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Soul Snatchers is a new supernatural thriller that takes a family back to a remote island where an unseen darkness has taken hold. Directed by Julio Roman, the chiller is set to make its UK digital debut on 31 August through Seven Tales.
Cameron Arnett stars as Emmanuel, a deeply religious man who returns to the island where he spent his childhood with his missionary family. His intention is to open a music school for orphaned children, but the island's picturesque surroundings conceal something far more sinister.
As Emmanuel gets to work, the family's unity begins to fracture. His older son becomes increasingly absorbed in his work and starts drifting away from his family, while his youngest is drawn towards the influence of a powerful cult-like leader whose beliefs directly challenge Emmanuel's own values.
What initially appears to be a series of personal and family problems soon reveals a much darker influence at work. With the evil embedded deeper into the island than Emmanuel could have imagined, the family must fight to stay together as their lives are placed in danger.
With its combination of supernatural horror, spiritual themes and a battle between opposing forces, Soul Snatchers looks set to offer a darker take on the familiar struggle between good and evil. Emmanuel's return to his childhood home could prove to be far more dangerous than he ever expected.
Soul Snatchers stars Cameron Arnett, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Forge, and is directed by Julio Roman.
Soul Snatchers arrives on digital in the UK on 31 August from Seven Tales.
There is something immediately impressive about the Yoda Puppetronic by RealFX. Standing at 44cm tall, this officially licensed 2026 Star Wars collectible makes a very good first impression. Put it on a shelf or a sideboard and it looks like a premium Yoda figure, rather than something that has been designed primarily as a toy.
Yoda himself looks great. The outfit is particularly good quality, and the overall appearance captures the familiar character surprisingly well. As a display piece, this is one of the best Yoda figures I have seen. It has presence, it attracts attention and it is the sort of thing that quickly becomes a conversation starter when someone spots it.
The voice effects are another major strength. With more than 120 sounds, there is plenty of Yoda dialogue to discover, and the voice is remarkably convincing. I cannot say whether the recordings are from the original actor or a particularly good impersonator, but either way, they are spot on. The only real problem is that they are rather quiet, and there is no volume control, so you have to accept the level provided.
I actually like leaving the voice function switched on while Yoda is sitting on the side. He will occasionally come out with one of his iconic lines, and there is something quite amusing about having Yoda unexpectedly start talking in the background. It adds a little personality to what works best as a static display piece.
It was also interesting to see how a baby reacted to him. Clearly, this is not a toy designed for babies, but curiosity got the better of me. Would Yoda be frightening? Initially there was a little uncertainty, but that soon turned into waving at him and attempts to talk to him through enthusiastic baby babbling. It was a surprisingly cute reaction and shows just how interesting the character is, to someone who has no knowledge of the StarWars universe.
However, the biggest problem with the Yoda Puppetronic is also the reason it exists. It is a puppetronic, not an animatronic.
That distinction matters.
There are no automated movements. Yoda does not independently turn his head, blink or move around. The only automated element is the voice, which can randomly play one of his lines if you leave the unit switched on. Anyone buying this expecting an animatronic Yoda that will spring into life by itself could therefore be disappointed.
Instead, you control the movements yourself.
In theory, this should be fun. In practice, it is awkward.
Everything feels very stiff, and quite a lot of effort is required to make the movements look natural. That becomes particularly noticeable if somebody else is watching you operate Yoda. Rather than giving the impression that Yoda is coming to life, there can be an obvious sense that somebody is physically manipulating a puppet.
The controls are housed in a compartment on Yoda's back, with a fairly substantial joystick providing the main control. Oddly, the arrangement feels as though it was designed with a left-handed user in mind, which seems like a strange choice for something intended for a mass market.
The Force pose is another example. Raising Yoda's arm is controlled by a very stiff switch inside the rear control compartment. It takes a surprisingly heavy hand to operate it, and the movement feels more mechanical than natural as the arm rises.
The stiffness is ultimately what undermines the experience. A puppet needs to feel enjoyable to operate. You should want to pick it up and perform with it. With Yoda, there is a certain amount of work involved in getting the movements to look convincing, and that makes it difficult to see myself repeatedly using him as a puppet.
There are also some less obvious annoyances.
Yoda arrives without his feet and cane attached, so these have to be fitted during unboxing. Thankfully, this is a one-time job, but the feet are surprisingly tricky to install and require a fair amount of force to push into place.
The battery compartment is also poorly positioned on the back and is almost impossible to get to comfortably. It is the sort of design decision that probably makes sense somewhere on a manufacturing diagram, but is frustrating when you actually need to replace the batteries.
Then there is the hair.
Yoda has no hair.
That may sound like a minor complaint, but it is surprisingly noticeable. The real Yoda has that distinctive wispy white hair, and its absence makes the figure feel less complete than it could have been. Considering how good the rest of the costume and sculpt look, it seems like a missed opportunity.
The other question is scale. The Yoda Puppetronic is 44cm tall, while the real Yoda himself is 66cm. That makes this approximately 2:3 scale. Given that the Puppetronic is already a substantial object, it is difficult not to wonder why RealFX did not make it full scale. It would have been bigger, certainly, but not so much bigger that the difference seems unreasonable.
Ultimately, the Yoda Puppetronic is a product that I like considerably more as a figure than I do as a puppet.
As something to put on the shelf or side, it is excellent. It looks fantastic, the costume is good quality, the voice effects are extremely convincing and the occasional random quotes give it just enough life to make it more than an ordinary static figure. Visitors notice it, and people who have seen it have commented on how good it looks.
As a puppet that you are supposed to control, play with, demonstrate to friends or use to make videos, it is much less convincing. The joystick is stiff, the arm control is stiff and the movements require enough effort that making Yoda look genuinely alive is difficult. It simply does not feel as much fun to operate as I had hoped.
That leaves a slightly awkward question for anyone considering spending £79.99.
Are you willing to pay nearly £80 for a really good-looking Yoda display piece that happens to have a puppet mechanism inside it? If you are a huge Yoda fan, enjoy puppetry, are prepared to put in the effort to learn the controls and perhaps happen to be left-handed, there may be enough here to make it worthwhile.
For me, though, the distinction is clear. As a figure, I really like it. As a puppet, I do not.
As a display figure: 9/10
As a puppet: 5/10
Overall, the Yoda Puppetronic is a great-looking Yoda that I am very happy to have on the side. I just wish it was more enjoyable to actually control.
The oil industry has long provided fertile ground for stories about greed, corruption and the price of ambition, and Crude Awakenings looks set to take a sharply satirical approach to the subject.
Directed by Omri Dayan, this British drama follows ambitious PR strategist Ava Rice, played by Django Chan-Reeves, who lands a potentially career-changing position at a notorious energy conglomerate. The promise of wealth and professional success proves difficult to resist, but her new role soon forces her to confront the moral compromises that come with it.
Ava's world takes a disturbing turn when a mysterious sickness begins spreading throughout the firm. What initially appears to be the perfect opportunity begins to expose a much darker reality, leaving Ava caught between her ambitions, her conscience and concerns for her own health.
Chan-Reeves, known for The End of the F***ing World and Industry, leads a cast that also includes Gary Fannin and Doug Colling. Together, they inhabit a corporate world where appearances matter, ambition comes at a cost and doing the right thing may prove considerably harder than turning a blind eye.
With its combination of environmental concerns, corporate corruption and dark wit, Crude Awakenings looks to offer more than a straightforward warning about the oil industry. At its centre is a character faced with a deeply personal choice over just how much she is willing to sacrifice for success.
Crude Awakenings arrives on digital on 24 August from Reel2Reel Films.
A bad first date takes a dangerous turn in The Lonely Crowd, a new romantic crime thriller that combines relationship drama with a rapidly escalating tale of violence, corruption and stolen money.
Written and directed by David St. Clair in his feature directorial debut, the film stars Adam Wesley as Peter and Taylor Anne Danehower as Ashley, whose attempt at an online date quickly goes wrong. What begins as an uncomfortable meeting fuelled by frustration and assumptions soon develops into something far more dangerous.
Set against a backdrop of dating fatigue, loneliness and growing mistrust between men and women, The Lonely Crowd explores the difficulties of forming genuine connections in an age of online dating. Peter and Ashley's date ends badly, with Ashley storming out after their encounter descends into an argument shaped by emotional defensiveness and gender assumptions.
However, their evening is far from over. Peter later finds Ashley being harassed outside and intervenes, an act that unexpectedly draws him into a dangerous situation involving corrupt police officers, a kidnapping and stolen money. From there, the story unfolds over three days as the characters become caught up in a whirlwind of crime, violence and romance.
“The Lonely Crowd’s foundation is personal, not procedural. Beneath the suspense lies a story about what happens when people see each other as stereotypes rather than individuals. Romance isn’t fantasy here; it’s forged in the clash of loneliness, pride, fear, and misunderstanding,” said St. Clair, writer/director.
“The film blends thriller pacing with romantic tension and character-driven storytelling that will appeal to audiences who enjoy emotional suspense. The themes resonate across generations, connecting with anyone who has struggled in relationships or in moving beyond first impressions,” adds St. Clair.
“Story comes first,” said St. Clair. “We wanted to make a film that moves with energy and suspense yet is grounded in something honest about how people struggle to connect with one another,” he added.
Alongside Wesley and Danehower, the cast includes Giancarlo Carmona, Jon Oshei, Haley Spencer, Blair Chambers and Andrew Mena.
The Lonely Crowd marks the first feature film from producer Jim St. Clair and co-producer David St. Clair under their Desario Productions banner. Behind the camera, the filmmaking team includes composer Kevin Morrison, cinematographer Garrett Stotko, editor Daniel Seigerman, casting director Bevin Hamilton, and production designers Emily Kiihnl and Paige McGhee.
Indie Rights acquired The Lonely Crowd for worldwide distribution, with the film debuting on Amazon for rent and purchase in May 2026. It is now also available on streaming platforms including YouTube, Tubi and Fawesome, with releases on other major streaming services expected to follow.
With its combination of online dating, relationship drama and a crime story that quickly spirals out of control, The Lonely Crowd looks set to offer a darker take on the modern search for connection.
STUDIOCANAL has announced a brand-new 4K restoration of BAFTA and OSCAR-winning director, John Schlesinger's British New Wave classic, BILLY LIAR. Released on August 24th.
And to celebrate we have a copy to give away!
Synopsis:
Going nowhere fast, Billy Fisher (Tom Courtenay), an incorrigible fantasizer, dreams incessantly of escaping his drab existence and humdrum routine work as an undertakers' clerk in Yorkshire. Seeking refuge from his working-class family and not one but two demanding fiancées in the imaginary country called Ambrosia, Billy finds himself cut off from reality. As Billy's fabrications grow increasingly wilder and problems start piling up, happy-go-lucky Liz (Julie Christie) enters the young day-dreamer's life, offering a way out of his mess. However, new beginnings are always scary, and Billy must make up his mind: it's either a fresh start in London or an endless beautiful lie in Ambrosia.
Widely regarded as one of the most memorable and universally acclaimed films of the 60s, this new restoration is the perfect way to revisit some of the best work carried out by one of Britain’s most cherished directors in his centennial year. A welcome addition to STUDIOCANAL’s Vintage Classics label.
The special 4K UHD collector’s Edition of the film will be released on August 24th. The 2-disc set features the film on both UHD and Blu-ray with brand-new extras, a 64-page booklet, poster of the new artwork by Sam Smith plus calendar and will be the first time the film is available to own in 4K.
The World Premiere of the new restoration took place at Cinema Rediscovered in Bristol on July 26th.
The newly-restored BILLY LIAR will play at selected cinemas from July 31 and will also form a major highlight of the ongoing UK-wide centenary project, The Consummate Professional: John Schlesinger at 100. Retrospectives of Schlesinger's films will feature as part of the regular Curzon Film Club strand across all Curzon cinema sites, culminating in screenings of BILLY LIAR in August. For more information, visit schlesinger-100.webflow.io and curzon.com/film-club.
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4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.
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