Pop artists! Park rangers! Angry cowboys!
This week's agenda is full of chaotic and complex masculinity - maybe because we're still mourning the death of Michael Madsen, an actor that exuded rugged charm and mischievous intensity. Or maybe because it's just an oddly quiet week for new releases.
As the summer heat continues to soar (alongside box office superheroes), Ari Aster's pandemic-set Eddington will be a highlight for fans of the director behind Hereditary, Midsommar and Beau Is Afraid, as well as those craving some darkness (stay tuned for our full review).
Meanwhile, a previously lost archive of photographs depicting pioneering pop artist Robert Indiana provides a fascinating insight into the '60s New York scene - and will be showcased in London for the very first time.
Lastly, in the slide towards the second half of the year, here's a quick reminder to check-out our best-of lists for music, movies and TV shows so far. If you've got some annual leave booked in soon, there was never a better time to catch-up!
Here's what to look out for this week.
Exhibitions
UNSEEN INDIANA: Robert Indiana x Andy Warhol by William John Kennedy
Where: Gallery 46 (London, UK)
When: 18 July - 3 August 2025
While the name Robert Indiana might not be instantly recognisable to everyone, his LOVE design certainly will be. Created in 1966, it's claimed to be the world's most reproduced contemporary artwork - and made Indiana a pioneering figure of pop art. On the cusp of its creation, late American photographer William John Kennedy photographed Indiana behind the scenes in a series of images that were lost for nearly 40 years, and will now be displayed in London for the first time ever. The exhibit also features some of Kennedy's photographs of fellow pop art icon Andy Warhol; an intimate and transportive collection that captures the bohemian vibes of '60s New York.
Chantal Akerman: Facing the Image
Where: Artium Museoa (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain)
When: Until 19 October 2025
As Jeanna Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles celebrates its 50th anniversary, many new audiences are only just discovering the seminal works of late Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman. Known for her long takes and minimalist settings, Akerman championed an entirely new style of storytelling that acutely captured the lingering listlessness of female isolation. This exhibition, curated by Akerman's long-term collaborator Claire Atherton, explores some of her film's installations - a chance to experience the disembodied parts of her worlds.
Bonus highlight: ‘William Kentridge: The Pull of Gravity’ at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, UK, until 19 April 2026.
Movies
Eddington
Where: European cinemas
When: 18 July
Fans of filmmaker Ari Aster will know that his films are rarely what you’d call an enjoyable experience. From the decapitation nightmares of Hereditary to the panic attack-inducing Beau Is Afraid, he’s become known as one of modern horror’s most influential and divisive voices. Eddington uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop for a neo-western drama that follows the psychological ripples from a rivalry between small-town sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). A dark comedy imbued with Aster’s trademark psychological bleakness, it’s guaranteed to be one of the more unsettling things you'll see all year.
Bonus highlight: I Know What You Did Last Summer.
TV series
Untamed
Where: Netflix
When: 17 July
A murder mystery set in the beautiful but deadly expanse of Yosemite National Park? Eric Bana and Sam Neill riding horses in aviators? We're already sold. This new Netflix miniseries hones in on an elite branch of the National Parks Service, led by Agent Kyle Turner (Bana), who's attempting to solve the murder of a woman found dead at the bottom of El Capitan. As the search for a killer takes him ever-deeper into the park's hostile terrain, natural terrors start to takeover. This one's going to be tense.
Bonus highlight: The Summer I Turner Pretty (season 3) on 16 July, Prime Video.
Music
Best Of albums 2025… So far
July is generally a quiet month for new album releases as festival season takes precedent. While there are still plenty of new releases to look forward to - from Alice Cooper to David Byrne, Neko Case to Sabrina Carpenter - this week is a little sparse. So, what better time to re-share our favourite albums of the year so far? With so much pop culture to constantly keep up with, it's always nice to have a bit of a reprieve to reflect on just how much amazing content we've already been spoiled with (The Velvet Sundown not included!)
Bonus highlight: Lollapalooza Paris music festival, from 18 -20 July in Paris, France.
