PREVIEW: Past Life (2026 Film) - A Dark Descent into Memory and Murder

By Jon Donnis

Simeon Halligan's psychological thriller Past Life delivers a tense and unsettling journey into the human mind, supported by an ensemble including Aneurin Barnard, Jeremy Piven, Pixie Lott, Nicholas Farrell and Tim McInnerny. Filmed in Manchester, the movie receives a limited theatrical release on 20 March 2026, followed by a digital debut on 6 April 2026 through Miracle Media.

The story follows Jason (Barnard), a war reporter scarred by years covering conflict in the Middle East. Despite his efforts to lead a normal life, the trauma lingers. When his wife Claira (Lott) encourages him to attend a late-night hypnosis show, Jason reluctantly agrees, expecting nothing more than entertainment. That expectation is shattered when hypnotist Tim (Piven) claims to send participants into visions of past lives. Jason experiences a terrifying episode, seeing through the eyes of a 1980s serial killer, and begins to question what is real and what is not.

Haunted by memories of extreme violence he cannot explain, Jason grows increasingly obsessed and unbalanced. Claira urges him to return for another session, hoping for clarity, but the hypnotic journey reveals even more disturbing truths. With the help of retired journalist Elliot Reed (Farrell), Jason pieces together clues from the visions, uncovering a connection to a man tied to the original crimes. As his grip on reality falters, the tension escalates when a new murder occurs, making it clear that the past has been reawakened with deadly consequences.

The film explores themes of trauma, obsession and the fragile line between reality and illusion. Past Life uses twisted timelines and growing paranoia to immerse the viewer in a world where past and present collide, and the consequences of unearthing hidden truths are immediate and chilling. With a carefully constructed atmosphere and a compelling central performance from Barnard, it promises to be a thought-provoking thriller that lingers long after the credits roll.

Limited theatrical release 20 March 2026. Digital release 6 April 2026 from Miracle Media.

COMPETITION: Win DOGTOOTH on 4K Ultra HD

From Visions Home Video comes the release of DOGTOOTH on 4K Ultra HD

And to celebrate we have a copy to give away!

Synopsis:

From director Yorgos Lanthimos. A controlling, manipulative father locks his three adult offspring in a state of perpetual childhood by keeping them prisoner within the sprawling family compound.

Dogtooth is Lanthimos's third feature film. It won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.

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4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

REVIEW: Crime 101 (2026 Film) - Starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry

Review by Jon Donnis

Bart Layton's Crime 101 arrives with serious intent. Adapted from Don Winslow's novella, it plants its feet firmly in sun-blasted Los Angeles and follows a trio locked in quiet collision. A jewel thief who prides himself on precision. An insurance broker tired of being overlooked. A detective who refuses to let a theory die. It is classic crime material, and Layton treats it with steady hands.

Chris Hemsworth plays Mike Davis, also known as James, as a man who has reduced crime to a system. He avoids violence, plans obsessively, and escapes along the U.S. Route 101 with mechanical calm. The opening diamond job, with its decoy delivery and $3 million in genuine stones, is staged with crisp efficiency. The editing is tight, the movement clear, the geography never confusing. When a bullet grazes him during the robbery, it lands as more than a flesh wound. It is the first crack in a carefully managed life.

Mark Ruffalo gives the film its heartbeat asColumbo like Detective Lou Lubesnick. Dismissed when he argues that one disciplined operator is behind a string of robberies, suspended when he refuses to help cover up a police shooting, Lou carries on regardless. Ruffalo plays him as weary but stubborn, morally bruised yet not broken. There is something quietly compelling in the way he lingers over details, chasing a trace of blood back to Mike's juvenile record and birth name. He feels human. Fallible. Driven.

Halle Berry's Sharon is just as important. Long undervalued at her firm and edged aside by colleagues, she is at a crossroads before Mike ever approaches her. When she finally agrees to help him target Steven Monroe's illicit $5.5 million diamond purchase at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, it feels less like a sudden turn and more like a slow surrender. Berry brings a cool intelligence to the role, especially in the scenes where Ormon's violence forces her hand and she turns to Lou for help. Her frustration is palpable, and it grounds the film's larger mechanics.

Barry Keoghan's Ormon is chaos personified. Brought in by the fence Money after Mike calls off a Santa Barbara robbery, he represents everything Mike tries to avoid. He is impulsive, vicious, and impossible to control. The contrast between the two men adds real tension, particularly once Ormon begins tracking Mike and threatening those around him. The high speed confrontation and the hotel suite showdown both benefit from that unstable energy.

Technically, the film is polished. The cinematography makes strong use of harsh Californian light and wide urban sprawl. The choreography of the heists is precise, and Layton builds towards the final robbery with care. The sequence in the wedding suite, with Lou posing as a courier and Mike seizing the cash at gunpoint, is handled with admirable control. The interruptions, the shifting power, the sudden violence, all land cleanl

Yet for all its craft, Crime 101 never quite escapes the shadow of other crime films. The structure is familiar, the beats predictable. Even the final reversals unfold in ways that feel carefully arranged rather than shocking. The ending is the least compelling stretch. It ties threads together efficiently, but the emotional punch is softer than it should be.

The running time does it no favours. At over two hours and fifteen minutes, the film occasionally feels its weight. Subplots involving Mike's romance with Maya and Lou's estranged marriage add texture, yet they also stretch the pacing. A leaner cut might have sharpened the impact.

Still, there is real pleasure in watching a grown-up thriller mounted with this level of seriousness. The cast is strong across the board, including Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte. Layton shows confidence with scale and tension, and the film remains engaging even when it is not surprising.

Crime 101 is not especially original, and it may not linger in the mind for long. Even so, it is well made, well acted, and consistently watchable. A solid 8 out of 10 feels about right.

Out In Cinemas Now

PREVIEW: DIAMANTI (Diamonds) 2026 Film - from director Ferzan Özpetek

Preview by Jon Donnis

Vue Lumière has confirmed the UK and Ireland cinema release of Diamanti, the latest feature from director Ferzan Özpetek. A major box office success in Italy, where it grossed more than €16 million, the film arrives with strong momentum behind it. Set in the 1970s, it stands as a lavish tribute to cinematic costume design and to the women whose craftsmanship gives films their texture, beauty and emotional weight.

Starring Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca, the story centres on two dressmaker sisters who run a prestigious Roman fashion house. Their professional world is thrown into sharp focus when they are tasked with fulfilling an intricate commission for an Oscar winning costume designer. What follows is a portrait of creativity under pressure, as skill, ambition and loyalty intertwine within a workspace dominated by women, where the hum of sewing machines becomes its own kind of soundtrack.

The film unfolds through the perspective of a director gathering his favourite actresses with the intention of making a film about women. He reveals little at first, choosing instead to observe and draw inspiration, until imagination transports them into another era. In this imagined past, cinema is explored from the viewpoint of costume, shifting attention away from the usual focal points and towards the artistry that often remains unseen.

As reality and fiction begin to overlap, the emotional lives of the actresses echo those of their characters. Themes of loneliness, passion, rivalry and sisterhood surface alongside unbreakable bonds and quiet heartbreak. Diamanti not only celebrates fashion and film, it reframes the way stories are told, offering audiences in the UK and Ireland the chance to experience a richly layered Italian success that honours the invisible craft behind the screen.

DIAMANTI will have a preview screening on Wednesday 15 April at Cine Lumiere, followed by a Q&A with Ferzan Özpetek. Further details and tickets can be booked here: https://www.institut-francais.org.uk/cinema/diamanti/

PREVIEW: The Last Supper (2026 Film) - Arrives in Cinemas This Easter

Preview by Jon Donnis

A new cinematic retelling of one of the most sacred moments in Christian history is set to reach cinemas this Easter. The Last Supper arrives in time for Lent, offering audiences a reverent and emotionally charged portrayal of the night before the crucifixion.

Jamie Ward - The Last Supper

Set in Jerusalem, the film centres on the final meal shared between Jesus and his twelve disciples. Bread is broken. Wine is passed. Yet beneath the familiar ritual lies a gathering heavy with unspoken tension. Words of devotion sit alongside warnings. Faith wavers in quiet corners of the room. And as the hours slip away, one disciple moves steadily towards a choice that will alter history forever.

Robert Knepper, Charlie MacGechan and James Oliver Wheatley - The Last Supper

Rather than presenting the event as distant or untouchable, The Last Supper leans into the humanity of those present. Love, fear, loyalty and doubt all surface during these final hours. The story unfolds with an intimacy that highlights the personal cost behind a moment that would resonate through centuries of Christian tradition.

Jamie Ward praying - The Last Supper

The cast brings together a strong ensemble led by James Oliver Wheatley of The Lost Pirate Kingdom, Jamie Ward of Juliet and Romeo, James Faulkner of Da Vinci's Demons, and Robert Knepper of Prison Break. The film is co written and directed by Mauro Borrelli, with executive production from music star Chris Tomlin, marking his first step into cinema.

Presented by Dazzler Media, The Last Supper will open in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 20th March, inviting audiences to experience this pivotal biblical moment on the big screen.