Thelma (12A)
Directed by Josh Margolin
★★★★★
 

THE realities of getting old are examined and celebrated in this hilarious yet poignant lo-fi action-comedy meets family-drama, which puts a gran in her 90s in the driving seat as an unlikely action hero. 
 
Written, directed and edited by Josh Margolin, it is inspired by the real-life experience of his own grandmother and was shot in her condo. 
 
It follows 93-year-old Thelma (June Squibb, also executive producer) who, after being duped by a phone scammer (Malcolm McDowell) out of $10,000, and spurred on by Tom Cruise and his Mission Impossible films, decides to hunt them down and get her money back. Think  elderly equivalent of Jason Statham in The Beekeeper.
 
She attempts to steal her old friend Ben’s (Richard Roundtree, who died last year) scooter for her quest but he insists on accompanying her telling her “we’re old, diminished... the least we can do is take care of each other.” Meanwhile she ditches her grandson/carer Daniel (Fred Hechinger, executive producer) and his parents (Parker Posey and Clark Clegg) who patronise her and treat her like a child, insisting she wear a wrist tracker. 
 
Squibb, in her first starring role in 70 years, delivers a powerhouse performance full of grit, determination and wondrous spirit alongside a captivating Roundtree and a heartfelt turn by Hechinger. In fact, the beautiful and moving relationship between Thelma and Daniel is the beating heart of the film. 
 
Walking a fine line between humour and drama Margolin’s impressive and inventive debut feature shows us that we shouldn’t write off the elderly as old age isn’t a monolith but a series of different chapters in this sparkling gem of a must-see film. 

In cinemas July 19

Crossing (15)
Directed by Levan Akin
★★★★

From acclaimed Georgian-Swedish director Levan Akin comes a smart yet captivating and haunting queer story about identity, acceptance and unexpected friendships that cross borders. 
 
It centres on Lia (Mzia Arabuli), a retired teacher who is searching for her estranged niece, Tekla, a transgender woman. A young neighbour Achi (newcomer Lucas Kankava) informs her Tekla has moved to Istanbul and he can help her find her. The pair embark on a surreal road trip from Georgia to Turkey and once there they meet a transgender lawyer Evrim (Deniz Dumanli) who agrees to assist them. 
 
Akin’s follow up to And Then We Danced is a moving and tender drama which is driven by cracking performances from the mainly non-professional cast. It examines the discrimination and difficulties transgender men and women face. In Evrim’s case she has been forced to jump through endless hoops legally to obtain her female ID card which will give her some social standing. 
 
The heart of the film is the touching friendship that develops between the troubled Lia and Achi as you root for them to find Tekla. It ends on a surprising note which will stay with you long after it has finished.

In cinemas July 19

Blur: To The End (15)
Directed by Toby L
★★★★
 

BLUR fans are in for a wonderful treat, and you do not need to know the ins and outs of the band to enjoy this frank and candid film which captures their biggest gig to date at Wembley last year. 
 
Shot over the course of a year, this intimate and engrossing fly on the wall documentary directed by Toby L sees the four members reunite for the first time in almost a decade for the concert and to make their first record in eight years. 
 
It seems like they have never been apart as Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree pick up where they left off, and bicker and spar like old married couples. They discuss their longtime friendships, ageing, their mortality and buying homes in the country which is both funny and insightful.  
 
The film follows them while they perform warm up gigs up and down the country to prepare for Wembley. Damon and Graham pop into their old school in Essex which proves hilarious as they reminisce about their former antics.  
 
A joy to watch. 

In cinemas July 19

Twisters (12A)
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung 
★★★

 
AFTER the Oscar-nominated Minari, director Lee Isaac Chung returns whipping up a storm with this epic disaster film which follows on from the 1996 Twister which starred Helen Hunt and the late Bill Paxton. 
 
This time we have Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate Carter, a former tornado chaser haunted by tragedy, who is persuaded by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) to come back to Oklahoma to put a groundbreaking new testing system through its paces. However Javi’s project is being funded by an unscrupulous land grabber who is robbing tornado victims. She is then plagued by the cocky, superstar Influencer and thrill-seeking storm chaser Tyler Owens (played brilliantly by Glen Powell). 
 
The spark and sexual frisson is strong between Edgar-Jones and Powell who light up the screen as they embark on an enemies-to-friends romantic arc. 
 
Full of nods to the original, it follows a similar story with a few tweaks. The action sequences are bigger and more thrilling, with one based in a cinema which may well blow your top. 
 
This needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. 

In cinemas now