What to watch in cinemas this week | Jan. 23–29
Kneecap, Presence, and The Count of Monte-Cristo.
Each week I provide a somewhat-curated list of films to see in cinemas. Meant as more of a resource than weekly essay, you can refer to this series whenever you feel like going to the movies. Also, can check out previous weeks’ selections because those films might still be in theaters.
Note: I have two non-weekly In Cinemas posts in the pipeline, one on recent films about Palestinians and the other about the validity of an international order managing climate policy. I know you needed some content to lighten the mood a bit re: American and German elections. You’re welcome.
Recommendation of the week
Kneecap (Rich Peppiatt)
ag breathnú iontach agus leanann sé leis an téama 'Déanaimis an Ghaeilge Mór Arís' atá le feiceáil i roinnt scannán le déanaí (An Cailín Ciúin). Tá sceitimíní orm Michael Fassbender a fheiceáil ag labhairt ceann dá thrí theanga dhúchais (nó mar sin?). Chéadléiríodh é ag Sundance anuraidh, ansin eisíodh é sna pictiúrlanna i bhformhór na margadh i lár an tsamhraidh sular shroich sé lár na hEorpa ar deireadh.
Plot bio: When fate brings Belfast teacher JJ into the orbit of self-confessed ‘low life scum’ Naoise and Liam Og, the needle drops on a hip hop act like no other. Rapping in their native Irish, they lead a movement to save their mother tongue.
Americans can watch this on Netflix.
The trailer looks cool 👇
American releases
Presence (Steven Soderbergh)
is written by David Koepp (Spider-Man, Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, the last two Indiana Jones, etc.) and stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, and West Mulholland (the person). If Soderbergh’s name alone won’t convince you to see this, I’m not sure what else could—and not in a “you should know who he is” way, but more in a “his current mode of production is such that I can’t make a convincing, terse case” way. Otherwise, it’s a horror film, so you might like that?
Plot bio: A family becomes convinced they are not alone after moving into their new home in the suburbs.
No German release date yet.
German releases
The Count of Monte-Cristo (Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte)
follows the 11th-time’s-a-charm rule—and that’s only films with the exact title. Released at Cannes last year, and playing theatrically in most regions, this adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ novel is a throwback to earlier modes of classic adaptations. A no-nonsense Samuel Goldwyn Films distribution, which also distributed the directors’ two-parter of The Three Musketeers.
Plot bio: Edmond Dantes becomes the target of a sinister plot and is arrested on his wedding day for a crime he did not commit. After 14 years in the island prison of Château d’If, he manages a daring escape. Now rich beyond his dreams, he assumes the identity of the Count of Monte-Cristo and exacts his revenge on the three men who betrayed him.
Thank you once again for checking out my Substack. Hit the like button at the top or the bottom of this page to like this entry, and use the share and/or res-stack buttons to share this across social media. Leave a comment below if the mood strikes you to do so. And don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t done so already.