Must-see movies this month
Tom Cruise’s fly boy and Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer supreme are back, plus Kiwis Josh and Erik Thomson discover just How to Please a Woman. James Croot reports.
May offers plenty of options for film lovers, in cinemas and at home. For those keen on venturing out to a theatre, the lineup includes a big-screen version of cult animated series Bob’s Burgers (May 25), French dramas Nobody Has to Know and Haute Couture, and the latest animated iteration of Pinocchio (all May 19) and a trio of returnees from various film festivals – The Jonsson Gang (Thursday), Tuesday Club (May 26) and A Hero (screening now).
Netflix has French action comedy The Takedown and animated adventure Marmaduke (both from today), Disney+ has Cinderella ‘‘reimagining’’ Sneakerella (May 13) and a remake of 2006 French comedy The Valet (May 20), Amazon Prime Video boasts Korean American drama Blue Bayou (May 26) and Neon’s rental selection includes rom-com Looks That Kill (May 18), drama American Underdog and comedy North Hollywood (both May 25)
After looking through the schedules, Stuff to Watch has come up with this list of the dozen flicks we’re most excited to see over the next four weeks.
Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn (May 12, Cinemas)
Winner of the Golden Bear at last year’s Berlin Film Festival, this outrageous and thoughtprovoking Romanian dramedy looks at the fallout for a respected teacher (Katia Pascariu) after a personal sex tape is uploaded onto the internet. Forced to meet the parents demanding her dismissal, she refuses to surrender. ‘‘Simultaneously raunchy, radical, satirical, and philosophical,’’ wrote Vanity Fair’s Cassie da Costa.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (Screening now, Cinemas)
Teased at the end of December’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, this promises a dark turn of events for Benedict Cumberbatch’s master of the mystic arts as he finds his research into the Time Stone thwarted by someone he once considered a friend.
Trailers have already revealed the return of Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Karl Mordo, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda and Rachel McAdams’ Dr Christine Palmer and have fans of another beloved Marvel franchise excited, thanks to the sound of a familiar voice.
Emergency (May 27, Amazon)
Deservedly taking home a prize for its screenplay at January’s Sundance Film Festival, director Carey Williams’ feature-length version of his 2018 award-winning short of the same name is a crowdpleasing comedic thriller set over one night.
Evoking memories of Superbad and Booksmart, it follows the misadventures of two African American students as they try to become the first Black men on their campus to complete a legendary seven-party tour.
Help (May 28, Rialto)
Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham team up for this drama about awoman who appears to have finally found her calling via a job in a Liverpool care home. However, her special talent for connecting with the residents will be put to the test when Covid arrives at their door.
‘‘It is rare that a TV drama manages to be agonising and compelling; unbearable yet utterly immersive,’’ wrote The Times’ Carol Midgley.
How to Please a Woman (May 26, Cinemas)
British actor Sally Phillips is joined by Kiwis Erik and Josh Thomson for this Australian comedy about a 50-something woman who finds new purpose in her life when she transforms a failing removal company into an all-male house cleaning service – with benefits.
Senior Year (May 13, Netflix)
Rebel Wilson stars in this comedy about a former cheerleader who has just awoken from a 20-year coma caused by a routine gone wrong. Now 37, she is ready to live out her high school dream: becoming prom queen.
The cast also includes Justin Hartley, Angourie Rice and Alicia Silverstone.
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (Wednesday, Neon/Sky Go)
This intimate documentary traces the iconic skateboarder’s career and personal life, as he reflects on his relationship with the sport.
‘‘This lively and at times moving film explains, eloquently, why Hawk has endured in popular culture – and why he can’t stop risking his bones to master the manoeuvres few can do,’’ wrote Los Angeles Times’ Noel Murray.
Top Gun: Maverick (May 26, Cinemas)
Some 35 years after he last essayed navy aviator Pete ‘‘Maverick’’ Mitchell, Tom Cruise is back on the ‘‘highway to the danger zone’’. This time, he’s training the latest crop of recruits, including his old mate Goose’s son Rooster (Miles Teller), for a special mission.
John Hammand Jennifer Connelly are also lining up to help ‘‘take your breath away’’ in this sequel that, when it finally arrives, will be almost two years overdue.
The Velvet Queen (Screening now, Cinemas)
A French nature documentary in which multiaward-winning nature photographer Vincent Munier guides writer Sylvain Tesson on his quest to document the elusive snow leopard in the heart of the Tibetan highlands.
‘‘As a nature film that gets beyond the visual and narrative cliches of the format, it is never less than absorbing,’’ wrote The Scotsman’s Alistair Harkness.