Three new movies debut in South Africa this Friday, in addition to two special screening events – a standup comedy ensemble at select cinemas, and a re-release of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to not only celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary, but also tie into annual May the 4th festivities. Get your tickets for the latter here (Ster Kinekor) and here (Nu Metro).
Time, though, to learn about the week’s fresh big screen releases.
Our top pick for the week is Challengers. Set in the highly competitive world of professional tennis, the film centres on three players who meet as teenagers and see old rivalries reignite when player turned coach Tashi (Zendaya) gets her husband Art (Mike Faist) to enter a tournament that pits him against Patrick (Josh O’Connor), his former best friend and Tashi’s ex. Coming from Luca Guadagnino, director of Call Me By Your Name, Challengers looks far more interesting than it sounds.
Read our review of Challengers now.
Breathe is a science fiction thriller set in a dystopian future where oxygen levels on Earth have dropped, making it impossible to live on the planet’s surface without specialized equipment. A mother Maya (Jennifer Hudson) and her daughter Zora (Quvenzhané Wallis) live safely underground until two strangers appear, claiming that they know what happened to Maya’s husband (Common), and demanding access to their haven. Also starring Milla Jovovich, and Sam Worthington.
Finally this week there’s edgy South African coming-of-age comedy Just Now Jeffrey. Set in 1989, while the nation was in flux, teenager Jeffrey Greenbaum and his best friend devise a strategy to lose their virginity before they finish high school. Their efforts, however, see them entangled in a crazy web of love, lust, videotape piracy, rugby violence, political protest, and pornography. Starring Julian Robinson, Dino Vavatzanidis, Rob van Vuuren, and Nik Rabinowitz.