National Cinema Day: Our top film picks for this weekend

If you’ve been anywhere near the internet — or anyone with a mullet — over the last few days then you will have heard that Oasis are getting back together. Yes, grab your bucket hats and anoraks because the Nineties are back in a big way. And this reunion of one of the coolest bands of the era has prompted people to ask: what else from the Nineties should make a comeback?

Double denim? Grunge? How about Nineties prices? (Long live the £1 pint). While cheap pints and affordable rent sadly look to remain in the past, the good news is that this Saturday is National Cinema Day and to celebrate, more than 630 participating cinemas across the UK will be selling tickets for only £4. 

So if you’ve been waiting to see the latest box-office hit or have got into a rut with streaming services, this is the perfect opportunity to reignite your love of cinema. Grab the popcorn and find your seat, here are our top picks for what to watch this weekend.

Deadpool & Wolverine

Length: 128 minutes

Cert: 15

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Karan Soni, Leslie Uggams

In the latest instalment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine join forces to save the world from “an existential threat”. The film incorporates much of Reynolds’ signature cheeky wit combined with a dash of internet humour and plenty of inside jokes to delight comic book fans. It’s a must-see for Marvel diehards, but is also an enjoyable romp for anyone who loves a classic Hollywood blockbuster.

It Ends With Us

Length: 130 minutes

Cert: 15

Cast: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Amy Morton

Remember the non-stop drama following the press tour for Don’t Worry Darling? It’s happened again, this time for new release It Ends With Us. Actress Blake Lively, who plays the film’s protagonist Lily Bloom, recently angered netizens when she trivialised the film’s serious subject matter by saying “wear your florals, grab your friends and go see It Ends With Us.”

This film is the first big-screen adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, and the plot deals with themes of domestic violence and childhood trauma. Come for the empowering character arc on the part of Bloom’s Lily, stay for the eye-opening lessons on intimate partner violence.

Blink Twice

Length: 102 minutes

Cert: 15

Cast: Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Naomi Ackie, Haley Joel Osment, Simon Rex, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Geena Davis

For her directorial debut, Zoë Kravitz has cast her long-term beau Channing Tatum in the leading role. In fact, it’s an all-star cast, with veteran actor Kyle MacLachlan (Sex and the City, Twin Peaks) playing alongside Christian Slater (Heathers, Mr Robot), Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise, Beetlejuice) and Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, Forrest Gump). 

Blink Twice is sharp, slick and thrilling — think Get Out meets The Menu. Kravitz has earned favourable reviews for her use of sound and colour and even the most reluctant horror fans are sure to enjoy this creative thrill ride in which a cocktail waitress (Ackie) meets a tech billionaire (Tatum) and discovers that there is more to his dreamy private island than meets the eye.

Twisters

Length: 122 minutes

Cert: 12A

Cast: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, Daryl McCormack, Brandon Perea, David Corenswet, Maura Tierney, Katy M. O'Brian, Kiernan Shipka, Tunde Adebimpe, Nik Dodani, Harry Hadden-Paton

For true immersion into the Nineties, for your £4 ticket you can watch this stand-alone sequel to the 1996 high-octane blockbuster Twister. From the producers of such action-packed series as Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones, it appears the epic studio disaster movie is alive and well. Despite being billed as a sequel, it turns out the only character that this film has in common with the original is the tornado.

The plot modernises the concept of natural disasters by drawing attention to the way that extreme weather can devastate entire towns and leave long-lasting damage for survivors, both physically and mentally. The fast-paced story is mostly family-friendly, making it the ideal summer movie for dragging your kids away from the small screen. 

Radical

Length: 126 mins

Cert: 12A

Cast: Eugenio Derbez, Daniel Haddad, Jennifer Trejo, Mia Fernanda Solis, Danilo Guardiola, Víctor Estrada

For those interested in something less Hollywood, Radical is the perfect alternative. Set in a Mexican border town dealing with violence and corruption, a teacher tries a radical new way to get through to his students. Winner of the Festival Favourite Award at Sundance Film Festival in 2023, this comedy-drama is based on an incredible true story with a plot driven by Mexico’s distinctive culture. It’s presented in Spanish with English subtitles and is a sentimental piece with an uplifting emotional pay-off.