Best 5 films: quick links
1) It Ends with Us – Binge (6 March)
Film (2024). Colleen Hoover’s moderately well-selling 2016 novel (more than 10 million copies – try better next time), adapted here for the big screen, tells the story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business.
A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni – who also directs) sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, Lily begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents’ relationship.
On the basis of that curtailed synopsis at least, it could easily be relegated to ‘standard romcom’ territory, but it’s fair to say there’s been some controversy surrounding this story, its filming, and its, well, everything …
2) Picture This – Prime Video (6 March)
Film (2025). In this heartfelt rom-com, struggling photographer Pia (Simone Ashley) receives a prediction: true love awaits in her next five dates. With her sister’s wedding looming and family playing matchmaker, her ex (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) reappears, throwing her love life into chaos.
Picture This is based on the Australian Amazon Original Five Blind Dates, and for that reason, and others, we’re keen to see it.
Starring Simone Ashley, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Sindhu Vee. Watch the trailer.
3) The 355 – SBS On Demand (7 March)
Film (2022). Enjoying this action thriller spy film is going to depend to a degree on whether you’re a film critic (24% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes) or a non film critic (86% on Rotten Tomatoes).
Split the difference and there’s a 50% chance you’ll see the (spy) glass as half-empty or half-full.
In short: when a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, a CIA agent will need to join forces with a rival German agent, a former MI6 ally and a skilled Columbian psychologist on a mission to retrieve it.
Starring Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan and Diane Kruger. Watch the trailer.
4) Arcadian – AMC+ & Shudder (7 March)
Film (2024). In a near future, normal life on Earth has been wrecked. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by post-apocalyptic horror tropes at night.
After the sun sets each day, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil.
One day, when Thomas doesn’t return home before sundown, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him. A nightmarish battle ensues that forces the family to execute a desperate plan to survive.
Starring Nicolas Cage – need we say more? Watch the trailer.
5) The Apprentice – Stan (9 March)
Film (2024). It’s so good to get away from the absolute shitshow of global politics at the moment with a nice relaxing film based on the younger life of …
What the …
A young man takes over his father’s real-estate business in 1970s and 80s New York, and gets a helping hand from an infamous lawyer who helps him turn him into a notorious legend who will eventually, beyond the scope of the film, hock ‘extremely tasteful’ bright red hats so that his supporters can walk around like Redhead safety matches making everyone, ironically, feel less safe.
It’s based on true events.
Starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Watch the trailer.
