Photograph: Olivia Richardson View image in fullscreen Photograph: Olivia Richardson Going out, staying in Culture From A Useful Ghost to Self Esteem: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead A woman is reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner in this Cannes prize-winning black comedy, and the uncompromising pop star hits the festival trail
Prefer the Guardian on Google Contents 1 Going out: Cinema 2 Going out: Gigs 3 Going out: Art 4 Going out: Stage 5 Staying in: Streaming 6 Staying in: Games 7 Staying in: Albums 8 Staying in: Brain food View image in fullscreen Going out: Cinema A Useful Ghost Out now Winner of best film at Cannes Critics’ Week, this tale of a woman reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner takes you to plenty of unexpected places, even when you discount the sort of unexpectedness suggested by the premise. Part Marxist thriller, part supernatural romance, and taking in foul-mouthed monks and drama with the in-laws along the way, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s directorial debut is an oddball treat.
On the Sea Out now Made mostly outside the traditional funding mechanisms for UK film, this independent second feature from Helen Walsh is a lovely, graceful depiction of repression and queer desire in a Welsh mussel-harvesting community. Barry Ward gives a fine performance as the married man who finds himself drawn to a younger itinerant worker (Lorne MacFadyen).
Aardman Retrospective Cinemas nationwide In the run-up to the release of Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, look out for summer holiday rereleases of a plethora of Aardman classics in cinemas, including A Matter of Loaf and Death, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and the film that first introduced woolly hero Shaun, A Close Shave.
Pinocchio Unstrung Out now Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield was also behind Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and its sequel. This new instalment in what the film-makers call The Twisted Childhood Universe features Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger) as the voice of Jiminy Cricket. Catherine Bray
View image in fullscreen Big country … Luke Combs goes next-level. Photograph: Dingena Mol/ANP/AFP/Getty Images Camp Bestival Lulworth Castle, nr Wareham, 30 July to 2 August Rob da Bank’s enduring family-friendly festival returns with its mix of kids’ activities – bee-keeping has been added this year, alongside skateboard ramp lessons and trampolining – and music from Bastille, Fatboy Slim, Self Esteem and more. Michael Cragg
Elgar’s First Royal Albert Hall, London, 29 July The English composer’s magnificent Symphony No 1 gets top billing, but this concert also features the first major world premiere of the BBC Proms season. The World’s Wife by Brett Dean sets Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry and is performed by soprano Claire Booth and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth. Flora Willson
Luke Combs Edinburgh, 25 July; London, 31 July to 2 August The US country music superstar, who scored a UK hit with his cover of Fast Car in 2023, steps up to stadiums. With six albums under his belt, including this year’s deeply personal The Way I Am, expect a setlist brimming with crowd-pleasing self-reflection. MC
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues festival Various venues, 25 & 26 July This event consistently embraces international and Scottish artists. Its closing weekend includes folk-inflected sax-led quartet Harben Kay (25 July), Joni Mitchell-inspired singer Michelle Willis (25 July) and multi award-winning jazz/hip-hop sax star Soweto Kinch (26 Jul…