Movies

BBC iPlayer is about to stream one of the biggest movies of the past decade completely free after it airs later today (Tuesday, 23rd December).One of the highest grossing films of all time, it stunned millions of fans back in 2021 and has continued to entertain millions more once it was released on Disney+.However, families feeling the squeeze this Christmas are in luck as the epic action blockbuster will be available to watch without spending a single penny, so there's no need to sign up to another streaming service.Superhero fans will be delighted as Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home will be airing on BBC One this afternoon at 3:45pm.It will then be streamable on iPlayer totally free for a limited time, perfect for kids and parents alike to get whisked away by this comic book thrill ri...

As a self-proclaimed cinephile who watches at least two or three movies per week, I take great pride in my recommendations. This year, I have made it my mission to make a dent in my ever-growing watchlist, and it's gone pretty well, but it can be hard not to resist the dozens of new releases, particularly as we gear up for Oscar season. So, here is a deep dive into my top nine films of 2025. There's a newly released rom-com in there, a biopic that focuses on MMA and a British war epic.

Once a beloved superhero franchise, the series had lost its shine until a reboot emerged and has been hailed as the 'best origin story ever'.Batman Begins, based on the DC Comics character, was not the first or last film about the caped crusader, but its brilliance set it apart. The film boasts an all-star cast including Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, alongside screen legends Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman.The Batman saga had been put on hold following a previous film's failure. However, Batman Begins revitalised the franchise with its darker, more serious tone, earning acclaim as one of the best origin stories.The narrative delves into Bruce's past, recounting his childhood fear of bats and the traumatic murder of his parents du...

This "thought-provoking" western secured four Oscar nominations and has earned acclaim from viewers for its historical authenticity and outstanding acting.Written and helmed by Paul Greengrass, News of The World (2020) unfolds in 1870 during Texas's Reconstruction Era. Tom Hanks portrays Captain Kidd, a Civil War veteran who discovers a bedraggled young girl in the Wild West.He encounters the child beside a dead man, along with documents revealing that Johanna (Helena Zengel) was brought up by Kiowa Native Americans following her parents' deaths.It emerges the US Army had dispatched an agent to accompany the girl, but this agent died, leaving the child abandoned. With no one willing to help the girl, Captain Kidd eventually steps forward.The girl's family were German settlers, so she co...

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the first use of a nuclear weapon in war.During World War 2, US President Harry Truman ordered the detonation of an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima and three days later, on Nagasaki.The result was the deaths of between 150,000 to 246,000 people, mostly civilians. The Japanese surrendered to the Allies six days after the latter bomb, which was the last time a nuclear weapon was used in a conflict.The atomic bombs were produced in secret during the Manhattan Project, which was directed by nuclear physicist J Robert Oppenheimer.After reading the 2005 biography American Prometheus, Sir Christopher Nolan adapted his life into the three-hour epic Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy in the titular role.Hailed a “masterpiece” by The Teleg...

A film hailed by one enthusiast as the 'most influential movie ever' and lauded for its family-friendly appeal is now available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer.The heartwarming film, Wonder, originally released in 2017, offers a perfect viewing choice as we delve deeper into the festive season.The film is an adaptation of the bestselling children's novel by R. J. Palacio, who drew inspiration from Natalie Merchant's song 'Wonder' and a personal experience involving her son's reaction to a girl with facial deformities.The storyline centres around August (Auggie) Pullman, a boy born with facial differences that have so far kept him from attending a mainstream school. When he joins the local fifth grade at a private school, he becomes an unlikely hero.As Auggie embarks on this extraordin...

Over the past few days, the internet has been rife with trailer leaks full of spoilers.It’s rumoured that Marvel Studios is planning to release four Avengers Doomsday teasers over the next month.However, two have already appeared on X, with the first revealing the return of Chris Evans’ Captain America as a young man in the 1940s, with a surprise newborn baby.Meanwhile, the second MCU trailer (also yet to be released) features Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, who had a daughter in Thor Love and Thunder.Fans will also remember that Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom was spotted kidnapping the child Franklin Richards at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps from Earth-828.Now, a reliable Marvel leaker has revealed some alleged major Avengers Doomsday plot spoilers, and the last is a shocking Aven...

A highly anticipated spin-off from a film hailed as "ingenious" and "nearly perfect" has been abruptly withdrawn from its scheduled release, sending shockwaves through the sci-fi and horror community.After the triumph of 2022's M3GAN, which followed a homicidal robot doll's twisted mission to safeguard a young girl, a companion film set within the same world was unveiled.Helmed by Kate Dolan, SOULM8TE is described as an erotic thriller centring on a widower who turns to an AI robot to process his grief. Yet his attempts to engineer a completely sentient companion spiral into catastrophe, reports the Mirror.Producer James Wan had previously described the project as "like Fatal Attraction but with robots," noting: "SOULM8TE is basically set in the same AI world [as M3GAN] but seen through...

The English, an American Western TV show created by the BBC, has been hailed a masterpiece by critics and viewers. The six-episode miniseries features Emily Blunt as a woman hell-bent on revenge. Cornelia Locke has travelled from England to the American frontier to pursue of the man sho blames for the death of her son.The show's synposis reads: "America, 1890 - two strangers are drawn together in a violent landscape built on dreams and blood. An epic tale of love, revenge and power starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer."Written and directed by English flilmmaker and actor Hugo Blick, The English debuted on BBC Two in November 2022.Critics have praised the show's story, visuals, and acting. For their roles, Blunt received a nomination for Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards ...

A gripping dramatisation of one of World War II's most daring resistance plots is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. The historical thriller, Valkyrie, brings to life the events of July 20, 1944, when a group of high-ranking German officers attempted to overthrow and assassinate Adolf Hitler in a high-stakes political coup. Directed by Bryan Singer and penned by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander, the film was released in 2008 and features a stellar cast, including Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, and Carice van Houten.Cruise takes on the role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a loyal German officer who becomes convinced that Hitler's unchecked power will spell disaster for Germany and the rest of Europe. Faced with the weight of his country's future, von Stauffen...