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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

(Subtitled) Strong language

Emmanuel Courcol’s heartfelt take on brotherhood, class and the power of music to forge unlikely connections.

Thibaut, a renowned Parisian conductor (Benjamin Lavernhe), receives a leukaemia diagnosis that requires a bone marrow transplant. Adopted at birth, he sets out to find his biological brother, Jimmy, a factory worker with a deep love of jazz and a place in the local marching band. What begins as an awkward and urgent request gradually becomes a deeper connection, as both men reflect on the lives they’ve led and the different paths shaped by upbringing and opportunity.

It’s a warmly familiar story arc, reminiscent of films like Brassed Off or The Full Monty, carried by two strong performances and a script that balances humour with sincerity. Courcol avoids heavy sentimentality, focusing instead on small moments of recognition, reconciliation, and shared purpose. Pierre Lottin brings a laid-back charisma to Jimmy, and Lavernhe adds subtle complexity to Lavernhe’s reserved elegance as Thibaut.

In the end, it’s less about redemption, more a recognition of talent, of missed chances, and of the unexpected harmony that can arise when lives collide across social lines.

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.

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

Moderate violence, threat, language

Rami Malek leads this intelligent twist on the revenge thriller, fronting a globe-trotting action film that values wit over brute force.

When CIA analyst Charlie (Malek) loses his wife Sarah in a terrorist attack, he coerces his superior into letting him train for vengeance. Under the guidance of gruff veteran Henderson (Lawrence Fishburne), Charlie’s ineptitude with weapons shifts the mission’s focus to his analytical mind. He heads to Europe with the help of a savvy hacker (Caitriona Balfe), unaware he’s being hunted by multiple parties, including those within his own agency.

Based on Robert Littell’s novel, The Amateur sidesteps blockbuster clichés with a grounded, if understated, tone. Director James Hawes keeps the pace brisk as the plot hops across European locales, enhanced by some seriously slick visuals. But it's the well-layered characters and sharp script that give the film its real bite. Malek's brain-over-brawn Charlie is unconventional yet compelling, and his rapport with Fishburne and Balfe adds dimension.

It may not dazzle with high-octane thrills, but then this is neither Bond nor Bourne. Smart storytelling with a touch of finesse will do just nicely.

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.

(Subtitled)

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.

Violence, language, references to domestic abuse, sex, drugs, suicide

This sobering and captivating documentary offers an intimate portrait of one of Ireland’s most provocative and influential writers.

Reflecting on her extraordinary life at 93, the film delves into her journey, from the controversial debut of The Country Girls in 1960 to her years of exile in London, where she became a literary sensation and weathered personal turmoil, while also gaining the respect of international audiences and critics.

Director Sinéad O’Shea explores both the public and private O’Brien: the woman who ignited outrage in Ireland, embraced passionate affairs, and boldly defied societal norms. Through candid readings of O'Brien's personal journals by Jessie Buckley, alongside contributions from figures like Gabriel Byrne and Walter Mosley, we are granted access to O’Brien’s sharp reflections on love, loss, and the price of fame.

The tone is poignantly heightened by O'Brien’s frailty, particularly as she reflects on her final years with quiet introspection. O’Shea puts O’Brien’s vulnerability at the forefront, allowing us to witness not just the artist’s life and legacy, but the raw truths she left behind for future generations.

(Subtitled)

No matter how much of his previous work you’ve seen, you’re still not prepared for what he brings to the everyman at the epicentre of Wim Wenders‘ Perfect Days.

The extraordinary Japanese actor Koji Yakusho plays Hirayama, whose life, it may seem at first, is defined by his job: he cleans public toilets in Tokyo, and every day he zips himself into a blue jumpsuit, retrieves his keys and flip phone, and drives through the city making his rounds. He polishes mirrors to a sterling gleam, wipes down faucets and levers with care, and inspects a toilet’s underside with a small mirror to ensure he's scrubbed every inch of it. It's not so much that Hirayama is dedicated to his job; it’s more that the ritual of doing it right means something to him.

The genesis of Perfect Days comes from Wenders being invited to Tokyo to do a series of shorts about the city’s facilities, many of which had been redesigned as something akin to modern-art instalments and a source of civic pride. Relaxing, and full of beauty and warmth. Perfect Days is a quie and serene experience.

Strong language

Naomi Watts’ beautifully restrained performance anchors this quietly resonant drama about grief, healing, and unexpected companionship.

Adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel, it follows Iris, a solitary writing professor whose world is upended by the death of her closest friend, a famed author named Walter (Bill Murray). Inheriting his enormous and grieving Great Dane, Apollo, Iris is faced with both logistical challenges and deeper emotional reckonings. As the two bond, Iris begins to come to terms with her past, and her own creative inner life.

Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel craft a subdued, character-led portrait of mourning and memory, told with unforced intimacy. Watts plays Iris with remarkable subtlety, her every glance revealing anger, affection and fatigue beneath the surface. Her reluctant bond with Apollo becomes a quiet lifeline. They are two beings adrift, anchoring one another.

While the supporting cast is full of promise, The Friend wisely keeps its focus tight, reflecting its protagonist’s inward gaze. McGehee and Siegel’s unfussy direction suits the material, letting its most emotional moments land without fanfare. What emerges is a story not about dramatic revelations, but about the slow return of presence, purpose, and the will to carry on.

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.

Moderate bad language

A bittersweet, folk-tinged tale of missed connections, old wounds and the odd note of hope.

Tim Key plays Charles, a socially awkward lottery winner living in self-imposed exile on a remote island, nursing old wounds with vinyl records and wistful memories. His solace comes in the form of a long-disbanded folk duo, Herb (Tom Basden) and Nell (Carey Mulligan), whose music once scored his happiest days. With a suitcase full of cash, he hatches a quietly madcap plan: reunite them for a private concert, each under the impression the other won't be there.

Writers and co-stars Key and Basden strike a fine balance between heartfelt emotion and well-timed comedy. As the embittered Herb, Basden gives a wonderfully weary performance opposite Mulligan’s Nell, whose arrival complicates everything. Their shared songs, written by Basden, carry the ache of things left unsaid, while Charles’ well-meaning manipulation adds a touch of chaos.

Director James Griffiths allows these odd dynamics to unfold with warmth and restraint, finding emotional depth beneath the film’s charming eccentricities. Gently funny, wistful and often unexpectedly wise, it’s a clear message that not all love stories are about staying together. Some are about letting go with grace.

Alan Parker’s searing depiction of racial injustice in the Deep South is driven by one of Gene Hackman’s most commanding performances.

Set in a 1960s America still fractured by deep-rooted racism, the story follows two FBI agents; seasoned and streetwise Anderson (Hackman) and idealistic newcomer Ward (Willem Dafoe). As they investigate the disappearance of three civil rights workers in a small Mississippi town, what begins as a search for answers quickly reveals a web of violence, fear, and institutionalised racism that demands far more than procedure.

Parker doesn’t soften the material, instead leaning into the rage and sorrow at its core. Hackman, portraying a man shaped by the South yet unwilling to accept its violence, gives a performance full of tension and complexity. Dafoe's calm idealism contrasts effectively, and Frances McDormand offers a quietly heartbreaking portrait of someone caught in the middle.

Though it stirred controversy for focusing on white investigators, the film sparked renewed conversations about civil rights and historical accountability. It's a gripping piece of work, one that still hits hard today, and a reminder of Hackman's rare ability to channel conscience into character without flinching

(Subtitled) Infrequent moderate injury detail

An Icelandic eco-warrior with a difference is the unlikely heroine of this distinctive light/heavy drama about our warring relationship with nature.

Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) is known to her friends as a quiet upbeat choir mistress. However, her seemingly unadventurous life covers up a dark secret. Halla is also ‘The Mountain Woman’. The environmental activist waging a one-woman war on an international industrial giant to protect her bleak-glorious Icelandic rural landscape. When the chance comes to grasp her family dream, she finds herself with a difficult life-decision.

Director Benedikt Erlingsson’s first film, Of Horses and Men, was one of the most startlingly original, audacious features of the past decade. While Woman at War has a different dimension, its breathtaking central wonder woman and rousing theme offer a more focused and driven story. (research Chris Coetsee)

After the plastic cartoon antics of Avengers and Captain Marvel, Halla is morning sunshine, and all in a sensible cardigan. As for the live score - priceless.

The very opposite of those soft-as-shit spandexed digital heroes. In her own knitting, this flesh-real woman unstunts unstinting, actually running around Iceland with a bow and arrow, over the hardest terrain. She will be back until you have all seen her - twice.

One of the most revered figures in Western art, Michelangelo is the focus of the latest entry in Exhibition on Screen’s richly crafted documentary series.

Directed by David Bickerstaff and filmed in partnership with the National Gallery’s major exhibition, Michelangelo: Love and Death traces the extraordinary life and legacy of the Renaissance master. From the towering David to the heartbreak of the Pietà and the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo’s genius is explored across sculpture, painting, architecture and poetry. Through visits to Florence, Rome and the Vatican, the film builds a textured portrait of a complex, deeply passionate artist.

Bringing together expert voices from across the art world, including historians, restorers and contemporary artists, the documentary sheds new light on Michelangelo’s relationships, creative struggles, and his rivalry with da Vinci. Archival material, striking visuals and excerpts from the artist’s own writings deepen the emotional and historical resonance.

As the film prepares to return to cinemas for the 550th anniversary of his birth, it offers more than admiration. It invites us to rediscover a man whose every creation still speaks, centuries on, with astonishing power and human intensity

It looks gorgeous and was already threatening an Oscar for Kiera, who lifts the part of Elizabeth above all great expectations. BAFTA, it appears, couldn’t consider her. Too beautiful..? If ever How’s that for rejection by committee - of correct-thinking arseholes. But all for the greater good. Happily the whole production was stunningly beautiful - how did they miss that? The countryside alone, the backlit summer meadows, the lake and beautiful Jane language is enough to set your heart athrob. The scenery stops in its own tracks, the cinematography is just breathtaking, and their faces stay in tune with fragile hope, longing and loss throughout. They take you with them every step. Manners, misunderstandings, courtship, love, pride and prejudice are all here, of course - condensed into two hours for the screen. Elizabeth and Darcy play their hearts out for you… It is heartbreaking and uplifting, and where it is funny, it is funny.

“…serene and beautiful…The classic battle of the sexes in literature, now on screen…” City Screens

Never mind that. Matthew MacFadyen turns-in the best - Complete awkward, brooding screen Heartthrob personified - ever. As for Joe Wright, he never managed such beauty and attention to useful detail on screen again (lucky sun & rain? too). A cinematic big screen epic in every word, snub, caricature and gesture. Don’t dare miss it now.

Infrequent strong language, moderate sex, drug misuse

This uplifting film about a couple who embark on a long coastal walk after becoming homeless, is a breath of fresh, sea air.

Based on the bestselling memoir of husband and wife, Raynor and Moth

Winn’s (Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson) 630-mile trek along the beautiful but rugged Cornish, Devon and Dorset Coastline. Once farmers, they lost their home and their livelihood after a bad investment by Moth. Rather than wallow in their misfortune, they both pack up what belongings they have, and hit the road to Land’s End, to simply walk the coastal path and make the trail their home.

If it couldn’t get any more heartbreaking, Raynor is diagnosed with a terminal neurodegenerative disease. They make the desperate decision to walk in the hope that, in nature, they will find solace. With depleted resources, only a tent and some essentials between them, every step along the path is a testament to their growing strength and determination.

The Salt Path is a journey that is challenging, and liberating in equal measure. A portrayal of home, how it can be lost and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

The 1994 Palme D’or winning classic is a remarkable act of alchemy, winning over both arthouse and multiplex audiences like nothing else before it.

The film sports a complex interweaving of vignettes. Opening with a pair of cafe robbers (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer), it quickly segues into our pair of “main” protagonists, hitmen Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson), whose stories of death and violence wend throughout the story as they come to grips with what they do for a living. Simultaneously, Bruce Willis steps into the story as Butch Coolidge, a boxer who doesn’t throw a fight for Vincent and Jules’s boss Marsellus (Ving Rhames), which climaxes in an unforgettable tussle in a local store. Then there’s the film’s real star in Uma Thurman’s Mia Wallace.

The film can be poignant, disgusting, yet never boring or uninteresting, and more than thirty years later, there’s still nothing quite like it. Full of quotable lines that still permeate our lexicon to this day, Pulp Fiction is an infinitely rewatchable masterpiece. So don’t be a square, and catch this on the big screen.

Moderate violence, threat, language

Florence Pugh leads a messy, magnetic ensemble in this refreshingly sharp, character-driven Marvel entry that works best when it forgets it's part of a franchise.

Frustrated with life in CIA black-ops, Yelena (Pugh) asks her boss Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for something redemptive. Instead, she’s sent on a mission designed to destroy her and fellow morally grey agents: John Walker, Ava/Ghost, and Taskmaster Antonia. Realising the trap, they join forces to protect the mysterious Bob (Lewis Pullman), with backup from Yelena’s chaotic father Alexei (David Harbour) and the ever-conflicted Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). But Valentina has deeper plans, and Bob may be more than he seems.

Told largely through Yelena’s eyes, the story finds real weight in her journey, and Pugh’s brilliant performance grounds the mayhem. She brings depth to themes of isolation, identity, and reluctant kinship with her fellow “losers.” Harbour, Stan, and Louis-Dreyfus offer striking support, with the latter chewing the scenery as the masterfully manipulative Valentina.

Balancing snark, sorrow and spectacle with surprising elegance, Thunderbolts* (don’t forget the asterisk) is a manic but meaningful ride. Less about saving the world, more about saving themselves and, quite possibly, the franchise

Strong injury detail

For all their abundant style, the films of Wes Anderson are always weighted with character depth. For his latest film, Anderson once again welcomes audiences into a world that no other filmmaker could create.

Benicio del Toro stars as a derring-do millionaire called Zsa-zsa Korda, who has survived six plane crashes and fathered nine sons and one daughter, a nun called Liesel played by Mia Threapleton.

They embark on a quest with tutor Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera) to secure the future of his business ventures, encountering characters such as Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch), Excaliber (Rupert Friend) and Richard Ayoade’s freedom fighter. The usual stacked cast of Anderson regulars include: Mathieu Amalric, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston and Jeffrey Wright.

Anderson’s style hit its unique stride with The Royal Tenenbaums, and from there on has only been obsessively accentuated, controlled, these last 25 years. Those who found his previous two films (The French Dispatch, Asteroid City) to perhaps be a little too dour in their approach, will find this to be a welcoming jolt of fun; more in line with Grand Budapest Hotel’s zany antics

(Subtitled) Infrequent strong language

The heist sub-genre is one that  feels like it’s been mined to death. So it comes as a surprise to find this German-language comedy has found a new angle.

A group of people in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) - or East Germany as we knew it - in 1990, with reunification a few days away, discover an old storage depot with tons of abandoned and soon-to-be-worthless ostmarks, and not much time left for sneakily exchanging them for deutschemarks at the accepted (and humiliating) rate of two to one.

Sandra Hüller plays a woman called Maren who, with husband Robert (Max Riemelt), leads the plan while Ronald Zehrfeld plays Volker, with whom Maren has some emotional history.

First the scam revolves around discreetly buying up consumer items such as microwaves from door-to-door salesmen who still accept ostmarks and reselling them. There’s also a plot point about using the cash to revive the old factory for the community’s benefit – so the film’s audience understands that the characters are not just greedy. Sandra Huller again excels (when does she not?), and elevates this somewhat slight, Ealing-esque caper to greater heights

Moderate violence, injury detail, threat, language

As the title suggests, this is the last mission for Tom Cruise’s flagship series, and after three decades of thrilling high-wire acts, we’re closing out with some of the craziest stunt-work to date.

With his doughty team including Grace (Hayley Atwell), Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg), Ethan Hunt (Cruise) must now confront the sinister AI brain named “the Entity”, the ultimate MacGuffin-slash-baddie which is undermining truth all over the world with lies and deep-fakes, setting nuclear power against nuclear power And to stop it, Ethan has to take the low-tech “cruciform key” he salvaged in the last film and apply it to the device which is on board a wrecked Russian submarine, somewhere on the seabed.

For all of Cruise-as-Hunt’s godlike powers, the actor is especially willing here to slip and slide around the place like he’s been touched by the grace of Buster Keaton. Whether it’s tumbling around in a sinking sub, or hanging off the wing of a bi-plane as it throttles through a canyon, he’s always willing to accept the greatest mission of all: to entertain.

Moderate violence, injury detail, language

Four decades have passed since Mr Miyagi taught a young boy how to catch flies with chopsticks, and the series has now become a legend in itself.

This long-coming legacy sequel is set three years after the events of Cobra Kai (the TV series, which itself was a continuation of the original films). After a family tragedy, kung-fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn't want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere.

When a new friend seeks his help, Li enters a karate competition — but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung-fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan, channeling Pat Morita) enlists the original karate kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown. Strap in for some high-flying, kung-fu fun.

(Subtitled) Strong language, sex, sex references

Writer/director Laura Piani’s sweet film is a French romantic comedy with an English twist, brimming with charm and literary allusions that readers are going to adore.

Agathe (Camille Rutherford) works at the famous Shakespeare & Co bookshop in Paris, though she secretly hopes to one day publish her own novel. She’s not into dating apps and prefers to believe that she’ll simply run into the man of her dreams in real life. Her cute colleague, Felix (Pablo Pauly), isn’t that principled — or is it delusional? — and sleeps around, though he also spends a suspicious amount of time at Agathe’s cramped apartment. When Agathe is awarded a stay at an exclusive retreat for writers, she not only finds the creativity to finally begin putting her ideas on paper, but also a bit of romance.

Presented as a lighthearted farce, complete with characters stepping (naked) through the wrong doors and a tense cross-country ride, in which Agathe complains in French (not realising her companion speaks the language), the film is at once old-fashioned and refreshingly, realistically up to date in its take on modern courtship.