PREVIEW: Little Did I Know (2025 Film) - A Swedish Romcom with a Twist

Preview by Jon Donnis

Little Did I Know, the Swedish romcom that has broken box office records in its home country, is now set to arrive in the UK. Based on the hugely popular novels by Martina Haag, which have sold over a million copies worldwide, the award-winning feature blends romance and heartbreak with sharp honesty about how love evolves over time. The film makes its UK premiere on 16 October, streaming exclusively on Viaplay via Amazon Prime Video Channels.

Fronted by one of Sweden's most recognisable talents, Alexandra Rapaport (The Sandhamn Murders, Veronika), the film brings Haag's own bestselling stories to life, with the author also stepping behind the camera to direct. Rapaport plays Petra, a woman who, at 50, appears to have the perfect life: a strong marriage, a thriving career, and two children. That image soon cracks when she discovers her husband's infidelity, setting her on a painful journey of reinvention.

Running in parallel, we also meet Petra as a restless teenager in the 1980s, played by Ella Hammarsten Liedberg. Her experiences of first love, rejection, and identity struggles add a poignant counterpoint to the older Petra's story. Through these intertwined timelines, the film paints a tender yet unsparing portrait of how choices in youth echo across a lifetime.

Both hopeful and bittersweet, Little Did I Know (There is Something Going On) captures the fragility of relationships while celebrating the resilience needed to begin again. At once funny, devastating, and deeply human, it promises to connect with anyone who has loved, lost, and wondered what might have been.

Swedish with English subtitles. Released Thursday 16 October.

ViaPlay on Amazon Prime - https://amzn.to/46BBXQD

Apple TV - https://apple.co/3VOC9Ws

PREVIEW: Diamond Sky (2025 Film) - A Twisted Tale of Love, Desire and Deception

Preview by Jon Donnis

All that glitters is not gold in Diamond Sky, an unsettling new British psychological thriller where the promise of romance collides with the shadows of crime. Blending a heist film with a fractured love story, it offers a hypnotic descent into fantasy, where the pursuit of wealth and affection proves as dangerous as it is irresistible.

The film marks the directorial debut of Felix Mackenzie, who sets out to craft a story that balances suspense with raw emotion. The cast is led by Amanda Abbington, known for Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, as the grounded mother of Alice. Alice, played by Elena Rivers (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, F1), is a young woman caught between dreams of fortune and the harsh realities of love, falling for a man whose allure masks something far more complex.

At once a heist thriller, a love story, and a psychological portrait, Diamond Sky explores the perilous pull of desire and the way fantasy can entrap as easily as it enchants. Mackenzie's feature promises tension, beauty, and unease in equal measure, establishing him as a filmmaker to watch. Diamond Sky makes its UK digital debut on 27 October 2025, released by Reel2Reel Films.

Apple TV - https://apple.co/46SKwFG

REVIEW: Code 3 (2025 Film) - Starring Rainn Wilson, Lil Rel Howery and Aimee Carrero

Review by Jon Donnis

Christopher Leone's 2025 action comedy Code 3 takes us inside the frenetic, exhausting, and often absurd world of paramedics on a 24-hour shift. The story centres on Randy, played with weary charm by Rainn Wilson, who is ready to call it quits on a job that has worn him down. On what is supposed to be his last day, he is saddled with a student ride-along, Jessica (Aimee Carrero), while his ever-reliable partner Mike (Lil Rel Howery) keeps the ambulance rolling. Supervised by Shanice (Yvette Nicole Brown), the trio hurtles from one emergency to the next, blending humour with sudden, almost jarring glimpses of tragedy.

The film's strength lies in its balancing act. Leone finds a way to make you laugh out loud while never letting you forget the stakes. Code 3 manages to capture the gallows humour inherent in life-saving work, and there's a tenderness to it that sneaks up when you least expect. The performances, especially Wilson and Howery, carry the film, grounding the comedy with authenticity and relatability. It's a rare glimpse into the unsung heroes of the healthcare system, and Leone's direction ensures that both the funny and serious moments land with equal weight. The emotional beats are hit with subtlety, making the occasional heartfelt scene feel earned rather than forced.

Yet the film is not without its flaws. Its repetitive nature becomes noticeable over the course of the 100-minute runtime, and at times the rhythm of emergencies can feel a little predictable. The tonal shifts, while mostly effective, sometimes lean too heavily into seriousness, slightly slowing the momentum of what is otherwise a lively ride.

Code 3 is a surprising gem that is funny, touching, and occasionally poignant. It is half mockumentary, half action comedy, blending humour with the reality of life in the back of an ambulance. Leone has crafted a film that entertains while also paying tribute to the people often overlooked in emergency services. I would give Code 3 an interesting 8 out of 10.

Out Now on Digital

https://apple.co/42r7UIW

REVIEW: Xeno (2025 Film) - Starring Lulu Wilson

Review by Jon Donnis

Matthew Loren Oates' 2025 sci-fi adventure, Xeno, is a curious blend of familiar storytelling and fresh emotional stakes. At first glance, it might seem like another entry in the well-trodden alien encounter genre, but what sets it apart is its grounding in human emotion, family tension, and the unpredictable spark of an interspecies friendship.

The story follows Renee, a teenage girl navigating life in the desert with her mother, whose depression weighs heavily on their household, and her mother's cruel boyfriend. One day, Renee stumbles upon a crash-landed alien, a creature both threatening in appearance and unpredictable in behaviour. After freeing it from a trap, she names it Croak and takes on the responsibility of keeping it safe. The bond that forms between them drives the narrative, pushing Renee into morally complex situations as government agents close in and secrets about the creature's origins come to light.

There is a lot to admire in Xeno. Part E.T., part monster movie, part domestic drama, the film balances its tones with skill. At its core, it is a story about empathy, about the courage required to extend compassion to something wholly other. The film carries darker undertones, yet remains accessible as a film for young adults, while still engaging older viewers. Lulu Wilson delivers a performance of real grit and heart, embodying Renee's bravery and vulnerability in equal measure. Croak, designed by the Jim Henson Creature Shop, is a triumph in creature effects, simultaneously terrifying and oddly endearing, which helps the emotional stakes land hard. Watching their friendship unfold is genuinely rewarding, and the moments of levity amidst tension are deftly handled.

Xeno does lean heavily on its influences. Echoes of Starman, The Iron Giant, and E.T. are evident, and for some viewers, the plot will feel familiar. Yet, rather than detracting from the experience, this homage works in its favour, delivering an assured, heartfelt story that embraces its inspirations with affection. The action sequences are satisfying, the humour lands surprisingly well, and the overall pacing, while slightly long at around 100 minutes, allows enough time to develop both human and alien characters with care.

On the flip side, there is no denying the film is unoriginal in concept. Those looking for a revolutionary take on extraterrestrial cinema may be left wanting. Trimming a few minutes might have tightened the narrative, particularly in the slower domestic scenes. But even with these minor flaws, Xeno's emotional resonance and striking visuals make it a compelling watch.

Xeno is a film that charms through its heart rather than novelty. It offers thrills, humour, and genuine tenderness, anchored by strong performances and an unforgettable alien design. Think E.T. if the alien were closer to a Xenomorph in menace but no less capable of forging a deep bond. For what it is, Xeno succeeds admirably, and I walked away feeling entertained, moved, and impressed. On balance, it earns a solid 8 out of 10.

In Selected Cinemas Now

PREVIEW: Bad Boy (2025 Film) The Fight Beyond the Ring

Preview by Jon Donnis

Back in 2006, Britain watched one of the most audacious crimes in its history unfold. Armed men raided the Securitas depot in Tonbridge and made off with £53 million in cash. Dozens were pulled in for questioning. Among them was Jeremy Bailey, a fighter from Basingstoke already carrying the nickname "Bad Boy." He was eventually cleared after years of trials and interrogations, but the association never really left him.

That's the backdrop for Bad Boy, a new documentary from Terry Stone and Richard Turner. Rather than reheating the details of the heist, the film digs into Bailey's story, a messy mix of crime, sport, and survival. Born into trouble, homeless at sixteen, he found purpose in prize fighting and clawed his way up to become an MMA and kickboxing champion. Alongside Bailey's own words are contributions from his lawyer, UFC veteran Michael Bisping, and Stone himself, each shedding light on how the case and its fallout shaped him.

What makes the film intriguing is the way it moves between worlds. Bailey's time working security in the '90s rave scene, his criminal connections, the endless suspicion around the heist, all sit alongside his career in combat sports and his work building a gym in Basingstoke. It's not a neat redemption tale. It's the portrait of someone still fighting, both for titles and for a reputation that refuses to shift.

Bad Boy lands in select UK cinemas on 17 October, before heading to digital platforms on 20 October via Miracle Media. It looks less like a true-crime retread and more like a character study of a man who never fully escaped the shadow of Britain's biggest cash robbery.