Jack Bottomley, Media Correspondent

Silver Screen Weekly - What's Coming Up At The Cinema From Friday 15th November

Our film critic and media correspondent has been looking and trawling the new releases. Here's what you can see on the big screen this week.

From Friday 15th November

Gladiator II (15)
Ridley Scott returns to helm the sequel to one of his biggest cinematic epics, and Gladiator II is already being heaped with praise from critics who have said that "Twenty-four years on, Ridley Scott has achieved that rare feat: a sequel that lives up to the original." This follow-up stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, who - years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle - must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquers his home. The film co-stars Connie Nielsen, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, and the film is a mesmerising new epic from the living legend filmmaker who has crafted a film full of spectacle and incredible performances.


Also Still Showing

Red One (12a)
Santa (J.K. Simmons) has been kidnapped!! And his head of North Pole security Callum (Dwayne Johnson) must begrudging enlist bounty hunter Jack (Chris Evans) to help get Santa back and save Christmas! In this action comedy perfect to get you feeling ho ho wholly ready for the forthcoming festive season, Red One is exciting, hilarious and filled with some festive fantastical magic to boot!


Paddington in Peru (PG)
The third film in the beloved family film franchise, based on the equally adored character from Michael Bond, sees Paddington Bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) head back home to Darkest Peru with the Browns to help find his Aunt Lucy, who has gone missing! Critics have raved that this film is a delightful and charming adventure that gives the marmalade-loving bear another feather in his cinematic cap, as this instalment tips its red hat to classic adventure stories and is a worthy addition to this classic series. Co-starring Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, and Antonio Banderas.


Juror #2 (12a)
Juror #2 is a historic occasion, as it may well be the final film from the living legend Clint Eastwood. Starring an all-star ensemble cast, this thrilling courtroom drama gives a new dimension to justice and law, as it sees Nicholas Hoult play Justin, a juror on a murder case that just might see personal guilt and truth play a part where a man's life hangs in the balance, possibly for a crime he may not have committed. Co-starring the likes of Toni Collette, Kiefer Sutherland and J.K. Simmons, and directed by Clint Eastwood, Juror #2 is a nail-biting and deep thriller, that shows that - at 94 years old - Eastwood is every bit the filmmaking powerhouse he has always been.


Venom: The Last Dance (15)
Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock and his symbiotic companion Venom, as their story is reaching the final crescendo. Venom's world has come to Earth, leading to an all out fight the save the planet. Featuring Venomised animals, frightening extraterrestrial bad guys and the same anti-hero frantic madness we have come to expect from this crowning jewel in Sony's Marvel universe, Venom: The Last Dance might be the most fun you'll have at the movies this year.


Smile 2 (18)
After Smile took the world by storm back in 2022, don't miss this bone chilling sequel from returning writer/director Parker Finn, which is being called a worthy follow-up and absolutely disturbing! Smile 2 follows pop superstar Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) who begins to experience a horrific series of events as the smiling faces follow her on her world tour, as she is forced to face her past to try and survive the present. Don't miss what could be one of the biggest studio horror treats this year.


The Wild Robot (U)
One of the most critically acclaimed animated family features this year, The Wild Robot sees a Robot named Roz (Lupita Nyong'o), shipwrecked on a deserted island, learn to adapt to her environment in the process forming a bond with the animals that live there, especially a young orphaned gosling. Based on Peter Brown’s book, The Wild Robot is being called DreamWorks' masterpiece, an enchanting, gorgeous and adventurous film about friendship, family, nature and belonging. This is one you do not want to miss and might be one of the best animated films of our generation! Co-starring the impressive vocal talents of Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry and Ving Rhames.


Other releases:
The Last Dance (12a) (Cantonese drama about a former wedding planner in their new career in the funeral business.) - Friday 15th November
Elton John: Never Too Late (12a) (Documentary charting the legendary musician’s life and career ahead of his final American concert.) - Friday 15th November
Memories of a Burning Body (15) (Docu-drama following several women on their journeys of sexual awakening, experiences and taboos.) - Friday 15th November
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (12a) (Documentary examining how Jazz music became linked to decolonisation in the lead up to the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba in 1961.) - Friday 15th November
TUMBAD (18) (Acclaimed Hindi folk horror following a family who builds a shrine to a monster for wealth only to face horrific consequences.) - Friday 15th November
Hyper: The Stevie Hyper D Story (15) (Music documentary looking at the life, career and legacy of Stephen Austin, who rose to fame in the 1990s drum and bass scene.) - Friday 15th November
The Sabarmati Report (15) (Hindi political drama following two journalists who uncover a conspiracy in the wake of a tragedy.) - Friday 15th November
Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point (12a) (US Comedy drama following an eccentric multi-generational family as they gather for Christmas in Long Island.) - Friday 15th November
Matka (15) (Telugu action drama following a man climbing the criminal world as he becomes a key player in a nationwide gambling operation.) - Friday 15th November
Mura (18) (Malayalam crime drama following a gang of young would-be criminals who get in deep deep trouble.) - Friday 15th November
Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration (PG) (Recording of the 2024 concert in Tuscany by the Italian tenor and his guests.) - Saturday 16th November
Kiss Me, Kate: The Musical! (12a) (Event cinema filmed live onstage, starring Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block, from Cole Porter, telling the story of two divorced performers find themselves starring opposite each other in a musical version of Taming of the Shrew.) - Sunday 17th November
Silent Men (12a) (Documentary examining British men about their masculinity, emotions and mental health.) - Tuesday 19th November
Girl From The North Country (15) (Event cinema, recording of the musical based on Bob Dylan’s music set amidst the Great Depression, as a family struggle to stay afloat.) - Thursday 21st November (also on Sunday 24th November)