The Must-See Movies To Add To Your Watch List

A wistful meditation on creativity, aging and recognition, this literary drama stars Willem Dafoe as a forgotten poet who is unexpectedly rediscovered by a younger generation of New York artists. Among them is the enigmatic Gloria, played by Greta Lee, whose fascination with his work pulls him back into a world he thought he had left behind. First unveiled at the Venice Film Festival, this drama is elegant, moving and beautifully observed. In cinemas from August 7 (US) and August 28 (UK)

The post-apocalyptic genre has a soulful makeover in this literary adaptation, directed by Ridley Scott. Jacob Elordi stars as a grieving pilot navigating a world ravaged by a deadly pandemic, finding solace in the company of his beloved dog while searching for signs of other survivors. With an enviable supporting cast including Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin, expect a haunting blend of survival thriller and aching human drama. In cinemas from August 28

We’ve seen other movies – like The Purge – tackle the premise of one ruleless night. But far from its body-horror predecessors, One Night Only’s 12-hour period of ungoverned promise is funny and romantic. A comedy from director Will Gluck, set in a heightened version of New York, the film follows two unlucky-in-love strangers, played by Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, whose paths keep crossing as they search for something deeper than a fleeting connection. Charming, chaotic and packed with downtown cool, it might just be the romcom of the summer. In cinemas from August 7 (US) and August 28 (UK)

Cult American filmmaker Gregg Araki (the man behind the ’90s Teen Apocalypse Trilogy) returns with one of the year’s most talked-about erotic thrillers. Starring Olivia Wilde as a provocative artist who recruits a much younger man (Cooper Hoffman) as her sexual muse, this feverish tale spirals from desire into obsession, power games and betrayal. Bold, kinky and gleefully transgressive. In cinemas from July 31 (US) and August 28 (UK)

The well-worn legend of Robin Hood gets the A24 treatment in this exhilarating tale, helmed by Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer. Based on the17th-century ballad Robin Hood’s Death, the film charts Robin Hood’s personal reckoning as he grapples with his early transgressions on his death bed, all the while being nursed by a mysterious stranger (Comer). Expect plenty of existential angst, bloodshed and intrigue in this dark new drama. In cinemas now

Christopher Nolan takes on what is perhaps the greatest of all Greek myths in this retelling of Homer’s Odyssey. The ensemble cast is almost as legendary as the players in the original story: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth and more… Expect sweeping seascapes, time-bending threads and a hero’s journey told through Nolan’s epic gaze. In cinemas from July 17

Olivia Wilde’s The Invite breathes fresh life into the genre of marital chamber dramas, delivering something at once raw, revealing and unexpectedly tender. Plus, it’s also laugh-out-loud funny. Written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, the film follows two couples (Wilde and Seth Rogen; Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton) over the course of a seemingly benign dinner that quickly unravels into a forensic dissection of long-buried resentments, emotional dependencies, thwarted ambitions and sexual anxieties. In cinemas now

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