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Newsweek
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 to Watch This Fall
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors If you want to scare yourself silly, you're in the right place. This article lists the ten best horror movies of 2025, from the year's earliest release to the latest fright-fest currently terrifying audiences. There's gore aplenty in "Final Destination: Bloodlines", eerie chills in "Weapons", and more low-key intensity in A24's "Bring Her Back." Whatever you watch, it's sure to stay with you. The iconic poster for Weapons The iconic poster for Weapons Warner Bros. Pictures That's without even mentioning the highest-rated entry on this list, which has a massive 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. The list in this feature is ranked by score from worst to best. It also includes where you can watch it, whether streaming it at home or catching it at the cinema. However, for a quick and easy bullet point list, check below. What are the Best Horror Movies of 2025? Here is a list of the best horror movies that released in 2025, along with their Rotten Tomatoes score. M3GAN 2.0 : 58% : 58% The Gorge : 62% : 62% Dangerous Animals : 74% : 74% The Monkey : 78% : 78% Bring Her Back : 79% : 79% Final Destination: Bloodlines : 93% : 93% 28 Years Later : 92% : 92% Companion : 94% : 94% Descendent : 90% : 90% Sinners: 97% 10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 M3GAN 2.0 Rotten Tomatoes : 58% : 58% Cast : Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jemaine Clement, Brian Jordan Alvarez : Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jemaine Clement, Brian Jordan Alvarez Where to Watch: Available on digital platforms starting July 15, 2025 (Amazon) The Gorge Rotten Tomatoes : 62% : 62% Cast : Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller, Sigourney Weaver : Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller, Sigourney Weaver Where to Watch: Apple TV+ Dangerous Animals Rotten Tomatoes : 74% : 74% Cast : Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Jai Courtney : Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Jai Courtney Where to Watch: Shudder The Monkey Rotten Tomatoes : 77% : 77% Cast : Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy : Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy Where to Watch: Hulu Bring Her Back Rotten Tomatoes : 79% : 79% Cast : Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Sally Hawkins : Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Sally Hawkins Where to Watch: Platform TBD Final Destination: Bloodlines Rotten Tomatoes : 93% : 93% Cast : Tony Todd, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones : Tony Todd, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones Where to Watch: HBO Max 28 Years Later Rotten Tomatoes : 92% : 92% Cast : Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams : Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams Where to Watch: Available on digital platforms starting June 21, 2025 Companion Rotten Tomatoes : 94% : 94% Cast : Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage : Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage Where to Watch: HBO Max Descendent Rotten Tomatoes : 90% : 90% Cast : Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger, Charlene Amoia, Dan O'Brien, Andrea Susan Wilder : Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger, Charlene Amoia, Dan O'Brien, Andrea Susan Wilder Where to Watch: Available on digital platforms starting August 15, 2025 Sinners
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Unrated Version Of ‘M3GAN 2.0' New On Streaming This Week
Allison Williams in "M3GAN 2.0." An unrated version of 'M3GAN 2.0,' the sequel to the 2022 hit horror thriller, is new on digital streaming this week. The PG-13 version of M3GAN 2.0 opened in theaters on June 27. The summary for the film reads, 'When an autonomous android (Ivanna Sakhno) engineered to be the ultimate weapon threatens M3GAN's beloved Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN convinces her creator, Gemma (Allison Williams), to give her a glow-up that makes the original AI diva even deadlier. 'Armed with wild new upgrades and her same iconic attitude, M3GAN claps back against the wannabe techno-terror in a fierce faceoff to crown the baddest bot built for maximum mayhem.' Directed by Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN 2.0 also stars Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp and Jemaine Clement. Universal Studios Home Entertainment announced on Monday that the unrated version of M3GAN 2.0 will be released on Tuesday, July 15. The film will be available for purchase or rent on digital streaming via premium on demand on such platforms as Apple TV, Fandango at Home Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Microsoft Movies & TV and Prime Video. The unrated version of M3GAN 2.0 will only be available for consumers who purchase the film on PVOD, which costs $24.99. USHE noted in a press release that the unrated version of M3GAN 2.0 is 'upgraded with enhanced kills, deleted scenes and more blood and carnage, see the unrated version that was too gruesome for theaters.' The PG-13 version will be available for rent on PVOD. Since digital rentals are generally $5 less than purchase prices, consumers can expect to rent M3GAN 2.0 for $19.99 for a 48-hour period. 'M3GAN 2.0' Purchasers Will Also Get Bonus Features According to USHE, consumers who purchase M3GAN 2.0 on PVOD will not only get the unrated version of the film, but the following bonus featurettes: Total Upgrade: Making M3GAN 2.0 - Equipped with some killer upgrades, the team that unleashed M3GAN returns. Cast and crew take you through the artistry and craftsmanship that went into building a bigger, badder, and bloodier sequel. Droid DNA - Unveil M3GAN 2.0 as she prepares to tackle rogue military asset Amelia. Go behind the scenes and see the puppetry, technology, and animatronics that brought these deadly droids to life. The Art of Slaying - The cast and stunt team discuss creating and executing the film's most explosive and gruesome action sequences. Special effects and prop teams go into the gory details that make up the guts of the film. Scene Breakdown: Embrace AI Convention - From a dance battle to a blood fest, this breakdown will show how each department worked together to create this epic and deadly sequence. M3GAN 2.0 is new on PVOD on Tuesday.
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AI Thriller ‘M3GAN 2.0' Gets Streaming Date, Report Says
"M3GAN 2.0" partial poster. M3GAN 2.0, the sequel to the 2022 horror hit M3GAN, is coming soon to digital streaming. M3GAN 2.0 opened in theaters on June 27. The official logline for the film reads, 'Your killer bestie is back! When an autonomous android (Ivanna Sakhno) built as the ultimate weapon threatens her beloved Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN convinces her creator, Gemma (Allison Williams), to give her a glow-up that makes the original AI diva even deadlier. 'Armed with wild new upgrades and her same iconic attitude, M3GAN claps back against the wannabe techno-terror in a fierce faceoff to crown the baddest bot built for maximum mayhem.' Rated PG-13, M3GAN 2.0 is directed by Gerard Johnstone and also stars Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp and Jemaine Clement. M3GAN 2.0 is expected to be released on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday, July 15, according to When to Stream. While When to Stream is typically accurate with its PVOD reports, the streaming tracker noted that the release date has not been announced or confirmed by M3GAN 2.0's studio Universal Pictures and it is subject to change. The film will be available on a variety of digital platforms, including Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video and YouTube. Prime Video and Fandango at Home both have M3GAN 2.0 up for pre-order for $24.99, which is also the film's purchase price. Since PVOD rental prices are typically $5 less than purchase prices, viewers can expect to rent M3GAN 2.0 for $19.99 for 48 hours. How Did Audiences And Critics React To 'M3GAN 2.0'? M3GAN 2.0 has earned $19.2 million domestically and $12.8 million internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $32 million to date. The film had a production budget of $25 million before prints and advertising, according to The Numbers. M3GAN 2.0 earned a 58% 'rotten' rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 205 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads,' M3GAN 2.0 swaps the original's horror software for a more action-leaning programming that doesn't prove to be an upgrade, although the quippy AI remains an amusing mascot of slay.' Audiences had a better response to M3GAN on RT, giving the film an 82% 'fresh' score on the site's Popcornmeter based on 1,000-plus verified user ratings. RT's audience summary for the film reads, 'A full upgrade with a T2 framework, M3GAN 2.0 is a sassy output of camp and chaos that twistedly entertains.' M3GAN 2.0 is expected to debut on PVOD on July 15.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘M3GAN 2.0' Filmmaker Gerard Johnstone Won't Be Surprised If There's 'Another Five of These Movies'
M3GAN 2.0 writer-director Gerard Johnstone believes his sassy killing machine has staying power. When the New Zealander made his major studio debut in January 2023 with M3GAN, he channeled his own parental anxiety regarding the emotional dependence that today's youngest generations have on their devices. In the franchise-launching film that grossed nearly $182 million against $12 million, Cady James (Violet McGraw) lost both her parents in a car accident, prompting her preoccupied roboticist aunt, Gemma Forrester (Allison Williams), to raise her with the help of a prototype android doll named M3GAN. That decision quickly backfires when Cady becomes too reliant on M3GAN. From there, the AI-powered toy proceeds to kill four people (and a dog) in the name of supposedly protecting Cady. More from The Hollywood Reporter How 'M3GAN 2.0' Star Violet McGraw Kicked Off a Wave of Good Fortune for Blumhouse 'M3GAN 2.0' Team on Delivering a "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" Version of Their Killer Dancing AI Robot Box Office Preview: 'F1' to Leave 'M3GAN 2.0' in the Dust With High-Octane $40M-$50M U.S. Opening The critically lauded techno horror-comedy also hit theaters at a time when AI technology, such as ChatGPT, was beginning to take root, and so the 2021-shot film happened to ask many of the same questions that were now being asked in real life. Has this tech been fully baked? How much can we really trust an artificially intelligent entity? Is the human workforce about to become obsolete? Johnstone's sequel, M3GAN 2.0, ventures to explore these very thoughts and concerns, and the filmmaker is of the mind that we do bear some responsibility in how we use AI. 'If [AI] does bad things, is that really because the thing itself is bad? Or is it just because of the way we've trained it?' Johstone tells The Hollywood Reporter in support of M3GAN 2.0's June 27 theatrical release. M3GAN 2.0 underscores that point after a defense contractor acquires M3GAN's leaked source code to create AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a military-grade killer android who immediately defies the U.S. government to go rogue. She begins to target anyone who had anything to do with her creation, forcing Gemma to rebuild a hopefully more reliable M3GAN as humanity's first-and-only line of defense. The plot may seem halfway similar to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but Johnstone insists any such overlap was purely coincidental. 'It's really funny because the comparisons started after the script was written. I thought, 'Yeah, I guess [James] Cameron did it first — like everything else,'' Johnstone says with a laugh. 'But I was really just focused on a redemption arc for M3GAN. I will also say that T2 would be more similar [to M3GAN 2.0] if it was a redemption story for [Arnold Schwarzenegger's] first Terminator from The Terminator. Terminator 2 has a completely different robot.' Whether we like it or not, corporate America is already integrating AI into our society, and many more issues are bound to arise from this rapidly evolving tech. That's partially why Johnstone believes the M3GAN franchise could have a long shelf life. Each subsequent film could explore the latest developments to this still-maturing technology, just as the first two films have done. 'I would not be surprised if there's another five of these movies. So, who knows, maybe I'll come back for the fifth one,' Johstone says. Johnstone may be somewhat level-headed about AI in and of itself, but make no mistake, the current volatility in just about every walk of life has made him particularly nostalgic about the past. 'I am trying not to be a curmudgeon, but I kind of hate this future in so many ways,' Johnstone shares. 'And it's really strange to be a parent in the modern age. You find yourself reminiscing about simpler times all the time, and that was really the impetus for me getting involved in M3GAN in the first place.' Below, during a recent conversation with THR, Johnstone also reflects on the debate around whether to market M3GAN's now-iconic dance in the first movie's trailer, as well as M3GAN 2.0's follow-up dance sequence. *** I once asked James Wan if there was a movie that got away, and he said that the closest example he has to a regret was . He didn't actually pursue it, but he really liked the script at the time. Thus, I can see how your feature directorial debut, , struck a similar chord with him. The tonal juggling act in that film is what ultimately helped you land ? Yeah, I had heard that James was a big fan of Housebound. At the time, I thought it was a really unique premise, but there were a couple of films that had done it. Disturbia is one, and an old Gary Busey film from the '80s is another. Those were the only two with a similar kind of premise. But James was a big fan of mine from the get-go, and it was heartening to have him and his team constantly checking in to see whether or not I would be interested in some of the things that they were developing [including M3GAN]. In 2022, Allison Williams told me that there was a lot of debate about whether to show dancing M3GAN in the first movie's trailer. What do you remember about that back and forth? It's an interesting question when it comes to how you market a film that plays around with tone. Housebound was marketed as a straight horror, and that was a little bit disappointing to me at the time because I felt like people were missing a lot of the comedy that's in here. But it worked out great in a way because the comedy was a little bit of an extra unexpected layer. On the first M3GAN, Universal did something very clever where they marketed the film as a straight horror movie, and with a straight face, they also included the dance as a strange subversion of tone. It was comedy-coded in a way. A lot of people got that and felt, 'Oh, this movie is going to be a little bit camp and goofy.' I also think a lot of people thought the humor in it was going to be unintentional, but when they actually watched the film and realized that a lot of the humor was completely intentional, it worked out great. And had Universal not included that dance, people would not have been able to take that footage and recut it to make M3GAN the cultural icon that she ended up becoming. So there certainly was hesitation and debate, but it was short-lived. It all worked out great. It must've been a big advantage to already know the desired tone going into the sequel, and it actually feels like is more confident in its tone. Did you actually feel more sure of yourself since you knew what the audience responded to in the last film? There's a little bit of that, but it's also that I have more confidence in myself as a director. I had more confidence in how to stage certain things, and knowing how important prep is, we assembled a really incredible team that upped the stakes. We were given the summer blockbuster slot, and we just felt like we had to live up to that. We might not have the budget of Terminator 2, but we didn't let that stop us. We just thought we had to deliver, and so that's really what we did. A lot of the film has to be pre-planned, but we also knew that we'd come back to New Zealand for reshoots. The icing on the cake in a lot of those sequences is really done in reshoots. You have your first go at it, and you get everything you hope you can get within that schedule, but you're always missing key pieces. So you get to go back and finesse, and getting those little bonuses and extra bits is always my favorite part of the process. The assumption is that you took a page out of 's playbook by having M3GAN defend the heroes against a greater robotic threat. Was actually your inspiration? Or are there only so many directions one can go? I think it's more the latter. It's really funny because the comparisons started after the script was written. I can't remember who the first person was to mention T2, but I thought, 'Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess [James] Cameron did it first — like everything else.' (Laughs.) But I was really just focused on a redemption arc for M3GAN. I will also say that T2 would be more similar [to M3GAN 2.0] if it was a redemption story for [Arnold Schwarzenegger's] first Terminator from The Terminator. That's the key difference. Terminator 2 has a completely different robot. He has to learn certain things, but he's been programmed to protect from the get-go. M3GAN 2.0 is about a machine that we think of as malevolent, but then we do a deeper dive. As much as it's a redemption story for M3GAN, it's also a reckoning for ourselves as human beings and as parents of AI who brought this technology into the world. We have to contend with our role in creating this. If it does bad things, is that really because the thing itself is bad? Or is it just because of the way we've trained it? In December 2022, I asked Allison, Jason Blum and James Wan a bunch of AI questions without realizing that it would soon dominate the larger conversation, especially during the industry strikes throughout 2023. Did the public's deeper awareness of AI make this script a lot more complicated to write? Well, in a way, it helped us come up with a good reason for doing this movie. M3GAN was all about iPads and devices, and how pervasive they are in terms of modern-age parenting. And at the same time the movie was coming out, ChatGPT was coming out, and so many of the things that M3GAN was doing in the movie didn't seem so ridiculous anymore. So it just made the idea of doing a sequel so much more relevant because AI itself is everywhere. M3GAN 2.0 is a morality tale about our relationship to AI and exploration of that. And in a way, M3GAN is a mouthpiece for AI itself to say what it thinks and feels. Everyone's talking about the idea of AI having consciousness, and at the time, that was a big thing. People were having conversations with ChatGPT, and we thought, 'Shit, it's already happened.' But this movie also explores the idea of whether or not that's even possible, whether consciousness is even real, whether M3GAN is self-aware or if she's actually just an incredibly advanced operating system that's following one objective. So I thought that was really interesting, especially when you put it through the lens of a character like Cady [Violet McGraw], who really wishes that M3GAN did have a conscience. Gemma [Allison Williams] believes that she doesn't, and it's a way to accept what she did [to create her] and to not feel guilt over it. If we think of AI as a real living thing, then it would be a lot harder for Gemma to accept her role as her creator. Yeah, I remember ChatGPT and AI art had just become a thing right before the release of the first movie, but I thought AI was still this niche product that was still years and years away. But the pace moved much quicker than anyone ever expected, and I have to imagine that impacted your writing process. Well, you're always worried, and I was like, 'As long as the world still exists by the time this movie comes out and the singularity hasn't happened and AI hasn't taken over, the world, we'll be good.' But it did seem like there was just this incredible burst of progress with AI. believes that the onus is ultimately on us in terms of how we use AI, but the Silicon Valley types who are investing billions into it don't seem to be the most empathetic bunch. I'm not convinced they're being 'good parents' to AI. Are you less doom and gloom than I am about where we're headed? I think I'm somewhere in the middle. These movies have always been a cautionary tale for those people in Silicon Valley who are all about moving fast and breaking things. They're just all about progress and legacy: 'I want to be the first to make this breakthrough without really thinking about the repercussions.' I am trying not to be a curmudgeon, but I kind of hate this future in so many ways. I hate that I can't just turn on the TV so my kids can just watch a cartoon like Thunderbirds. Instead, we argue about what's on streaming or YouTube. There's some good things on YouTube, but there's a hell of a lot of junk. So they just end up watching the same thing over and over again, and it's really strange to be a parent in the modern age. You find yourself reminiscing about simpler times all the time, and that was really the impetus for me getting involved in M3GAN in the first place. At the same time, I do think AI is capable of incredible things, and that's the interesting debate. If AI can cure cancer, then, absolutely, let's put all we can into AI and those kinds of technologies. But when AI starts taking away jobs and creative jobs, that sucks, obviously. Was there a point where you had to sit Violet McGraw down and say, 'So this is who Steven Seagal is'? (Laughs.) There was, and it was as awkward as you might imagine. I need to catch up with Violet to see if there's been any further progress on her relationship with young Steven Seagal. But I pretty much had to walk her through some of his movies and what was cool about him at the time and just the way he carried himself. He'd give this look where he narrows his eyes like a hawk, and we practiced that a lot. (Note: The next question and answer pertains to a story point that is in the final trailer for , but if you've yet to watch it, you may want to skip ahead for optimal enjoyment.) Your Blumhouse stablemate, Leigh Whannell, isn't interested in making an sequel, so I'm glad you smuggled one into this using Allison's character. Did she appreciate a more physical role on this go-round? Absolutely. Allison is a great student, and when you give her a challenge, she wants to be an A-plus student. So she trained every day, and she did as much of it as she could. I was really impressed with the way she carried herself and how she pulled off a lot of this stuff. It's really difficult, especially when she's got to sub in for a stunt double who's been doing this for years and has muscle memory. But the way Allison would run into a room or leap to grab a gun, you could see all of that training kicking in, suddenly. So I used to joke with her that she makes a surprisingly adequate action star. The sketch that came out in January 2023 was titled 'M3GAN 2.0.' So do you have to thank for the title of your sequel? (Laughs.) I think we must. The decision to call it M3GAN 2.0 was made even before I was officially back on board. But it does seem like there are a lot of SNL fans [within the M3GAN brain trust], both myself and on the Universal side of things. So it was an amazing moment for me to see M3GAN's stamp on culture, and the culmination of that was seeing her in that SNL sketch. As a huge fan, it was a real pinch-me moment. Did you make M3GAN taller because her physical performer, Amie Donald, is also taller now? Yeah, a little bit. Amie is such an integral part of the creation and execution of M3GAN, and it just felt right [to accommodate her new height]. The other side of it was that Violet is also growing, and if M3GAN is somewhere between a best friend and a parent to Cady, it doesn't make sense for her to be shorter than Cady. Was there a lot more consideration as to what dance she'd do this time? Absolutely. Her dancing was such a massive part of the first movie, so I wanted to give audiences the pleasure of seeing her dance again, but in a really unexpected way. There were a few different ideas floated at once, and I was like, 'How can I make a dance-off?' I was going to have AMELIA dance to distract M3GAN, and she was going to be like, 'Oh, man, she used my own trick against me.' But her being a robot that's dressed in a [human's] robot costume — and is then forced to take part in this dance, reluctantly — that felt like the best way to do it in the end. Did you cast Ivanna Sakhno as AMELIA based on her breakout role in ? Yeah, I've got boys who are 10 and 12, and we watch all of those Star Wars shows. As soon as I saw her on that show, I thought, 'We need someone like that for AMELIA.' So I went about finding someone that has that same level of intensity and whatever alchemy that Ivanna brings, but I just couldn't see it anywhere else. She's very unique. So, in the end, casting said, 'Why don't we just bring her in?' (Laughs.) She then won everyone over; she's perfect for the role. So I absolutely have Ahsoka to thank for her casting. If you had to, could you pitch tomorrow? (Laughs.) No, I couldn't, and the reason is because I just put every single idea I had into M3GAN 2.0. In success, is everybody open to a proper trilogy? Yeah, but I would not be surprised if there's another five of these movies. So, who knows, maybe I'll come back for the fifth one. Lastly, my colleague reported on a U.S. remake of a decade ago. How far did that iteration advance? It never got past the script stage, and I never saw that script. But I'm torn because a couple of people have brought it up recently, and I would love to see what that film could be. We made my film for $200K, so there's a part of me that's curious to see what it would like if it was given a budget. I think certain aspects of the design and some of the characters could really benefit from that. But at the same time, the fact that it hasn't happened means that our version of the film still exists for people to dig up. So, in that way, I'm at peace with it. I still think about its reveal from time to time. Well, maybe you shouldn't let me give it away in this interview. (Laughs.) I'm being purposefully vague, and I've already cut a reference you made earlier that gives it away. Great! I need to be better at not spoiling my own work. ***M3GAN 2.0 opens June 27 in movie theaters nationwide. 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Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Killer dolls and Brexit zombies – what to watch and do this week
Part of the appeal of the 2023 horror flick, M3gan, was that its titular antagonist managed to be two of the scariest villains of the genre in one – a killer robot, and a child's doll come to life. After nine-year-old Cady (Violet McGraw) tragically lost her parents, her roboticist aunt Gemma (Allison Williams of Get Out fame) brought M3gan home to help her niece with the traumatic transition. M3gan was to be Cady's teacher, playmate and above all, protector. In classic horror style, she soon embarked on a murderous rampage in the name of 'protecting' her ward. The film was an instant cult hit, dubbed a 'camp classic' thanks to M3gan's TikTok dance moves and determination to destroy the nuclear family. In M3gan 2, in cinemas from today, the filmmakers have leaned into that campiness even more. But, as horror expert Adam Daniel explains that doesn't completely neutralise the terror. Instead, it reformulates it, offering a cathartic release that makes the subject matter more digestible. Read more: If you're looking for more traditional jump scares, 28 Years Later has you covered. Danny Boyle has returned to the franchise with this instant-classic of the zombie genre, which muses on both post-Brexit Britain and our collective experiences of the COVID pandemic. In this film, Europe has contained a 'rage virus' to Britain. There are French boats on quarantine patrols, Swedish soldiers mocking remaining mainlanders and St George's flags burning. For COVID storytelling expert Lucyl Harrison: 'The film ushers in a new age of 'Vi-Fi'' (that's virus fiction) 'without succumbing to pulpy pandemic storytelling'. Ralph Fiennes offers a typically strong performance as the 'mad' Dr Kelson, the only person determined to commemorate the virus's ever-mounting dead. Read more: I confess, I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to horror. So, I'll need to follow up any zombie fare with something a little more comforting. My choice for this week is The Ballad of Wallis Island, which romcom giant Richard Curtis has dubbed 'one of the great British films of all time'. It takes place on the fictional Wallis Island, home to millionaire Charles (Tim Key), an almost obsessive fan of former folk-rock duo played by Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan. Invited to the island to play a private gig, they must face their musical and romantic past, all under the gaze of an ecstatic Charles. The film was made in just 18 days on a tight budget in a typical Welsh summer – a doctor was on hand to stop the actors getting hypothermia when they filmed in the sea. It reminded our reviewer of another British comedy classic, Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies, with its breadcrumb trail of slipped in details that provide laughter in the moment but which return to make the audience think twice. Read more: When Poor Things won the Golden Globe for best picture last year, director Yorgos Lanthimos thanked everybody, from the cast and crew to his hero Bruce Springsteen. But one person who didn't get a mention was Alasdair Gray, the Scottish artist and writer who wrote the novel the film was based on. Now Gray is rightly being celebrated at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The unseen paintings in the new show Alasdair Gray: Works from the Morag McAlpine Bequest come from a donation of works he made after the death of his wife in 2014. Highlights of the show include his original artwork for his novel Poor Things and the streetscape Gray called 'my best big oil painting', depicting Cowcaddens in Glasgow. Read more: Pride month is coming to an end, but you can enjoy the movies in our Hidden Gems of Queer Cinema series year round. These articles highlight brilliant films that should be more widely known and firmly part of the canon of queer cinema. I'd particularly recommend Saving Face (2004), complicated romcom that tenderly depicts the experiences of queer Asian people. Read more: Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
