At The Movies

Simon Morris suggests that when it comes to breaking the film-making rules, it's best to pick your battles. This week The Sitting Duck is a real life French miscarriage of justice, Blink Twice is a thriller about life among the idle rich - yes, another one! And We Were Dangerous sees three teenage girls plan to break out in 1950s New Zealand.

The Sitting Duck is the real-life story of a French trade union dispute that turns nasty. Was the whistleblower really attacked at her home, or did she make it up to publicise her cause? Starring Isabelle Huppert (Elle).

Blink Twice is the directorial debut of actor Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) that sees a tech billionaire (Channing Tatum) invite his celebrity friends to an island getaway where all is not what it seems. Co-starring Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston in I Wanna Dance With Somebody), Christian Slater (True Romance) and Geena Davis (Thelma and Louise).

New Zealand film We Were Dangerous is set during the famous "moral panic" of 1954, when a new invention - the "teenager" - seemed to terrorise the powers that be! Three rebel girls decide to get out from under. Starring Erana James (Uproar), Nathalie Morris (One Lane Bridge) and newcomer Manaia Hall. With Rima Te Wiata (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) as the Matron.

Simon Morris investigates the dark art of casting - which gives you the best value for money, a star, a real actor or a trendy celebrity? He checks three contrasting films - Alien: Romulus, a little indie comedy-drama Ghostlight, and a celebrity-dotted action comedy on Prime Video, Jackpot!

Alien: Romulus is the latest entry in the space-horror franchise that goes back to basics, and is all the better for it. Directed by Fede Álvarez (Don't Breathe) and starring Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) and a digital version of Ian Holm (the original Alien).

Ghostlight is a critically acclaimed indie film about a construction worker and his family who heal when he is bullied into joining a community theatre. Featuring a scene-stealing performance by Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness).

Action-comedy Jackpot! stars Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) as a woman who wins a billion dollar lottery, only to find she has to stay alive until sundown if she wants to keep it. Co-starring John Cena (The Suicide Squad)and rapper Machine Gun Kelly. Streaming on Prime Video.

Here's a B-movie video-game adaptation with an A-List cast - Jack Black and Kevin Hart (Jumanji), Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once) and, playing her first inter-planetary bounty hunter, Cate Blanchett (Tár).

Bookworm is about an 11-year-old girl's quest to find New Zealand's mythical Canterbury Panther with the unwilling help of her long-lost father. Directed by Ant Timpson (Come To Daddy) it stars Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) and star-in-the-making Nell Fisher (TV's Stranger Things).

It Ends With Us is based on a romantic novel that went viral a couple of years back. The film version may do even better, thanks to a star performance by Blake Lively (The Shallows). It's directed by, and co-stars, Justin Baldoni (TV's Jane The Virgin).