The SLMan Culture List: May

THE CINEMA RELEASE: The Phoenician Scheme

Wes Anderson’s latest film arrives on the big screen towards the end of the month. In The Phoenician Scheme, wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) appoints Liesl (Mia Threapleton), his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins. The film stars an oddball assembly of A-listers – Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend and Hope Davis will all appear.

Out 23rd May

Visit Picturehouses.com

THE TRAVELOGUE: Tucci In Italy

This is the series to watch if you need some holiday inspiration. As its name suggests, this five-part series follows actor Stanley Tucci on a deeply personal exploration of the country’s landscapes, rich history and the complex connections with food that have shaped each region’s distinct culture. Tucci meets with locals, chefs, fellow foodies, fishermen, artisans and even cowboys to unearth hidden gems and untold stories.

Out 19th May

Visit DisneyPlus.com

THE TRUE-CRIME WATCH: Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes

Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes focuses on the events surrounding the killing of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes (Edison Alcaide) after he is mistaken for a terrorist. Told from multiple perspectives of those involved, it examines how memory – both accurate and distorted – can be turned into fact and shape our understanding of the truth. It takes viewers back almost 20 years, as London reels from the devastating suicide bomb attacks of 7th July 2005. Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair (Conleth Hill) launches a large-scale counter terrorism operation to prevent further attacks, with assistant commissioner Andy Hayman (Max Beesley) leading the investigation into the bombings. Unbeknownst to them, another terrorist cell plots an assault that could equal the devastation of 7/7. This second set of planned attacks fails, setting off one of the UK’s largest ever manhunts, and sparking a covert surveillance operation led by commander Cressida Dick (Emily Mortimer). As tension and uncertainty rises across the nation, a series of extraordinary events unfolds, and the actions of the Metropolitan Police leads to a critical misidentification.

Out now

Visit DisneyPlus.com

THE RETURN: Poker Face, Series 2

From director Rian Johnson and starring Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne – alongside a host of established guest stars – Pokerface is back. The mystery-of-the-week series follows Charlie Cale, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda, and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve. This season’s guest stars include Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes, John Mulaney, Awkwafina and many more over 12 new episodes.

Out 8th May

Visit NowTV.com

THE THRILLER: Cleaner

Set in present-day London, Cleaner kicks off with a group of radical activists taking over an energy company's annual gala, seizing 300 hostages in order to expose the corruption of the hosts. Their cause is hijacked by an extremist within their ranks, who is ready to murder everyone in the building to send his anarchic message to the world. It falls to an ex-soldier turned window cleaner (Star Wars star Daisy Ridley) – suspended 50 storeys up on the outside of the building – to save those trapped inside, including her younger brother.

Out now

Visit Sky.com

THE EVENT: A24/7

Award-winning film studio A24 has announced A24/7, a week-long film series showcasing seven of the studio's titles at the iconic Prince Charles Cinema. The film screenings offer London audiences the opportunity to experience classics that previously had limited theatrical runs in the UK. The event coincides with renewed public interest in preserving the Prince Charles Cinema, which has recently faced closure threats. The screening lineup features some of A24's most acclaimed films: Everything Everywhere All At Once (9th May), Uncut Gems (10th), Midsommar Extended Edition (11th), Moonlight (12th), Lady Bird (13th), Past Lives (14th) and The Lighthouse (15th). In addition to the screenings, A24 will host a pop-up shop at the venue, featuring merchandise, including screenplay books and collectibles typically only available in the US. Doors open at 8:20pm nightly for all screenings, and tickets are £10.

9th-15th May

Visit PrinceCharlesCinema.com

THE HIGH-BROW COMEDY: Murderbot

The highly anticipated comedic sci-fi thriller Murderbot stars Alexander Skarsgård. Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling, award-winning book series The Murderbot Diaries, the TV series is centred on a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Played by Skarsgård, Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe. Skarsgård is joined by an ensemble cast that includes Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent), David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer), Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride), Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident), Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range).

Out 16th May

Visit TV.Apple.com

THE MUSIC DOC: Bono: Stories of Surrender

Bono: Stories of Surrender is a lyrical, bold, visual exploration of Bono’s one-man show of the same name. Also drawing on his celebrated memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story and the accompanying book/theatre tour, the film has award-winning filmmaker Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James, Blonde) on directing duties. Here, he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained Bono, revealing personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rockstar. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the Beacon Theatre shows, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.

Out 30th May

Visit TV.Apple.com

THE ROADTRIP: Long Way Home

It’s been almost 20 years since ultimate bromance series Long Way Round aired. Now Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are back for Long Way Home, a 10-episode journey that rekindles the duo's famed road-tripping spirit, bringing them a little closer to home this time. It follows Ewan and Charley as they ride refurbished vintage motorbikes from Ewan’s home in Scotland to Charley’s in England, but rather than take the shortest route, they go the long way across the North Sea to Scandinavia, all the way up to the Arctic Circle and then down to the Baltics and through continental Europe, eventually hopping back over the English Channel two months later. It’s an adventure that will take them to more than 15 countries, through spectacular scenery, and along some of the greatest driving roads in the world.

Out 9th May

Visit TV.Apple.com

THE PERFORMANCE: Hamlet Hail To The Thief

Created by Christine Jones, Steven Hoggett and Thom Yorke, Hamlet Hail To The Thief is a feverish new live experience, fusing theatre, music and movement. In this dynamic new version of Hamlet, Shakespeare’s words are illuminated by Radiohead’s album Hail to the Thief, reworked by Yorke and performed live by a cast of 20 musicians and actors. In this fast-paced distillation of the Shakespeare classic, the play and album will illuminate one another in thrilling new ways as the music becomes a critical part of the narrative. The production is currently at Factory International in Manchester until 18th May, before it transfers to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 4th to 28th June.

Various dates

Visit RSC.ORG.uk

THE SLOW HORSES REPLACEMENT: Dept Q, Netflix

DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) is a brilliant cop but a terrible colleague. His razor-sharp sarcasm has made him no friends in the Edinburgh police force. After a shooting that leaves a young PC dead, and his partner paralysed, he finds himself exiled to the basement and the sole member of Dept Q, a newly formed cold-case unit. The department is a PR stunt to distract the public from the failures of an under-resourced, failing police force that is glad to see the back of him. But more by accident than design, Carl starts to build a gang of waifs and strays who have everything to prove. So, when the stone-cold trail of a prominent civil servant who disappeared several years ago starts to heat up, Carl is back doing what he does best – rattling cages and refusing to take no for an answer.

19th May

Visit Netflix.com

THE BOOK: Read Frame Type Film

Global film distributor, streaming service and production company Mubi has launched its first book. Read Frame Type Film is the debut release from its new global publishing arm, Mubi Editions. Prepared in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the book is a richly illustrated work, exploring the relationship between film and typography. From credits to subtitles to title cards and beyond, text plays a critical part in the structure of a film. Yet, away from the world of mainstream cinema, these textual – and visual – elements have often been overlooked. Here, the authors examine 24 films to bring it all together.

Out now

Visit MubiEditions.com