3 Movies to add to your must-watch list this weekend

From the harsh Gold Rush of the 50s and the magical mountains of Columbia, right through to outer space – these three movies cover ample genres for you to enjoy.

Redeeming Love

Opening in cinemas nationwide on Friday 21 January, Redeeming Love – a romantic period drama – is a story of redemption, forgiveness and unconditional love.

Filmed in Cape Town, this bestselling novel of author, Francine Rivers retells the biblical story of Hosea, which revolves around the unlikely relationship of Sarah who becomes known as Angel (Abigail Cowen) and Michael Hosea (Tom Lewis).

Sarah is sold into prostitution as a child and becomes an in-demand woman in a rough, Californian town. Michael, a farmer and a man of faith finds her and brings her home, but it takes them several setbacks and a lot of trust to discover that there is no brokenness that love can’t heal.

The movie stars various South African actors as part of the cast and has a strong South African flavour, including actors like Tanya van Graan, Clyde Berning, Stephen Jennings, Brandon Auret and Daniah de Villiers.

The two main characters are also supported by a stellar cast with the likes of Famke Janssen, Eric Dane, Logan Marshall-Green and Nina Dobrev to name a few.

Set in the harsh realities of the California Gold Rush of 1850, this movie is one of hope, and also a brilliant showcase of what South African actors and movie-makers are capable of.

READ: 5 Bucket list destinations from Tanya van Graan’s feed

Encanto

When an animation lures both adults and children to the cinema, you know you’ve got a winner.

Encanto is a magical movie with a strong message about family and the importance thereof – something that, amidst all the current craziness in the world, we often tend to forget.

It tells the story of a little girl who is unaware of her special gift to bring (and keep) her family – the Madrigals together.

Although the movie comes with such a strong and important life message, it is also filled with colourful, cheerful adventures set in the mountains of Columbia, that will have even the youngest of youngsters on the edge of their seats.

Encanto (which refers to the Madrigal family’s magical home) also includes some clever humour for both parents and children, something that takes a whole lot of creativity from the production team.

Don’t Look Up

Although it was released in 2021 already, the Netflix movie, Don’t Look Up is another one worth adding to your watch list.

With a cast including Leonardo di Caprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry, not much could go wrong in this blockbuster.

In the film, Jennifer Lawrence plays Kate Dibiasky, an astronomy grad student and Leonardo DiCaprio’s role is that of her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy.

The film revolves around Dr. Randall Mindy’s rather concerning discovery of a possible planet-killer – a comet that might just have a devastating effect.

Dr. Mindy not only finds that the comet is orbiting within the solar system, but also that it is on a direct collision course with planet Earth, while no one seems to be phased about it.

The process of trying to convince the rest of the world to just look up and see what could happen if the comet and earth collide, turns out to be quite a humorous, yet intense movie with a hint of sarcasm around politics, the media and indifference toward climate change.

Whether it’s a romantic drama, an animation for the whole family or a brilliant blockbuster, these three movies should cover it all.