SPOTLIGHT | 'The Lost Daughter' and new Scream movie open this weekend

Spotlight is our entertainment bite-sized snapshot featuring new entertainment releases in SA, exclusive film trailers and much more. New episodes are out every Thursday on Sunday Times Lifestyle, Sowetan Entertainment and on YouTube, plus you can follow Spotlight on Facebook.

Welcome to the first Spotlight episode of 2022! Neo Moretlwe is this week’s guest presenter while Collette Prince has a deserved break. As always, we have the best of all things entertainment lined up. 

We jump straight into a new cinema release from Friday January 14 with The Lost Daughter, starring Olivia Colman. Hailed as one of the greatest talents working today, she doesn’t disappoint. The story centres on a woman’s beach holiday, when she begins to confront the troubles of her past. Focusing on visual poetry and the internal emotions of the characters, the film details her journey to find empathy and humanity despite some difficult life choices, which she now regrets, around motherhood. It’s an accomplished directorial debut from Maggie Gyllenhaal, in an adaptation of the book of the same name by Elena Ferrante.

Boasting a long list of awards already, the film also stars Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Jessie Buckley. Refer to cinema booking portals for the list of selected venues for The Lost Daughter.

Spotlight also features a second cinema release: Scream 5. Yes, you read that right, the iconic and eerie greeting of “Hello Sidney...” is back again. Twenty-five years after the original series of murders in Woodsboro, a new killer emerges and Sidney Prescott must return to uncover the truth.

Familiar faces Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette are back, reprising their roles as they search for someone with a link to their past. They are joined for the first terrifying time by Dylan Minette, Sonia Ben Ammar and a host of potential victims.

Scream 5 is dedicated to the memory of Wes Craven, who changed the landscape of horror forever with the Scream franchise. Social media is full of praise, with reactions ranging from “razor sharp” to “one hell of a genre start for 2022”.  Both scary and packed with tongue-in-cheek references to past slasher films, this is an unmissable treat at cinemas from January 14.

In arguably the strangest Golden Globe award ceremony to date, and falling under intense scrutiny for the previously startling lack of diversity within the ranks of its host, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the low-key and untelevised event awarded top accolades to: Succession (Best TV Drama Series, now on Showmax), Power of the Dog (Best Motion Picture, now on Netflix), Steven Spielberg’s movie West Side Story which won for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, and Disney’s Encanto for Best Motion Picture — Animated this week. 

For a full list of winners, and an update on the postponed Critics Choice Awards, current and new movie trailers and competition details, visit our Spotlight Facebook page. See you at the movies!

Win movie merchandise hampers from current movies 

With a great mix of exciting movies on at cinemas, we are giving away merchandise hampers from movies now showing at cinemas.

To enter, visit Spotlight SA on Facebook for all the details. 

Terms and conditions apply.

Winners will be drawn randomly and notified by SMS after the competition has closed.  Entrants’ personal details will not be retained for marketing purposes. Winners have to provide proof of age (ID/driver’s licence) and cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. By entering participants agree to have their names published on TimesLIVE, SowetanLIVE and Spotlight SA on Facebook. Employees of Arena Holdings and their family members are not eligible to enter.