Manchester by the Sea (2016) A masterful Sundance hit from Kenneth Lonergan. Casey Affleck is on electrifying, Oscar-winning form as Lee, a surly janitor living alone in a Boston suburb. Summoned by his family after his brother suffers a heart attack, Lee returns to his seaside home town to face the secrets of his past
Ever wondered just how McDonald’s became so dominant in the world of fast food? The Founder takes you back to the 1950s, when the brand was a family business owned and run by two brothers. Along comes ruthless businessman Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) who aggressively franchised the restaurants until they became a common sight across America – stepping on people along the way. Hot off his Oscar win for Birdman, Keaton gives a superb performance in this fascinating factual drama.
21 Bridges Following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, many have been revisiting some of the actor’s past work and admiring his incredible talent. Amazon Prime Video is home to 21 Bridges, a crime drama he made in collaboration with Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo, which sees an NYPD detective on a citywide hunt for two alleged murderers, only to become embroiled in a much larger conspiracy. While not quite on the level of the actor’s finest work, such as 42, Black Panther and Da 5 Bloods, 21 Bridges is an entertaining ride from start to finish.
The Gentlemen (2019) Guy Ritchie goes back to his anarchic roots with another darkly comedic crime story, this time featuring Matthew McConaughey as a marijuana kingpin looking to get out of the drug business for good. That’s no small task, especially with a number of rivals looking to undermine his plans and take over his empire for themselves. The star-studded cast also includes Hugh Grant, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Colin Farrell and Succession‘s Jeremy Strong
Sorry We Missed You (2019) Ken Loach has long been established as one of the UK’s finest filmmakers, and his most recent effort was another bleak and sobering look at modern day Britain, this time taking aim at the injustices faced by those working in the gig economy. The film follows a man named Ricky and his family, who have been in poor financial straits ever since the 2008 financial crash. Ricky hears of an chance to make some more cash working as a self-employed delivery driver but soon discovers that the opportunity isn’t all its cracked up to be, as he finds himself the victim of an unfair system that makes it increasingly hard to balance his work with the demands of family life. This leads to major tensions developing at home.
Bombshell (2019) This awards contender from last year unravels the shocking scandal that saw several women come forward against then-CEO of Fox News Roger Ailes, with claims of sexual harassment. Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman play real-life Fox anchors Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, while Margot Robbie plays the fictional Kayla Pospisil, an ambitious young producer joining the media organisation. While there were some complaints about the screenplay, the lead performances were lauded as some of the best of the entire year, with Theron and Robbie bagging Oscar nominations.
1917 (2019) Director Sam Mendes (Skyfall) is behind this war epic, which is ingeniously executed to give the illusion it was filmed in a single take. While that wasn’t actually the case, you won’t question it for a moment thanks to the slick editing and visual effects, which bring the horrors of the conflict to life in vivid form. George MacKay and Dean Charles-Chapman take the lead roles as two young soldiers tasked with a mission that puts more than a thousand lives at stake. Mendes populates his supporting cast with some of the finest British actors working today, including Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden and Andrew Scott.
Parasite (2019) Bong Joon-ho’s genre-defying masterpiece wowed audiences when it finally arrived in UK cinemas earlier this year, while also cleaning up at several major awards shows including the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Academy Awards. The story follows a poor family struggling to survive in a squalid basement residence, who are able to blag and scheme their way into jobs working for the wealthy Parks family. To say much more would risk spoiling the many shocking twists that Parasite has in store, an incredibly suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Hustlers (2019) Inspired by a true story, Jennifer Lopez stars in this crime thriller about a crew of strippers who begin stealing money from their wealthy customers. Many film buffs called for Hustlers to be recognised at this year’s Academy Awards for Lorene Scafaria’s slick direction and JLo’s powerful lead performance. Ultimately, the film didn’t win any Oscar gold, but it remains a hugely entertaining watch with a strong supporting cast that includes Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), Julia Stiles (Riviera), Keke Palmer (Scream Queens) and music sensation Lizzo
Lucky (2017) The final screen role of Harry Dean Stanton, Lucky was a fitting end to the legendary actor’s stellar career. The film is about a 90-year old man, Lucky, living in a small Californian desert town, and follows a few days in his life as he comes to terms with his own mortality. The gentle direction of John Carroll Lynch – making his directorial debut – allows for a calm and meditative atmosphere to take hold, while iconic filmmaker David Lynch has a memorable supporting turn as a friend of Lucky who has recently lost his turtle.
Justified Justified stars Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet) as Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, whose style of law enforcement brings the practices of the Old West into modern times. The series ran for six seasons and was beloved by television critics throughout. Olyphant recently reprised his role for an amusing scene in the final season of The Good Place, where Maya Rudolph’s omnipotent judge is a big fan of the show.
Little Fires Everywhere Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) and Kerry Washington (Scandal) star in this brand new miniseries, based on the novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. The story follows The Richardson family, whose seemingly perfect lives are turned upside down by the sudden arrival of a mysterious woman and her daughter.
Hunters Fans of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds might enjoy this Prime original series, which follows a group of Nazi hunters operating in New York City in the 1970s. It falls on them to prevent a terrifying plan by despicable war criminals to build a Fourth Reich in the United States. High schooler and comic book nerd Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) is ushered into this violent world after the death of his grandmother, with the enigmatic Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) acting as his mentor. The series packs some disturbing scenes, but has a darkly comedic streak running through it – perhaps the influence of executive producer Jordan Peele, whose other work includes Get Out and Lovecraft Country.
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Manchester by the Sea (2016)
A masterful Sundance hit from Kenneth Lonergan. Casey Affleck is on electrifying, Oscar-winning form as Lee, a surly janitor living alone in a Boston suburb. Summoned by his family after his brother suffers a heart attack, Lee returns to his seaside home town to face the secrets of his past
The Founder (2016)
Ever wondered just how McDonald’s became so dominant in the world of fast food? The Founder takes you back to the 1950s, when the brand was a family business owned and run by two brothers. Along comes ruthless businessman Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) who aggressively franchised the restaurants until they became a common sight across America – stepping on people along the way. Hot off his Oscar win for Birdman, Keaton gives a superb performance in this fascinating factual drama.
21 Bridges
Following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, many have been revisiting some of the actor’s past work and admiring his incredible talent. Amazon Prime Video is home to 21 Bridges, a crime drama he made in collaboration with Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo, which sees an NYPD detective on a citywide hunt for two alleged murderers, only to become embroiled in a much larger conspiracy. While not quite on the level of the actor’s finest work, such as 42, Black Panther and Da 5 Bloods, 21 Bridges is an entertaining ride from start to finish.
The Gentlemen (2019)
Guy Ritchie goes back to his anarchic roots with another darkly comedic crime story, this time featuring Matthew McConaughey as a marijuana kingpin looking to get out of the drug business for good. That’s no small task, especially with a number of rivals looking to undermine his plans and take over his empire for themselves. The star-studded cast also includes Hugh Grant, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Colin Farrell and Succession‘s Jeremy Strong
Sorry We Missed You (2019)
Ken Loach has long been established as one of the UK’s finest filmmakers, and his most recent effort was another bleak and sobering look at modern day Britain, this time taking aim at the injustices faced by those working in the gig economy. The film follows a man named Ricky and his family, who have been in poor financial straits ever since the 2008 financial crash. Ricky hears of an chance to make some more cash working as a self-employed delivery driver but soon discovers that the opportunity isn’t all its cracked up to be, as he finds himself the victim of an unfair system that makes it increasingly hard to balance his work with the demands of family life. This leads to major tensions developing at home.
Bombshell (2019)
This awards contender from last year unravels the shocking scandal that saw several women come forward against then-CEO of Fox News Roger Ailes, with claims of sexual harassment. Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman play real-life Fox anchors Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, while Margot Robbie plays the fictional Kayla Pospisil, an ambitious young producer joining the media organisation. While there were some complaints about the screenplay, the lead performances were lauded as some of the best of the entire year, with Theron and Robbie bagging Oscar nominations.
1917 (2019)
Director Sam Mendes (Skyfall) is behind this war epic, which is ingeniously executed to give the illusion it was filmed in a single take. While that wasn’t actually the case, you won’t question it for a moment thanks to the slick editing and visual effects, which bring the horrors of the conflict to life in vivid form. George MacKay and Dean Charles-Chapman take the lead roles as two young soldiers tasked with a mission that puts more than a thousand lives at stake. Mendes populates his supporting cast with some of the finest British actors working today, including Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden and Andrew Scott.
Parasite (2019)
Bong Joon-ho’s genre-defying masterpiece wowed audiences when it finally arrived in UK cinemas earlier this year, while also cleaning up at several major awards shows including the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Academy Awards. The story follows a poor family struggling to survive in a squalid basement residence, who are able to blag and scheme their way into jobs working for the wealthy Parks family. To say much more would risk spoiling the many shocking twists that Parasite has in store, an incredibly suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Hustlers (2019)
Inspired by a true story, Jennifer Lopez stars in this crime thriller about a crew of strippers who begin stealing money from their wealthy customers. Many film buffs called for Hustlers to be recognised at this year’s Academy Awards for Lorene Scafaria’s slick direction and JLo’s powerful lead performance. Ultimately, the film didn’t win any Oscar gold, but it remains a hugely entertaining watch with a strong supporting cast that includes Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), Julia Stiles (Riviera), Keke Palmer (Scream Queens) and music sensation Lizzo
Lucky (2017)
The final screen role of Harry Dean Stanton, Lucky was a fitting end to the legendary actor’s stellar career. The film is about a 90-year old man, Lucky, living in a small Californian desert town, and follows a few days in his life as he comes to terms with his own mortality. The gentle direction of John Carroll Lynch – making his directorial debut – allows for a calm and meditative atmosphere to take hold, while iconic filmmaker David Lynch has a memorable supporting turn as a friend of Lucky who has recently lost his turtle.
Justified
Justified stars Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet) as Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, whose style of law enforcement brings the practices of the Old West into modern times. The series ran for six seasons and was beloved by television critics throughout. Olyphant recently reprised his role for an amusing scene in the final season of The Good Place, where Maya Rudolph’s omnipotent judge is a big fan of the show.
Little Fires Everywhere
Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) and Kerry Washington (Scandal) star in this brand new miniseries, based on the novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. The story follows The Richardson family, whose seemingly perfect lives are turned upside down by the sudden arrival of a mysterious woman and her daughter.
Hunters
Fans of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds might enjoy this Prime original series, which follows a group of Nazi hunters operating in New York City in the 1970s. It falls on them to prevent a terrifying plan by despicable war criminals to build a Fourth Reich in the United States. High schooler and comic book nerd Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) is ushered into this violent world after the death of his grandmother, with the enigmatic Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) acting as his mentor. The series packs some disturbing scenes, but has a darkly comedic streak running through it – perhaps the influence of executive producer Jordan Peele, whose other work includes Get Out and Lovecraft Country.