PLANNING ON HEADING to the cinema this weekend?

There are a few new movies out, but which is a must-watch, and are there any you should avoid?

 We take a look.

Crazy Rich Asians

What we know

Based on the bestselling novel, this is about a couple who fall in love in the US, and travel to Singapore for a wedding. It turns out that the groom-to-be is wildly rich and is a member of a wealthy dynasty. Notable because this is a big-budget rom-com with an all-Asian cast, something of an unfortunate rarity in Hollywood. 

What the critics say

• “Crazy Rich Asians isn’t big on subtlety and wants to overturn just one cliche: that rich people are bad. But, with a mostly all-Asian cast, it’s a corrective to the Hollywood racism that decrees Asian characters can only be shown fleetingly, if at all, and then mostly in subservient roles.” – The Guardian
• “It’s got a terrific cast, glamorous locations, witty jokes, and a story with a lot of heart. And on top of all that, it may actually succeed in proving to Hollywood that both Asian-centered stories and romantic comedies deserve much more attention.” – Vox

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 7.7/10
• IMDB: 7.6/10

A Mother Brings Her Son To Be Shot

What we know

This documentary, written and directed by Sinéad O’Shea, is about Creggan in Co Derry. It centres on the story of a family where the mother brought her son to be shot by paramilitary groups, and explores why she did it, the impact it had on the family, and the harsh realities of living in Creggan.

What the critics say

• “Sinead O’Shea’s gripping film, five years in the making, is so engrossed in the nuances and shadings of the life of one Derry family that there is leeway to make your own mind up.” – RTÉ
• “The work is palpably more rough-edged and, even still, unfinished, but it’s a work of considerable gumption as O’Shea returns to this family over and over again in an attempt to finish her story.” – Screen Daily

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: No rating yet
• IMDB: 7.5/10

The Rider

What we know

Chloé Zhao’s film is about Brady, a rodeo champion who finds his career is cut short when he suffers a head injury. We follow the fallout from this catastrophic event and how he copes with his changed life.

What the critics say

• “The connection between men and horses is one of the most enduring themes in cinema, if an increasingly abstract and nostalgic one. But Zhao’s framing of Brady’s story is unmistakably contemporary; she gets so close up that the screen practically exudes the smell of hay and sweat.” – Vulture
• “Ms. Zhao’s commitment to her craft — she knows how to take care and when to take risks — matches Brady’s. She has an eye for landscape and an acute sensitivity to the nuances of storytelling, a bold, exacting vision that makes “The Rider” exceptional among recent American regional-realist films.” – New York Times

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 8.4/10
• IMDB: 7.5/10

Which one would you go see first?

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