If you’re sick of sequels, prequels, and Marvel movies, we’ve got a few new releases for you.
A psychological suspense? Check. Corruption in politics? Check. A bear high on cocaine?
Check.
Additionally, Joyland, the love story between an unhappy married man and a trans singer, and Broker, starring Parasite’s Song Kang-ho, the first Pakistani-directed film to join the Oscar shortlist.
There was no superhero outfit in sight. So brace yourself for a week of brilliant and different flicks awaiting your delectation.
The Strays
The presence of Oscar winner Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) hangs large over this otherwise uniquely British thriller.
Neve (Ashley Madekwe, shown above) appears to have the perfect existence. She is the deputy head of a prestigious private school in a wealthy area filled by what her husband (Justin Salinger) refers to as “the white flight” (Neve herself is mixed race). With the appearance of two individuals from her past, Neve’s flawlessly controlled world begins to disintegrate.
Nathaniel Martello-White’s debut film, The Strays, is visually stunning. Even if the beginning is a little bumpy, the mystery keeps you interested. One of those things that you think you can foresee but can’t. You’ll be glued to the screen by the time rising talent Bukky Bakray appears.
15. Out Friday on Netflix
Joyland
Joyland is a pioneer even before you realise it’s a transgender love tale – sort of. It’s the first Pakistani-directed film to enter the Oscars shortlist and the first to win at the Cannes Film Festival. It is, nevertheless, the narrative of a family. Haider (Ali Junejo), our anti-hero, is a weak, secretly homosexual house husband who eventually wins an unexpected position in an exotic revue – as a backing dancer to a trans singer named Biba.
Haider gets captivated with Biba (Alina Khan), and the film masterfully captures the explosive desire’s uncertainty and complexity. Meanwhile, Haider’s wife (Rasti Farooq), who is now obliged to stay at home with Haider’s chauvinistic father, is dealing with her own issues. Director Saim Sadiq realises what could have been a sensational-sounding melodrama with incredible subtlety, depth, and silence.
15. Out Friday in cinemas
Cocaine Bear
The film is based on the actual incident of a bear who went on a coke-fueled rampage after consuming a drug runner’s cache in 1985. Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect) directed the film, which stars Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and a large (CGI) bear.
15. Out Friday in cinemas.
Broker
This South Korean thriller, directed by famed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, stars Parasite star Song Kang-ho (who won best actor at Cannes for this) as a debt-ridden shop owner in a drama about selling an abandoned infant.
12A. Out Friday in cinemas.
The Independent
In this tale of presidential campaigns skulduggery, Succession’s Brian Cox and Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) play journalists on a quest to uncover corruption at the highest levels of US politics.
Out Friday on Sky Cinema.