We’re coming up on the first Friday in June, and boy is it a busy period at the movies. The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival is underway, running from 4 – 14 June at select cinemas in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. For Bollywood movie fans, there’s romantic comedy Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, and on the Throwback front, both Sarafina! and Out of Africa are returning to Ster Kinekors for a limited time.
As for your feature film debuts this week, buckle in!
Positioned as Barbie for guys (or at least guys of a certain generation), Masters of the Universe is based on the mega-successful Mattel toyline that spawned a much-loved fantasy sci-fi franchise in the 1980s. After being separated from his home world for 15 years, Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) finally locates the Sword of Power in our reality, and is able to return to Eternia. There he must face the despotic Skeletor (Jared Leto) and his monstrous forces, who have destroyed the kingdom. To succeed, Adam must align with allies like Teela (Camila Mendes) and Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), as well as embrace his destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe. Bumblebee’s Travis Knight directs.
Look out for our Masters of the Universe review soon.
If Scream can return, then so can the hit series of parody movies based on the slasher – complete with their original cast. 2026’s Scary Movie revives the silly comedy franchise, mining a whole new generation of horror movies, like M3gan, Sinners, Smile, Longlegs, Weapons and Get Out. Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, Shorty (Marlon Wayans), Ray (Shawn Wayans), Cindy (Anna Faris) and Brenda (Regina Hall) find themselves, and their loved ones, targeted by another unhinged murderer.
Musical comedy drama Power Ballad brings together Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas for the first time. Veteran wedding singer Rick Power (Rudd) meets and connects with former boy band star Danny Wilson (Jonas), leading to a jam session. The aftermath, though, sees Danny reclaim his popularity when he steals one of Rick’s songs, and the latter sets out to get the recognition he deserves. Despite the presence of Rudd, don’t expect madcap revenge lols here. Having made its debut on the film festival circuit, Power Ballad is a feel-good, gently introspective tale from Sing Street and Once writer-director John Carney.
I must be old and out of touch because this is the first time in my life I’m hearing about adult-orientated, animated web series The Amazing Digital Circus, which has become a viral phenomenon. The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act serves as a feature-length conclusion to this darkly comic, and moderately disturbing, tale of traumatised humans trapped inside a circus-themed virtual reality simulation. The Last Act combines Episode 8 with an hour-long E9 (dropping online in mid June) so this is a chance for fans to experience the end before anyone else. And on the big screen to boot!