What's On?: Your weekly guide to the latest cinema and video streaming entertainment
Cinema
Evil Dead Rise
FANS of the Sam Raimi classic will not be disappointed in this gloriously OTT and intense reboot of the beloved Evil Dead franchise as director Lee Cronin puts his own devilish spin on the series.
Leaving behind the cursed cabin in woods from the previous movies, the action here is set in a dingy LA apartment block and sees two unfortunate sisters stumble upon the long lost third volume of the Necronomicon, aka The Book Of The Dead. As you'd expect, all hell literally breaks loose when they open the book and gaze upon its blood-soaked pages filled with dark incantations and curses. Evil Dead Rise is a masterclass in bone-cracking, demented horror and promises more to come with an ending that opens up the franchise to more twisted possibilities. Do not miss it!
A Thousand and One
A powerful drama ignited by a strong lead performance from the excellent Teyana Taylor, A Thousand and One is the type of film that sucks you in and lingers longingly in your mind, long after viewing.
Taylor is truly magnificent as single mother Inez, who has just been released from prison and immediately sets out to find her son Terry who is in foster care. Unwilling to leave Terry behind, she kidnaps him and sets out to make a fresh start for the both, all amid the changing social landscape of New York City. It's a gripping story, finely directed and boasting exquisite performances. Give this one a go if you're looking for a quality drama this weekend.
Missing
A serviceable thriller with a great premise and a strong cast, Missing tells the story of one teenager's valiant efforts to track down her mother when she goes missing on vacation.
Storm Reid plays June, a normal girl whose life is turned upside down when her mum disappears into thin air when visiting Colombia with her new partner. Unable to get any help from the local authorities, June begins an online investigation in an attempt to track her mother down. Smart and inventive, this is one thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Netflix
The Diplomat
A charged political thriller that's sure to appeal to fans of Borgen and The Newsroom, The Diplomat comes from the creative mind of Debora Cahn, best known for enduringly popular political TV shows The West Wing and Homeland.
Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler, a new US ambassador to the UK who soon finds that navigating the choppy waters of international politics is not for the faint of heart. With a great cast and some gripping storylines, this is a new series that's well worth a go if you enjoy political thrillers dripping with scandal, danger and intrigue.
Amazon Prime Video
Dead Ringers
A superbly twisted reimagining of the 1988 David Cronenberg movie which starred Jeremy Irons, the excellent Rachel Weisz takes on the role here of identical twins Elliot and Beverly Mantle, who both share an unbreakable and slightly disturbing bond.
Successful doctors, the twins live a lavish lifestyle, but their success in their careers has lead them to become vacant, hollow beings with very different desires, passions and outlooks on life. If this is half as complex and challenging as Cronenberg's film, then we are in for a darkly seductive treat with this one.
