The SLMan Culture List
THE THRILLER: Crime 101
Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices – and the realisation that there can be no turning back. Adapted from Don Winslow’s acclaimed novella of the same name, the film is written and directed by Bart Layton (American Animals, The Imposter). Barry Keoghan, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte round out the cast.
13th February
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THE FILM: Wasteman
Following critical acclaim at the BFI London Film Festival, Wasteman lands in cinemas on 20th February. The directorial debut of Cal McMau, this brutal British thriller tells the incredible story of how a convict’s chances for early prison release come under threat from his ruthlessly violent new cellmate. Taylor (David Jonsson) is branded a ‘wasteman’ by society, his family and even in prison. In a world of drugs, parties, gangs and violence, he manages to keep out of trouble – until the arrival of new cellmate Dee (Tom Blyth) puts his early parole in jeopardy. Dee takes a shine to Taylor and helps him reconnect with the son he’s never met, giving Taylor the chance to be a dad. But behind bars nothing comes for free.
20th February
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THE DOC: Man On The Run
This new documentary from Prime Video takes viewers on an intimate journey through Paul McCartney's extraordinary life following the breakup of The Beatles and the formation of Wings with his wife, Linda. From Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville, the film chronicles the arc of McCartney's solo career as he faces down myriad challenges while creating new music to define a new decade. Through unprecedented access to previously unseen footage and rare archival materials, the documentary captures Paul’s transformative post-Beatles era through a uniquely vulnerable lens.
27th February
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THE OSCAR CONTENDER: The Secret Agent
The Secret Agent stars Wagner Moura (Narcos, Civil War). It premiered at Cannes Film Festival, where Moura won the Best Actor prize and Mendonça Filho was named Best Director. Now, all eyes are back on Moura, as he’s up for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars. Brits will be able to give the film a look ahead of the ceremony in March, as it’s arriving in cinemas on 20th February. Exploring the tension between personal conviction and political corruption, the film is a gripping portrait of resistance and betrayal that resonates in today’s global climate. It follows a university professor who travels from São Paulo to the seaside city of Recife during Carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son. He soon finds out he’s been tailed and spied on by neighbours in his new refuge, leaving him no possible escape from the tentacles of corruption.
20th February
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THE DRAMA: Memory of a Killer
Memory of a Killer is a 10-part dramatic thriller starring Patrick Dempsey as Angelo Flannery/Doyle, who leads a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret – he is slowly losing his memory. Angelo lives two totally separate lives. As Angelo Doyle he is a fearsome New York City hitman. As Angelo Flannery he is a mild-mannered photocopier salesman, devoted father and widower. To further complicate things, he’s discovered that his wife’s recent death may not have been an accident. Meanwhile, The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli is Dutch Forlanni, an accomplished Italian chef whose restaurant is a front for criminal enterprise. Dutch is Angelo’s oldest friend, as well as his employer – giving him the targets for his hits. In a business as dangerous as theirs, Angelo must trust Dutch, but being trustworthy isn’t one of Dutch’s best qualities…
5th February
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THE PODCAST: The Football Boardroom
Former Premier League executive Christian Purslow has run three of the biggest clubs in the country, as CEO at Liverpool and Aston Villa, and MD at Chelsea. Henry Winter is a pillar of British football journalism who has spent decades chasing the stories that get hidden behind boardroom doors. Now he’s got an access-all-areas pass. Together, Christian and Henry are pulling back the curtain on football's corridors of power – and they claim they're pulling no punches.
Out now
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THE SUBTITLED MUST-SEE: Sirât
Another film up for Best International Picture at this year’s Oscars is Sirât. The film follows Luis, who is traveling through southern Morocco with his son, Esteban. They're searching for his daughter, Marina, who has been missing for five months, last seen at a dance festival in the desert. As the pair travel from party to party, they hear of a semi-mythical rave near the border of Mauritania. Descending into the scorched terrain as a not-so-distant global conflict encroaches, Luis and Esteban are drawn into a primal landscape in which they must walk a tightrope between heaven and hell.
27th February
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THE PLAY: Deep Azure
Shakespeare’s Globe’s final show of the winter season is the UK premiere of Chadwick Boseman's play Deep Azure, a powerful story of love, grief and justice. Inspired by the true events of university student Prince Jones, influenced by the poetry of Shakespeare, and powered by the pulse of hip-hop theatre, the Black Panther actor’s cathartic and lyrical epic unfolds in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.
Visit ShakespearesGlobe.com
THE COFFEE TABLE BOOK: The Mastermind
Streaming service and film distributor MUBI is set to publish a companion book to its 2025 film The Mastermind. Kelly Reichardt, one of America’s most celebrated independent filmmakers, is renowned for her intimate portraits of ordinary lives. At the heart of her work are the close collaborations with cast and crew that shape her films. This new publication is a beautifully designed box set of four booklets documenting the making of Reichardt’s film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and stars Josh O’Connor. The Mastermind is an in-depth record of the film’s creation and an evocative capsule of time and place. Through personal reflections, photographs, and fragments of memory and ephemera, Reichardt and the project’s collaborators reveal the skill, care and camaraderie that defined their filmmaking process.
17th February
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THE NOVEL: Nonesuch by Francis Spufford
The author behind the award-winning novels Golden Hill and Light Perpetual is back with another read for 2026. In Nonesuch, it’s the summer of 1939. London is on the brink of catastrophic war. Iris Hawkins, an ambitious young woman in the stuffy world of City finance, has a chance encounter with Geoff, a technical whizz at the BBC’s nascent television unit. What was supposed to be one night of abandon draws her instead into an adventure of otherworldly pursuit – into a reality where time bends, spirits can be summoned, and history hangs by a thread. Soon there are Nazi planes overhead. But Iris has more to contend with than the terrors of the Blitz. Over the rooftops of burning London, in the twisted passages between past and present, a fascist fanatic is travelling with a gun in her hand. And only Iris can stop her from altering the course of history forever.
26th February
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