Best Films to Watch in London This Week

Out and about this weekend? Fancy a film but can't make your mind up what to see? Look no further: we’ve assembled the best of what’s on in London and gathered them here to make choosing a great movie as easy as possible. Whether it's an experimental classic back on the big screen or a black comedy about “Stockholm Syndrome” starring Ethan Hawke and a terrible wig, Walloh has you covered. No need to thank us.

 

Toy Story 4

Toy Story 3 did the seemingly impossible when it hit cinemas back in 2010, capping off a beloved series in a way that felt both definitive and perfect. News that Toy Story 4 was in the works only served to send Pixar fans into a state of shock, though: how could you improve upon perfection, after all? Quell your fears: Toy Story 4 is here and – against the odds – it's actually good, a film that somehow manages to improve the ending of its predecessor whilst also existing as arguably the strangest movie the studio have ever produced. As Woody, Buzz, and the gang head out to rescue new “toy” Forky, Toy Story 4 deals with everything from existentialism to the nature of consciousness. Who said this was a franchise for kids?

Get Toy Story 4 showtimes in London.

 

Do the Right Thing

Spike Lee's incendiary comedy-drama, set in Brooklyn on the “hottest day of the year,” is a sweltering masterpiece of brewing racial tension. This wasn't Lee's debut feature, but it was the film that brought his talents to widespread attention. Set over the course of a single day, Do the Right Thing follows the exploits of Mookie (played by Lee himself), a pizza delivery man who is drawn into an escalating conflict between his boss (Danny Aiello) and the community. Lee has made lots of great films since this one, but it's fair to say has never topped the heights he reached here: thirty years later and the heat is still palpable.

Get Do the Right Thing showtimes in London.

 

The Captor

If you've ever wondered where the term “Stockholm Syndrome” comes from, this is the movie for you. Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace star as captor and captive in this slight but sexy film from Canadian filmmaker Robert Budreau. Hawke, who now spends his time alternating between rom-coms, schlocky B-movies, and arthouse fare, throws himself into the role of real-life Swedish robber Jan-Erik Olsson (complete with bad wig), whilst Rapace, playing bank teller Bianca, is slowly enamoured by his charms. A darkly funny romp that doesn't take itself too seriously, The Captor is worth seeing for Hawke's audacious lead performance alone.

Get The Captor showtimes in London.

 

Gloria Bell

As if you needed an excuse to go and see Julianne Moore in anything, Gloria Bell arrives as yet another testament to her endless talent. A remake of Chilean film Gloria (and helmed by the same director, reworking his own material), Gloria Bell puts us in the company of the titular divorcee, a fifty-something whose upbeat attitude is admirable and love of dancing is contagious. Those expecting something low-key based on the title might be surprised at what they find here: Gloria Bell features one of Moore's best ever performances, and – as Gloria navigates work, family, and new love with John Turturro's bachelor – offers an honest take on middle-aged relationships that's neither simplistic or pandering. Plus, few films can top the pure joy of watching Moore hit the dancedfloor. Which she does here. Lots.

Get Gloria Bell showtimes in London.

 

We the Animals

Taking its cues from the earthly works of Terrence Malick, and adapted from an '80s novel of the same name, We the Animals hones in on the lives of three young boys who – cursed and blessed with unpredictable parents – are left to fend for themselves in upstate New York. Narrated by and starring the brilliant first-time actor Evan Rosado, a natural performer if ever there was one, there is a magical realist element to this film; if you've seen Beasts of the Southern Wild you'll know what to expect, as the luscious camerawork gives the whole thing a poetic quality. Given this is director Jeremiah Zaga's debut work, there are few bumpy moments, but we can expect great things in the future. Beauty and despair on celluloid.

Get We the Animals showtimes in London.

 

The Garden

Derek Jarman directs this strange and nearly wordless “visual poem,” which is now back at the BFI for an extended run. Featuring a pre-famous Tilda Swinton, it's an elemental force of a film that – now restored in beautiful 4K – deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. An experimental work in every sense, Jarman combines a number of stories – some personal, some political – to create an absorbing tapestry of images. If you're unfamiliar with Jarman's idiosyncratic work, The Garden is the perfect place to get acquainted.

Get The Garden showtimes in London.

 

Mari

Real-life dancer Bobbi Jene Smith gives a raw and committed performance in Mari, a dance-infused drama in which she plays a very troubled and very pregnant woman in her thirties. Written and directed by first-timer Georgia Parris, Mari makes up for its low budget with high levels of ambition. The story concerns both birth and death: Charlotte is pregnant, but her grandmother is also dying. Mari explores the extent to which these milestones shape and change both Charlotte and her family dynamic, whilst she uses dance as a means of solace. It's the sort of confident debut that mark Parris as a British filmmaker to keep an eye on.

Get Mari showtimes in London.

 

Diego Maradona

The third in Asif Kapadia's trilogy “about child geniuses and fame,” it's hard to imagine a better subject than Diego Maradona. As one of the most beloved footballers of all time, his skill with a ball, coupled with the endless off-the-pitch antics, made him a true icon. But there's no denying just how strange Maradona was, and this documentary – though certainly empathetic – attempts to grapple with just that. Constructed in the same style as Kapadia's previous docs, Senna and Amy, using archive footage intercut with modern day interviews, Diego Maradona covers the epic rise and turbulent fall, his early childhood through to that infamous “Hand of God” moment in 1986. It's fascinating and gripping – though for our money, Kapadia should have just called it Maradona. This guy doesn't need a first name.

Get Diego Maradona showtimes in London.

 

Dirty God

The English-language debut from Dutch filmmaker Sacha Polak, Dirty God explores the plight of a woman trying to get her life back together in the wake of an acid attack. Raw, affecting, and echoing the work of Andrea Arnold, it also stars real-life burn victim Vicky Knight as Jade, a single mum living on a council estate in Hackney. The story is simple: we follow Jade, fresh out of hospital, as she navigates her old life in a bid to find a new one. Given Knight's personal history, her performance lends the film a real sense of authenticity; we can feel her channelling her inner pain and frustration. The result is a hard-hitting work with a lot to say not only about disfigurement, but London life. Knight proves she's a talent to watch.

Get Dirty God showtimes in London.