Sometimes, there is nothing quite like losing yourself in a good movie or television series. And right now, there are plenty out there to enjoy. From Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt in 1920s romp Babylon, to a brilliant Christian Bale in the historical murder mystery The Pale Blue Eye, these are all the best new films to add to your weekend watch list.
Babylon
Transporting audiences back to Hollywood’s hedonistic ‘golden age’, Babylon is set in the late 1920s, during the transition from silent films to ‘talkies’. Starring Brad Pitt as a silent film star and Margot Robbie as a ‘Roaring ’20s’ icon, the story follows its protagonists as they party with the kind of wild abandon characteristic of society at the time, all while trying to navigate their new roles in an evolving industry.
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The Fabelmans
Directed by the great Steven Spielberg and based on his childhood and family growing up, this exceptional new semi-autobiographical work is one of the best new films of the year. The Fabelmans follows the story of young Sammy Fabelman who dreams of becoming a filmmaker after his parents take him to see ‘The Greatest Show on Earth.’ While his mother (played by Michelle Williams) supports his aspirations, it is only after he discovers a shattering family secret that he truly comes to understand the power of film to cut to the truth.
Operation Fortune
In what can only be described as a classic Guy Ritchie line-up, the renowned filmmaker joins forces (once again) with Jason Statham and Hugh Grant, who star alongside Aubrey Plaza in an epic new spy thriller, Operation Fortune. Tasked with stopping the sale of deadly new weapons technology by a nefarious billionaire (Grant), super spy Orson Fortune (Statham) must team up with some of the world’s best operatives and recruit Hollywood’s biggest movie star (played by Josh Hartnett) to help them save the world.
Tár
This new psychological thriller by Todd Field stars the inimitable Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár, a world-famous composer and the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. Complex, bold, wildly-ambitious and completely captivating, this movie is undoubtedly one of the best new films of the year, and sees Blanchett at the height of her dramatic power.
The Banshees of Inisherin
Set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, this award-winning film stars Colin Farrell as Pádraic Súilleabháin and Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty, two lifelong friends who find themselves at an impasse when one (Doherty) decides to suddenly cut off the relationship. With the help of his sister Súilleabháin sets about trying to mend the rift, which leads to a few unexpected twists and turns, and a surprising ultimatum. Widely lauded as some of Farrell’s best work, this excellent tragicomedy is considered one of the best new films of the year. (It also just happened to win three major Golden Globes for Best Comedy or Musical Film, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Farrell’s performance.)
Emily
Emma Mackey stars as one of the most iconic figures in literature, Emily Brontë, who died at only 30. Charting her exhilarating journey into womanhood, the film looks at Brontë’s short life as a rebel and a misfit and looks at how the oeuvre of someone so young made such a lasting impact on our culture.
The Menu
In this darkly-comic, foodie thriller, Anja Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult take the lead. The couple travels to the Pacific to eat at an exclusive restaurant, where a celebrated chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish tasting menu. Joined on their culinary journey by a cast of interesting characters, the couple soon find themselves part of something much more sinister, as tensions mount and secrets are revealed.
The Wonder
Part mystery and part psychological thriller, The Wonder is based on the acclaimed novel by Emma Donoghue. It is inspired by the Victorian-era phenomenon of ‘fasting girls’ who claimed to have miraculous powers. The intriguing film stars Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh as English nurse Lib Wright, who is brought to a tiny Irish village to observe a young girl who is said to have survived without food for months.
Vengeance
The directorial debut of B.J.Novak (who also wrote the script and plays the lead) this dark comedy follows the story of a journalist and podcaster from New York City who travels to West Texas to investigate the death of an ex — well, kind of. It is a fascinating satire on the state of modern America, (with a bit of action thrown in for good measure) and is entertaining and though-provoking in equal measure.
Matilda The Musical
Remember the Roald Dahl classic about a young, intelligent girl who dares to take a stand against her oppressive parents and head teacher (with extraordinary results)? Here it is given fresh life in a new, musical film. Starring Emma Thomas as Miss Trunchbull, this film will delight anyone who remembers and loves this timeless story.
A Man Called Otto
In the American remake of the Oscar-nominated Swedish film A Man Called Ove, Tom Hanks plays a grumpy widower whose strict routines and staunch principles see him give everyone in his neighbourhood a hard time. However, just as it seems like he has truly given up on life, an unlikely friendship blooms with some new neighbours.
Marcel The Shell with Shoes On
Based on the 2010 short film directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, this hilarious, full-length mockumentary is one of the best new films of the year. In it, big-hearted Marcel the Shell (cleverly voiced by Jenny Slate) must use the power of the Internet to find his long-lost family.
The Pale Blue Eye
In this dramatic, American thriller, Christian Bale stars as veteran detective Augustus Landor in director Scott Cooper’s adaptation of Louis Bayard’s historical crime mystery novel. Set in 1830, Landor is called on to investigate the murder of a cadet with the assistance of a young Edgar Allan Poe in a bloody mystery that has a disturbing final twist.
