DC League of Super-pets
Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack—Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel—to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the Super Heroes.
RATED PG FOR ACTION, MILD VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND RUDE HUMOR.
“It’s a loving sampler platter full of big laughs and heart that will satisfy lifelong DC buffs, while serving as the perfect on-ramp to the universe for a whole new generation of young fans.” – Zaki Hasan, San Francisco Chronicle
“A high-concept animated film about animals with superpowers is brought to vibrant, endearing life by the superpowers behind the scenes: lively voice talent from an all-star cast, a script that is smart, exciting, and very funny, and, above all, the ability to tap into one of humanity’s deepest emotions, our love for our pets and theirs for us.” – Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com
“Co-writing with John Whittington, director Jared Stern pulls off a near-impossible feat—creating a film that’s great for kids, entertaining for pretty much any adult taking kids to the theater, and close to perfect for those parents out there who also happen to be massive DC fans.” – Ian Spelling, AV Club
Watcher
As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia (Maika Monroe) – a young actress who just moved to town with her boyfriend – notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street.
RATED R FOR SOME BLOODY VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND SOME SEXUAL MATERIAL / NUDITY.
“One of this century’s most arresting tales of female anxiety.” – Lena Wilson, New York Times
“From the first moment she spots the watcher across the street the suspense builds relentlessly, making the viewer fear what’s around every corner and behind every door as capably as Stanley Kubrick did in The Shining.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“This beautifully crafted jewel of a throwback thriller signifies Okuno as a talent to watch, but furthermore, it pushes the viewer to question what, and who, we choose to believe and why.” – Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times
Call the Midwife: Season 11
Following an eventful Christmas, the midwives return to their rounds in East London in Easter 1967. Celebrations are underway for a colorful Easter Bonnet parade outside Nonnatus House. Sister Monica Joan and Reggie are excited about the Eurovision song contest and Nancy, having just passed her midwifery examinations, is about to don her red cardigan for the first time.
RATED TV-PG. CONTAINS MILD LANGUAGE, BLOODY IMAGES, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
Star Trek: Picard: Season 2
Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the La Sirena end up on 21st century Earth in the second season of the Star Trek Universe series.
RATED TV-MA. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING.
“That Season 2 maintains and deepens the characters of Season 1 but deploys them in a sprightly and intriguing story is a triumph.” – Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire
“Nobody would mistake Picard for Star Trek in its prime. But it has captured some of that hard to define, easy to recognise Trek essence. And if not exactly at warp speed – there are still a few too many Stewart soliloquies – it has undoubtedly located its missing sense of derring-do and is hurtling satisfyingly towards interstellar overdrive.” – Ed Power, The Telegraph
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
The Adam McKay drama series centers on the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s when they won five NBA championships.
RATED TV-MA. CONTAINS PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, NUDITY, STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, DRUG USE, AND SMOKING.
“While Winning Time hasn’t invented the sports docudrama, I can’t see a future in which it doesn’t set a visual standard by which all sports docudramas (at least in the near term) will be compared.” – Alexis Gunderson, Paste
“This isn’t a game-changing drama, but it’s an absurdly entertaining one.” – Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone
“Winning Time is an Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up, The Big Short, Anchorman) production and it’s a rowdy mix of quick cuts, famous names, salty scenes and frenetic energy. The casting is just delicious… This one’s got a lot of bounce in it. Again, Big fun.” – Tom Long, The Detroit News
Vortex
Presented in split screen, Vortex tells the story of an aging couple in a Paris apartment. As the mother (Françoise Lebrun) faces advancing dementia, the father (Dario Argento) tries to care for her while dealing with his own declining health, and their son (Alex Lutz) does his best in spite of his own significant personal problems.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE, DRUG USE, THEMATIC MATERIAL, DISTURBING CONTENT, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“It is a remarkable piece of filmmaking, rigorously controlled in ways that he doesn’t always evince: It’s a bone-deep sensory immersion that never feels merely sensationalist, anchored by two performances of astonishing commitment and emotional power.” – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
“Vortex tells us something else about old age, something which a severe and high-minded movie like Michael Haneke’s Amour would not grasp: death is chaotic, like life. It ends with things undone and in messy disarray. This is a work of wintry maturity, and real compassion.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
“Apart from the inspired split-screen gimmick, the film works because the cast is superb, with Argento as the impatient, angry old lion holding on to his threads of power. Lebrun’s performance, though, is the heart of the film.” – Liam Lacey, Original Cin
House of Darkness
Driving home to her secluded estate after meeting at a local bar, a player (Justin Long) out to score thinks his beautiful, mysterious date (Kate Bosworth) will be another casual hook-up. While getting acquainted, their flirtation turns playful, sexy and sinister. Hoping to get lucky, his luck may have just run out.
RATED R FOR SOME BLOODY VIOLENCE / GORE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.
“Few can write this kind of acid-dripping parlor drama with as much bite as LaBute.” – Richard Whittaker, Austin Chronicle
“LaBute rewards patient viewers with two amazing lead performances, crackling dialogue, and genuine suspense. While the film might be flawed, it is imminently watchable.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“House of Darkness leaves audiences with much to consider as the credits roll and blood red titles draw a discreet veil over this contemporary Gothic offering.” – Martin Carr, We Got This Covered
Beast
Dr. Nate Daniels (Idris Elba), a recently widowed husband, returns to South Africa, where he first met his wife, on a long-planned trip with their daughters to a game reserve managed by Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley), an old family friend and wildlife biologist. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now sees all humans as the enemy, begins stalking them.
RATED R FOR VIOLENT CONTENT, BLOODY IMAGES, AND SOME LANGUAGE.
“If there’s one thing that Beast does well, it keeps its audience on the edge of their seats.” – John Kirk, Original Cin
“Kormákur captures the action in a series of long, prowling, hold-your-breath takes, which both convey a vivid sense of place (the whole thing was shot on location in South Africa) and afford the viewer endless opportunities to anxiously scan the background for lion-shaped ripples in the long grass.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
“It’s an edge-of-your-seat crowd-pleaser that cares enough to develop its story world and characters just as well as its jump-scares and tension.” – Sarah-Tai Black, The Globe and Mail
Bullet Train
Ladybug (Brad Pitt) is an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train.
RATED R FOR STRONG AND BLOODY VIOLENCE, PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, AND BRIEF SEXUALITY.
“Ultimately, Bullet Train is one of the most entertaining and flashy films of 2022, thanks to lively performances, incredible fight setups, stylish cinematography, and punchy writing.” – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant
“Bullet Train feels like someone crossbred Kill Bill with a Final Destination movie. And at times, David Leitch’s film is almost as glorious as that description makes it sound — elaborate and ridiculous but dedicated to making the elaborate and the ridiculous feel… well, not plausible, exactly, but certainly compelling and fun.” – Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
“Leitch embarks on a series of adrenalized set pieces that defy logic and physics so breezily that its relentless, ridiculous violence plays more like a winsome ballet.” – Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly
Easter Sunday
Stand-up comedian Jo Koy stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family, in this love letter to his Filipino-American community.
RATED PG-13 FOR SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, AND SUGGESTIVE REFERENCES.
“Everything in Easter Sunday is played for laughs… crazy family, wacky mob thriller, and lots of cameos. It’s all good, light fun. See it because you’re a fan of Jo Koy or just to get to know a little more about your Filipino brothers and sisters.” – Alan Ng, Film Threat
“Easter Sunday is at its strongest when it stays close to the Valencia family, which is made for TV.” – Concepción de León, New York Times
“The folks on the screen are the whole show, and this genial showcase for standup comic Jo Koy has the advantage of showing off a wealth of Asian/Pacific American talent, pretty badly undervalued by establishment Hollywood.” – Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Bodies Bodies Bodies
When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game goes awry in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong.
RATED R FOR VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, DRUG USE, SEXUAL REFERENCES, AND PERVASIVE LANGUAGE.
“A horror film that’s a true triple threat: stunning, smart and wildly entertaining.” – Katie Walsh, Seattle Times
“Splicing DNA from Heathers, Lord of the Flies, The Invitation, and a host of other influences, Reijn has crafted a shrewd horror comedy that gives the virtual circular firing squads of our modern online lives a real body count.” – Clint Worthington, Consequence
“With clever and assured direction filled with striking visuals by the Dutch actor-writer-filmmaker Halina Reijn (adapting Sarah DeLappe’s screenplay, which is based on a story by Kristen Roupenian) and a cast of talented and great-looking young actors throwing themselves into the wonderfully twisted material, Bodies Bodies Bodies plays like a slasher-film update of And Then There Were None, with a dash of the classic Twilight Zone episode titled ‘The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street’ sprinkled in.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
Benediction
Benediction explores the turbulent life of WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden). The writer and soldier was a complex man who survived the horrors of fighting in the First World War and was decorated for his bravery but who became a vocal critic of the government’s continuation of the war when he returned from service. His poetry was inspired by his experiences on the Western Front, and he became one of the leading war poets of the era. Adored by members of the aristocracy as well as stars of London’s literary and stage world, he embarked on affairs with several men as he attempted to come to terms with his homosexuality. At the same time, broken by the horror of war, he made his life’s journey a quest for salvation, trying to find it within the conformity of marriage and religion.
RATED PG-13 FOR DISTURBING WAR IMAGES, SOME SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND THEMATIC ELEMENTS.
“To call Benediction a biopic would be giving biopics a bit too much credit. They don’t deserve Benediction.” – Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
“Benediction, Terence Davies’ achingly beautiful portrait of the English war poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon, is a movie of acute sadness and intense pleasure. The pleasure and the sadness are inextricable, which seems fitting, given how closely aesthetic bliss and moral despair were entwined in Sassoon’s own art.” – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
“Benediction is true to its title, offering up a blessing — not to the Church, rather, but to those whose lives were never able to be lived to the fullest. The film is more than a beautifully performed, masterfully directed piece of entertainment. It transcends, offering hope to any person yearning for more. It is in equal turns lively, devastating, funny, hopeful, and heartbreaking.” – Barry Levitt, /Film
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson), our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs!
RATED PG FOR ACTION, VIOLENCE, RUDE AND SUGGESTIVE HUMOR, AND SOME LANGUAGE.
“Look, when Mel Brooks is both a producer and star of your film, you know it’ll have some laughs.” – Sarah Jane, Austin Chronicle
“It’s a breezy, funny, highly self-referential flick steeped in movie history.” – Katie Walsh, The Wrap
“Visually, the movie is surprisingly inventive, with takeoffs on everything from manga to Hokusai prints. Sure, a lot of the jokes are dumb — you got a problem with that? — but Paws is quite smart.” – Mark Feeney, Boston Globe
GameStop: Rise of the Players
In January 2021, the brick-and-mortar video game retailer GameStop had been the top story on every news network in the country. Its stock had risen over 2500% amidst a wild flurry of volatility, despite no new news coming out of the company. The run was fueled by an epic “short squeeze” on a handful of billion-dollar hedge fund behemoths, netting online investors millions and costing the hedge funds tens-of-billions of dollars in the process. But this wasn’t just a run on a stock. This was a battle that has been brewing for years. It’s a David and Goliath story of a band of contrarians who bucked conventional wisdom to bet on themselves, their own research, and a business that Wall Street had given up on.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT AND BRIEF DRUG USE.
“Any insta-doc could have found folks who profited from the short squeeze, and shown the material goods or comfortable lifestyle their profiteering bought. Rise of the Players instead puts viewers in the investors’ seat at the poker table, making real their tension, self-doubt, and anxiety over holding onto a stock the experienced players say is worthless.” – Owen S. Good, Polygon
“If you can make it past someone referring to ‘the Chewyfication of GameStop’ and not rage quit, Rise of the Gamers is an interesting analysis of the bubble in GameStop stock.” – Richard Whittaker, Austin Chronicle
“It doesn’t take a financial genius to recognize GameStop: Rise of the Players is a winner. Diamond hands all the way.” – Adam Graham, Detroit News
Fall
Best friends Becky and Hunter find themselves at the top of a 2,000-foot radio tower.
RATED PG-13 FOR BLOODY IMAGES, INTENSE PERIL, AND STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Everything from the acting to the camerawork and the imposing score makes Fall a memorable mark in transcending fiction, making our greatest fears come to life.” – Chynna Wilkinson, We Got This Covered
“Even on the couch, with the ability to hit pause, it reaches heights (ha!) of quintessential B-movie greatness, causing exactly the kind of discomfort that elicits verbal rebukes.” – Jordan Hoffman, AV Club
“Dumb, fun, and definitely not for the acrophobic. See it. Then go argue plot points with people on the internet.” – Tara Brady, The Irish Times
Abbott Elementary: Season 1
The Quinta Brunson comedy centers on a group of teachers working at a Philadelphia public elementary school.
RATED TV-PG. CONTAINS MILD LANGUAGE, AND SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL.
“Abbott Elementary is not only funny, but its pilot sets up a workplace family that can endure for multiple seasons.” – Joel Keller, Decider
“It has Parks and Recreation’s sense of community, Modern Family’s precision-tooling, Ted Lasso’s charm, but it is its own, hilarious thing. Despite – or, of course, because of – the truth its underlying tale of real-life deprivation tells.” – Lucy Mangan, The Guardian
“Abbott Elementary should be everyone’s new comedic obsession, with a cast that’s not only funny but who’ve already formed an honest, connective chemistry. Quinta Brunson’s sitcom always feels heartfelt, even when it’s criticizing a system that’s overworking teachers and letting down students.” – Kristen Lopez, IndieWire
Mack & Rita
When 30-year-old self-proclaimed homebody Mack Martin (Elizabeth Lail) reluctantly joins a Palm Springs bachelorette trip for her best friend Carla (Taylour Paige), her inner 70-year-old is released — literally. The frustrated writer and influencer magically transforms into her future self: “Aunt Rita” (Diane Keaton). Freed from the constraints of other people’s expectations, Rita comes into her own, becoming an unlikely social media sensation and sparking a tentative romance with Mack’s adorable dog-sitter, Jack (Dustin Milligan).
RATED PG-13 FOR SOME DRUG USE, SEXUAL REFERENCES, AND LANGUAGE.
“Mack & Rita is silly, but it’s a strong, necessary kind of silly, a warm and embracing kind of silly. Keaton has rarely been so bubbling and bright, reminding us that regardless of age, being true to yourself is all that really counts in a person. The love will come no matter what.” – Fran Hoepfner, The Wrap
“For more than a century, Hollywood has inflicted upon moviegoers countless stories of young women crushing on older men. If nothing else, Mack & Rita deserves credit for not only flipping that narrative, but doing so with effortless charm.” – Bill Newcott, The Saturday Evening Post
“Mack & Rita may look a bit like a rehash of Big on the surface. However, there’s a lot more to this sweet little movie… If you identify as an ‘old soul,’ this gentle comedy is a summertime must-see.” – Kimberly Pierce, Geek Girl Authority
Nope
Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT AND SOME VIOLENCE / BLOODY IMAGES.
“There are some fascinating internal tensions within the movie, along with impeccably managed suspense, sharp jokes and a beguiling, unnerving atmosphere of all-around weirdness.” – A.O. Scott, New York Times
“…one of the most unique takes on this sort of material I can recall seeing… [ensures] that we never look at clouds quite the same way again.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“An ambitious, provocative swing, Nope feels like that increasingly rare beast: an original blockbuster. Unspooling a horrific parody of Hollywood’s hubris, it’s a crowd-pleaser that wonders about the cost of pleasing a crowd.” – Kambole Campbell, Empire
Alone Together
Going upstate for a short romantic getaway to escape the pandemic in New York City, food critic June’s (Katie Holmes) plans go wrong from the start. Arriving at the AirBnb in advance of her boyfriend, John (Derek Luke), she is shocked to discover it has also been double-booked by recently single Charlie (Jim Sturgess). When John decides to stay in the city to take care of his parents, June has to settle in for the long haul as she realizes that the initial two weeks of the pandemic might just drag on a little bit longer than expected. As spring begins to unfold around them, June and Charlie make the most of the sudden break in their routines and develop an unexpected intimacy as they bond over their goals, ambitions and, of course, relationships.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE.
“Writer-director-star Katie Holmes perfectly captures those early pandemic days in the occasionally heartbreaking and mostly sweet and lovely romantic drama Alone Together.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“While we may soon tire of movies using the pandemic as a narrative catalyst (if we haven’t already), Katie Holmes’ Alone Together feels vitally of-the-moment at a time when so many films are ignoring the poignancy of that moment altogether.” – Luke Y. Thompson, AV Club
“Despite its flaws, Alone Together turns out to be quite poignant, and gets around to conveying a truly optimistic message. It’s a film about following your heart and your dreams, and daring to be yourself no matter what people think of you.” – Aurora Amidon, Paste
Detention
In 1962 Taiwan during the White Terror martial law period, Fang Ray Shin, a female student at the hillside Greenwood High School is attending counselling with teacher Mr. Chang, and they gradually fall in love. It was a dangerous period where sensitive books were banned and free speech were restricted, but Mr. Chang secretly organised a study group for banned books, together with fellow teacher Miss Yin and male student Wei Chong Ting.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, INTENSE SEQUENCES, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“While a lot of Detention is steeped in anguish and anxiety, the terror induced by those emotions becomes the pathway back into the light.” – Jared Mobarak, The Film Stage
“In gaming terms, this movie’s characters find themselves on a screen where every move leads to a bottomless pit. The nightmare they’re in is as existential as it is visceral.” – Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times
“The absorbing and entertaining Detention works well enough as a primer on a traumatic period of history, and as a story of semi-supernatural salvation for sins past, that it earns its surprisingly moving final moments, and even its heavily on-the-nose exhortation to modern-day Taiwan to remember and honor its ghosts.” – Jessica Kiang, Variety
Gone in the Night
Upon arriving at a remote cabin in the redwoods, Kath (Winona Ryder) and her boyfriend (John Gallagher Jr.) find a mysterious young couple (Owen Teague and Brianne Tju) already there — the rental has apparently been double-booked. With nowhere else to go, they decide to share the cabin with these strangers. When her boyfriend mysteriously disappears with the young woman, Kath becomes obsessed and enlists an unlikely supporter (Dermot Mulroney) with finding an explanation for their sudden breakup— but the truth is far stranger than she could have ever imagined.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, AND BRIEF BLOODY IMAGES.
“[A] powerhouse creeper where one of the great actresses of her generation shows us how it’s done.” – Michael Talbot-Haynes, Film Threat
“Twists galore follow, the torque of which surprises again and again.” – Lisa Kennedy, New York Times
“Part unlikely friendship tale and part potpourri of genre tropes orchestrated as a parade of red herrings, this debut feature takes on modern culture’s blatant disdain of aging and veneration of youth… Greatly entertaining.” – Carlos Aguilar, The Wrap
Wild Men
Armed only with a bow and an ensemble of animal skins, Martin sets off into the forest in a misguided attempt to overcome his midlife crisis. A chance meeting with a fugitive named Musa leads to a twisted trip through the fjords with police, drug runners, and Martin’s family not far behind. As an unlikely friendship develops and wildly original set-pieces unfold, Martin’s quest for manhood leads to deep and hilariously uncomfortable realizations about the presumed masculine ideal.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, DRUG USE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“The filmmaker confidently guides us to a conclusion that really isn’t a conclusion at all but a new beginning. These men may not be all that wild, but Daneskov’s film is just loopy and daring enough to qualify as such in the best way possible.” – Alex Saveliev, Film Threat
“Bolstered by tone-perfect performances from all three of the leads, and a script that hides larger themes within the body of the narrative like vegetables in mashed potatoes, Wild Men hits with the force and precision of an arrow fired from Martin’s homemade bow. And while the tone of the film toys with the absurd, what it has to say about masculinity, regret, and what it means to belong is anything but.” – Warren Campbell, The Playlist
“The wonderful thing about Wild Men, a movie that suggests a dream-team collaboration of Hal Hartley and the Coen Brothers, is that everyone involved takes themselves extremely seriously, even as they behave and speak in ways that cause viewers who get the joke to smile, chuckle and occasionally laugh out loud.” – Joe Leydon, Variety
Karen
Karen follows Karen Drexler (Taryn Manning), a racist white woman who makes it her personal mission to displace the new Black family that has just moved in next door to her. Community activist Malik (Cory Hardrict) and his wife Imani (Jasmine Burke) are the couple who have just moved to the Atlanta suburb, but they won’t be backing down without a fight.
RATED TV-14. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, THEMATIC MATERIAL, AND DRUG USE.
“All the right people are going to hate it, especially Karen.” – Dan Scully, ScullyVision
“A trash masterpiece.” – Mike McGranaghan, The Aisle Seat
Collide
A gripping thriller chronicling three couples over the course of one fateful night in an LA restaurant. Hunter (Ryan Phillippe) finds himself on an awkward blind date with the captivating Tamira (Kat Graham), while a busboy (Dylan Flashner) and his girlfriend (Aisha Dee) are hiding mounds of cocaine to score a big payday, and outside, Peter (Jim Gaffigan) sits in his car observing his wife’s (Drea de Matteo) infidelity with the restaurant’s manager (David Cade). Though all strangers, their stories are weaved together as they hurl towards an explosive end.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, AND BRIEF SEXUAL MATERIAL.
“This thriller does a great job of engrossing viewers in the various levels of drama inherent in each couple’s storyline.” – Monique Jones, Common Sense Media
The Scrapper
Queens, New York City. A criminal playing-field of modern immigrant syndicates: human-trafficking, money-laundering and unflinching brutality. Uncomfortable in his Punjabi-Mexican skin, ex-con turned ‘scrapper’ Jake carries the weight of both his family legacy and a violent past. Caring for a mentally-challenged brother and an unborn child on the way, he is focused on turning his life around. When one last job presents a way out for good, he must decide between loyalty to blood ties or to his newfound family. His past soon catches up with him and he’s thrown into the middle of a conflict between Punjabi and Mexican factions led by violent, ruthless criminals. As events explode into brutal violence, with everyone he loves at stake, he may need to go to his own darkest places to finally escape.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Taking aside all the heist and crime elements, The Scrapper dares to tackle some sensitive issues such as illegal aliens, cartels and human trafficking. A brutal story about the dark side of the American dream.” – Alejandro Turdo, Hoy Sale Cine
“The Scrapper achieves its goal of understanding what drives a decent man to violence thanks to strong writing and good performances.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Good action, tense plot, and good performances make this a noteworthy low-budget thriller.” – Evan Dossey, Midwest Film Journal
The Tale of King Crab
Italy, today. Some elderly hunters reminisce about the local tale of Luciano. Luciano lives as a wandering drunkard in a remote village of the region called Tuscia. Spiteful actions ensue between him and the prince of the region over the right of passage through an ancient gateway. Fueled by passions and jealousy, these actions result in a horrible misdeed. Now an unfortunate criminal, Luciano is exiled to the distant Tierra del Fuego where, with the help of ruthless gold-diggers, he searches for a mythical treasure, paving his way towards redemption. However, in these barren lands, only greed and insanity can prevail.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“A rare and elusive sense of myth is captured in The Tale of King Crab.” – Rory O’Connor, The Film Stage
“This Italian import’s title may make it sound like either a kids’ movie or a cooking documentary, but it proves to be a wild and compelling work that simultaneously evokes the influence of such disparate filmmakers as Terrence Malick, Werner Herzog, and Sergio Leone (not to mention a dash of Broadway Danny Rose-era Woody Allen) while still coming across as a fresh and unique cinematic vision.” – Peter Sobczynski, RogerEbert.com
“Watching The Tale of King Crab feels like watching the stories on which all later stories have been based. You also get brooding intensity and slippery, dreamlike atmospherics and dialogues that strip things back to their essentials.” – Jonathan Holland, Screen Daily
Goodbye Mother
Van returns home with his boyfriend, Ian, on the anniversary of his father’s death. He’s come to help move the tomb, come out to his mother, and introduce Ian to his family. Unable to find the right moment as his relatives bombard him with questions about his future, he finds out one night that his mother is seriously ill.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.