Women Talking
Do nothing. Stay and fight. Or leave. In 2010, the women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith.
RATED PG-13 FOR MATURE THEMATIC CONTENT INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT, BLOODY IMAGES, AND SOME STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Even if Sarah Polley’s superlative work doesn’t get the plaudits or the audience it deserves, it should stand to have a far greater legacy. This is the kind of cinema that endures – not just as a great work of art (although it is that), but as something that moves us all forward.” – Jessie Thompson, The Independent
“Despite lacking the visual scope and timeline of Polley’s earlier works like Take This Waltz, Away From Her, and Stories We Tell, Women Talking is her most accomplished film to date: An intimate portrayal of a group of people driven to the brink of rebellion lest they concede to defeat.” – Thom Ernst, Original Cin
“Women Talking is not melodramatic or desperate or exploitative. It is astute and urgent and may just help those previously unable to find words or even coherent feelings for their own traumatic experiences. And hopefully it might just inspire more works of wild female imagination.” – Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
A Man Called Otto
Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) is a grumpy widower who is very set in his ways. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol (Mariana Treviño), leading to an unlikely friendship that will turn his world upside-down. Experience a funny, heartwarming story about how some families come from the most unexpected places.
RATED PG-13 FOR MATURE THEMATIC MATERIAL INVOLVING SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, AND LANGUAGE.
“A small and warmhearted gem starring one of our finest veteran actors in a well-crafted and emotionally involving remake of a film about a widowed curmudgeon who begins to grow and change after experiencing some major life setbacks.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“It’s rare that we need two of essentially the same film, rarer than rare, but A Man Called Otto has earned a space in the list of worthy remakes for its big heart and emotionally charged performances that don’t skimp on the comedy.” – Lex Briscuso, The Playlist
“The film is made with a level of craft and simple competence that has become shockingly rare. A genuine movie star is allowed to radiate charisma and charm, and all the performances have character nuance and emotional depth.” – Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
The Whale
A reclusive English teacher (Brendan Fraser) living with severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, SOME DRUG USE, AND SEXUAL CONTENT.
“Fraser becomes Charlie and infuses him with intelligence, pathos, humor and heart. It is one of the best performances of the year in one of the best movies of the year.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“What it boasts in abundance — in this riveting study of a deeply broken man, suffocated by nine years of self-immolation — is a rare and deep compassion, elevated by Fraser’s starring turn.” – Jack King, The Playlist
“The intense chamber drama never disguises its stage roots but transcends them with the grace and compassion of the writing and the layers of pain and despair, love and dogged hope peeled back in the central performance. Fraser makes us see beyond the alarming appearance to the deeply affecting heart of this broken man.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter
M3GAN
M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.
RATED PG-13 FOR VIOLENT CONTENT AND TERROR, SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, AND A SUGGESTIVE REFERENCE.
“Cautionary tales about the dangers of life in the Internet age can often feel heavy-handed and trite, but M3GAN never feels like an extended Black Mirror episode. Its accessible themes don’t come off as oversaturated, thanks to the wit of the screenplay and a great performance from Williams.” – Cady Siregar, Consequence
“Johnstone’s film captures the same alchemical blend of heart, humor and havoc you find only rarely, in crossover classics like Gremlins, and it yields more entertainment than most would-be blockbusters.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“Move over Chucky, here’s the killer robot doll thriller we’ve been waiting for. This jolt of fun and fright stars a sensational Allison Wllliams as the inventor of a babysitting robot who takes her job to the homicidal hilt. The first banger hit of 2023 is right here.” – Peter Travers, ABC News
Babylon
From Damien Chazelle, Babylon is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
RATED R FOR STRONG AND CRUDE SEXUAL CONTENT, GRAPHIC NUDITY, BLOODY VIOLENCE, DRUG USE, AND PERVASIVE LANGUAGE.
“Babylon might be messy, but original film making doesn’t come much better than this.” – Martin Carr, We Got This Covered
“With Babylon, Chazelle laments and condemns; he documents and romanticizes. There’s truth beneath the embellishments. The filmmaker gives this project his all. Luckily, it all works. Bravo.” – Alex Saveliev, Film Threat
“The kind of full-throated, barrel-chested, more-more-more exercise in gusto and ambition that comes around once a decade, Babylon might either take Chazelle’s impressive career to new heights, or sink it to the bottom of the La Brea Tar Pits. Either way, the filmmaker deserves attention for throwing his entire self into making a delirious, lurid and sprawling concoction whose magnificent reach just about meets its grasp.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 1
Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One explore new worlds around the galaxy on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
RATED TV-PG. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND MILD LANGUAGE.
“Strange New Worlds is, at last, a return to the episodic self-contained storytelling that made this franchise so much fun in the first place.” – Emma Stefansky, Thrillist
“Pike is the Starship captain Trekkies have been missing, and Strange New Worlds is a welcome return to the Star Trek they know and love.” – Melanie McFarland, Salon
“With a stellar cast, Strange New Worlds proves smaller is better when it comes to Star Trek. While the Paramount+ series is more appealing to new and casual fans, it’s also a throwback that doesn’t leave longtime fans behind.” – Ryan Britt, Inverse
Plane
Pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island – only to find that surviving the landing was just the beginning. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI. In order to rescue the passengers, Torrance will need Gaspare’s help, and will learn there’s more to Gaspare than meets the eye.
RATED R FOR VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE.
“It is all such gloriously smart stupidity that you cannot help but applaud everyone involved for sticking the landing.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
“There’s lots to enjoy in this aviation disaster thriller slash tropical shoot-em-up, with its uproariously blunt title high on the list.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
“In the end, Plane is a high-adventure thrill ride. Unplug your brain. Suspend disbelief and strap in. No lectures, moralizing, or virtue signaling. Just an everyman trying to get home to his family. It may also serve as motivation to take a few wilderness survival courses.” – Alan Ng, Film Threat
Alice, Darling
Alice (Anna Kendrick) has been pushed to the breaking point by her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Simon. While on vacation with two close girlfriends, Alice rediscovers the essence of herself and gains some much-needed perspective. Slowly, she starts to fray the cords of codependency that bind her. But Simon’s vengeance is as inevitable as it is shattering – and, once unleashed, it tests Alice’s strength, her courage, and the bonds of her deep-rooted friendships.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT.
“An understated but compelling look at coercive control, toxic relationships and healing friendships, with perhaps a career-best performance from Kendrick.” – Helen O’Hara, Empire
“Alice, Darling is a bold and powerful step forward in Anna Kendrick’s career that allows her to really show off the range we knew she had, but maybe hasn’t had a chance to fully explore yet.” – Emily Bernard, Collider
“Alice, Darling is a measured, affecting observation of a young woman finally coming to grips with how much an emotionally toxic romantic relationship has viscerally changed her.” – Tara Bennett, IGN
Gaslit
Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), the wife of Nixon’s Attorney General (Sean Penn) and the Nixon administrations attempts to keep her from talking about Watergate are at the center of the limited series based on the first season of the Slate podcast Slow Burn.
RATED TV-MA. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, MILD VIOLENCE, NUDITY, SEXUAL CONTENT, DRUG USE, AND SMOKING.
“Gaslit, created by Robbie Pickering, is the rare show that has loads of fun bringing history into sharper focus. It takes the names you know, and may have read about, and shows why you should care.” – Chris Vognar, San Francisco Chronicle
“Funny, tragic, scary, creepy, wild, insane. Hey, what’s not to like?” – Verne Gay, Newsday
“The overblown nature of it all matches both Mitchell’s larger-than-life charisma and the cartoonish incompetence of the egotistical politicians. It is also bolstered by a sharply written and surprisingly funny script that magnifies everyone’s flaws grotesquely.” – Rachael Sigee, i
Missing
When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers… and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.
RATED PG-13 FOR SOME STRONG VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, TEEN DRINKING, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“If the delightfully nutty M3GAN was a cautionary tale about the perils of relying too heavily on technology, Missing ends up being a celebration of its possibilities.” – Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com
“A tight, taut mystery with incredible acting, this terrific film explores how our children use social networks. It has definitely opened my eyes to the possibilities of online sleuthing, and I highly recommend this film to anyone.” – Benjamin Franz, Film Threat
“Missing succeeds at maintaining a propulsive, nail-biting atmosphere and overcoming the boredom of its conventional narrative beats by treating each tool — Gmail accounts, iPhone photos and company websites — as a deeply layered puzzle, one that gathers and offers more information than most people realize.” – Lovia Gyarkye, Hollywood Reporter
The Son
Peter’s (Hugh Jackman) hectic life with his infant and new partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) is upended when his ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) appears with their son Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who is now a teenager. The young man has been missing from school for months and is troubled, distant, and angry. Peter strives to take care of Nicholas as he would have liked his own father to have taken care of him while juggling work, his and Beth’s new son, and the offer of his dream position in Washington. However, by reaching for the past to correct its mistakes, he loses sight of how to hold onto the Nicholas in the present.
RATED PG-13 FOR MATURE THEMATIC CONTENT INVOLVING SUICIDE, AND STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Writer-director Florian Zeller’s second installment in his trilogy examining mental health is an emotional wrecking ball almost exquisite in its destructive power.” – Mark Kennedy, Associated Press
“Playwright-turned-fillmaker Florian Zeller continues his one-man war on the world’s tear ducts with another hard-hitting portrait of domestic life in extremis.” – Phil de Semlyen, Time Out
“The third and final entry in French writer-director Florian Zeller’s acclaimed trilogy of plays about conflicted family values in perpetual crisis, The Son is a bold, harrowing and unflinchingly sobering film that is admittedly not for every taste, but an unavoidably intelligent piece of filmmaking for mature viewers that I highly recommend.” – Rex Reed, Observer
Kids vs. Aliens
All Gary wants is to make awesome home movies with his best buds. All his older sister Samantha wants is to hang with the cool kids. When their parents head out of town one Halloween weekend, an all-time rager of a teen house party turns to terror when aliens attack, forcing the siblings to band together to survive the night.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, SEXUAL CONTENT, AND SMOKING, ALL INVOLVING TEENS.
“A genre throwback that has every ingredient required to become a midnight classic.” – Dan Scully, ScullyVision
“There is an endearingly scruffy vibe here, goosed by some cool-looking costumes and effects. And there’s a legitimate underdog edge, as Eisener and Davies capture how it feels to be underestimated and overmatched but full of can-do pluck.” – Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times
“Kids vs. Aliens provides a rollicking good time with tweens swearing up a storm as bodies fall left and right. And while I assumed it would embrace that sense of fun absurdity, I didn’t anticipate how impressive the stakes might prove.” – Jared Mobarak, Hey, Have You Seen…?
A Love Song
Faye (Dale Dickey) is a lone traveler biding her time fishing, birding and stargazing at a rural Colorado campground as she awaits the arrival of Lito (Wes Studi), a figure from her past who is navigating his own tentative and nomadic journey across the rugged West. Like the country music that has traditionally channeled the heartbreak and resilience of Americans in search of themselves and others, A Love Song weaves a lyrical and ultimately joyful refrain out of the transformative act of being alone — and reminds us that love can nourish and mystify at any age.
RATED PG FOR MILD THEMATIC ELEMENTS.
“It’s the cinematic equivalent of a deep breath and a cool drink.” – Kristen Page-Kirby, Washington Post
“[Walker-Silverman] lets his film play out, as naturally as the performances of his leads, who never seem to be acting. Instead they are exploring, whether it’s their surroundings or each other.” – Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
“Like a coy, concise short story you might remember having read years ago, A Love Song is the simplest of tales, but there’s a complex universe of longing contained within it.” – Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
Christmas Bloody Christmas
It’s Christmas Eve and fiery record store owner Tori Tooms just wants to get drunk and party, until the robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and makes her night more than a little complicated. Santa Claus begins a rampant killing spree through the neon drenched snowscape against a backdrop of drugs, sex, metal and violence, ultimately forcing Tori into a blood splattered battle for survival against the ruthless heavy metal Saint Nick himself.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL CONTENT, AND STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.
“It’s a lean, efficient, no-frills film, and that’s as it should be. Begos rejects pretense. He’s making his version of a psycho Santa flick, no more, no less. But the logline’s comic absurdity and the execution of his premise is so straightforward that Christmas Bloody Christmas feels fresh among the season’s horror canon. It’s a Christmas miracle.” – Andrew Crump, Paste
“Christmas Bloody Christmas is a lot of fun. As someone who didn’t love his drugged-out Bliss but did enjoy punks-versus-veterans bloodbath VFW, I was looking forward to what writer/director Joe Begos had in store for us with his take on Santasploitation, and he delivers.” – Sarah Jane, Austin Chronicle
“Christmas Bloody Christmas makes two promises in its title: it’s going to be about Christmas, and it’s going to be bloody. It succeeds on both fronts to create a fun, fast-paced Christmas horror that is all style, very little substance – but when it works this well, it’s totally fine.” – Alyse Wax, Collider
Seriously Red
Red (Krew Boylan) lost her job as a real estate agent, but there’s something no one can take away from her: her dream of becoming the world’s greatest Dolly Parton impersonator! After her act attracts the attentions of an amorous Elvis impersonator (Rose Byrne) and a powerful booking agent (Bobby Cannavale), Red is catapulted into the top tier of copycat acts, becoming the onstage and romantic partner of the top Kenny Rogers impersonator. But when Red’s life as an imitator starts to feel false, she discovers true happiness comes when you’re being the best version of yourself.
RATED R FOR SEXUAL CONTENT, NUDITY, AND SOME LANGUAGE.
“Director Gracie Otto’s Seriously Red disarms and delights as a sensationally spirited concoction that neatly balances unfettered outrageousness and unabashed sentimentality.” – Joe Leydon, Variety
“The result is touching precisely because Boylan does not aggressively ask for sympathy for her character. She earns it by being fair, sensitive and honest as a performer but especially as a writer.” – Dan Callahan, The Wrap
“Seriously Red is a fun film that cashes in on the zeitgeist’s love for Dolly Parton while giving audiences an important lesson in self-love.” – Monique Jones, Common Sense Media
The Apology
Twenty years after the disappearance of her daughter, recovering alcoholic Darlene Hagen (Anna Gunn) is preparing to host her family’s Christmas celebration with her best friend Gretchen (Janeane Garofalo). Late Christmas Eve, Darlene’s estranged ex-brother-in-law, Jack (Linus Roache) arrives unannounced, bearing nostalgic gifts and a heavy secret. Soon, Darlene finds herself caught between reason and ruthless instinct. Trapped together by a dangerous storm, a battle of wits escalates to a violent game of revenge.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE.
“Watching The Apology, one gets the sense that Locke and her team got to tell the exact story they wanted to and on their terms. Their drama has unusual integrity since it’s (mostly) not about canned answers to complex questions.” – Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com
“Working on a small budget, writer-director Alison Locke puts the confinement of one location in service of her claustrophobic script. A promising first feature.” – Tara Brady, The Irish Times
“The Apology is a grisly, effective chamber thriller with little to actually apologize for.” – Chad Collins, Dread Central
Caged Birds
Barbara Hug (Marie Leuenberger) is a young radical lawyer fighting Switzerland’s antiquated prison system in the 1980s. Walter Stürm (Joel Basma) is a charmer and chancer. Taunting the establishment with his outrageous thefts and media savvy he’s in and often escaping out of jail and becomes known as the Jailbreak King. When the two meet an unlikely alliance is formed. Barbara wants to use Walter’s popularity for her social reform goals. But the less Walter yields to her reasoning, the more she falls for the fascination of his uncompromising desire for freedom. Walter becomes the rock against which she beats in vain and will grow.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE.
“Caged Birds is a masterpiece from start to finish.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Swiss director and co-writer Oliver Rihs takes a serious step into the big time with this gripping saga, a story that begins escape-artist jaunty and occasionally finds its way back there even as the story turns grimmer.” – Roger Moore, Movie Nation
We Are Gathered Here Today
The patriarch of the family enters the hospital with COVID-19 and because of hospital protocols his family members are forced to say their goodbyes via video conferencing.
NOT RATED.
“The film amounts to a truthful portrait of family supporting each other in a time of crisis and a painfully real depiction of the hell that was the pandemic.” – Alex Saveliev, Film Threat
“Overall, We Are Gathered Here Today is a great film. It is innovative in how it was made and very well acted. Throughout the film you honestly do feel like you are being intrusive in a family’s very private moment.” – Tony Asankomah, GhMovieFreak
“In the curiously small catalog of post COVID-19 films, We Are Gathered Here Today stands out as an experiment that works well due to the simplistic characterization of a moment.” – Federico Furzan, Movie-Blogger.com
Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds
After dying unexpectedly, firefighter Ja-hong is taken to the afterlife by three guardians, where only after passing seven trials and proving he lived a noble life will he be able to reincarnate.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, MATURE THEMATIC MATERIAL INVOLVING SUICIDE, AND MILD LANGUAGE.
“Along with the Gods is like South Korea got a hold of a bizarrely awesome fusion of What Dreams May Come and The Frighteners while expanding on the adventure that awaits us all in the afterlife and sucker punches our tear ducts to oblivion in the process.” – Chris Sawin, Reel Rundown
“Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds is an inquisition into human flaws, using Ja-hong as a vehicle to explore how they can be redeemed as such.” – William Schwartz, HanCinema
Ten Tricks
In one night, a madam at a brothel makes plans to get pregnant, while a magician working across the street makes a drastic move to change his life.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS NUDITY AND SEXUAL CONTENT.
“Ten Tricks is a sweet, goofy little comedy about sex. If that or any of the stars appeal to potential audience members, then prepare for a sexy and silly time.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
