At the Movies for 8 June 2025

Simon Morris finds himself confused by flashbacks, dream sequences - and Wes Anderson's convoluted story structures. He sets out through the thickets of The Phoenician Scheme, Bring her back and New Zealand road-movie Kōkā. The Phoenician Scheme opens on the fabulously wealthy Zsa Zsa Korda setting out to make even more money, with the help of his daughter, a novice nun, and a Swedish tutor called Bjorn. Directed by Wes Anderson, it stars Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johanssen, Willem Dafoe, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Ayoade, Tom Hanks and Bill Murray as God. Kōkā sees an ailing Maori matriarch and an angry delinquent form an unlikely team as they take a journey away from past traumas towards healing and reconciliation. A first feature by writer-director Kath Akuhata-Brown. Bring her back is a stylish Australian horror, in which two teen siblings are fostered by a woman who turns out to have her own issues. Can partially-sighted Piper get through an unexpected ordeal? Starring Sally Hawkins (The shape of water), it's directed by brothers Danny and Michael Philippu (Talk to me).