As we trudge to the end of a grey and chilly week, there’s a welcome burst of cinematic sunshine courtesy of the one and only Pedro Almodóvar.
The famously flamboyant Spanish director may have mellowed in recent years, but his films can still be relied upon to feature gutsy heroines, eye-poppingly colourful sets and unashamedly melodramatic plot twists.
Expect all of the above in his latest opus Parallel Mothers – while there’s pop hits aplenty courtesy of Buster Moon and pals in Sing 2.
New releases
Parallel Mothers
Director Pedro Almodóvar’s new film sees him working once again with his longtime muse Penélope Cruz, in a tale of two women whose lives become inextricably linked after they both give birth on the same day.
Cruz plays Janis, a 40-year-old fashion photographer who gives support to frightened teenager Ana (Milena Smit) when the two meet at hospital while they are both in labour – which proves to be the beginning of a complex and life-changing relationship for both of them.
Glowing reviews suggest it’s another winner in the more reflective vein of Almodóvar’s most recent features Julieta and Pain and Glory, with Little White Lies hailing it as “all of his best films in a single package”.
Cert 15, 123 mins | |
City Screen, Everyman, Vue | |
From Fri Jan 28 | |
More details |
Sing 2
It’s showtime once more in this follow-up to the popular 2016 original, which sees the all-singing animal gang attempting to stage their most extravagant performance yet.
Looking to get on the bill at the world-famous Crystal Tower Theatre, koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his porcine pal Gunter (Nick Kroll) blag themselves a shot by claiming their show will star legendary rock god Clay Calloway (who is, naturally, a lion, and even more naturally, voiced by Bono) – the slight snag being that Calloway is a recluse who hasn’t been seen for more than a decade…
It’s not just rock royalty joining the fun this time round – the film also features new characters voiced by Pharrell Williams and Halsey, alongside Black Panther’s Letitia Wright and comedians Chelsea Peretti and Eric André.
Cert U, 110 mins | |
Cineworld, Everyman, Vue | |
From Fri Jan 28 | |
More details |
Cow
From Fish Tank to American Honey, director Andrea Arnold is known for her empathetic portraits of people on the margins of society – and she brings that same compassionate gaze to bear on the animal world in her first documentary.
A portrait of life on a dairy farm, it centres on one cow, Luma, whose day-to-day existence the director followed for four years – from calving, milking and grazing to its inevitable end.
Said to be an immersive study of its subject, Arnold’s film was well-received following its premiere at Cannes last year, with the Guardian praising its ‘poignancy and intimacy’.
Cert 12A, 94 mins | |
City Screen | |
From Fri Jan 28 | |
More details |
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Other screenings
Anime fans can catch a preview of a hotly-tipped new release at Cineworld this week in the form of Belle, the latest film from acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda (whose previous film Mirai bagged an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature in 2019).
A sci-fi riff on the tale of Beauty and the Beast, the story follows a shy high school student who becomes an overnight singing sensation in the virtual realm of ‘U’.
It’s had rave reviews from critics, with Hosoda’s detailed rendering of its online world coming in for particular praise – and you can catch it in full IMAX glory at Cineworld on Tues 1st (subtitled) and Weds 2nd (dubbed).
Meanwhile, City Screen are bringing back the highly acclaimed Memoria, starring Tilda Swinton as a woman adrift in Bogotá, trying to make sense of the mysterious sonic booms which only she can hear – you can follow her odyssey on Sun 30th, Mon 31st and Thurs 3rd.
And if Sing 2 has you in the mood for more musical entertainment, you’re in luck, as Disney’s recent hit Encanto is this week’s budget family-friendly offering at both Cineworld (Sat 29th/Sun 30th, £2.50) and Vue (Sat 29th/Sun 30th, £2.49) – Vue also have an autism-friendly screening on Sun 30th (£2.49).
Cineworld are also showing the ever-popular Paw Patrol: The Movie (Sat 29th/Sun 30th, £2.50), while City Screen’s Kids’ Club screening is The Croods 2: A New Age (Sat 29th, £3.00).
And in honour of Sing 2 director Garth Jennings’ previous life as one half of music video production duo Hammer & Tongs, let’s close by revisiting the adventures of that plucky milk carton in Blur’s Coffee & TV. They write all their own songs, you know…