The Conjuring – generally good reviews for this Poltergeist/Amytivlle Horror type story with Patrick Wilson and the always watchable Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators trying to help farmers Ron Livingston and Lilly Taylor when their Rhode Island home is haunted. It’s from the director behind Saw (2004) so, given the praise so far in, let’s hope this one delivers. It will be showing nationwide and the official Warner Bros. site is here.

From Up on Poppy Hill – a fragrantly lovely title if ever there was, Japanese animated drama about a high school out to save her school’s club house from demolition. In this Anglicised rejig, voices are provided by the likes of Gillian Anderson and The Tudors’ Sarah Bolger. It will be showing at key cities only and the official Studio Canal page is here.

Heaven’s Gate – reappraisal for this epic western, synonymous with epic failure with both critics, members of the public and other film makers, has been grumbling along for many years now. Director Michael Cimino’s career was effectively finished when this long and elegiac piece went belly-up at the box office and nearly caused production company United Artists to follow suit. Worth a look; do bear in mind movie patrons, the finished film weighs in at 3 hours 36 minutes. The official Park Circus page is here; the film will screen at key cities only.

My Father and the Man in Black – drama looking at the troubled relationship between singer Johnny Cash and his manager, Saul Holiff. The official website is here; the film will be showing at selected UK cinemas only.

Only God Forgives – Ryan Gosling (swoon!) stars as a drug kingpin in Bangkok out to avenging his brothers death, but an unhinged policeman is watching his every move. Stylish looking thriller from the director of Gosling’s Drive (2011) featuring a slutty looking, peroxide Kristin Scott Thomas as his mother. The official Facebook page is here and the film will be screened at most UK cinemas.

Paradise: Hope – the conclusion to Ulrich Seidl’s Paradise trilogy follows an overweights Austrian girl at a fat camp who falls in love with the doctor, who is 40 years her senior. The official Soda Pictures website is here; the film will show at key cities.

Red 2 – Bruce Willis cobbles together his team of elite operatives on a global quest to track down a missing nuclear device. Co-starring John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The official website is here; the film will be showing all over the UK.

And from Wednesday 7 August…

Alan Partridge, Alpha Papa – the cinematic debut of Steve Coogan’s forever bumbling Norwich based TV ‘star’. The official BBC website is here, the film will be showing all over.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (3D) – second in the trilogy of Rick Riordan book-film adaptations about a young demi-god Jackson (Logan Lerman), son of Poseidon, out to save his mortal, High School mates. The official site is here; the film will be playing in most multiplexes.

 

Black Fish  – clearly Killer Whales are in fashion in the movies, follow Rust and Bone (2012), this documentary looks at the whale Tilikum who killed several people while in captivity, hearing examples of shocking abuse of these animals of Tilikum’s own unique personality. The official site is here; with screening details here.

Days of Grace – Mexican crime thriller set during three football world cups, this performed well at Latin America film festivals and was nominated for the Golden Camera at Cannes in 2011. IMDb has more info here; the film will show at key cities only.

Dial M For Murder – Hitchcock’s tricksy and not entirely satisfying adaptation of Frederick Knott’s play has Ray Milland trying to kill his wife Grace Kelly. When she survives, he has to think on his feet for a brilliant plan B. Showing at key cities only, the official Park Circus site is here.

Frances Ha – Noah Baumbach’s comedy drama follows Greta Gerwig as a useless dancer who throws herself headlong into her dreams, when its patently obvious they won’t pan out. The official website is here; the film will have a wide distribution so you should be able to catch it in most cinemas.

And on Wednesday 31 July…

The Heat – comedy that teams Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCartney as, respectively, an uptight and a foul mouthed FBI agents who team up to bust a drug lord. The official website is here; the film will be showing at most UK cinemas.

The Smurfs 2 (3D) – sequel to the part-animated/part live action film; the evil Garmagel creates two imposter Smurfs n the hope that they will secure him details of the all powerful Smurf essence. The Smurfs are none the less on to him. The film we be showing nationwide; the official website is here.

 

The Bling Ring – any new picture by director Sofia Coppola, whether good or only average, is always likely to be vibrant, beautiful and diverting. In this drama, Emma Watson stars as a member of a group of teenagers who track down and break into rich L.A. homes to steal designer clobber. The official website is here; the film will show at key cities only.

Bula Quo! – A film about ageing British rock band Status Quo might not be to everyone’s tastes, but if the gossip website Popbitch is anything to go by, this might have a few worthy laughs in it. It also has a good distribution deal and should be available to view across most of the UK (full list here).

Chasing Mavericks – The Karate Kid on a surfboard as young Jonny Weston enlists Gerard Butler to help tackle the largest waves on the planet. The official Facebook page is here; the film will be showing across most of the UK.

The Enigma of Kasper Hauser – one of Werner Herzog’s most famous films from his Golden period in the 1970’s. Bruno S portrays the infamous ‘wild child’ of German history, coming into well-meaning but brutal conflict with ‘civilised’ society. A mesmerising study of nature versus nurture, the official BFI website with details of key city screenings only, is here.

A Field in England – director Ben Wheatley puts his egg in many baskets, releasing this psychedelic British Civil War drama simultaneously on the big screen, DVD, Blue Ray, Film 4 and Video on Demand. Screening locations can be found here.

Out in the Dark – gay thriller in which a young Palestinian man falls in love with an Israeli lawyer only to find his own community none to happy about this. The official Facebook page is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

Paradise Faith – Ulrich Seidl’s second Paradise film in his planned trilogy (part one, Love, dealt with middle-aged European women seeking sex with younger African men) looks at different women at a crossroads in their lives, including one Catholic woman reunited with her Muslim husband.

Paris: Manhattan – director Sophie Lellouche based this light comedy, about a woman whose life follows the philosophies of her favourite film-maker Woody Allen, on her own love and admiration for Woody’s greatest movies and one-liners. The official site is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer – surely you must all have heard of the Russian protest art collective now? This documentary follows them as they defend their protest ‘punk prayer’ in a Russian cathedral in court and hears from their families and friends about what inspired them. The official website is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

Tropicalia – we should expect a lot more cinema about Brazilian culture in the run up to the 2016 Olympics. Here, director Marcelo Machado looks deep into Tropicalism, a type of capoeira music fused with rock ‘n’ roll in the sixties. The official website is here; with screening details here.

The Act of Killing – in this documentary co-executive produced by Werner Herzog, former members of Indonesian hit squads re-enact their most famous killings in the style of their favourite American movies. What a carve up! The official website is here and there is a list of screenings here.

The Battle of the Sexes – docudrama of the famous tennis match in 1973 between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King. Riggs, emboldened by a win over top female tennis star Margaret Court, taunted players everywhere that no woman was a match against a man. King took him on and won. The film will be showing at key cities only. Read more about the match here and the film in this Telegraph piece here.

Despicable Me 2 (3D) – Universal animation that sees the return of arch villain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrel). The film will be showing all over the UK and the official site is here, with screening locations found in this neat little booking tool.

The East – this probably has one of the most aggravating websites (you are asked a series of baffling questions that lead frustratingly to a trailer and no text information). Alexander Skarsgard and Brit Marling star in this thriller about an operative for an elite, private intelligence firm infiltrating a group who conduct attacks on large corporations. Will be screening across most major UK cinema screens.

I Want Your Love – already banned in Australia, this gay drama features scenes of real sex in a story about a young San Franciscan who has a party before he leaves to head back home. The official website is here, with screening details.

Night of Silence – Turkish drama, winner of the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, in which a young bride, fearful of consummating her marriage with a man she has never met, distracts him with tales, the situation becoming stranger as the dawn encroaches on them. The official website is here; including all of the London-only screening locations.

Renoir – this drama looks at the painter Auguste, his son the film director Jean and their muse Andree who enters their lives when the younger Renoir is recovering from injuries sustained in WWI. The film can be found on the Goldwyn website, no exact link I’m afraid, but it will be showing at key cities.

Stand Up Guys – what looks like a dream cast (Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin and Julianna Margulies) team up in this Goodfellas on Zimmer Frames thriller about old time gangsters out for one last big night…except one of them is harbouring a dangerous secret. The official website is here; the film will be showing across most UK screens.

Stories We Tell – Canadian actor-turned director Sarah Polley is an interesting talent to keep an eye on, as she develops behind the camera. Here, she directs herself as the interviewer recording story-tellers of varying reliability as they relate a tale to her. The truth, as she finds, depends entirely on who is telling it. Showing at the Curzon (London) only; the official site is here.

This Is the End – there has been a spate of end of the world dramas and comedies recently. In this Seth Rogan starrer, the end meets The Hangover as a group of lads find their invitation to Hollywood star James Franco’s house party rudely interrupted by an impending apocalypse. The official site is here; it will be playing all over the country.

Venus and Serena – obvious timing seeing as Wimbledon has started to release this obvious documentary following the most famous female tennis players on the planet. It will be showing at key cities only, but the official site is here.

And on Monday 1 July…

Confine – model Daisy Lowe makes her acting debut as a scarred model who is taken hostage by charismatic robber Eliza Bennett. The official website is here but, unfortunately for Lowe, it is only showing on a limited run.

And on Wednesday 3 July…

The Internship – Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson re-team in this comedy as a couple of middle-aged losers who skank an internship a Google but find they are up against younger, more tech-savvy competitors for real employment there. The official website is here; the film will be showing at almost every cinema across the UK.

Now You See Me – a group of elite illusionists pull off a series of heists as they steal from business leaders during their performances, pitting them against the FBI. Stars Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher, the official website is here and the film will be showing all over.

Admission – comedy from the director of Little Fockers starring Tina Fey as a Princeton admissions officer whose major promotion seems scuppered by the arrival of a student who may be the son she gave up for adoption years before. The film will be showing at most cinemas over the UK, the IMDb page has the technical details here.

Fukrey – Bollywood sends up Avengers Assemble. No release details, but the official Facebook page is here.

Man of Steel – THE movie event so far in 2013, but that’s enough of Henry Caville’s physique being on show. Caville steps into Brandon Routh’s red boots as Superman in this action blockbuster from director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen). The official Warner Brothers site is here; the film will be showing nationwide.

Much Ado About Nothing – Joss (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Wheedon’s modern take on the Shakespeare play that follows two pairs of lovers who each have a different take on love. The official Facebook page is here, the film be showing at key cities only.

Paradise: Love – this Austrian film follows in the footsteps of Francois Ozon’s Going South, chronicling middle aged European women in search of fun with young Kenyan men. The official Soda Pictures website is here, the film will be showing at key cities.

Stuck in Love – novelist Greg Kinnear dips his toes back into the dating world, in order to get over ex-wife Jennifer Connolly in this romantic comedy from writer/director Josh Boone. The official website is here, the film will be showing across the UK.

Summer in February – drama that follows the bohemian English set in Cornwall shortly before WWI, with Dominic Cooper as artist AJ Munnings. The official website is here, the film will be showing at key cities only, but you can find out which one here.

On Monday 17 June…

I am Nasrine – 9/11 cinema, following a young Iranian girl and her brother and their differing reactions to being relocated to the UK. The film will be on a limited run only, but you can find out where to catch it here.

On Wednesday 19 June…

A Haunted House – not quite sure what will turn out to be funnier about this film, the gags in this spoof send up of horror films or the official website’s claim that Marlon Wayans is the “genius creator” behind Scary Movie and White Chicks.

Benjamin Britten – Peace and Conflict – director Tony Britten’s drama documentary about the early years of celebrated British composer Benjamin Britten (no relation) and the pacifism that affected his life and work. The official website is here and it contains details of screening locations here.

Grave of the Fireflies/My Neighbour Totoro – two classic manga animations now a quarter of a century old are given a dusting off at key cities only this comic drama follows a boy and his little sister as they struggle  to survive in WWII Japan. The StudioCanal website has a link at the bottom page to cinemas that are showing the film.

The King of Marvin Gardens  – Jack Nicholson proved his mettle in the 1970’s with a number of mature, male-led dramas, including this one with director Bob Rafelson. The drama concerns two brothers who team up for a number of get rich quick schemes in the developing Atlantic City. Showing at BFI Southbank and key cities around the UK only, the official site is here.

The Moth Diaries – American Psycho director Mary Harron has made only one feature length film in the 13 years that have elapsed (The Notorious Bettie Page). This production has had a troubled gestation and creation and is a horror drama about a new girl to an exclusive girls’ school (Lily Cole) pushing Sarah Bolger’s best friend away from her. Bolger suspects Cole is a vampire. The official site is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.

Something in the Air – French drama that follows a number of young people after the heady weeks of 1968 who decide the counter-revolution will continue and what they do next. The official IFC Entertainment site is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.

And on Wednesday 29 May…

The Big Wedding – long-divorced couple Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton have to pretend to be married again when one of their children gets married. Silly sounding comedy, a remake of a 2006 French film, that is the staple of De Niro’s 21st Century career. The official Lionsgate site is here; it will be showing nationwide.

 

Beware of Mr Baker – do we really need another documentary about a musical legend, his ex-wives, self-destruction and world travels to find inspiration? Apparently so; here we chronicle former Cream drummer ‘Ginger’ Baker. The official site is here; the film will show at key UK cities only.

Fast and the Furious 6 – and apparently we need another high octane, car chase thriller, following on the heels of last week’s Vehicle 19. That film’s Paul Walker makes an appearance here, with Vin Diesel and ‘The Rock’. The plot? Does it matter? Official Universal website is here; the film will play at most multiplexes nationwide; use this link to find out where.

The Liability – Tim Roth and Jack O’Connell star in this intriguing comedy as, respectively, a hit man who wants to retire and a young man who dreams of having that ‘career’. Official Facebook page is here; the film will show at key cities only.

The Stoker – Russian drama about a former soldier fallen on hard times who now works as a stoker, even living in his incinerator room. He writes a novel in his spare time, turning a blind eye to a former comrade turned hit man who disposes of dead bodies in the incinerator. But even this compliant man has his limits. Distributed by the Edinburgh Filmhouse, there are details about the film maker here it will, of course, be showing at key cities only.

And on Wednesday 22 May…

Epic 3D – animated fantasy from Fox, featuring the vocal talents of Beyonce and Colin Farrell, in what appears to be a simple morality tale about the fight between the forces of good and evil for control of the world. The official website is here; the film will show all over the UK.

And on Thursday 23 May…

The Hangover Part III – for a film whose title kinda gives the plot away, by the third instalment there is little need to waste too much precious finger energy on typing the plot out. Suffice to say the trio of lads on a perpetual bender are back in Las Vegas where their fun all began. The official website is here; the film will show pretty much everywhere.

 

Deadfall – Eric Bana was talking to the Metro today about the release of his new film, a taut looking thriller in which he and Olivia Wilde are siblings fleeing a casino heist. All goes well until they hit a State Trooper in bad weather. She holes up with nice guy Charlie Hunnam and his folks Sissy Spacek and Kris Kristofferson, meaning trouble for the nice family. The official site is here.

Go Goa Gone – Bollywood gets in on the ZomRomCom movie with this mixture of all genres starring Saif Ali Khan. The official website is here; it will be showing at key cities.

A Hijacking – topical film from Thomas Lindholm about a cargo ship that is boarded by pirates and the drama that ensues as negotiators try to set them free. The official website is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

Journey to Italy – director Roberto Rossellini teamed with his film star wife Ingrid Bergman for a number of films in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Here, she plays Katherine, bored wife to buisnessman George Sanders in a drama that looks at the deeper emotional and psychological truths in relationships. The official BFI website is here and contains details of screenings in key cities around the UK.

Mud – star Reese Witherspoon’s recent arrest for drink driving gave this a helpful little pre-launch publicity. She is Matthew McConaughey’s girlfriend and he is hiding out from bounty hunters after he killed a man in Texas. That is, until he is discovered by two boys. The official website is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.

Our Children – Belgian drama about a young wife trying her best to please her difficult father in law. It won Emilie Dequenne the Best Actress award at Cannes as the wife in question. Official Peccadilo Film website is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist – Mira Nair’s (Vanity Fair) adaptation of Moshin Hamid’s bestseller about a young muslim stockbroker who becomes disenchanted with the West as his treatment in America subtley changes in the aftermath of 9/11. The official Mara Pictures profile is here, including screening locations.

Vehicle 19 – Fast & The Furious star Paul Walker really loves his car films. In this thriller he plays someone who picks the wrong rental vehicle, one that ties him to a web of corrupt police officers. Facebook page is here; this will be showing at the Empire Leicester Square only.

Village at the End of the World – director Sarah Gavron’s documentary looks at a traditional, dwindling community in remote Greenland and the pressures impacting on it and its inhabitants. The official website is here; it will be showing at these key cities.

And on Thursday 16 May…

The Great Gatsby – Baz Luhrmann’s long anticipated adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic critique of America during the roaring twenties, has a dream cast with Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Tobey Maguire as Nick. The official UK site is here; the film will be showing all over the UK.

21 and Over – From the writers of The Hangover, so it follows that drinking excessively is integral to the plot. Is cinema staggering toward a new genre, ‘The Pissup’? Two college guys who are already 21 take their medical student friend out to celebrate his 21st, even though he has an important interview the very next day. The official Tumblr site, while fun, aggravatingly doesn’t tell you any details about the movie, so go to Wikipedia here. Showing nationwide.

All Stars (3D) –  kiddytastic dance movie, part Glee, part Grange Hill, in which a group of kids put on a show to help save their local youth centre. Featuring Girls Aloud’s Kimberly Walsh. Showing nationwide; the official Vertigo Films website is here.

Cimpanzee – I highlighted an interesting Guardian article about film’s such as this last week. Directed by the BBC’s former Natural History Unit maestro’s Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, this docudrama follows a young chimp who is left alone after a confrontation with a rival chimpanzee gang. Disney’s official site is here; the film will be showing all over the UK.

Come Out and Play – Mexican horror, a little like Village of the Damned, in which two soon-to-be parents take a holiday to an island where there are only children. Obviously, there’s something not quite right about them. The Facebook page is here, but it will only be showing on a limited run.

Dead Man Down – Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star in this thriller as two people drawn together by their desire for revenge. Terrence Howard and Dominic Cooper round off the star cast in this American debut for Niels Arden Oplev, the director of the original Girl With a Dragon Tattoo. This will be showing nationwide and the official website is here.

Dragon – Donnie Yen stars in this martial arts thriller about a reformed gang lord on the run and the detective who will stop at nothing to bring him down. Facebook page is here; the film will be shown on a limited run only.

Eye of the Storm – another article I picked up recently was an interview, again in The Guardian, with iconic Australian actress Judy Davis. She spoke about her role in this as Charlotte Rampling’s strange daughter who teams up with brother Geoffrey Rush to get their hands on their vast inheritance. If anything, it shows that these actors are continuing to make interesting cinematic choices. The official site is here; details of UK screenings are here.

Gimme the Loot – Bronx set drama in which two Graffiti artists embark on a journey to raise the funds to spray a New York landmark. The official site is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.

It’s Such a Beautiful Day – Don Hertzfeldt has been one of the world’s most inventive animator’s, making beguiling and sardonic line-drawing animations for nearly 20 years. This is his feature length debut. Showing at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London only; screening dates and times are here.

I’m So Excited – Pedro Almodovar is in danger of becoming the Spanish Woody Allen; all that early fame and talent fading into nothing more than light, fluffy efforts as he enters his twilight years. This effort, described by himself as a light, very light comedy, is set on a plane and features cameos from Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas. Official Facebook page is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.

Robosapien – no, not a futuristic horror, but even more horrific, if merchandising cash-ins get your gooseflesh going. This is a live-action/animated film based on the titular toy. Robbie Coleman and Penelope Ann Miller star. The official Facebook page is here and it will, mercifully, be showing at key cities only.

And on Thursday 9 May…

Star Trek: Into Darkness – director J.J. Abrahms’ follow-up to his reinvigorating take on the old Trekkie format sees the crew of the Enterprise returning to Earth only to find that someone has decimated their fleet and left the world in crisis. It’s up to them to hunt down the man responsible. The official UK site is here; it will, of course, be showing at every cinema up and down the country.

The ABCs of Death – 26 directors tell 26 different stories about ways to die in this disjointed and distinctly odd looking horror/drama. The official site is here; there are details of what cinemas are showing it here.

Bernie – comedy starring Jack Black as the nicest man in town who meets  Shirley MacLaine, the meanest woman who ever lived and sets about trying to make her happy. But when she is found dead, could the eternally optimistic Bernie have done the deed the whole town wanted to commit? Matthew McConaughey co-stars for director Richard Linklater. The official website is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

In the Fog – interesting, if intense sounding, Russian drama about an innocent who is caught up in events during WWII and is forced to become a hero as events and history escalate around him. The official site is here; it will be showing at key cities only.

The Look of Love – lots of publicity around this biopic of Paul Raymond, the owner of the SoHo Review Bar, the first venue to show full frontal nudity in the UK, but who would probably choke on his Martini if he saw what you could download on your lap-top these days. Steve Coogan plays Raymond, Anna Friel is his wife and Michael Winterbottom, who also directed Coogan in 24 Hour Party People, handles the megaphone chores. Official Facebook page is here; the film should be playing in most places across the UK.

Lords of Salem – speaking of odd films, here is another, from director Rob Zombie. A radio station DJ (Sheri Moon Zombie, the director’s wife) is given a box containing a record from the ‘Lords of Salem’. After playing it, she starts going mad…but is it the Lords returning for revenge on her modern day town of Salem? Co-starring Bruce Davison and Judy Geeson, the official site is here and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it will only be showing on a limited run.

Scarecrow – Jerry Schatzberg’s 70’s classic sees Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman as a couple of losers and the oddball characters they meet as they realise Hackman’s dream of setting up his own car wash. The official Park Circus website is here and the film will be showing at key cities only.

White Elephant – inspired by the true story of Argentinian Priest Father Mugica, this film follows his fight, along with a fellow priest and a social worker, to help the residents of a Favela. The official Axiom Films site is here; the film will be showing at key cities only.