At The Movies

Simon Morris regrets the dearth of the sophisticated blend of romance and comedy - and looks at three films all based, more or less, on love.

The idea of you imagines what would happen if a 40 year old gallery owner fell in love with the 24 year old singer in a boy band. Produced by and starring Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) and directed by Michael Showalter (The big sick).

The moon is upside down is a New Zealand film following three stories of love gone wrong - a mail-order bride, a long distance Skype affair and a woman wrestling with death. Directed by Loren Taylor, and featuring Jemaine Clement, Robbie Magasiva, Robyn Malcolm and Rachel House.

Back to black is a dramatized telling of the story of singer Amy Winehouse. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere boy) and starring Marisa Abele (Barbie).

Simon Morris wonders if the star system is over, and audiences are now only interested in the movie itself, not who's in it.

Before Dawn is an ambitious, low-budget World War I film made in Western Australia.

The Fall Guy is a reboot of an old TV series about stunt men which benefits from three suddenly very hot stars - Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer), Hannah Waddingham (TV's Ted Lasso) and particularly Ryan Gosling (Barbie).

Dame Helen Mirren stars as 1970s Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in Golda.

Paolo Rotondo introduces this season of the Italian Film Festival, which includes a biopic of bad-boy painter Caravaggio, the first solo film by tbe legendary Federico Fellini, and last year's box office sensation There's still tomorrow, which trounced both Barbie and Oppenheimer in Italy.

Simon Morris introduces an all-Italian show - from Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, starring Zendaya, to an overview of this year's Italian Film Festival road show with Festival Director and film-maker, Paolo Rotondo. Challengers sees top star Zendaya (Dune) playing a top tennis star, torn between two competing suitors, Mike Faist (West Side Story) and Josh O'Connor (TV's The Crown). Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call me by your name). And Paolo Rotondo introduces this season of the Italian Film Festival, which includes a biopic of bad-boy painter Caravaggio, the first solo film by tbe legendary Federico Fellini, and last year's box office sensation There's still tomorrow, which trounced both Barbie and Oppenheimer in Italy.

Challengers sees top star Zendaya (Dune) playing a top tennis star, torn between two competing suitors, Mike Faist (West Side Story) and Josh O'Connor (The Crown). Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name).

Simon Morris looks at Hollywood's endless fascination with the crusading reporter, and the less than noble version, hungry for ratings

Civil War imagines a future America torn apart by another civil war, and the people who have to cover the story. Written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina), it stars Kirsten Dunst (Power of the Dog) and Caelee Spaeny (Priscilla).

In Late Night with The Devil, a 1970s TV host goes for the ultimate shock interview at Halloween. "Absolutely brilliant," says Stephen King. Is he right?

Origin is a semi-fictionalised adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about racism. It's a serious film with a strong cast and some fresh and intriguing ideas, says Simon Morris.

Simon Morris buckles up for an all-action show - a drug-fuelled bloodbath, an Indian martial arts revenge thriller and the return of an animated kung-fu favourite.

Dev Patel is best known for playing nice chaps in Slumdog Millionaire, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Lion. Who knew he wanted to write, direct and star in a ferocious revenge movie like Monkey Man?

Love Lies Bleeding sees two women falling in love in the worst possible way. There will be blood…. Starring Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Katy O'Brien (The Mandalorian) and Ed Harris (Apollo 13).

Jack Black tackles Po's final Dragon Warrior adventure with his usual exuberance​, says Simon Morris, but the animation is what carries Kung Fu Panda 4.

Simon Morris looks at three films, all based on journeys - to safety, to a better life, to some sort of happy ending.