Cinema guide: new films in Australia this week

Your guide to new films in cinemas across Australia this week, 6-12 May 2024.

For our monthly cinema guide for May, head to this article.

New films in cinemas now

Housekeeping for Beginners (9 May)

Read: Housekeeping for Beginners review: a luminous tribute to found family

Synopsis: Dita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances force her to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters, tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. A battle of wills ensues as the three continue to butt heads and become an unlikely family that must fight to stay together. 

Director: Goran Stolevski.
Cast: Anamaria Marinca, Alina Serban.
Classification: M.
Runtime: 107m.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (9 May)

Synopsis: The director of the Maze Runner trilogy helms this entry in the Planet of the Apes series.

Director: Wes Ball.
Cast: Freya Allan, Owen Teague.
Classification: CTC.
Runtime: 140m.

Monster (Kaibutsu) (9 May)

Synopsis: When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong in this Cannes award-winning suspense drama from filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what’s going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges. 

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Cast: Hinata Hiiragi, Soya Kurokawa.
Classification: CTC.
Runtime: 125m.

My Ex-Friend’s Wedding (9 May)

Synopsis: On the eve of their former best friend’s wedding, four of their childhood friends receive a drunken voicemail from her, confessing that she believes she is making a mistake. The four friends then decide to stop the union.

Director: Kay Cannon.
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Ariana DeBose.
Classification: CTC.
Runtime: 120m

Rascal Does Not Dream – Double Feature (9 May)

Synopsis: A double feature helping of the Rascal Does Not Dream anime franchise. Sakuta Azusagawa’s peaceful relationship with his girlfriend Mai is turned upside down when two versions of Shoko, his first love, return to his life.

Director: Shôji Masui.
Cast: Kaito Ishikawa.
Classification: PG.
Runtime: 2hr 35m.

Recent new film releases

Ryuichi Sakamoto – Opus (1 May)

Synopsis: On 28 March 2023, legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away after his struggle against cancer. In the years leading up to his death, Sakamoto could no longer perform live. Single concerts, not to mention sprawling global tours, were too taxing. Despite this, in late 2022, Sakamoto mustered all of his energy to leave the world with one final performance: a concert film, featuring just him and his piano.

Director: Neo Sora
Cast: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Classification: E
Runtime: 103m

Boy Kills World (2 May)

Synopsis: A dystopian fever dream action film that follows Boy, who is deaf, can’t speak, and has a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.

Director: Moritz Mohr
Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Michelle Dockery
Classification: MA
Runtime: 111m.

Fremont (2 May)

Synopsis: A former US military translator stationed in Afghanistan returns to San Francisco to put her life back in order. Working at a fortune cookie factory, in a moment of sudden revelation, she decides to send out a special message via cookie.

Director: Babak Jalali
Cast: Anaita Wali Zada
Classification: PG
Runtime: 91m

Golda (2 May)

Synopsis: True story war drama about the high-stakes responsibilities and decisions that Golda Meir, also known as the ‘Iron Lady of Israel’ faced during the Yom Kippur War.

Director: Guy Nattiv
Cast: Helen Mirren
Classification: PG
Runtime: 100m

Tarot (2 May)

Synopsis: Based on the book by Nicholas Adams, this horror film follows a group of college friends who begin dying in ways connected to their tarot card readings.

Director: Anna Halberg, Spenser Cohen
Cast: Jacob Batalon, Harriet Slater
Classification: M
Runtime: 92m

The Taste of Things (2 May)

Synopsis: Eugenie, an esteemed cook, has been working for over the last 20 years for Dodin, a fine gourmet. Growing fonder of one another, their bond turns into a romance and gives rise to delicious dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs. When Dodin is faced with Eugenie’s reluctance to commit to him, he decides to start cooking for her.

Director: Trần Anh Hùng
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Benoît Magimel
Classification: PG
Runtime: 135m

Titanic: The Musical (2 May)

Synopsis: This filmed production of the Tony-winning musical celebrates the 10th anniversary of its London premiere.

Director: Thom Sutherland
Cast: Martin Allanson, Valda Aviks
Classification: E
Runtime: 150m

Shakespeare’s Macbeth (3 May)

Synopsis: Tony and BAFTA Award winner Ralph Fiennes and Olivier Award winner Indira Varma (Game of Thrones) star in recorded stage production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Filmed live at Dock X, a custom-built theatre space in London.

Director: Simon Godwin
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Indira Varma.
Classification: M.
Runtime: 150m.