Every week, we take a look at what’s hitting cinemas and streaming to bring you our top picks.
In Cinemas
Black Phone 2
Everyone returns for Black Phone 2, including Ethan Hawke’s masked serial killer, who we last saw getting his neck snapped in the first film. Unfortunately for troubled siblings Finn (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), he’s back from the grave to terrorise all and sundry once more in this wintry horror romp.
Roofman
Hark to the tale of real life felon Jeffrey “Roofman” Manchester, whose nickname comes from his penchant for breaking into McDonalds restaurants from above, him being the sort of criminal who likes to avoid violence and thus might make for a likable main character. Hence, here he’s played by Channing Tatum, and we find him hiding out in the roof of a toy store while on the lam from the law. He does manage a meet cute with Kirsten Dunst‘s harried single mum, though, so it’s not all bad.
After The Hunt
Luca Guadagnino‘s latest provocation got absolutely slammed by the critics, but that may mean he’s done something interesting here. Then again, they’re calling this a post #MeToo movie, so maybe not. In any case, it’ll be worth showing up just to see Julia Roberts as a university professor who finds her own past under the microscope after her protégé and pupil (Ayo Edibiri) accuses her colleague (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault. Should be a thorny one.
Streaming
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV+)
Everyone’s turning up to sing Marty’s praises in this five part documentary series: Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paul Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, and more. That’s because everyone loves Martin Scorsese. You do too, I assume, so make a note to check this out.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch (Netflix)
The thing about Tom Clancy’s stuff is that it’s all pretty cartoonish anyway, so this is a perfect match of subject to medium, if you think about it. And the thing about Splinter Cell is I have fond memories of bashing my goddamn head against the learning curve of the very first game way back in the day, when sneaky terrorist-annihilator Sam Fisher was voiced by the gravelly Michael Ironside. Now he’s voiced by the equally gravelly Liev Schreiber. The plot? I dunno, terrorists or something. It doesn’t matter. It is created by David Kolstad, who wrote John Wick and Nobody, though, which might.
The Chair Company (HBO Max)
The team behind I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, go serial, with Tony Robinson as a guy looking for a scapegoat after a mishap at work embarrasses him in front of all and sundry. Someone must be responsible, but his quest for a body to blame sends him down an absurd conspiratorial rabbit hole. Robinson and Kanin’s stuff is an acquired taste, but if you’ve acquired it, this is a must.
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