Exhilarating and Enchanting Movies to Enjoy in May
Five movies for any mood to stream on Peacock this month.
Finn Cole, Woody Harrelson, and Simu Liu in Last Breath
In the mood for an exhilarating, emotional true story? | Last Breath
Alex Parkinson’s Last Breath recreates the inspiring true story of Chris Lemons (Finn Cole), Dave Yuasa (Simu Liu), and Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson), a team of saturation divers who struggle to survive at the bottom of the sea. Adapted from Parkinson’s documentary of the same name, the film dramatizes a perfect storm of bad luck in the middle of the North Sea that left Lemons disconnected from his oxygen and communication lifelines hundreds of feet underwater. With only minutes of air left, Yuasa and Allcock do everything they can to save the life of their friend, when something seemingly impossible occurs. The Guardian writes, “Riveting, seamless, at points genuinely shocking, Last Breath exemplifies the possibilities of human collaboration—a feat that has stuck with me and, yes, took my breath away.”
The official trailer for Last Breath
Mia Goth and Anya Taylor-Joy in EMMA.
In the mood for a literary rom-com? | EMMA.
Director Autumn de Wilde recreates Jane Austen’s beloved novel with flair and finesse in EMMA. Clever and wealthy, Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy) wants to control everyone’s love life, be it her father (Bill Nighy) or her protégé, Harriet Smith (Mia Goth). But she abruptly learns how little she understands her own heart when she meets Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn). With its candy-colored outfits and razor-sharp dialogue, the “adaptation gets Jane Austen’s balance of satire and romance just right,” notes Vox. EMMA. “feels both modern and authentic in the best way, inviting everyone, diehard Austenites and newbies alike, into its embrace,” writes Time Magazine.
The official trailer for EMMA.
Harry Hadden-Paton, Laura Carmichael, Tuppence Middleton, and Allen Leech in Downton Abbey: A New Era
In the mood for a posh getaway? | Downton Abbey: A New Era
Simon Curtis’ Downton Abbey: A New Era doubles the fun with two storylines. After a luxurious wedding for Tom Branson (Allen Leech) and Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) in England, the film then moves in two directions. While some Crawleys travel to the south of France to visit the elegant villa that Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) has just inherited, others like Mary (Michelle Dockery) stay home to manage the Hollywood production company which has taken over the manor to shoot a movie. Both stories are chock full of romantic intrigue, glamorous settings, and tantalizing family secrets, demonstrating, CNN writes, that creator “Julian Fellowes still knows how to pluck the right strings—upstairs and downstairs—to play a symphony with his sprawling cast.” The saga continues this September with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
The official trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era
Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter
In the mood for a complex psychological drama? | The Card Counter
Oscar Isaac plays William Tell, an ex-soldier and ex-con who is learning to take control of his chaotic past through playing high-stakes games on a casino circuit in Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter. The limits of his control are tested, however, when he tries to save a young man (Tye Sheridan) from his worst impulses. With a talented cast that includes Tiffany Haddish and Willem Dafoe, the film uses the world of professional poker to see how much its characters are willing to stake. “In one of the year’s best films, Oscar Isaac plays a gambler who knows when to walk away,” writes The Chicago Sun-Times.
The official trailer for The Card Counter
Amir El-Masry, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Owuso-Ansah, and Vikash Bhai in Limbo
In the mood for a sweet, emotionally stirring story? | Limbo
In Limbo, Ben Sharrock follows four asylum seekers from different countries who’ve been relocated to an Outer Hebrides island off the coast of Scotland. Sharrock finds the heart of people too often reduced to headlines. “I’ve never seen the refugee crisis told in this way, so heart-warming and funny and accessible to everyone,” exclaims Amir El-Masry (Omar) in the production notes. The Los Angeles Times writes, “Limbo is the kind of original work of art that moves the needle on an issue by delving into the human factor rather than hanging out on the impersonal surface.”
The official trailer for Limbo