in time.

The real draw, though, is Dylan’s music. Songs including “I Want You”, “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Hurricane” are beautifully arranged for the stage, giving these familiar songs new context. When the music takes over, the production becomes genuinely captivating.

Sam Neill’s passing makes this warm Australian remake especially worth revisiting, giving his performance as a stubborn sheep farmer an added sense of affection. He brings his trademark dry humour and easygoing presence to Colin, whose decades-long feud with his brother is tested by a crisis neither can ignore.

In Western Australia, Colin (Neill) and Les (Caton) run neighbouring farms but have barely spoken for 40 years. When vet Kat (Richardson) discovers a highly infectious disease among their prized sheep, authorities order every flock destroyed and the farms decontaminated. Colin reluctantly accepts the decision, while Les refuses to cooperate, forcing the brothers back into each other’s lives.

Beautiful landscapes, gentle humour and genuinely likeable characters make this an easy one to settle into. It’s a story kept light on its feet, finding humour in the rhythms of rural life. There is genuine sadness too, as the brothers watch buildings, belongings and traditions passed down through their family disappear.

Neill is terrific as Colin, gradually revealing the warmth beneath his gruff exterior. It’s a fitting opportunity to see the actor doing what he did best: bringing humour, humanity and a little mischief to an instantly likeable character.

(Subtitled)

The unforeseen arrival of unhoped-for happiness infuses this wonderful Iranian drama with heartwarming romance.

Encouraged by her fellow pensioner friends to pursue new romantic beginnings, 70-year-old widower Mahin (Lily Farhadpour) decides to put herself out there again. A run-in with Iran’s morality police further reinvigorates Mahin’s confidence in standing up for what she believes in after she successfully defends a girl who is accused of not properly wearing her hijab. Learning that an elderly taxi driver named Faramarz is also unmarried, Mahin invites him over to her home and they share a glorious rollercoaster of an evening.

Farhadpour shines as the sincere and relatable 70-year-old, and anyone familiar with current events in Iran will recognise the political and personal significance of Mahin’s story. All eyes were on writer-directors Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha (or, rather, their absence) at the film’s premiere. The duo’s passports were seized by the Iranian government and their travel halted. Their 2020 film Ballad of a White Cow also premiered in the Competition strand of the Berlinale but remains banned in Iran. The regime of their country and its ongoing repression is one thing but, as Mahin proves, the heart still wants what it wants

This lively New Zealand road comedy with a rebellious streak sends a grieving boy and three unruly nuns rattling across the South Island in search of redemption, and a very specific piece of paperwork.

In 1974, Brian is struggling with the death of his mother and his father’s plans to remarry. He finds comfort with the nuns she worked alongside: formidable Agnes (Judy Davis), mischievous Luke (Miriam Margolyes) and warm-hearted Mary Clare (Jacki Weaver). When a new bishop closes their convent, the sisters refuse to go quietly. Borrowing a car and heading south to collect the property deed from Brian’s Aunt Patricia, they reluctantly take him along.

The journey provides a strew of comic detours, from stop-motion glimpses into Brian’s imagination to dodgy cash, eccentric locals and increasingly chaotic escapades. Davis, Margolyes and Weaver are terrific fun together, delivering sharp comic timing while giving the sisters enough warmth to make their friendship convincing.

Underneath the silliness are observations about changing communities, property development and the disappearance of services people rely on. The story may be unapologetically sentimental, but its infectious humour, colourful characters and generous spirit make the journey easy to enjoy

This loud and proud biographical drama, about the exiled wartime leader and later French president Charles de Gaulle, goes big whenever the opportunity arises.

Adapted from Julian T Jackson’s 2018 biography 'A Certain idea of France', the film is about how the French President-to-be (played by Simon Abkarian) worked himself up through the cracks of history. He’s a captivating and paradoxical figure: a home-front soldier and an unelected democrat who conjures an unofficial mandate for himself through bulldozing force of will and an unwavering belief in himself and his country. He speaks of France in spiritual terms as he tries to coax Churchill and Roosevelt (Simon Russell Beale and Campbell Scott) into taking on the collaborating Vichyists and their hated figurehead, Admiral Darlan (Mathieu Kassovitz).

A subplot involving the politicisation of young French resistance fighters reminds us that the war was also being fought on the domestic, civilian front, and it allows the film to reference, briefly, the plight of Jews in France. De Gaulle is distinctly old-fashioned and unsubtle – and often brash and overbearing – but it has strengths as an uncomplicated historical spectacle.

A gloriously silly train ride packed with drag queens, disaster and deliberately terrible jokes, Stop! That! Train! throws subtlety out the window and races straight towards full-blown camp.

Tess (Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee) are unemployed train hostesses who land jobs aboard the high-speed Glamazon Express, travelling from Los Angeles to Miami alongside a collection of much less friendly colleagues. When traffic controller Donna (Bloom) spots a gigantic storm heading their way, President Gagwell (RuPaul Charles) is warned that the train could be heading into serious trouble. With the official conductors proving spectacularly useless, Tess and DeeDee are left to save the day.

The plot is really just an excuse to keep the jokes coming, with Shankman embracing the anything-goes spirit of Airplane! and piling on wordplay, slapstick, cameos and deliberately absurd visual gags. Familiar faces and drag favourites pop up throughout, while the script peppers the chaos with references that will particularly reward RuPaul’s Drag Race fans.

Fortunately, there is just enough character beneath the nonsense and the sheer commitment to silliness is infectious. This is proudly ridiculous, best enjoyed with the volume turned up and expectations switched off.

A scruffy, funny and surprisingly tender portrait of Anthony Bourdain before he became a household name, this focuses on the restless young man he was rather than the legend he became.

In the summer of 1975, Tony (Dominic Sessa) heads to Provincetown after missing out on a writing fellowship, hoping to reconnect with Nancy, an old school crush. Claiming to be a successful writer, he finds somewhere to sleep by taking a dishwashing job at a seafood shack, where he falls in with womanising co-worker Sal and the veteran chef (Antonio Banderas). As his stories become increasingly elaborate, Tony also discovers that he has a surprising instinct for the kitchen.

Sessa is terrific as Tony, capturing both his swaggering confidence and the intelligence underneath it. Banderas provides a particularly strong counterpoint, while a terrific supporting cast bring their own energy to Tony’s tangled social life.

Rather than forcing a dramatic transformation, the film simply observes a young man stumbling through a formative summer. The culinary world gradually begins to pull him in, even as he remains convinced that writing is his destiny. That uncertainty gives the story its appeal, leaving us curious about what comes next

(Subtitled)

Language: French

This loud and proud biographical drama, about the exiled wartime leader and later French president Charles de Gaulle, goes big whenever the opportunity arises.

Adapted from Julian T Jackson’s 2018 biography 'A Certain idea of France', the film is about how the French President-to-be (played by Simon Abkarian) worked himself up through the cracks of history. He’s a captivating and paradoxical figure: a home-front soldier and an unelected democrat who conjures an unofficial mandate for himself through bulldozing force of will and an unwavering belief in himself and his country. He speaks of France in spiritual terms as he tries to coax Churchill and Roosevelt (Simon Russell Beale and Campbell Scott) into taking on the collaborating Vichyists and their hated figurehead, Admiral Darlan (Mathieu Kassovitz).

A subplot involving the politicisation of young French resistance fighters reminds us that the war was also being fought on the domestic, civilian front, and it allows the film to reference, briefly, the plight of Jews in France. De Gaulle is distinctly old-fashioned and unsubtle – and often brash and overbearing – but it has strengths as an uncomplicated historical spectacle.

Every season feels like The Stath season. You never have to wait long for another Jason Statham vehicle to come barreling along, guns blazing.

And Mutiny is no different; this time, he’s on a boat! Statham is Cole Reed who, after witnessing his billionaire boss' murder and being framed for the crime, boards a cargo ship on a one-man crusade to avenge his boss’ death, only to of course discover an international conspiracy. A conspiracy that involves an assortment of outwardly evil human traffickers and thus gives Cole plenty of reasons to put his elite fists to good use. Opposite Statham, Annabelle Wallis joins the fray, and the film also introduces the formidable Roland Møller as the menacing antagonist Marko Madsen.

Director Jean-François Richet, who gave us the ludicrous yet equally thrilling Gerard Butler starring Plane, ostensibly gives us more of the same B-movie vibes in this “Die-Hard-On-A-Boat” action-thriller (if you’ve seen Under Siege, you get the idea). Any Stath fans are, no doubtably, already on board with the premise. Goes down nicely with a few beers on a Friday night.

Martin Freeman controls time in this sentimental fantasy boasting not-so-distant futuristic threats.

In this glossy take on Michael Ende’s 1973 novel about the preciousness of time, an enigmatic red-haired girl named Momo (Alexa Goodall) lives inside the amphitheatre of an unnamed European city. Locals take an interest in Momo given her special talent for listening to people. When someone confides in her, the speaker feels magically compelled to be truthful. Momo’s abilities serve as the vehicle for her to learn the Grey corporation’s villainous plans.

Those who work for Grey are “time thieves,” otherworldly entities that rely on stealing hours from humans to live. All the time saved, they think, will accumulate for them to spend it with their loved ones or pursue their passions later in life. Partway through, Momo travels to an alternate reality to meet Master Hora (Freeman), a benevolent magician who discloses a bit more exposition in the form of narration throughout the adventure.

Momo acts as a cautionary tale about how modern economic systems demand productivity and consumption, while robbing the masses of the space to chase fulfilment during their all-too-finite lives.

(Subtitled)

This returns as one those of those, everyone ‘must’ see, treasures we find from time to time. So come and see why.

A truly lovely film which offers a Middle Eastern take on Jarmusch-ion manners. It was considered the most charming film at Cannes (2007)

We join the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Band arriving at Tel Aviv airport to play at the opening of an Arab cultural centre somewhere nearby. Their hosts fail to turn up so they start walking. After catching a bus to the wrong town, it is too late and they are stranded. Hesitantly, they accept the sanctuary of a bar owner Dina (Elkabetz) and resolve to spend a single strange and wonderful night in this desolate place far from home. From then on, the gentle, slightly scared Egyptians gingerly mingle with their more forthright Israeli hosts

“A sweet-natured examination of strangers in a strange land until its moving final scenes…Above all, it is almost perfectly formed and by no means just a pleasant work in a minor key. The more you think about it, the more truthful, thus important, it seems. I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying it…” (Standard) And like any well-observed slice of humanity, it is very funny. Cancel band practice.

There’s nothing quite like a star-studded comedy that sees some of the most entertaining women in Hollywood team up and have, what I can only assume, as much fun off screen as it looks on screen.

Spa Weekend follows three childhood friends, played by Leslie Mann, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris, who, after years of building their careers, relationships, families and everyday responsibilities, have forgotten how to take care of themselves – and each other.

So they embark on some much-needed pampering during a luxury girls’ getaway. But when their train-wreck friend (Isla Fisher) unexpectedly turns up, the relaxation quickly descends into hilarious chaos. Even though Fisher’s character is the one who causes all the mishaps, the other three still feel a protective need to take care of her, but can their bonds as friends make it through such a crazy weekend unscathed?

The latest comedy from the writers of The Hangover and Bad Moms centres on long-standing friendship as much as comic chaos, using the resort as the backdrop for a reunion that doesn’t quite go to plan. Spa Weekend is the ultimate girls’ getaway film and perfect for fans of Bridesmaids

Anders Thomas Jensen’s darkly comic drama balances absurd humour with a surprisingly moving exploration of family, memory and trauma.

After spending 15 years in prison, Anker (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) returns home determined to recover money from a long-hidden robbery stash. The problem is that his brother Manfred (Mads Mikkelsen), who was entrusted with its location, now lives with dissociative identity disorder and believes he is John Lennon. Hoping to unlock his memory, Anker takes him back to the remote woodland house where they grew up. But as old wounds resurface, an increasingly eccentric collection of characters gathers around them, turning a simple mission into something far more unpredictable.

Writer-director Jensen once again mixes outrageous comedy with deeper emotional themes, creating a story that veers between laugh-out-loud absurdity and moments of genuine sadness. The humour is often delightfully strange, but it is grounded by a thoughtful examination of how people cope with painful experiences and fractured identities. Strong ensemble performances keep even the most eccentric situations feeling oddly believable, with Lie Kaas and Mikkelsen proving a particularly compelling pairing.

Beneath its eccentric surface lies an unexpectedly heartfelt story about family bonds, resilience and the different ways people learn to live with the past.

Ridley Scott goes post-apocalyptic with an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, set in a world ravaged by a flu-like virus.

Sparse survivors in the aftermath of a catastrophic pandemic traverse the ravaged wasteland landscape in hopes of finding the origin of a mysterious radio transmission - wanting more from their lives. Will they find someplace that isn't overrun with these freaky cannibal humans out to get them? Is there any safe haven or is it all just ravaged now? Jacob Elordi stars in this as Hig, a pilot flying his little yellow Cessna plane around. With Josh Brolin as a tough ex-marine, and Margaret Qualley is a medic and Hig’s love interest who tags along.  Together they face invaders and the endless struggle of hope for a better life outside of their current life in a tiny enclave.

The highly prolific Scott (who, at nearly 90, doesn’t show any signs of slowing down) once again builds a gorgeous film with vast landscapes and a real sense of scale that contrasts beautifully against the impending threats. Not one to be missed on the big screen

It’s a miracle - forever inside a Warner Bros. vault to justify a corporate tax write-off, Coyote vs. Acme has been rescued and released. And rightly so, because it’s brilliant.

This cartoon/live action hybrid sees Wile E. Coyote, tired from decades of being blown up by explosive ACME products, team up with a no win, no fee lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) to fight back. But ACME has its own powerhouse defence attorney in Kevin’s slick college nemesis Buddy Crane (John Cena), who is determined to silence the duo  - sending them on a wild quest for justice that’s as thrilling and physics-defying as Wile E.’s lifelong chase for the elusive Road Runner.

Yes, it’s a story about becoming the best version of yourself, about trying over and over again in the face of failure because you know it’s the right thing to do. There’s a mystery to solve in a fight against a heartless corporation, but there’s also no shortage of Looney Tunes antics.

It’s a testament to the enduring legacy of Bugs Bunny and co. that, almost a century on, they’ve lost none of their zaniness.

(Subtitled)

Language: French

A light-footed, time-spanning drama that explores how the past quietly shapes the present.

When a large extended family in Normandy are asked to clear out their long-abandoned ancestral home ahead of a redevelopment, four distant relatives take on the task. As they sift through letters, photographs and paintings, one of them, Seb, begins to imagine the life of a young woman from the 19th century, Adele, whose journey to Paris opens up a parallel story that gradually intertwines with the present.

Director Cédric Klapisch moves fluidly between timelines, drawing connections across generations with a playful, inventive touch. The film finds its rhythm in small discoveries and shifting perspectives, using visual echoes and gentle humour to link past and present without ever feeling heavy. Moments of curiosity, coincidence and imagination keep the narrative buoyant, even as deeper themes about identity and belonging come into focus.

A strong ensemble brings warmth and personality to a wide range of characters, grounding the story in recognisable emotions as new relationships form and old ones are reconsidered.

Easygoing yet thoughtful, it’s a quietly uplifting reflection on connection, memory and the traces people leave behind.

Sex is legal for 12 hours a year in this cheeky rom-com with a Handmaiden-lite, dystopian backdrop.

In the not-too-distant future, a totalitarian bill has been passed forbidding any and all forms of carnal activity between unmarried couples. Some resist the surveillance state encroaching on our very bodies, while others are about as fazed by it as any other recent violation of our personal liberties. But on one night of the year, the ban is lifted, and sex is fully is allowed.

We follow the routes of Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro) as they hunt for sex against a ticking clock. Owen had a plan with his girlfriend (Maya Hawke) but she chooses the night as an opportunity to hook up with a neighbour, while Allie is urged by her roommate to get herself out there. Their paths intertwine and decide to, at first, play each other’s wingmen from Manhattan to Brooklyn and back again.

One Night Only is less romcom and more a raunchy sex caper as we go from scrape to scrape, involving cameos and a string of almost-shags. It’s steamy fun.