12 films to see this winter
Long-awaited sequels, true(ish) stories, fresh comedy and gut-busting horror are all in cinemas over the cold months
1 My Big Gay Italian Wedding (Jun 6)
In this crowdpleasing Italian romp, Antonio and Paolo plan to tie the knot in Civita di Bagnoregio, where Antonio was raised, but he hasn’t come out to his parents yet.
2 X-men: Dark Phoenix (Jun 6)
The franchise changes tack with Sophie Turner ( Game of Thrones) taking the lead role as Jean Grey, who struggles with the monster within her.
3 Tolkien (Jun 13)
Nicholas Hoult stars in this biopic about the philologist whose experiences in World War I influenced his books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
4 Never Look Away (Jun 20)
This German epic about an artist’s postwar rise is by the director of The Lives of Others and scored two Oscar nominations.
5 Toy Story 4 (Jun 20)
Pixar heroes Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang take another bow, with Woody’s GF Bo Peep (Annie Potts) returning after her notable absence in Part 3.
6 Child’s Play (Jun 20)
In a masterstroke of counter programming, the horror reboot featuring a hi-tech killer doll (voiced by Mark Hamill) opens the same day as the new Toy Story.
7 Yesterday (Jun 27)
Danny Boyle directs Richard Curtis’s screenplay about a struggling singer-songwriter (newcomer Himesh Patel) who wakes up in a world where the Beatles never existed and becomes a sensation performing their songs.
8 21 Bridges (Jul 11)
Riveting Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman plays a New York cop on the hunt for cop killers in a thriller from the directors of Avengers: Endgame.
9 I Am Mother (Jul 18)
Rose Byrne voices a maternal robot that has raised a young woman (Clara Rugaard) in a protected facility following an apocalyptic event. Hilary Swank also stars.
10 Late Night (Jul 25)
The dream pairing of Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling has Thompson as the imperious host of a failing talk show and Kaling as the writer brought in to revive it. Kaling wrote the screenplay.
11 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Aug 15)
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth movie takes place in 1969 and focuses on the Charles Manson murders. Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt lead an all-star ensemble cast.
12 Ma (Aug 22)
Octavia Spencer plays a woman whose invitation to a bunch of teenagers to have their parties in her basement comes with sinister strings attached. Tate Taylor ( The Help, The Girl on the Train) directs a Blumhouse production.