May is here, and with sunnier weather comes endless blockbuster films. There are a few big releases this month to get excited for, from Disney’s remake of the Little Mermaid to Rachel McAdams starring in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the surreal Joaquin Phoenix drama Beau is Afraid. 

Without further ado, here are the best May cinema releases to look out for…

May Cinema Releases To Look Out For

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

Acclaimed coming-of-age comedy Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is leaping from novel to screen this month with a new adaptation. It stars Abby Ryder Fortson as the titular Margaret Simon, a young girl from New York who moves to New Jersey with her family. She finds the move somewhat difficult to deal with, as she tries to make new friends and make sense of her own identity with her mother (Rachel McAdams) being Christian and her father (Benny Safdie) being Jewish. With newfound worries about boys, periods and teenage hood looming, Margaret sets out to find herself. The film has received glowing reviews and also stars Kathy Bates and Elle Graham.

release date: 19.05.23

Beau Is Afraid

Director Ari Aster and star Joaquin Phoenix are known for unconventional filmmaking, so it’s no surprise that their new project Beau is Afraid is already being called the weirdest film of the year. Phoenix stars as Beau Wasserman, a mild-mannered man dealing with paranoia, and the son of a wealthy businesswoman. The truly surreal and oddball plot sees Beau embarking on a journey to get home to his mother, as he comes face to face with some of his biggest fears in life. The cast list also features Patti LuPone, Zoe Lister-Jones, Amy Ryan, Nathan Lane, Parker Posey and Kylie Rogers.

Release date: 19.05.23

The Little Mermaid

The latest in Disney’s line of live-action/CGI remakes is The Little Mermaid, reinvented for a new generation. Much like the animated original, it’ll be a musical telling the story of mermaid princess Ariel as she falls in love with Prince Eric, a human saved from a shipwreck. Striking a deal with the villainous sea witch Ursula, the princess is granted human legs- but in exchange for her beautiful singing voice. Actress Halle Bailey has been cast in the role as the first Black actress to portray Ariel, with Melissa McCarthy taking on the role of Ursula. Jonah Hauer-King plays the dashing prince, while Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina play Sebastian and Scuttle. Javier Bardem and Noma Dumezweni play Ariel’s parents King Triton and Queen Selina.

Release date: 26.05.23

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

The madcap space adventurers are back for one last journey: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees Chris Pratt return as Peter Quill/Starlord as he continues to deal with the grief of losing his version of Gamora (Zoe Saldana). But he doesn’t have much time to dwell on things, as a new threat that endangers both the Guardians team and the whole universe emerges. The emotional story promises to explore Bradley Cooper’s Rocket in more depth, and the James Gunn-directed adventure will also feature Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klemtieff, Vin Diesel, Maria Bakalova, Will Poulter and Elizabeth Debicki.

Release date: 03.05.23

Return to Seoul

This internationally co-produced drama is screening at BFI Southbank this month, and tells a fish out of water story directed by Davy Chou (Diamond Island). Premiering last year at the Cannes Film Festival, it tells the story of Freddie, a woman born in South Korea and adopted as a child and raised in France. Now a grown adult in her mid-20s, she decides to make a journey back to her country of birth, with her free-spirited nature propelling her to discover her identity. But she barely speaks the language, and carries little more than some luggage and a photograph of herself as a child. Visiting an adoption centre, Freddie inquires about the whereabouts of her biological parents- a move that will alter her life forever. The film received acclaim for its themes of belonging and identity, and beautiful cinematography.

Release date: 05.05.23

Love Again

Romcom drama Love Again is coming to cinemas this month, directed by James C. Strouse (Grace is Gone, People Places Things) and starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan. Chopra plays Mira Ray, a woman struggling following the death of her fiancé. She sends a string of romantic messages to his old phone number, which has now been reassigned to a work phone owned by Rob Burns (Heughan.) Though she didn’t mean for him to see them, Rob feels drawn to the honestness of the romantic texts, and after being asked to write an article about singer Celine Dion, sets out to team up with the singer to find Mira and win her affection.

Release date: 12.05.23

Eurovision

The biggest music party of the year is coming to UK cinemas, as screens around the country show the live broadcast of Eurovision for the first time. Available at chains like Everyman, Odeon, Vue and BFI along with a number of other venues, you’ll be able to join in on the cheesy extravaganza as things get underway on Saturday 13th May. The screenings will show the BBC coverage of the UK-Ukrainian event hosted by Graham Norton, along with Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, live from Liverpool. There’s still plenty of availability, so book now to see the 26 acts on the big screen.





Date: 13.05.23




Culture, Films & TV

Want to receive more great articles like this every day? Join our daily email now