As the nation relaxes into a four-day Bank Holiday weekend, many of us will be reaching for the remote.
But what new films are set to hit screens over the next few days?
If you’re looking for something to tune into, then leading streaming platforms Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and NowTV have got you covered and will each be releasing a collection of new flicks to their platforms – with everything from romance, drama and psychological thriller, to animated comedy, some cult-classics parody and a few brand-new originals to take your pick from.
Here’s everything new you can check out this weekend.
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Netflix
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Concrete Cowboy
Starring – Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin and Jharrel Jerome
With an all-star cast of big and upcoming names, Netflix original Concrete Cowboy is based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri – which is a fictionalisation of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club and urban African-American horseriding culture in Philadelphia.
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The film tells the story of a 15-year-old boy from Detroit who is sent to live with his estranged father in and learns about the local urban cowboys.
Shrek
Starring – Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz
Fancy watching a modern cult-classic? With the first two films and a recording of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical already on the platform, there’ll be three more feature-length Shrek treats coming to Netflix this month.
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If you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, it follows an ogre called Shrek who finds his swamp overrun by fairy tale creatures who have been banished by the corrupt Lord Farquaad – who is aspiring to be king. With the help of Donkey, Shrek embarks on his quest to rescue Princess Fiona, but soon falls in love with the princess and finds she is hiding a secret that will change his life forever.
Run
Starring – Sarah Paulson
Another new Netflix original, Run tells the story of Chloe who was raised by her mother Diane in total isolated medical care. Her mother has been controlling her life since she was born – but now as a teenager, Chloe is starting to explore her mother’s sinister secrets.
Is her mother holding her back?
Sky High
Starring – Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kelly Preston and Kurt Russell.
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This 2005 American superhero comedy film is hitting Netflix this weekend, and tells the story of the son of two superheroes who is enrolled in an airborne high school for teenage superheroes where he discovers his true powers and learns about loyalty and friendship.
Just Say Yes
Starring – Yolanthe Sneijder-Cabau
This Netflix original Dutch romantic comedy is brand new to the streaming platform today, and tells the story of incurable romantic Lotte who finds her life upended when her plans for a picture-perfect wedding unravel.
This all happens just as her self-absorbed sister gets engaged.
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Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime Video
Unhinged
Starring – Russell Crowe and Caren Pistorious
This American action thriller film tells the story of single mother Rachel whose bad day gets even worse when she beeps her horn at a fellow driver during rush-hour traffic, but after an exchange of words, she soon realises that the mysterious man is following her and her young son in his truck.
The initial case of road rage quickly escalates into full-blown terror as Rachel discovers the psychopath’s sinister plan for revenge.
The Ghost Writer
Starring – Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall and Olivia Williams
Fresh to the platform this weekend, this 2010 political thriller film follows a successful ghostwriter who agrees to finish the memoirs of England’s former prime minister, Adam Lang, as his publisher assures him it’s the chance of a lifetime.
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Instead, he begins to uncover evidence that suggests his late predecessor knew a dark secret about Lang and may have been murdered to prevent it from coming to light.
Blaire Witch
Starring – James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Brandon Scott and Valorie Curry
Also known as Blair Witch 3, this 2016 American ‘found footage’ supernatural horror film tells the story of a young man and his friends who venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mystery surrounding his missing sister.
Many believe her disappearance 17 years earlier is connected to the legend of the Blair Witch.
NowTV
Sky Group | NOW TV
The Hunger Games
Starring – Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth
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All four films in the cult-favourite Hunger Games franchise – based on the book series by Suzanne Collins – is set to hit NowTV this month, telling the story of Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who volunteers to replace her sister in a tournament that ends only when one participant remains.
Pitted against contestants who have trained for this all their life, she has little to rely on.
SCOOB!
Starring – Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez and Will Forte
Boasting a truly all-star cast of major Hollywood names, this 2020 animated mystery comedy film follows Scooby and the gang facing their biggest and most challenging mystery ever, after hundreds of cases solved up their sleeves – a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world.
As they race to stop this global dog-pocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone could have imagined.
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Antebellum
Starring – Janelle Monáe, Eric Lange, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons and Gabourey Sidibe
Another 2020 flick to hit the streaming platform this weekend is horror thriller film Antebellum, which tells the story of successful author Veronica Henley, who is finishing a book tour before she returns home to her husband and daughter.
But a shocking turn of events is about to upend Veronica’s existence, plunging her into a horrifying reality that forces her to confront her past, present and future before it’s too late.
Featured Image – Netflix | DreamWorks Animation
Trending
Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
Andy Aspinall issues update on Tom’s eye poke injury and calls for changes in the UFC
Danny Jones
Andy Aspinall – father of Manc martial artist Tom Aspinall – has shared a lengthy video interview on his son’s YouTube channel discussing the latest regarding his son’s eye injury.
More importantly, as a concerned parent, he’s also called for better safeguarding and/or tighter rules in the UFC regarding fouls and, in particular, eye poking.
In case you missed it, this past weekend, the Greater Manchester MMA star took on French fighter Ciryl Gane in his first title defence since being named the undisputed heavyweight champion. Unfortunately, the main event match had to be cut short after Aspinall was left unable to see following an eye poke.
Although this is an illegal move in the sport, not only could it not be proved whether it was accidental or perhaps even intentional, as some have speculated on social media, but the only outcome was for the bout to end in a no-contest. Updating fans online, Andy reiterated priorities, dubbing this “just a job”.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Tom Aspinall “𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝘼𝙉’𝙏 𝙎𝙀𝙀” out of his right eye following Ciryl Gane’s double eye poke at UFC 321, his dad Andy has revealed 😳
“His right eye, he still can't see anything.He said it's just grey.
As you can see in the main clip above, Andy says that the Atherton-born fighter still “can’t see anything” out of his right eye, describing his sight as little more than “just grey”; meanwhile, his left eye is said to be at roughly 50% vision, having struggled to get more than a few rows down on a Snellen chart.
Essentially, the short version is that after the pain of the controversial eye poke, the muscles in his eye still aren’t healed and will be going for even more eye tests, including an eye test.
However, arguably the most salient points to take away from the video were those regarding his son’s overall welfare and the safety of the sport, as it is clear that Andy was talking chiefly as an understandably worried father rather than his coach.
“For me, everything is about his health. It’s not about the fighting – that’s just what he chose to do as a job”, he says, also clarifying that he isn’t accusing Gane of any ill intent, personally, and that the referees need to have more powers when it comes to fouling.
He also reminded those watching that the Wigan native has a wife and three kids to think about, stating, “This is just a job that he’s doing at this period in time, and he’ll do another job”, before going on to add, “What [will] it take?” for the UFC to get stricter around fouls like these.
You can watch the most recent update on Tom Aspinall from his dad, Andy, in full down below.
Andy Aspinall also had plenty to say in terms of what the UFC can do to better protect fighters/improve the rules.
Andy also made a point of suggesting once again that Tom should maybe turn to boxing instead of MMA, not only because of the added safety measures but because of the bigger paydays.
Do you think the UFC needs to be more stringent when it comes to not only protecting its fighters but also the rules and punishments surrounding serious fouls, such as eye pokes?
AND, alternatively, do you think Tom Aspinall would be well-suited to a boxing ring?
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, he was the first to admit that “this is a dangerous f***ing sport”; whether or not coming this close to permanent damage has made him reconsider, only time will tell.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd April 2021 
