It’s been a banner year on the big-screen, from blockbuster bonanzas and deadly dramas to awesome arthouse hits. Many of the year’s finest flicks are available to rent right now on Virgin Movies, but a handful of excellent efforts won’t be hanging around much longer. We know room in the diary can get pretty tight this time of year, but if you haven’t seen the five fantastic films below then make sure you catch ‘em while you can…
RED SPARROW
Available to rent until December 24th on Virgin Movies from €4.99
Jennifer Lawrence taps into her sinister side as a ballerina who transitions into life as a deadly spy; whatever happened to getting a regular job, says you. Reminding us that ‘dancer’ and ‘danger’ are but a letter apart, her performance shifts elegantly from seductive to savage whenever it’s called for, in a film that has the type of smart plot and stylish air to draw you in from the beginning.
TULLY
Available to rent until December 24th on Virgin Movies from €4.99
Humorous and honest in equal measure, this dramedy sees a mother at her wits end turn to a nanny to help get life back on track. Mackenzie Davis is excellent as the titular hero, though the real star turn comes from Charlize Theron, who’s sensational as the panicking parent. It’s a long way from Mrs. Doubtfire, let’s put it that way!
THE BREADWINNER
Available to rent until December 23rd on Virgin Movies from €4.99
Another reminder that Kilkenny-based animation studio Cartoon Saloon is a true jewel of Irish cinema arrived in the form of this visually stunning and emotionally moving effort. The story of a young girl in Afghanistan working to support her family, its Oscar nomination – and plethora of other awards – was richly deserved; Angelina Jolie’s name being attached as a producer might have caught the eye, but these crafty cartoonists are superstars in their own right…
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
Available to rent until December 23rd on Virgin Movies from €4.99
This time next year, we’ll be all about Episode IX – but we need something to bridge that gap, right?! Well, the optimum option arrived with this spin-off following the pilot par excellence in the years before the beginning of the epic franchise. The usual jaw-dropping effects and excitement are just as you’d expect, with Alden Ehrenreich in fine form as the leading man.
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Available to rent until January 10th on Virgin Movies from €4.99
Take a fearless writer/director in Lynne Ramsay and a disarming leading man in Joaquin Phoenix, and you know you’re in for a treat – and boy, does this one deliver. Uncompromising and unforgiving, it’s the type of taut thriller that will have you gasping for breath; the antithesis of a popcorn movie, this is a hard-hitting home-run to live in your mind for days…
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