If You Fancy A Trip To The Cinema This Weekend Here’s Exactly What You Should Go See

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Now that we’ve all gotten reaquainted with everyone’s favourite super spy for the last(?) time, there’s a decidedly varied selection descending upon multiplexes, all vying for your attention. From our own Saoirse Ronan cutting the ribbon to officially open Oscar season to Nicholas Hoult as a murderous music-biz exec, there’s truly something for everyone this weekend.

Brooklyn

From Friday 6th November. General Release.

Since Brooklyn premiered at Sundance back in January, it’s never really left the Oscar conversation. But with the odd exception – Spring/Summer treats like Boyhood, Grand Budapest – awards season never seems to kick off until November at the earliest. And kick off it does, this weekend, with an Irish film no less. This coming of age tale of Éilis Lacey, an Irish emigrant finding her way in the Big Apple, boasts a stellar turn from Saoirse Ronan, with a screenplay adapted from Colm Tóibín’s novel by Nick Hornby. With a lovely, gentle performance from Domhnall Gleeson and a star-making turn from Brando-aping Emory Cohen as the two men competing for Éilis’ heart, Brooklyn is an endearing, warm film that will hopefully be just one amongst a strong Irish presence at this year’s awards shows.

He Named Me Malala

From Friday 6th November. Select Cinemas.

This documentary from An Inconvenient Truth director Davis Guggenheim provides an in-depth look at an extraordinary individual in the shape of Malala Yousafzai, who at 17 is the youngest person to ever be awarded the Nobel peace prize. An outspoken activist in her home country of Pakistan, Malala has campaigned vigorously for women’s rights to education, once even shot at point blank range in a failed assassination attempt, surviving by some small miracle. Guggenheim’s film is a worthy look at a remarkable person and a celebration of the human spirit that looks to be a life-affirming, eye-opening watch.

Kill Your Friends

From Friday 6th November, General Release

And now for something completely different. And yet, so familiar… If the trailer for Kill Your Friends doesn’t bring to mind the sociopathic, murderous excesses of Patrick Bateman, well then, you probably haven’t seen American Psycho. Obvious influences aside, this hyper-violent adaptation of John Niven’s Britpop set music-biz satire does have a lot going for it, including an impressively dark turn from Nicholas Hoult, with comedic support from Submarine’s Craig Roberts and the really-too-famous-for-this-sort-of-thing James Corden. And naturally, there’s a killer soundtrack. For what it most certainly lacks in substance, Kill Your Friends promises to be a fun, familiar ride.