Writer and director Dan Cadan reminisces about the golden age of British wrestling with his feature debut Walk Like a Panther, a so-called comedy set in Yorkshire. Mark Bolton (Stephen Graham) is the cheeky-chappy landlord of The Half Nelson, the local drinking den frequented by a group of former grapplers known as the Panthers. When the beloved pub’s future is threatened by devilish developer Paul Peterson (Stephen Tompkinson), Mark turns to his dad Trevor (Dave Johns) and the rest of the gang to save the day.
Based on the novel of the same name by Willy Vlautin, coming-of-age drama Lean on Pete is the latest feature from critically acclaimed writer and director Andrew Haigh. Set in Portland, Oregon, the plot centres around teenager Charley (Charlie Plummer) who lives with his down-and-out father Ray (Travis Fimmel) in a broken home. At the local racetrack, he meets wily trainer Del (Steve Buscemi) and lands a job helping out with the horses. However, when tragedy strikes in his family and his favourite nag Lean on Pete suffers a setback, Charley takes drastic action that leads to dangerous consequences.
Playwright Cory Finley introduces himself to the cinematic landscape with his directorial debut Thoroughbreds, a Sundance-indie-comedy with a sinister neo-noir streak. Olivia Cooke portrays Amanda, a troubled teen that struggles to convey compassion and empathy. Because her issues keep her out of the public schooling system, she reunites with childhood friend Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) who reluctantly agrees offer private tutoring. Though their personalities clash initially, they soon strike up an unusual friendship, and together they hatch a murderous plan.
Set against the striking landscapes of Jersey, psychological romance drama Beast is the feature debut by writer and director Michael Pearce. The plot follows lonely island tour guide Moll (Jessie Buckley) who is very much the black sheep within her insular family. When she falls for rugged and mysterious stranger Pascal (Johnny Flynn), she sees a chance to break free from her isolated existence. Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer on the loose and Moll’s dark past comes back to haunt her.
When it launched in 2007, Skins was one of the most talked-about, controversial shows on British telly. Featuring sex, drugs and…more sex and drugs, these high school kids really caused a stir. Some have faded out of the public eye since, but a selection have gone on to be huge!
As an actress, Greta Gerwig is known for her quirky roles in indie movies, rising through the improvisational mumblecore movement and riding the crest of the hipster wave for the flat-white generation. Having co-written on several projects that she has appeared in, she has moved behind the camera to write and direct Lady Bird, a coming-of-age comedy drama set in Sacramento, California. The plot follows attention-seeking teenager Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) who is in her final year of high-school. Whilst clashing with her strong-willed mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf), she navigates her way through the trials and tribulations of bad boyfriends, prom pressure, and deciding what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
With three Academy Awards to his name, Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most decorated and respected actors of his generation. Since he announced his surprise retirement last year, his final film has been rife with anticipation. His cinema curtain call sees him reunite with writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson for 1950s romance drama Phantom Thread. The plot follows couturier Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) who, with his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) runs a high-end dressmaking company in London. Whilst dining out for breakfast, Reynolds meets impressionable German waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps) who succumbs to his elegance and charm. They embark on a relationship, but she struggles to accustom to his peculiar routines.
