Best new films: quick links
4 best new films
Kraven the Hunter – Prime Video (12 May)
Film (2024). If you’re a superhero fan, then this one’s for you.
Kraven – developed from the Marvel character of the same name – has a complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, which starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
And when we say you need to be a superhero fan, well, you really do. The film was a box-office flop on cinema release at the end of 2024 and received pretty negative reviews (including a 15% critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes – ouch!).
But is was nominated for some awards! No, wait, that was the Golden Raspberry Awards, where it received three nominations, including Worst Supporting Actress for Ariana DeBose. But, hey, she didn’t win that (Amy Schumer did for her role in Unfrosted and the Worst Screen Combo Award went to Joaquin Pheonix and Lady Gaga for Joker: Folie à Deux), so, you know, it could be worse!
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose and Fred Hechinger. Watch the trailer.
Deaf President Now! – Apple TV+ (16 May)
Documentary (2025). This film tells the story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard of, recounting the eight days of historic protests held at Washington DC’s Gallaudet University in 1988 after the school’s board of trustees appointed a hearing president over several very qualified Deaf candidates.
After a week of rallies, boycotts and protests, the students triumph as the hearing president resigns and beloved dean Dr I King Jordan becomes the university’s first Deaf president.
The Quilters – Netflix (16 May)
Film (2024). This short film (33 minutes!) by Jenifer McShane follows the daily lives of several men inside the sewing room at the South Central Correctional Center, a Level 5 maximum-security prison in a small town two hours south of St Louis, USA as they work on quilts from design to completion.
As they do so, the men reveal their struggles, triumphs and sense of pride in creating something beautiful in this windowless, sacred space deep within the prison walls.
She Came to Me – Paramount+ (17 May)
Film (2023). In this romcom written and directed by Rebecca Miller, we follow Steven, a composer suffering from a creative block that’s preventing him finishing his supposed-to-be comeback opera, and Katerina, a spirited tugboat captain called Katrina who he meets randomly at a bar.
As their lives intertwine, Steven’s world is turned upside down, leading to a series of humorous and heartfelt events that challenge his perceptions of love, creativity, and life.
This one was a decent hit with audiences (71%) but not critics (48%) on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Critics Consensus being:
She Came to Me’s uneasy blend of romantic comedy and drama proves frequently frustrating despite the story’s admirable aims and strong work from an outrageously talented cast.
Look, we’ll be back with some better films (we hope) next week!
Starring Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway and Marissa Tomei. Watch the trailer.
