Best films to watch this May

This off-beat, farcical tale of hubris, crisis and redemption pays tribute to the best of British comedy from the past 15 years. Julian Barratt stars as Richard Thorncroft—a washed-up actor whose only claim to fame was playing the whacky TV cop Mindhorn in the 1980s. Three decades later, he finds himself bald, overweight and (unsuccessfully) advertising socks.

When a crazed killer fixated on Mindhorn threatens the safety of the people of  Isle of Man, he gets an unlikely chance to redeem his career. But will he succeed? Full of great gags and familiar faces—including Steve Coogan and Simon Farnaby—Mindhorn is a fantastically goofy, self-deprecating ode to The Mighty Boosh and Alan Partridge. 

Out on May 5

A feast for action movie fans, Unlocked has it all: the high stakes, the brooding protagonist with a dark past, the fast-paced fight scenes among flying bullets and, well, John Malkovich. Noomi Rapace stars as a hard-as-nails CIA interrogator who, after getting mixed up in a set-up-within-a-set-up situation, sets out to save London from a lethal biological attack.

Also starring Orlando Bloom as a smooth-talking housebreaker, Michael Douglas as Rapace’s affable mentor and Toni Collette as a no-nonsense head of MI5. 

Out on May 5 

Let’s be frank: this puppy-fuelled family drama shamelessly exploits our love of dogs, pulling every old trick in the book. It greedily tugs at our heartstrings with saccharine voiceovers and dialogues.

Yet, despite being acutely aware of this, one cannot help but wholeheartedly fall for the fuzzy protagonist as he searches for the meaning of his existence, and tries his best to bring happiness into his many owners’ lives. 

Watch our interview with the star of A Dog's Purpose, Dennis Quaid 

Out on May 5

Jessica Chastain is the heavy lipstick-wearing, cold-blooded lobbyist who, having quit her job at a conservative firm, goes up against the gun industry and will stop at nothing to win.

A slightly clichéd string of walking-and-talking shots peppered with intrigue and verbal sparring, Miss Sloane is an entertaining political drama that’ll go down a treat if you shed your cynicism and watch with an open mind. 

Out on May 12

Director Ridley Scott returns with the highly anticipated sixth instalment of the iconic Alien film franchise. Following on from the events of the last prequel Prometheus, the film sees the crew of the colony ship Covenant on a mission to a remote planet, which they expect to be an uncharted paradise.

Instead, what they find is a dark threat beyond their imagination. Michael Fassbender reprises his role as a synthetic android. 

Out on May 12

If thoughtfulness and sumptuous silence are what you’re after, Frantz is the film to watch this month. Directed by the perpetually inventive French director François Ozon, it tells the story of a young German woman grieving the death of her fiancé in the aftermath of the Second World War.

When she meets a Frenchman who claims to be her fiancé’s wartime friend, things begin to look up—yet nothing can prepare her for the sad secret he holds. A stunning piece of cinema loaded with emotion and understated beauty.  

Out on May 12

The boxing film genre has been enjoying quite a resurgence over the last few years. Jawbone is the UK’s latest contribution to the canon—and has a gritty, realist kick.

When former youth-boxing champion Jimmy McCabe falls into alcoholism and hits rock bottom, he decides to return to his old boxing club to give his career one last shot. Featuring powerful, painful-to-watch performances from Ray Winstone, Michael Smiley and Ian McShane. 

Out on May 12

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