The best films to see this spring

Stiff upper lips, killer clowns, and a newfashioned whodunnit are on the menu for moviegoers this season, all to the tune of George Michael and the Boss.

It Chapter 2 Sep 5 See it if you liked: The Haunting of Hill House Pennywise returns to Derry 27 years later to wreak more evil, and the grown-up kids who defeated him last time return as world-weary adults. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader star. Downton Abbey Sep 12 See it if you liked: Gosford Park Admit it, you can’t wait for the big-screen return of your favourite stately home dwellers as the Crawleys scurry around to host the King and Queen of England. Republic reschmublic!

The Goldfinch Sep 26

See it if you liked: David Copperfield Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel about a boy who steals a Dutch master painting in the wake of a terrorist incident reaches the big screen under the direction of John Crowley ( Brooklyn) with a cast including

Baby Driver’s Ansel Elgort, Jeffrey Wright and Nicole Kidman.

Joker Oct 3

See it if you liked: Watchmen Joaquin Phoenix applies his method acting chops to the role of Batman’s arch nemesis in a movie that paints the comic book villain as a Martin Scorsese-esque antihero.

Blinded by the Light Oct 24

See it if you liked: Sing Street

Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinda Chandra delivers another feelgood hit in the story of a UK kid whose life changes when he hears the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Doctor Sleep Nov 7

See it if you liked: It Classic Stephen King horror movie

The Shining at last gets a sequel, with special little boy Danny all grown up now (and played by Ewan McGregor), fighting both alcoholism and a cult of soul-eaters preying on children.

Last Christmas Nov 7

See it if you liked: Yesterday The music of George Michael figures in this Yuletide romcom co-written by Emma Thompson, with Thompson, Emilia Clarke, Henry Goldin and Michelle Yeoh.

Judy and Punch Nov 7

See it if you liked: The Nightingale An origin story for the oldfashioned Punch and Judy puppet shows depicts the revenge of Judy (Mia Wasikowska) against her abusive puppeteer husband Punch (Damon Herriman).

Knives Out Nov 28

See it if you liked: Murder on the Orient Express Rian Johnson ( Star Wars: The Last

Jedi) delivers an Agatha Christiestyle whodunnit set in the country house of a murdered patriarch, with an all-star cast featuring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Toni Collette and Jamie Lee Curtis.