Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Close (Madman Entertainment)
Synopsis: The intense friendship between two 13-year-old boys Leo and Remi suddenly gets disrupted. Struggling to understand what has happened, Léo approaches Sophie, Rémi’s mother. Close is a film about friendship and responsibility.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele, Émilie Dequenne
Director: Lukas Dhont
The Son (Transmission Films)
Synopsis: Peter has his busy life with new partner Beth and their baby thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate turns up with their teenage son, Nicholas.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Felix Goddard, Max Goddard, Anthony Hopkins
Director: Florian Zeller
23 February
Fisherman’s Friends 2 (Universal/Focus)
Synopsis: The sequel to the 2019 hit UK comedy charts the next instalment of the Fisherman’s Friends amazing and uplifting true story. Following the unexpected success of their debut album No Hopers, Jokers and Rogues we re-join the world’s oldest ‘buoy band’ a year later struggling to navigate the pressures, pitfalls and temptations of their newfound fame. Fisherman’s Friends 2 follows the celebrated shanty singers through the highs and lows as lifelong friendships are put to the test, the community is struck by the ‘curse of the second album’ and ultimately the band realise their dream by performing on the pyramid stage at Glastonbury.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Joshua McGuire, Fiona Button, Maggie Steed, Richard Harrington, Ramon Tikaram, Jade Anouka, Sam Swainsbury, Imelda May, David Hayman, James Purefoy, Dave Johns
Directors: Meg Leonard, Nick Moorcroft
23 February
Missing (Sony)
Synopsis: From the minds behind Searching comes Missing, a thrilling rollercoaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of kilometres away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late. However, as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers … and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.
Genre: Drama, thriller
Cast: Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Storm Reid, Nia Long
Directors: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick