Guardians 3, Fast X, Little Mermaid, Apple’s Still among May’s must-see movies

May marks the start of Hollywood’s annual blockbuster season, which means some seriously big-budgeted movies are headed our way this month.

But as well as the effects-laden behemoths, there are also a wide selection of eclectic treats coming to a movie theatre – or streaming service – near you.

For those keen on a trip to the cinema, there’s the award-winning Moroccan drama The Blue Caftan, Arabic thriller Cairo Conspiracy (both May 4), Belgian coming-of-age tale Close, creature feature The Black Demon and star-studded comedy sequel The Book Club 2 (all May 11), as well the beginning of this year’s tours for the Italian (May 2), Architecture & Design (May 4), Doc Edge (from May 24) and French (from May 25) film festivals.

Meanwhile, Disney+’s line-up includes space adventure Crater (May 12) and a modern remake of 1992 basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump, Prime Video boasts Gerard Butler-actioner Plane (both May 19) and Netflix has Scandinavian drama Royalteen: Princess Margrethe (May 11) and adventure-comedy Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom (May 19).

However, after looking through the schedules, Stuff to Watch has come up with this list of the 12 movies we believe are most worth checking out (and where you can watch them), as well as one so bad, it might have to be seen to be believed.

READ MORE:
* Big George Foreman: Undercooked, bland boxing biopic more Gump than Ali
* Ghosted: Knives are out for Evans, de Armas’ fun, but forgettable re-teaming
* Living With Chucky: The documentary that proves making horror is anything but Child’s Play
* From Barbie’s breakout to Indy’s return: The ultimate anticipation ranking of this winter’s Hollywood Blockbusters

Anna Nicole Smith (May 16, Netflix)

This documentary features never-before-seen footage of the iconic Playboy and Guess jeans model, as it traces the life and times of a woman who blazed a trail through the ‘90s, before her tragic death at the age of 39.

Directed by Ursual Macfarlane, whose previous credits include looks at Harvey Weinstein (Untouchable) and the stealing of a baby from a hospital (The Lost Sons).

Fast X (May 18, Cinemas)

Transporter franchise director Louis Leterrier takes over the wheel from Justin Lin for this latest, possibly penultimate, instalment of the long-running action franchise. Billed as the seventh-most expensive movie ever, the shoot took in London, Rome, Turin, Lisbon and Los Angeles.

Jason Momoa plays a man out for revenge for his drug lord father’s death at the hands of Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and crew in Fast Five, while Brie Larson joins as a new potential ally for our heroes.

A Good Person (May 18, Cinemas)

Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman stars in this drama about a woman attempting to pick up the pieces of her life after being involved in a fatal accident. Former Scrubs star Zach Braff (Garden State, Wish I Was Here) wrote and directed this tale.

“It’s a haunting slice of real life that will make you think, feel and maybe even want to reach out to your loved ones. As the film vividly shows, they can be gone in a flash,” wrote Los Angeles Times’ Gary Goldstein.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (May 4, Cinemas)

Still reeling from the loss (and subsequent altered return) of his beloved Gamora, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill has to rally his shipmates for a new and possibly final mission which will require them to not only defend the universe, but protect one of their own.

Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, Elizabeth Debicki and Borat 2’s Maria Bakalova are among the newbies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hypnotic (May 11, Cinemas)

Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Desperado) directed and co-wrote this action-thriller about a detective who investigates a mystery involving his missing daughter and secret government programme. The cast includes Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, Jackie Earle Haley and William Fichtner.

“This slick mix of special effects and practical ingenuity puts Affleck in a fun position, and the slightly grizzled star’s still got the clench-jawed charisma to pull it off,” wrote Variety’s Peter Debruge.

Linoleum (May 17, Rentals)

The host of failing children’s science TV show, Cameron Edwin (Jim Gaffigan) has always had aspirations of being an astronaut. After a mysterious space-race era satellite coincidentally falls from space and lands in his backyard, his midlife crisis manifests in a plan to rebuild the machine into his dream rocket in this dramedy.

“A surprising and poignant reflection on what it means to live a fulfilling life, the memories and evocations of which will swell within you long after they’ve passed,” wrote Austin Chronicle’s Trace Sauveur.

The Little Mermaid (May 25, Cinemas)

The latest beloved Disney animated-musical to get the live-action treatment is perhaps the most radical. Africa-American singer and Grown-ish star Halle Bailey plays Ariel, while Javier Bardem is her father King Triton and Melissa McCarthy essays wicked sea-witch Ursula.

Directed by Chicago’s Rob Marshall, it will feature new songs co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Maybe I Do (May 25, Cinemas)

Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, William H. Macy, Luke Bracey, Emma Roberts are the impressive ensemble assembled for this rom-com about a couple who decide it’s finally time to bring their parents together to discuss their impending marriage. Turns out, their olds already know one another very well.

”Keaton, Gere, Sarandon and Macy make the movie a lot funnier, and a great deal more compelling, than it might have otherwise been,” wrote Variety magazine’s Joe Leydon.

The Mother (May 12, Netflix)

Jennifer Lopez headlines this action-thriller about an assassin who comes out of hiding from fleeing dangerous assailants to protect the daughter she left earlier in life.

Also starring Joseph Fiennes and Gael Garcia Bernal, the film is directed by Kiwi Niki Caro (Mulan, Whale Rider).

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (May 12, Apple TV+)

Both hilarious and heartbreaking, Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) takes us on an emotional journey through the life and times of the Back to the Future, Family Ties, Spin City and Teen Wolf star.

Taking its cue from the actor’s quartet of books, Fox offers an intimate glimpse into what it was like suddenly going from struggling to make ends meet to being Hollywood’s hottest property – and then attempting to hold on, as Parkinson’s Disease began taking its toll.

To Leslie (May 10, Rentals)

Andrea Riseborough was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as a West Texas single mother who wins the lottery and squanders it just as fast, leaving behind a world of heartbreak, in this drama based on a true story. Years later, with her charm running out and nowhere to go, she fights to rebuild her life and find redemption.

“Riseborough’s performance is nothing short of spectacular,” wrote Variety magazine’s Owen Gleiberman, “She doesn’t compromise, she doesn’t hold back, but she doesn’t endow the character with any sort of fake flamboyance.”

Victim/Suspect (May 23, Netflix)

Documentary which follows The Center for Investigative Reporting’s Rae de Leon as she uncovers and looks into a surprising number of US legal cases that involve women reporting sexual assault to the police, only to be accused of fabricating their allegations. These women are then charged with crimes, sometimes facing years in prison.

”You may need to take a month-long depression nap after you finish watching it, but this documentary will stick with you,” wrote The Playlist’s Lena Wilson.

The One to Avoid

Assassin Club (May 19, Rentals)

Even the combined talents of Henry Golding, Noomi Rapace and our own Sam Neill can’t save this awful action-thriller about an assassin who is given a contract to kill seven people around the world only to discover the targets are also assassins who have been hired to kill him.

“Incompetent and mostly just quite boring, Assassin Club doesn’t even have the good grace to be so-bad-it’s-good. Rough, rough stuff,” wrote Empire magazine’s John Nugent.