Anh Hung – You may find this one alternately titled Mr. Hero, if you can find it at all, as this Vietnamese film is set for a fairly limited release this week. The premise has much to recommend: A struggling taxi-driver supporting a chronically ill daughter stumbles into the public eye in the hopes of raising money for a critical surgery by pretending to be part of a charity. While the set-up for a throwback 90’s comedy, the film is being pitched largely as a family drama, albeit with a sense of humour. This is director Vo Thach Thao’s first film, graduating from television.

Penny Lane is Dead – Every child of the 80’s and 90’s has a local legend about a party getting out of control. Ripe for building tension and brewing conflict this is the setting of this slightly delayed Ozploitation dark-comedy/horror flick which was premiered at last years Adelaide Film Festival. The debut of writer/director Mia’kate Russell, the marketing for the film has been boasting that audiences at the Fantasia International Film Festival fainted during the screening. So fair warning, this film is closer to Wolf Creek than The Deb, and you’re going to want to skip the snacks on this one.

Motor City – The action genre still lives, direct to streaming, in this tight crime-thriller from director Potsy Ponciroli, who helmed the quite-good western Old Henry (2021). Current hulking beefcake Alan Ritchson (Reacher…he’s actually pretty good) plays a prison escapee who was framed, and seeks revenge on those who wronged him. Standard stuff, but in the hands of more than competent craftsmen who know their trade.

The Wizard of the Kremlin – A 2025 English-language French release, this is the adaptation of a novel by Giuliano da Empoli. A satirical look at the transition from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation in the 90’s, the film views the rise of Putin (played by Jude Law) from the persepctive of a young government official (Paul Dano). Though an interesting cast has been pulled together, reviews of the film have been pretty mixed.

Colours of Time – Another French period drama, the plot sees four cousins gather at a family estate and begin to explore their shared ancestral stories. A pretty looking film that takes advantage of beautiful French country-side and heritage locations, this will show up on SBS fairly shortly.