Check out what's showing at cinemas across the region this February...

SEPTEMBER 5 CERT 15 (95 mins)
Released Thurs 6 February
Starring Peter Saragaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem, Georgina Rich Directed by Tim Fehlbaum

A live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one billion people more than half a century ago sits at the heart of this well-reviewed film from acclaimed Swiss director Tim Fehlbaum. 

Set during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, September 5 follows an American broadcasting team as they quickly adapt from sports reporting to live coverage of the Olympic Village attack by the Palestinian militant organisation Black September. 

The group’s act of terrorism saw two Israeli athletes murdered and a further nine taken hostage and then subsequently killed. 

At the heart of the story is Geoff (John Magaro), a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss, the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard). Together with interpreter Marianne and mentor Marvin, Geoff unexpectedly takes the helm of the live coverage. 

As narratives shift and time ticks away - and with the hostages’ lives hanging in the balance - Geoff finds himself not only grappling with a host of tough decisions but also calling into question his own moral compass. 

THE LAST SHOWGIRL CERT tbc (89 mins)
Released Mon 10 February
Starring Pamela Anderson, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis, Billie Lourd Directed by Gia Coppola

When it’s announced that the glittering Las Vegas revue show she’s headlined for decades is soon to close, a glamorous and now-fiftysomething showgirl must reconcile with the decisions she’s made and the community she’s built as she tries to work out what to do next...

Described by its official publicity as ‘a poignant film of resilience, rhinestones and feathers’, The Last Showgirl stars one-time Baywatch favourite Pamela Anderson, making a much-heralded comeback after a couple of decades in the Hollywood wilderness.  

The film is the third to be directed by Gia Coppola, the granddaughter of director Francis Ford Coppola and niece of director & former actress Sofia Coppola.

BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY CERT tbc
Released Thurs 13 February
Starring Renée Zellweger, Leo Woodall, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson,  Colin Firth  Directed by Michael Morris

Nine years after the third installment in the Bridget Jones rom-com franchise, everybody’s favourite thirtysomething singleton makes a greatly anticipated return, albeit having left her 30s some considerable distance behind her. Indeed, even her 40s are in the rear-view mirror. 

Now 51, a widow, and the mother of two young children, Helen Fielding’s iconic character finds herself once again navigating the pitfalls of dating... 

Along with the two-time Academy Award-winning Renee Zellweger in the title role, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson make a welcome return for this fourth chapter, as do Sally Phillips, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones and Colin Firth.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD CERT tbc
Released Fri 14 February
Starring Harrison Ford, Rosa Salazar, Anthony Mackie, Liv Tyler, Giancaro Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson Directed by Julius Onah

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand (this is the 35th entry) with the release of this fourth installment in the Captain America film series. 

A continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (2021), the movie stars Anthony Mackie in the title role. Mackie is replacing Chris Evans, who took the part of the star-spangled superhero in each of the first three cinematic outings (not to mention in various other Marvel Cinematic Universe entries, including the blockbuster Avengers movies). 

The storyline for this one finds Sam Wilson - aka Captain America - at the centre of an international incident following the election of Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (played by Harrison Ford) to the presidency of the United States. 

THE MONKEY CERT tbc
Released Fri 21 February
Starring Theo James, Elijah Wood, Osgood Perkins, Tatiana Maslany, Laura Mennell, Sarah Levy
Directed by Osgood Perkins

The Monkey is the latest Stephen King story to receive a cinematic treatment. Bringing together an experienced cast under the direction of a real master of the horror genre in Osgood Perkins, the movie focuses on the story of twin brothers Hal and Bill, around whom a series of gruesome deaths occur following their discovery of their father’s vintage toy monkey, hidden away in the attic. Not surprisingly, the siblings decide to ditch the furry simian and move on with their lives, growing apart across the years. 

But when mysterious deaths begin happening again, Hal and Bill realise they must come together and find a way to destroy the monkey once and for all. 

LAST BREATH CERT tbc
Released Fri 28 February
Starring Woody Harrelson, Cliff Curtis, Simu Lu, Finn Cole, Riz Khan, Daithí O’Donnell
Directed by Alex Parkinson

Emmy-nominated Alex Parkinson may be a rookie when it comes to narrative-feature directing (he’s making his debut with Last Breath), but he’s nevertheless the perfect choice to helm this true story of an underwater rescue mission, having co-directed a documentary on the subject back in 2019.  

Heralded by its producers as “a heart-pounding film” and “an electrifying story about teamwork, resilience, and a race against time to do the impossible”, the movie follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate, who’s trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface...

At the time of going to print, the 2019 documentary is streaming on Netflix, if you fancy learning more about what really happened.