ONLY IN C INEM AS 13 TH SEPTEMBER
CERT
WELCOME
SEPTEMBER
/ OCTOBER 2024
Paddington’s back for a family holiday you’ll never forget, but there’s plenty of cinema treats to get your paws on first!
It’s showtime as Michael Keaton and Tim Burton reunite to resurrect a ghost from the past for the sequel we’ve been dying to see… Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!
The dead exciting double acts don’t end there as Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his alien bestie end the trilogy in style with Venom: The Last Dance, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga bring Joker and Harley’s bad romance to the big screen in Folie À Deux, and George Clooney and Brad Pitt are two lone Wolfs forced to work together in a howling mad action-comedy.
Spooky season is just around the corner and it’s not only Beetlejuice bringing the frights. James McAvoy is at his menacing best putting a family through a holiday from hell in Speak No Evil, while the world is sure to grin again at the horror-hit sequel Smile 2.
There’s also two all-new, all-star animated adventures coded to entertain the whole family on the way, too. Lupita Nyong’o leads an exciting ensemble voice cast in an adaptation of The Wild Robot, where nature and technology meet like never before. And, Transformers One tells the untold origins of the franchise’s most famous robots in disguise, with Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime and Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron.
Roll out to the cinema! Lee Curtis Editor ROLL
ONSCREEN
Contributors
For the ‘Welcome’ page below the Contents panel
We look at the forthcoming films to get excited about in November and December.
We use music to make us whole. To balance the fractures within ourselves.” Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) “
www.highlandcinema.co.uk/now-playing
“ We use music to make us whole. To balance the fractures within ourselves.” Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
www.highlandcinema.co.uk/now-playing
Highland Cinema, Cameron Square, Fort William, PH33 6AJ
Which path should Paddington take to find the map?
The eyes have it! Name the eight famous faces that appear in an upcoming film.
1 3 7 ? ? 5 6 8
4 2
1. Winona Ryder / 2. Lady Gaga / 3. James McAvoy / 4. Halle Berry /
5. Kate Winslet / 6. Jenna Ortega / 7. Mark Wahlberg / 8. Ian McKellen
THE CRITIC
IN CINEMAS 13 SEPTEMBER
Director Anand Tucker / Starring Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong / Genre Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Sir Ian McKellen stars in a thrilling story of ambition, blackmail, and desire with a dazzling antihero at its dark heart. When the most feared and vicious theatre critic in town, Jimmy Erskine, finds himself suddenly in the cross hairs of the Daily Chronicle’s new owner, David Brooke, he strikes a sinister Faustian pact with a struggling actress, Nina Land, who’s desperate to win his favour.
Based on Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call, adapted for the screen by Academy Award-nominated Notes On A Scandal writer Patrick Marber and directed by Anand Tucker, The Critic is a deliciously dark and sharp-witted thriller set in 1930s London boasting an all-star British cast that also includes Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Ben Barnes, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai, and Lesley Manville.
Paddington In Peru
IN CINEMAS 8 NOVEMBER
Director Dougal Wilson / Starring Ben Whishaw, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas / Genre Adventure, Comedy
Paddington In Peru brings Paddington’s story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Browns in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and to the mountain peaks of Peru.
MEGALOPOLIS
IN CINEMAS 27 SEPTEMBER
Director Francis Ford Coppola / Starring Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman / Genre Drama, Sci-Fi
Venom: The Last Dance CREATE YOUR FUTURE
One of the greatest directors of all-time, Francis Ford Coppola – world-renowned for The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now – finally presents his great, decades-in-the-making passion project to cinemas. Megalopolis is a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, which causes a bitter conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap forward into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between the rivals is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose passionate love for Cesar continues to divide her loyalties. Now embroiled in the feud, she’s forced to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves. For his magnum opus, Coppola has amassed an almighty ensemble cast that includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Talia Shire, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.
IN CINEMAS 25 OCTOBER
Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie Brock and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.
Salem’s Lot
IN CINEMAS 11 OCTOBER
Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire in the adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel that reunites the producing teams behind the record-breaking horror franchises The Conjuring universe and the IT films.
The Wild Robot
IN CINEMAS 18 OCTOBER
Director Chris Sanders / Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy / Genre Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
DreamWorks Animation’s star-studded adaptation of Peter Brown’s beloved, award-winning New York Times bestseller follows the epic adventure of a robot –ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” for short. Shipwrecked on a wild, uninhabited island, Roz must quickly learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals living on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
Flight Risk
IN CINEMAS 18 OCTOBER
Director Mel Gibson / Starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace / Genre Action, Crime, Thriller
There’s no escape at ten-thousand feet in the high-stakes suspense thriller from Mel Gibson, the award-winning director of Braveheart, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge. Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg stars as a pilot who’s tasked with transporting an Air Marshal and the fugitive she’s accompanying to trial. As they cross over the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
IN
CINEMAS
6 SEPTEMBER
Director Tim Burton / Starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe / Genre Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Tim Burton and Michael Keaton reunite, alongside exciting new and returning faces, for the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning Beetlejuice. After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem once again.
Wolfs
IN CINEMAS 20 SEPTEMBER
Director Jon Watts / Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Amy Ryan / Genre Action, Comedy, Thriller
Global superstars George Clooney and Brad Pitt team up again for the thrilling new action-comedy, Wolfs. Clooney plays Jack, a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer, Pitt’s Nick, shows up at the scene, the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together. Soon, they find their night spiralling out of control in ways that neither one of them ever expected.
Transformers One
IN CINEMAS 11 OCTOBER
Director Josh Cooley / Starring Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Jon Hamm / Genre Animation, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Discover the events that sparked the epic rivalry between the most iconic characters in the Transformers universe. Transformers One tells the untold origin story of Orion Pax and D-16, better known as sworn enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron, but were once bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. The first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers film features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax, Brian Tyree Henry as D-16, Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1, and Keegan-Michael Key as B-127, with Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm completing the cast.
HOW FAR SHE’LL GO THE OUTRUN
IN CINEMAS 27 SEPTEMBER
Director Nora Fingscheidt / Starring Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Dillane, Saskia Reeves / Genre Drama
Adapted from the bestselling memoir of the same name by Amy Liprot, four-time Academy Award-nominee Saoirse Ronan stars in a searingly honest drama about addiction, survival, and the power of nature to restore life and renew hope, set in the beautiful, wild northern Orkney islands.
After a decade away in London, twenty-nine-year-old recovering alcoholic Rona returns home to the Orkney Islands. Sober but lonely, she tries to suppress her memory of the events which set her on this journey of recovery. Slowly the beauty and lore of the land enters her inner world and – one day at a time – Rona finds hope and strength in herself among the heavy gales and the bracingly cold sea.
The Apprentice
IN CINEMAS 18 OCTOBER
Sebastian Stan stars as a young Donald Trump in the film that charts his ascent to power through a deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn, portrayed by Succession star Jeremy Strong.
Small Things Like These
IN CINEMAS 1 NOVEMBER
Christmas, 1985. Devoted father Bill Furlong discovers the startling secrets being kept by the convent in his town and some shocking truths about his own life as well in the drama starring Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson.
Anora
IN CINEMAS 1 NOVEMBER
Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning drama follows a sex worker from Brooklyn who gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she marries an oligarch’s son. However, her fairytale is threatened when the news reaches Russia.
Speak No Evil
IN CINEMAS 12 SEPTEMBER
Director James Watkins / Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Scoot McNairy / GenreThriller
When an American couple are invited to the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriend on holiday, what begins as a dream weekend away soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare. In the intense new suspense thriller from Blumhouse, BAFTA-winner James McAvoy delivers another riveting horror performance as the charismatic, estate owner whose hospitality masks a terrifying and unspeakable darkness.
Lee
IN CINEMAS 13 SEPTEMBER
Director Ellen Kuras / Starring Kate Winslet, Andy Samberg, Andrea Riseborough / Genre Biography, War
Kate Winslet stars in the true story of acclaimed American war photographer, Lee Miller. Determined to document the truth of the Nazi regime, and in spite of the odds stacked against female correspondents, Lee captures some of the most important images of World War II, for which she pays an enormous personal price. Lee also stars Andy Samberg, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, and Josh O’Connor.
ONE TOUCH IS ALL IT TAKES
Never Let Go
IN CINEMAS 27 SEPTEMBER
Director Alexandre Aja / Starring Halle Berry, Anthony B. Jenkins, Percy Daggs IV / Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
From Alexandre Aja, the visionary director of The Hills Have Eyes and Crawl, and executive producers of Stranger Things and Arrival, comes Never Let Go. In this new, suspenseful psychological horror-thriller, as an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award-winner Halle Berry, and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even resorting to tethering themselves together with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys begins to question if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
Smile 2
IN CINEMAS 18 OCTOBER
Director Parker Finn / Starring Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage / Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control. The terror returns and will never let go in the sequel to the hit 2022 horror, Smile.
THE WORLD IS A STAGE
Joker: Folie À Deux
IN CINEMAS 4 OCTOBER
Director Todd Phillips / Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga / Genre Crime, Drama, Musical, Thriller
Acclaimed filmmaker Todd Phillips returns with the muchanticipated follow-up to his record-breaking, Academy Award-winning Joker. Joaquin Phoenix once again stars in his Oscar-winning dual role as failed comedian Arthur Fleck and his alter-ego: Joker, opposite Oscar and Grammy-winning pop icon Lady Gaga. Following the events of the last film, Arthur Fleck is institutionalised at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him. The film also stars Oscar-nominees Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener, alongside Zazie Beetz.
DISCOVER THE ORIGIN BEHIND THE RIVALRY CHRIS
Discover how one of cinema’s biggest arch rivalries came to be in a new animated prequel that reveals the origins of everything we know about Transformers. WORDS AARON POTTER
Transformers One
IN CINEMAS 11 OCTOBER
Director Josh Cooley / Starring Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson / Genre Animation, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Showcasing the time before Optimus was a Prime and before Megatron led the Decepticons, Transformers One tells the prequel tale fans of the franchise have long been waiting for.
Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry take over the iconic roles of the legendary robots in disguise in an animated origin story set on the titular titans’ home planet of Cybertron that unearths the events of how two brothers in arms become arch enemies.
Transformers One marks the first theatrical Transformers film in
almost twenty years without Peter Cullen’s legendary tones as the voice of Optimus Prime, but thankfully the Thor star has proven he’s mighty and worthy of filling the shoes. He’s joined by a who’s who of Hollywood talent to complete the ensemble voice cast, including Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1, KeeganMichael Key as B-127, Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion, and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime.
Shepherding the first-ever fully CGanimated Transformers film is veteran animator Josh Cooley, who’s also proven he’s up to this tall task having directed Toy Story 4. Transformers One rolls out as the first part of a planned trilogy hoping to bring to light events longtime enthusiasts have been keen to see, starting with the story of how the Autobots and Decepticons gained the ability to transform and how its legendary central rivalry came to be.
Robots In Disguise
Orion Pax
Chris Hemsworth is the young worker bot who would later become the legendary leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime.
D-16
Brian Tyree Henry’s bot begins as Orion Pax’s friend, but gaining the ability to transform puts him on the path that leads to becoming his enemy, Megatron.
Elita-1
Scarlett Johansson voices the female Autobot who plays a vital role in this origin story.
B-127
Keegan-Michael Key voices one of the most talkative bots, long before he’s known to us as the voiceless Bumblebee.
Alpha Trion
One of the oldest known Autobots makes his film debut, with Laurence Fishburne voicing the bot who bestows the young bots with power and wisdom.
IN THE JUNGLE
Hairy situations await on a new adventure with a national treasure as Britain’s beloved bear returns to his roots on a fun-filled family trip from London to Peru.
WORDS JIM ROBERTS
Paddington in Peru
IN CINEMAS 8 NOVEMBER
Director Dougal Wilson / Starring Ben Whishaw, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters / Genre Adventure, Comedy, Family
Calling all adventure cubs, cinema explorers, and marmalade-sandwich lovers… Britain’s favourite bear is back! After two unforgettable adventures – both back on the big screen for the whole family to enjoy this October half term – it’s time to join Paddington as he embarks on his biggest and wildest yet.
If elderly Aunt Lucy, voiced by Imelda Staunton, can fly all the way from Peru for a tearjerking surprise visit, then our daring young Paddington can definitely return the favour. After a classic kerfuffle getting his passport photo, the beloved bear and his adoptive family the Browns – played by Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin – catch a flight to Peru for a reunion at her Home for Retired Bears. However, they arrive only to learn from Olivia Colman’s Reverend Mother that Lucy has disappeared deep into the Amazon rainforest on a quest of her own.
Now, the family are forced to abandon their plans for a peaceful holiday and board
an intrepid father-daughter duo’s riverboat for a journey that sees them explore dangerous waters, deep jungles, towering mountains, and Paddington’s own past.
Don’t forget to pack your sense of wonder as you’re whisked away on the trip of a lifetime in the must-see cinematic event of the winter for families and adults of all ages.
NEW ADVENTURERS
Heading on a trip halfway around the world sees Paddington making new friends. Some famous faces join the returning cast that also includes Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, and of course Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington himself.
As Sally Hawkins steps away from the role as Mrs Brown, Mary Poppins Returns alumni Emily Mortimer seamlessly fills the role of kind-hearted mother hen. Olivia Colman adds a touch of mystery as the eccentric, guitar-playing nun, who may hold the key to an important family secret for Paddington to uncover.
Also joining the fun are Antonio Banderas and Carla Tous as charismatic explorer Hunter Cabot and his fearless daughter, who lead the Browns on their jungle cruise into the unknown.
Michael Keaton and Tim Burton reunite to summon a screen legend back from the Afterlife, which means things are about to get strange and unusual all over again... It’s showtime!
WORDS ROBB SHEPPARD
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
IN CINEMAS 6 SEPTEMBER
Director Tim Burton / Starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega / Genre Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
From the imagination of director Tim Burton, with Michael Keaton reprising his infamous paranormal protagonist, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice brings a cinema icon back to the big screen to make our millennium. For the uninitiated, and those that don’t believe in ghosts, the mischievous bio-exorcist makes his money by scaring the bejeezus out of the living.
It’s been thirty-five years since his last hilarious haunting, where an unearthly curse means “Beetlejuice” must be spoken aloud three times to get him out, and back into, his box. This time, the wise-cracking, fast-talking rent-a-ghost is on the run and ready to put the fear into three generations of the Deetz family.
Keaton Is King!
The ghost with the most gets hired by a recently deceased couple to rid their home of its new, living lodgers. The rest, is history. The black and white striped suit, green hair, undead powers, and wicked sense of humour; this iconic role truly put Keaton in the spotlight.
Keaton first donned the cowl in Tim
thirty-five years later, he
up again for a fitting Bat send-off in The Flash.
This is bad news for Winona Ryder, who returns as grown-up goth Lydia Deetz and faces a reunion with her former phantasmal husband-tobe. Jenna Ortega was born to play Wednesday Addams and is as much a perfect fit here as Lydia’s wayward daughter, Astrid. Catherine O’Hara also returns as family matriarch, Delia. Following her unforgettable turn as the inimitable Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she’s sure to squeeze everything out of her screentime.
Add to that the always interesting Willem Dafoe as ghost hunter Wolf Jackson and Monica Bellucci as Mrs Juice and you can see why we’re dead excited for this long-awaited sequel to the eighties smash.
declared
just
Burton’s Batman back in 1989 where he faces Jack Nicholson’s Joker. Nearly
suits
Before Ryan Gosling
“I’m
Ken,” it’s Michael Keaton who lends his voice as Barbie’s boyfriend in the tearinducing Toy Story 3. It turns out, one pack of tissues isn’t Kenough.
A former fashion model marches from catwalk to the frontline to capture war on film. Kate Winslet is Lee Miller. WORDS LEE CURTIS
IN CINEMAS 13 SEPTEMBER
Director Ellen Kuras / Starring Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Josh O’Connor / Genre Biography, Drama, War
The Blitz, the aftermath of D-Day, and the horrors of the Holocaust… Lee Miller saw and shot it all. Experience the Second World War through a new, unseen lens in a stirring biopic that follows the legendary American photojournalist as she fearlessly enters the conflict as British Vogue’s war correspondent. Armed only with her Rolleiflex camera, Lee stares down danger and discrimination to document the dramatic events and bring war stories to light.
But being the person to witness and photograph things most would look away from takes a heavy toll. Thankfully, Lee’s strength is galvanised by her allies and some big names star in these supporting roles. Andrea Riseborough is British Vogue editor, Audrey Withers; Alexander Skarsgård is surrealist artist, Roland Penrose; Marion Cotillard is fashion editor of French Vogue, Solange D’Ayen; and Andy Samberg appears in a rare dramatic role as Life Magazine photographer, David E. Scherman. The Crown and Challengers
star Josh O’Connor completes an impressive ensemble.
Esteemed cinematographer Ellen Kuras is a perfect fit for this snapshot of one of history’s most remarkable female icons, not only for her own prowess eyeing a viewfinder, but also as her directorial debut brings Winslet back into her frame following their collaboration on Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.
Together, they give exposure to a lesser-known war hero in another deeply-affecting film that’s sure to last long in the memory.
BAD ROMANCE
After his sadistic killing spree, Arthur Fleck is behind bars but about to find brightness in his dark life. In this mad, musical sequel, the Joker meets the woman who puts a smile on his face: Harley Quinn.
WORDS HANNAH TAYLOR
Joker: Folie À Deux
IN CINEMAS 4 OCTOBER
Director Todd Phillips / Starring
Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga / Genre Crime, Drama, Musical, Thriller
Return to Gotham for a deeper, darker descent into madness to find out what you get when two fallen stars unite.
Following on from the events of Joker, Joaquin Phoenix reprises his Oscar-winning role as the sadistically depressed clown, Arthur Fleck aka the Joker. Now incarcerated for his heinous act, his great joke continues when he meets the love of his life while locked up in Arkham State Hospital.
Zazie Beetz is also back as Sophie Dumond, the woman Arthur imagines an entire life with, but his attention is now solely focussed on another.
Oscar-winner and pop superstar Lady Gaga stars as the latest iteration of Harley Quinn in Todd Phillips’ highly anticipated sequel.
Love at first sight becomes a lust for blood where this perfectly matched toxic relationship plays out as two fractured minds come together to show Gotham what they’re made of. Spectacularly choreographed and costumed musical numbers that honour the classic Hollywood era are a hauntingly humorous backdrop to their increasing inner madness as the ultimate villainous power couple plan to wreak havoc across the unsuspecting city.
Play His Cards Right
Comic Book
Villain
Joker made his debut appearance in the first-ever Batman comic back in 1940 and remains one of the most iconic villains with his unmistakeable pale makeup, blood red smile, green hair, and purple suit.
Animated Villain
Voiced by pop culture icon Mark Hamill, the Joker is a reoccurring villain in Batman: The Animated Series which explores his rise from notorious gangster, Jack Napier, to the crazy and sadistic Joker.
The Crown Prince of Crime has found his queen.
Cinema Villain
Joaquin Phoenix, Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, and Barry Keoghan have all donned the infamous clown-like makeup as very different Jokers across the span of the Batman movie universe. Phoenix reprises his role for which he won the Oscar.
Two young Latter-day Saints are trapped in a sinner’s terrifying game in the new psychological thriller featuring Hugh Grant’s most villainous role yet. WORDS LEE CURTIS
Heretic
IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER
Directors Scott Beck, Bryan Woods / Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East / Genre Horror, Thriller
Hugh Grant made his name as the pretty posh boy who could charm the pants off of anybody, but it’s a very different story ever since Paddington 2 revealed his dark side.
From the foul-mouthed Fletcher in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen to his hilarious light-fingered Oompa Loompa in Wonka, the British acting legend steals the show in interesting roles each more wicked than the last. Now, the Hugh Grant renaissance reaches its peak as the lead of a new A24 horror.
Meet Mr Reed, an eccentric but seemingly harmless gentleman happy to welcome guests into his home. But, to the horror of Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East’s Mormon missionaries, crossing his threshold is where the nightmare begins as they discover he’s in fact the diabolical architect of a terrifying psychological game designed to put their faith to the ultimate test.
If a creepy Hugh Grant-led horrorthriller from the hit-making machine behind Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All At Once isn’t enough, Heretic is also the new brain-child of writer-director duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the creators of A Quiet Place.
It’s terror on a smaller, yet no less intense scale that’s set almost entirely within the confines of Mr Reed’s devilish labyrinth from which the two young women will need a miracle to escape. Let the games begin.
Belief Disbelief
IN A FIX
George Clooney and Brad Pitt star as lone wolves who must adapt to working as a pack on the wildest night of their careers in this thrilling action-comedy.
WORDS ADAM MATULEWICZ
Wolfs
IN CINEMAS 20 SEPTEMBER
Director Jon Watts / Starring
George Clooney, Brad Pitt / Genre Action, Crime, Comedy, Thriller
After a high-profile crime occurs in New York City, Clooney’s methodical fixer Jack answers the call to do what he does best, make it all go away. But, for the first time ever, this lone wolf won’t be working alone.
▼ CLICK ME ▼
▲ SCAN ME ▲
When a second fixer is surprisingly called to the scene to do the exact same job, Jack is left with an unexpected counterpart in Pitt’s more maverick fixer, Nick. With their discovery of something even more serious at hand, they’re forced to do something neither of them ever wanted… work together.
That’s just the beginning of a wild night that only spirals further and further out of control as the reluctant partners find themselves mixed up in a drug deal gone majorly wrong. If they can set aside their egos for one night, they might stand a chance of returning the drugs and keeping the young thief alive. They may just survive the night themselves, too!
Sixteen years on from the Coen Brothers’ wacky crime comedy Burn After Reading, Spider-Man director Jon Watts brings the Hollywood heavyweights back together for a thrilling and hilarious night of actioncomedy chaos in the Big Apple that’s sure to make you howl.
THE WOLF PACK WP
This might be their characters first night working together, but Clooney and Pitt are long-established partners onscreen.
OCEAN’S ELEVEN
Steven Soderbergh’s legendary caper introduces the young stars as Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan; marking the start of an unforgettable franchise and beautiful friendship onscreen and off.
BURN AFTER READING
With Clooney already in their arsenal, the Coens bring in Pitt as the perfect obstacle for Clooney’s paranoid Harry.
Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind
Clooney reunited with Pitt a year after Ocean’s Eleven when he directed his comedy thriller which includes a Pitt cameo free of charge!
GRIN AND BEAR IT
Witness terror unfold on an even greater scale as the sequel to the worldwide horror smash sends the Smile curse on tour.
WORDS AARON POTTER
Smile 2
IN CINEMAS 18 OCTOBER
Director Parker Finn / Starring Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner / Genre Horror, Thriller
Service with a smile is usually a good thing. But what do you do when that smile is creepy; so unnerving in fact that every time you see it worn by another person, it sends a shiver down your spine and follows you wherever you go? That’s the traumatic plight of Sosie Bacon’s Rose in 2022’s Smile and now the mysterious curse is back, this time to plague a global pop sensation played by Aladdin’s Naomi Scott.
Smile 2 promises to take the first film’s terrifyingly infectious conceit and amp it up to eleven as it follows Skye Riley as she encounters several horrific events while embarking on a world tour – with the unsettling smile of grinning stalkers somehow serving as the sole connection. This, combined with the natural overwhelming pressures that come with performing, will bring the global
popstar face to smiling face with traumas of her present and from her past.
Parker Finn returns to direct a fresh chapter in this chilling horror saga, one that features mostly new characters headed up by Scott, but is connected by the returning Kyle Gallner as the already cursed police officer, Joel. The stakes have never been higher and horror fans’ smiles have never been wider.
Familiar Haunts It Follows
The stream of low-budget horror movies based around an infectious, ever-following entity gained serious momentum with the release of this horror hit. Able to manifest as any person after a sexual encounter, the only way to shake “It” is to pass it on.
Unfriended
Played out entirely on a laptop screen, this terrifying tech-horror follows a group of friends trying to reconcile their feelings via video chat following the tragic death of a classmate only to meet a grisly demise.
Lights Out
When is an invisible creature not invisible? When it’s coated in complete darkness! Lights Out proves that light is only your friend for so long, leaving Teresa Palmer’s Rebecca to find ingenious ways to combat an unknown terror lurking in the shadows.
PAUL PEDRO CONNIE DENZEL MESCAL PASCAL NIELSEN ANDWASHINGTON WITH
FOR POWER, FOR REBELLION, FOR VENGEANCE
GLADIATOR II
IN CINEMAS 15 NOVEMBER
Director Ridley Scott / Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi / Genre Action, Adventure, History
Twenty-four years after Gladiator, legendary director Ridley Scott returns to continue the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. After witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find the strength and honour to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Mufasa: The Lion King
IN CINEMAS 20 DECEMBER
Director Barry Jenkins / Starring Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Mads Mikkelsen / Genre Adventure, Family, Musical
Relayed by Rafiki to Simba and Nala’s daughter, with a little flavour from Timon and Pumbaa, the untold legend of the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, who’s lost and alone until he befriends Taka, a lion who’s heir to a royal bloodline. This chance meeting between two unlikely friends, who bond like brothers, sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits all searching for their destiny as they work together to evade a deadly foe in this bold new chapter in Disney’s The Lion King.
Red One
IN CINEMAS 8 NOVEMBER
Director Jake Kasdan / Starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, Lucy Liu / Genre Action, Comedy
After Santa Claus – Code Name: Red One – is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter on a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas. Dwayne Johnson reunites with the director of the Jumanji franchise and stars alongside Chris Evans in this festive, all-star action-comedy. Lucy Liu, Nick Kroll, and Bonnie Hunt feature in an exciting supporting cast alongside J.K. Simmons as Santa Claus.
Moana 2
IN CINEMAS 29 NOVEMBER
Directors David G. Derrick Jr, Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller / Starring Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson / Genre Animation, Adventure, Musical
Three years after they set sail together to restore the heart of Te Fiti, spirited adventurer Moana and the shape-shifting demigod Maui reunite for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must again prove how far she’ll go on a journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced before.
Wicked IN CINEMAS
22 NOVEMBER
Director Jon M. Chu / Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum / Genre Family, Fantasy, Musical
Multi-award-winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo and global pop superstar Ariana Grande star in the untold story of the witches of Oz. At Shiz University, Elphaba, a powerful witch outcast because of her green skin meets Glinda, a popular young witch who’s gilded by privilege and ambition. After a meeting with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their unlikely but profound friendship reaches a crossroads as they fulfil their diverging destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
IN CINEMAS 21 DECEMBER
Director Jeff Fowler / Starring Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The adventures of everyone’s favourite speedy blue hedgehog continue in an exciting new chapter that sees Robotnik return and unleash a powerful new weapon to exact his revenge. The third film in the trilogy sees the returning cast – Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik – star, with new SEGA characters joining the chaos, led by Keanu Reeves as Shadow.
The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim
IN CINEMAS 13 DECEMBER
Director Kenji Kamiyama / Starring Miranda Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino / Genre Animation, Action, Fantasy
New Line Cinema’s original anime feature returns audiences to the epic world of Middle Earth, almost two-hundred years before the events chronicled in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, to tell the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand. After a sudden attack by a vengeful lord, Helm and his people make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg; a mighty fortress that will come to be known as Helm’s Deep.
WIN VENOM: THE LAST DANCE PRIZES!
Hungry for more? Tom Hardy is back for one last bite of symbiote action as one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters gets a fittingly ferocious finale.
The final film in the trilogy finds Eddie Brock and Venom on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance. Directed by Kelly Marcel, from a story she wrote in collaboration with Hardy, Venom: The Last Dance reunites returning stars Tom Hardy as Eddie and Venom, Peggy Lu as Mrs Chen, and Stephen Graham as Detective Mulligan. They welcome Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Alanna Ubach as new characters who join the chaos.
It’s the end of the road for Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and the alien he hosts in his body, only in cinemas October 25th. As you eat up every last bit of the symbiote action for one final time, we’re giving you the chance to win Venom: The Last Dance prizes!
Just answer the following question to enter:
What’s Eddie and Venom’s antihero alias?
Visit www.onscreen.online/win or scan the QR code to enter.
Highland Cinema
Special events coming soon!
An evening of brand new live stand-up from the hilarious Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, who provided tour support for Frankie Boyle and Susie McCabe!
Thursday 19th September, 7:30pm Tickets: www.beyondpresents.co.uk
FORT WILLIAM HIGHLAND CINEMA TUESDAY 8TH OCTOBER • 7PM
THANKS TO NZO DIRTWEAR
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS ALL BIKES. ALL TERRAINS. ALL GOOD! TICKETS: WWW.HIGHLANDCINEMA.CO.UK Regular Showings for film lovers, with screenings of classic, cult and other films of cinematic note! All screenings £8.50 all seats! All welcome (Film Club is not exclusive or membership based). Subscribe to our e-newsletter to stay up to date with the latest Film Club showings.
www.highlandcinema.co.uk/filmclub
Highland Cinema
SCREENINGS COMING SOON!
WED 25TH SEP 8PM + SUN 29TH SEP, 1PM
VAN GOGH
POETS & LOVERS
WED 6 NOVEMBER 2024
DAWN OF IMPRESSIONISM
PARIS 1874
TUE 18 MARCH 2025
MICHELANGELO
LOVE AND DEATH
TUE 20 MAY 2025
‘Stunning! Matthew Bourne’s magical DANCE version of the Tim Burton classic’ Observer
