Summer 2017 is upon us, meaning that – weather permitting – many of us will be spending our free time eating al fresco and catching some rays. But for those days when you don’t fancy being chased by wasps, a great way to while away the hours is at the cinema.
 
We’ve rounded up the must-watch films of the season, from a fast-paced action flick starring Kevin Spacey to a Sofia Coppola-directed thriller led by Nicole Kidman.
 
Gifted

Hollywood leading man Chris Evans stars as the unsuspecting hero of Gifted, which sees his character Frank fight for custody of his incredibly intelligent young niece.

Frank is supported along the way by the straight-talking Roberta (Octavia Spencer) in this warming tale of love and loyalty, which will make you hold the people you love a little closer after seeing it.

Top tip: make sure you take some tissues with you, this one's emotional.
 
Release date: 16th June
 
 

The Beguiled
 
Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell and Elle Fanning star in this thrilling period drama set during the US Civil War.

When a male visitor (Farrell) unexpectedly enters the world of a female-run orphanage for girls, he sparks a chain of events that end with murderous results.

To reference another famous film: there will be blood, so those on the squeamish side might want to sit this one out...
 
Release date: 23rd June

 

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Hampstead
 
This heart-warming film, based on true events, follows a pair of unlikely allies (Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson) as they fight against the threat of an eviction notice, and discover along the way they have more in common than they first realised. 

Release date: 23 June


 
Baby Driver
 
Fast-paced, fun and stylish, Baby Driver follows a young man (Baby, Ansel Elgort) working reluctantly as part of a criminal ring led by a powerful crook (Kevin Spacey).

The film is full of thrills and spills, and will take you from wiping away tears in one scene to laughing out loud the next. In case you weren't sold already, there's a killer soundtrack and a brilliant performance from Downton's Lily James as Baby's girlfriend Debora.
 
Release date: 28th June



Dunkirk
 
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk tells the harrowing story of the allied soldiers who attempted to flea France for English shores during the second World War.

The intense tipped-to-be-blockbuster boasts a cast made up of British acting veterans like Sir Kenneth Brannagh and Mark Rylance, plus up-and-comers Aneurin Barnard and Harry Styles.

Release date: 21st July



The Dark Tower
 
This all-out action fantasy centres around a young boy’s fight against evil, with the help of bold and brave 'gunslinger' Roland (Idris Elba).

If you're a fan of other Stephen King film adaptations like Carrie and It, and can get your head around everyone's favourite Matthew McConaughey playing a baddie, this one's for you.
 
Release date: 18th August

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Goodbye Christopher Robin
 
As summer draws to a close, we’ll be given a rare glimpse into the relationship between beloved children's author A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Pooh.

Starring Domhnall Gleeson and Margot Robbie as the author and his wife, Daphne, respectively, the film follows the family's rise to fame and reminds us all why Winnie the Pooh is such a beloved character to this day.
 
Release date: 29th September


 
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