Everything new to Australian cinemas this week (12-19 Feb), plus what’s still on.
To see what’s streaming, head to our weekly streaming guide.
What’s on in Australian cinemas:
14 February
Bob Marley: One Love
Synopsis: BAFTA nominee Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami) plays Bob Marley in this biographical look at the life of the legendary reggae musician. From the director of King Richard, co-starring Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die) as Rita Marley.
Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Country: USA
Cast includes: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton
Fallen Leaves
Synopsis: The film tells the story of Ansa, a supermarket shelf-stocker on a zero-hour contract, later a recyclable plastic sorter, and Holappa, a sandblaster, an alcoholic, later an ex-alcoholic, whose paths have accidentally crossed and who, despite adversity and misunderstandings, try to build some kind of relationship on the harsher side of the welfare state.
Directed by: Aki Kaurismäki
Country: FINLAND
Cast includes: Alma Pöysti, Jussi Vatanen
Madame Web
Synopsis: Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing’s most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present.
Directed by: S.J. Clarkson
Country: USA
Cast includes: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney
The Road to Patagonia
Synopsis: Described as “a series of love letters within a documentary” telling two love stories: a love between two people, and the love between humanity and the Earth.
Directed by: Matty Hannon
Country: AUSTRALIA
Cast includes: Matty Hannon
Classification: M
15 February
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Synopsis: Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill. When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.
Directed by: Ariane Louis-Seize
Country: CANADA
Cast includes: Sara Montpetit
Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow
Synopsis: Set in the world of bugs where spiders are the cops, a detective boards a seaplane to San Francisco after finally capturing his arch nemesis, but a murder on his flight draws him into a plot that threatens both the human and bug worlds.
Directed by: Julio Soto Gurpide
Country: SPAIN
Cast includes: Ronny Chieng
Whale Nation
Synopsis: A humpback whale is beached on a remote shore. During the fight to save its life, this film tells the story of these extraordinary creatures.
Directed by: Jean-Albert Lièvre
Country: FRANCE
Cast includes: N/A
Classification: PG
Still showing
Cliff Richard: The Blue Sapphire Tour (7 February)
Synopsis: 2023 marked the 65th anniversary of Sir Cliff Richard’s career. In The Blue Sapphire Tour, Cliff Richard performs a vibrant set packed with hits from across his illustrious and unrivalled 8-decade career, including Move It, Wired For Sound, The Young Ones and many more.
Country: UK.
Cast includes: Cliff Richard.
Classification: G.
Force of Nature – The Dry 2 (8 February)
Synopsis: When five women take part in a corporate hiking retreat and only four come out on the other side, Federal Agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head deep into the Victorian mountain ranges to investigate in the hopes of finding their whistle-blowing informant, Alice Russell, alive.
Read: Force of Nature: The Dry 2 review – no damp squib
Directed by: Robert Connolly.
Country: Australia.
Cast includes: Eric Bana, Anna Torv.
Classification: M.
NT Live: Dear England (9 February)
Synopsis: Filmed play. The play follows the England men’s team under Gareth Southgate in the run-up to, and aftermath of, three tournaments: its unexpected run to the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, its disappointing defeat in the 2020 European Championship final at Wembley Stadium, and its quarterfinal exit from the 2022 World Cup.
Directed by: Rupert Goold.
Country: UK.
Cast includes: Joseph Fiennes.
Classification: M.
The Lies We Tell Ourselves (10 February)
Synopsis: Mockumentary. The film follows an an eccentric director on the rise (Saara Lamberg) who travels to Cannes Film Festival, Berlin, German countryside, New Caledonia, Australia and England to create her latest arthouse film and has to negotiate many hurdles before finally fulfilling her vision.
Directed by: Saara Lamberg.
Country: Australia.
Cast includes: Saara Lamberg.
Classification: M.
Pet Shop Boys: Dreamworld (31 January)
Synopsis: Pet Shop Boys bring their critically-acclaimed greatest hits tour, Dreamworld, to movie theatres worldwide for two nights only. Captured live at Copenhagen’s Royal Arena, with film direction from David Barnard in a 14-camera shoot, this brand new concert film includes all of Pet Shop Boys’ greatest hits including West End Girls, Suburbia, Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money), Left to My Own Devices, Rent, Domino Dancing, Love Comes Quickly, Always on My Mind, What Have I Done to Deserve This and It’s a Sin.
Argylle (1 Feb)
Synopsis: Henry Cavill is the world’s greatest spy, Argylle, in this globe-trotting adventure thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Secret Service), adapting the novel by Elly Conway. Co-stars Bryan Cranston, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena and Dua Lipa.
May December (1 Feb)
Synopsis: Oscar winners Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore lead this Palme d’Or-nominated drama from director Todd Haynes (Carol). 20 years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past.
Peppa’s Cinema Party (1 Feb)
Synopsis: British children’s series Peppa Pig celebrates its 20th anniversary with this cinema party that invites its young audience to sing and dance along.
Riceboy Sleeps (1 Feb)
Synopsis: Set in the 90s, a Korean single mother raises her young son in the suburbs of Canada determined to provide a better life for him than the one she left behind.
The Gift That Gives (3 Feb)
[Melbourne and Sydney only].
Synopsis: Self help author Callum Mori (Takaya Honda) makes his first television appearance on a TV chat show, hosted by presenter Kate Sedgeman (Lily Brown-Griffiths). Following a successful book launch with Linda Young (HaiHa Le), Kate’s best friend Callum forms a problematic friendship with both women. As Kate progresses through his book, a cache of secret love letters is found, sending Callum into damage control.
As always, remember to check your local cinema’s showtimes to see what’s on and when.
