Take a breath. It’s been a huge few weeks at cinemas, with the release of A Minecraft Movie, Sinners and Thunderbolts in quick succession.
This weekend, though, the foot is briefly off the accelerator with a handful of lesser known releases. These are in addition to specialist big screen debuts in the form of Bollywood romantic comedy Bhool Chuk Maaf, a recording of Mozart opera Le Nozze Di Figaro, and the Throwback rerelease of all-star family adventure Night at the Museum.
A reminder that it’s Mother’s Day this Sunday, and Sabbatical offers a uniquely South African mother-daughter drama for movie lovers. Tangled in a scandal, successful investment banker Lesego (Mona Monyane) is forced to retreat to her family home in Pretoria, where her mother Doris (Clementine Mosimane) and familiar faces, refuse to let secrets lie. Written and directed by Karabo Lediga.
In the mood for action? Your best bet this week is Shadow Force. Kerry Washington and Omar Sy star as the former leaders of a covert special forces group. With the birth of their son, the couple go underground, but despite their best efforts, their family is under threat when a large bounty is placed on their heads, and their vengeful ex organisation comes for them.
How many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet have there been over the years? Dozens? Hundreds? New release Juliet & Romeo attempts to stand out from the pack by moving away from Shakespeare’s language and making the tale of star-crossed young lovers a pop musical. Familiar faces in the cast include Rebel Wilson, Jason Isaacs, and Dan Fogler, while Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward play the title characters.
Probably not on your Bingo list this week, or ever, is Norwegian fairy tale body horror. But that’s exactly what The Ugly Stepsister delivers. Awkward and rejected Elvira (Lea Myren) finds herself subjected to a series of painful and primitive surgeries as her mother pushes her to catch the eye of Prince Julian. The problem is that her stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) is both beautiful and driven, leading to even more extreme measures on Elvira’s part to stand out.