At The Movies

Simon Morris welcomes a continuing run of good American movies - including a smarter than the average sci-fi blockbuster, a multi-Oscar nominated satire about the state of the literary world, and from South America, an Argentine road movie about a tango group's last ride.

Dune Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve's epic based on the Frank Herbert classic. It features an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh.

Argentinian romantic drama Let the Dance Begin finds the one-time "Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of Tango" get back together for a road trip full of surprises and secrets revealed.

American Fiction is a multi-Oscar nominated satirical comedy about racism, expectations and giving the public what it wants. Written and directed by first-time film maker, TV writer Cord Jefferson (Watchmen, The Good Place), it features an acclaimed performance by Jeffrey Wright (Asteroid City). Available on Prime Video.

Drive-Away Dolls is a road movie where two lesbians take a drive-away car down to Florida, only to discover it's the wrong car and some crooks want it back. Stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, with guest appearances from Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Miley Cyrus. Directed by Ethan Coen (The Big Lebowski) and his editor wife Tricia Cooke.

Simon Morris checks a highly-favoured Oscar nominee, a successful horror short turned into a less successful feature film, and a lesbian romp from one of the masters of sweet and sour movies. Nobody blends comedy and drama like the Coen brothers.

The Zone of Interest is a harrowing film about the commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp and his family - the pictures are almost home movies, the sound is pure horror. Stars Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) and directed by Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin, Sexy Beast).

Baghead is a straight-ahead horror film about a woman who inherits a deserted hotel with something unexpected hiding in the basement. Stars Freya Allen (The witcher) and Peter Mullan (After the party).

Bob Marley: One Love is a year in the life of the reggae legend, from the attempted murder of Marley and his family to the recording of the Exodus album and the famous One Love peace concert. Stars Kingsley Ben-Adir (One night in Miami), directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard).

Simon Morris checks out three films with something in common. They all take place in the mid Seventies. They include an Amazon explorer, a Jamaican superstar and an eccentric New Zealand theatre troupe whose influence long outlasted them.

Madame Web is the comic book heroine who's inspired a thousand memes. Can it really be as bad as everyone says? Stars Dakota Johnson (50 shades of Grey)

Red Mole: A romance is a documentary about the underground New Zealand theatre group that set out to conquer New York - and very nearly did! Directed by Annie Goldson (Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web.

American film director Todd Haynes talks with Dan Slevin about his new movie May December, starring Natalie Portman as an actress planning a biopic about a real-life teacher (Julianne Moore) who caused a scandal when she slept with an underage pupil.

Force of Nature: The Dry 2 is another Aussie cop story starring Eric Bana as Aaron Falk. Not dry this time, it's set in the decidedly wet bush, where one of a group of women campers goes missing.

Simon Morris welcomes the revival - films that don't depend on tired old formulae - and hopes it's a lasting trend. He looks at two new one-offs, while Dan Slevin talks to American indie auteur Todd Haynes (Carol, Far from Heaven) about his new film, Golden Globe-nominated May December.

Charcoal sees an impoverished Brazil family and a wealthy Argentine fugitive see if they can solve each other's problems. From the recent New Zealand International Film Festival.

Riceboy Sleeps is an oddly-titled award-winning Canadian-Korean production about a solo mother and her child setting up a new life across the Pacific. Directed by Anthony Shem.

Priscilla is the story of the woman behind the legend - Elvis's child bride Priscilla Presley. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette) and produced by Priscilla herself.

From the man who gave us Kick Ass and Kingsman - producer-director Matthew Vaughn - comes Argylle, a thriller about a spy novelist who comes face to face with her creation. Stars Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Sam Rockwell (Moon).

Simon Morris reminds us that opinions are very rarely unanimous and this week is no exception. Three movies that are likely to divide opinion include a celebrity biopic, a spy thriller with more than its fair share of twists, and a Korean coming of age story.