Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.
RATED PG-13 FOR INTENSE SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE AND ACTION, SOME LANGUAGE, AND SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL.
“The fact that McQuarrie and Cruise routinely set and then raise the bar for the gold standard of action movies is the lure of the franchise — but it’s the characters, their foibles, their wit, and their deep humanity that are Mission: Impossible‘s secret weapon.” – Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly
“Disguises, time bombs, runaway trains: Cruise, his director Christopher McQuarrie and their collaborators are very consciously working in a century-old tradition here, perhaps to show the business and art of stunning audiences can – if we choose – be much the same now as it ever was.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
“At nearly every turn, Dead Reckoning aims for something more than the sum of its Evel Knievel parts. In an already strong year for breakneck, throat-kick, punch-out cinema, this adrenaline-pumped fever dream from Cruise and his regular enabler-slash-director Christopher McQuarrie represents a brutally thrilling action-film apotheosis.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.
RATED PG-13 FOR INTENSE SEQUENCES OF SCI-FI ACTION AND VIOLENCE, AND LANGUAGE.
“It’s kind of remarkable what can be done with a Transformers movie with a director who actually likes these characters. (And also very much loves his mid-90s needle-drop jams.)” – Mike Ryan, Uproxx
“Director Caple Jr. takes his time allowing Ramos and Fishback to develop their characters as they fight being marginalized and dismissed in ‘90s New York. They’re no mere cardboard characters but rather fully dimensional individuals, a rarity in Transformers movies.” – Soren Andersen, Seattle Times
“The newest Transformers film, Rise of the Beasts, is a genuinely entertaining summer blockbuster, with its high point being Pete Davidson as Mirage. Highlighting a voice performance as the best quality of a film like Rise of the Beasts could be seen as damning with faint praise, but that’s not the case here. Instead, it’s an appreciation of how much Davidson’s work enhances Beasts as a production, as these films continue to move away from Bay’s super-serious vibe in favor of a new, lighter approach.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Talk To Me
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
RATED R FOR STRONG / BLOODY VIOLENT CONTENT, SOME SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.
“…relentlessly tense… I would be surprised if a better horror title comes out this year.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“Talk to Me is an aculmination of years worth viral content creation, mixed in with Australian storytelling. Together, it transformed a comedic short premise into something that gets your heart racing.” – Erielle Sudario, We Got This Covered
“Fierce, fun, and steeped in youthful energy, it’s a film that’s willing to go to some truly dark places in its exploration of grief, death and what it means when we reach too far into the beyond, but it’s also never afraid to laugh along the way. That juxtaposition alone is enough to make it one of the year’s must-see horror films, an addictive thrill ride that never loses its own playful spin on some classic horror ideas.” – Matthew Jackson, Paste
Meg 2: The Trench
Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.
RATED PG-13 FOR ACTION / VIOLENCE, SOME BLOODY IMAGES, LANGUAGE, AND BRIEF SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL.
“Unembarrassed about its own absurdity, Meg 2 delivers amusingly over-the-top aquatic mayhem by the bloody bucketful.” – Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique
“The director having fun is the presiding feeling here — which may account for why the movie is so frequently amusing, and occasionally delightful.” – Calum Marsh, New York Times
“Director Ben Wheatley gives the summer blockbuster the finger, and it’s the funniest damn thing I’ve seen this year. Meg 2: The Trench is flawed to perfection; a satirical pummeling of commercial cinema and the first out of gate with a Barbie send-up.” – Thom Ernst, Original Cin
Haunted Mansion
Single mom Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian to help exorcise their newly bought mansion; after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.
RATED PG-13 FOR SOME THEMATIC ELEMENTS AND SCARY ACTION.
“Family-friendly, spooky fun with surprising emotional heft and an ensemble cast clearly having a ball.” – Molly Edwards, Total Film
“Simien has created a thoughtful movie experience that feels diverse, funny and visually interesting. Those expecting an exact recreation of the ride won’t find it here, which may be for the best. Despite a few cartoon-y scenes, Simien and his cast elevate Haunted Mansion to a thoroughly entertaining and oddly emotional good time.” – Emily Zemler, Observer
“Haunted Mansion isn’t reinventing the wheel with this haunted house story, for sure, but it’s the gratification of watching this cast have fun with each other, and the pleasure that Simien and Dippold have playing in this sandbox that makes this quite often a treat to watch.” – Ross Bonaime, Collider
Blue Beetle
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.
RATED PG-13 FOR SEQUENCES OF ACTION AND VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND SOME SUGGESTIVE REFERENCES.
“Blue Beetle is so singularly fresh and fun that Jaime Reyes and his family deserve to be front and center of whatever comes next.” – Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict
“Tucked safely away from most of the cinematic universe shenanigans, Blue Beetle is a self-contained and smartly crafted film that ranks among the DCEU’s very best. Even though, admittedly, that doesn’t say nearly as much as it ought to.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“Aided by the dynamic cinematography of regular Ari Aster collaborator Pawel Pogorzelski, a pulsing electronic score by Brit musician Bobby Krlic and sturdy effects work, Soto brings an assured hand, balancing action with character-driven scenes and comedy with suspense throughout. The pacing is brisk, infused with youthful energy, but never so frenetic that it doesn’t allow intimate exchanges time to breathe.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter
Prey
Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, this prequel to the Predator franchise tells the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.
RATED R FOR STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE.
“The decision to take the series so far backward in time turns out to be a good one that injects some much-needed creativity to the action while also returning the series to its roots… If these types of movies are your thing (and maybe even if they aren’t), you don’t want to miss this one.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“At 90 or so minutes, Prey is a lean, mean machine without an ounce of fat on its muscular body. It’s a reminder that this land was populated long before we, the original predators, overtook it, a subtle treatise of ‘man as predator,’ but mostly, a vicious, wildly entertaining flick that’s bound to become the new classic in the series.” – Alex Saveliev, Film Threat
“Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg’s addition to the Predatorverse, isn’t just an intriguing expansion of the series or a cool intellectual-property detour; it’s something close to a B-movie masterpiece, a survivalist thriller-slash-proto-Western-slash-final-girl horror flick that, like both its iconic alien and its indigenous Ripley 2.0 heroine, is extremely good at what it sets out to do.” – David Fear, Rolling Stone
The Crown: Season 5
The extravagant and publicly scrutinized lives of the Royal Family are back for another season of drama in The Crown. This time around, Imelda Staunton takes on the role of Queen Elizabeth during the 1990s when the tabloids were filled with stories about the family and Princess Diana, in particular as her marriage to Princes Charles continues to deteriorate.
RATED TV-MA. CONTAINS BLOODY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, BRIEF NUDITY, SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, DRUG USE, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
“For four seasons, the show wove plots and emotions together to get to a point where it could thoughtfully dissect the meaning of all of it. Now, we’re here, and it has been well worth the wait.” – Chris Panella, Paste
“Though nothing can rival the Emmy-winning 2020 chapters for best in series, Season 5 still proves an addictive blast of delicious palace intrigue. The new cast, led by Imelda Staunton as the Queen and a dynamite Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, will hold you spellbound.” – Peter Travers, ABC News
“Few series have had the opportunity to truly capture the passing of half a century like The Crown has, and for that alone it’ll be remembered as one of 21st-century television’s most impressive achievements. And the all-star cast is as solid as the one which preceded it — it really remains impressive, how the show has consistently brought in such a high caliber of talent with each change-up.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Yellowjackets: Season 2
The teenage survivors of a plane crash and their future selves are wrapped up in a traumatic set of events that revolve around their time stranded in the wilderness. While Shauna, Taissa, Natalie and Misty have been at the center of the story so far, Season 2 sees the revelation of new survivors. In the depths of a difficult winter, the young teenagers must use extreme methods to ensure their survival. Once a successful high-school soccer team, the girls fall into savage sects all set upon their own success.
RATED TV-MA. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, DISTURBING CONTENT, STRONG SEXUAL MATERIAL, BRIEF NUDITY, STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, DRUG USE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Yellowjackets Season 2 is darker, more disturbing, and more confident than ever—utterly fearless in its storytelling and unflinching in its vision.” – Lacy Baugher Milas, Paste
“One thing that feels assured is Yellowjackets will continue to clear the high bar it sets for itself and be about way more than just ‘trauma’.” – Leila Letif, The Guardian
“Although the present has yet to fully measure up to the stomach-churning storytelling of the past, Season 2 is still packed to the brim with what made the series such a buzzworthy hit in the beginning: dark comedy blended with harrowing drama, and more than enough wild reasons to keep watching.” – Carly Lane, Collider
EO
The world is a mysterious place when seen through the eyes of an animal. EO, a grey donkey with melancholic eyes, meets good and bad people on his life’s path, experiences joy and pain, endures the wheel of fortune randomly turn his luck into disaster and his despair into unexpected bliss. But not even for a moment does he lose his innocence.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, BLOODY VIOLENCE, DISTURBING CONTENT, AND SEXUAL REFERENCES.
“This is a beautiful movie, with a main character that is impossible not to love, but also one that will completely shatter your heart.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“EO may be one of the greatest movies ever made about the spirit of animals, as much as we can know it.” – Stephanie Zacharek, Time
“EO is an astonishment and so too is this wild, boldly expressionistic movie that conveys the life of its largely silent protagonist with a bare minimum of dialogue… no movie that I’ve seen this year has moved me as deeply, made me feel as optimistic about cinema or engaged me with such intellectual vigor as EO…” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times
Close
The intense friendship between two thirteen-year old boys, Léo and Rémi, suddenly gets disrupted. Struggling to understand what has happened, Léo approaches Sophie, Rémi’s mother.
RATED PG-13 FOR THEMATIC MATERIAL INVOLVING SUICIDE, AND BRIEF STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Close is a great film about friendship, but perhaps an even greater one about being alone.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
“Belgian writer-director Lukas Dhont sustains the balance of mood and physical beauty with a thrilling eloquence and Eden Dambrine as Leo and Gustav DeWaele as Remi are stunning young discoveries who will not easily be forgotten.” – Rex Reed, Observer
“The script is so economical, and the acting so beautifully natural (especially by Dambrine, a remarkable discovery), that Close feels less like a drama than a tapestry of fragments from a candid documentary.” – Nicholas Barber, BBC
Broker
The film follows two brokers who sell orphaned infants, circumventing the bureaucracy of legal adoption, to affluent couples who can’t have children of their own. After an infant’s mother surprises the duo by returning to ensure her child finds a good home, the three embark on a journey to find the right couple, building an unlikely family of their own.
RATED R FOR SOME LANGUAGE.
“Broker is nothing if not a film of surprises… a swaddled-up mix of road movie, social realism, crime cliffhanger and even knockabout comedy. Genres collide. A little like life.” – Danny Leigh, Financial Times
“The charm of Kore-eda’s films is the layering of complex characters, and he puts a lot of heart and time into each of them, sculpting intricate emotions and relationships that connect with the viewer.” – Jenny Nulf, Austin Chronicle
“What could have been a train wreck if it were an American comedy/drama turns into a funny, sad, brittle, beautiful and absolutely strange odyssey wherein the image of family gets distorted and reimagined in the most touching way imaginable.” – Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
Golda
Golda is a ticking-clock thriller set during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (Helen Mirren), faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber), with millions of lives in the balance. Her tough leadership and compassion would ultimately decide the fate of her nation and leave her with a controversial legacy around the world.
RATED PG-13 FOR THEMATIC MATERIAL AND PERVASIVE SMOKING.
“Ms. Mirren and the film do us all a service in declining to paint Meir as a legendary figure but instead observing that although she was a strong leader who can rightly be credited with saving her country from annihilation, crisis forced her to make grueling decisions whose psychic burdens she bore heavily.” – Kyle Smith, Wall Street Journal
“Ultimately, this drama is an essential piece of cinematic contemplation on the value of war.” – Benjamin Franz, Film Threat
“Despite being entombed in all that prop flesh and wrinkles, Mirren manages to emote very effectively with her voice, mimicking Meir’s midwestern twang, gait and posture.” – Leslie Felperin, Hollywood Reporter
The Hill
Growing up impoverished in small-town Texas, young Rickey Hill shows an extraordinary ability for hitting a baseball, despite being burdened by leg braces from a degenerative spinal disease. His stern, pastor father (Dennis Quaid) discourages Rickey from playing baseball to protect him from injury, and to have him follow in his footsteps and become a preacher. As a young man, Rickey (Colin Ford) becomes a baseball phenomenon. His desire to participate in a try-out for a legendary major league scout divides the family and threatens Rickey’s dream of playing professional baseball.
RATED PG FOR THEMATIC CONTENT, LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING THROUGHOUT.
“As the stadium lights fade on a reconciled father and son like Field of Dreams, you can’t help but smile. Yes, it’s a ‘perfect’ Hollywood ending, but call me a sucker for inspirational sports flicks. Turn off your brain and tap into your heart.” – Jason Fraley, WTOP
“Echoes of Norman Rockwell bounce off The Hill, a sincere, inspiring baseball movie grounded in a complicated father-son relationship.” – Thelma Adams, AARP
“Toggling back and forth between a sports drama and a faith-based film, Jeff Celentano aims to please by never getting too gritty. Sappy at times, but the feel-good film leaves you inspired just as the filmmakers intended.” – Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report
Simulant
Set in the near future, Evan (Robbie Amell), an android simulant, is created for Faye (Jordana Brewster) to replace her dead husband. To fully realize all his human traits, Evan enlists Casey (Simu Liu), a brilliant global hacker whose mission is to remove all restrictions governing simulants’ thoughts and capabilities. In doing so, he unleashes an A.I. uprising, triggering a government manhunt led by Agent Kessler (Sam Worthington) who will take extreme measures to eliminate the rise of the android machines.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS NUDITY, SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND DRUG USE.
“The characterizations are strong, and each actor portrays their respective part wonderfully. The direction keeps the tension high and the action exciting.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Simulant may not have a huge budget but it does have a well-written script that keeps the audience guessing throughout. With believable characters and an ending that will make you stop and think this is one of the most unexpected films of 2023.” – David Griffiths, Subculture Entertainment
“A mixture of a heart-breaking love story, sci-fi action and a ticking clock thriller, Simulant is a worthy addition to the sub-genre.” – Katie Hogan, Filmhounds
Battle Royale
In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS PERVASIVE BLOODY VIOLENCE, DISTURBING IMAGES, SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
“Departing from two decades’ worth of domestic and personal dramas and returning to his roots as Japan’s maestro of mayhem, Kinji Fukasaku has delivered a brutal punch to the collective solar plexus with one of his most outrageous and timely films.” – Robert Koehler, Variety
“American fans of The Hunger Games may not embrace – or even be permitted to see – Battle Royale, which is too bad. It is in many ways a better movie and in any case a fascinating companion, drawn from a parallel cultural universe. It is a lot uglier and also, perversely, a lot more fun.” – A.O. Scott, New York Times
“[Fukasaku’s] genius is finding the overlap between teenage dreams and nightmares, between the intensity of first love and the terror of extinction.” – Eric Hynes, The Village Voice
The Boogeyman
High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
RATED PG-13 FOR TERROR, VIOLENT CONTENT, TEEN DRUG USE, AND SOME STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Even when you might want more from its plot, and even when it’s sticking to quiet character drama over all-out monster assaults, The Boogeyman thrives on the implied thing that’s lurking in every corner, which makes it a very effective, intimate creepshow.” – Matthew Jackson, Paste
“Some Host or Dashcam fans might be disappointed that Rob Savage has opted for something ostensibly more conventional — but The Boogeyman shows he can also make an involving, ungimmicky ghost story with perfectly constructed menace and mayhem.” – Kim Newman, Empire
“The Boogeyman doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel, but thankfully, it doesn’t need to. Savage knows exactly how to push all the right buttons and pull all the right levers to engineer maximum potency, utilizing classical set-ups and pay-offs in entertaining, satisfying ways.” – Ben Pearson, Slashfilm
Aporia
Since losing her husband Mal (Edi Gathegi) in a drunk-driving incident, Sophie (Judy Greer) has struggled to manage crippling grief, a full-time job, and the demands of parenting her devastated teenage daughter (Faithe Herman). When her husband’s best friend Jabir (Payman Maadi), a former physicist, reveals that he has been building a time-bending machine that could restore her former life, Sophie will be faced with an impossible choice–and unforeseeable consequences.
RATED R FOR SOME LANGUAGE.
“High-concept and heartfelt.” – Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter
“It’s a film that considers that life may be less about what you have or can get, and more about what you are willing to give up.” – Josh Kupecki, Austin Chronicle
“Bolstered by strong performances, the film maintains emotional investment in its what-if scenario while keeping its science-fiction concept about playing God rooted in bittersweet reality.” – Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue
Mob Land
Deep in the heart of Dixie, in a small town struggling with the ravages of addiction, a local sheriff (John Travolta) tries to maintain the peace when desperate family man Shelby (Shiloh Fernandez) robs a pill mill with his reckless brother-in-law, Trey (Kevin Dillon). But the supposedly easy score takes a violent turn, alerting the New Orleans mafia’s revenge-seeking enforcer (Stephen Dorff), who threatens Shelby’s wife (Ashley Benson) and daughter.
RATED R FOR VIOLENCE, AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.
“This cast keeps the story grounded as each man is tested throughout the film.” – Alan Ng, Film Threat
“An intriguingly dark small-town thriller with a compellingly downbeat, nasty edge. It also marks out writer-director Nicholas Maggio as a talent to watch.” – Matthew Turner, Action Reloaded
“Paying homage to the independent crime films of the past, Mob Land is a gritty and thrilling joyride worth taking.” – Morgan Rojas, Cinemacy
Close to Vermeer
Go behind the scenes of the largest Vermeer exhibition ever mounted, now on view at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Capturing the imagination of the art world – with glowing reviews, global publicity, and tickets sold out through the entirety of its run – the Rijksmuseum’s Vermeer retrospective is nothing short of an historic event. Suzanne Raes’s film follows curators, conservators, collectors, and experts in their joint mission to shine a new light on the elusive Dutch Master. This fascinating documentary reveals everything from the quiet diplomacy required to get the Vermeers to the Netherlands and the new technical knowledge gained by scanning the paintings layer by layer, to the shocking news that one work may not be by Vermeer after all. In the process, we discover how Vermeer was able to depict reality so differently from his contemporaries. But above all, Close to Vermeer shows the infectious love Vermeer’s art inspires.
NOT RATED.
“What it took to put together one of the most highly acclaimed exhibits ever on the art world calendar is captured in Close to Vermeer, a documentary brimming with passion, intrigue, history and beauty from director Suzanne Raes.” – Liz Braun, Original Cin
“Close to Vermeer is much more than a chronicle of the exhibition. It is a globe-trotting tale of diplomacy, a detective story and a fascinating insight into the insular world of museum curation, research and preservation, which helps keep culture alive through the march of history.” – G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
“Pleasant and contemplative, Close to Vermeer chronicles an exhibit of a master that both civilians and historians know startlingly little about, considering the profound impact he’s had on the craft of painting.” – Natalia Keogan, Paste
The Dive
Two sisters go diving at a beautiful, remote location. One of the sisters is struck by a rock, leaving her trapped 28 meters below. With dangerously low levels of oxygen and cold temperatures, it is up to her sister to fight for her life.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL REFERENCES, PERIL, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
“The Dive is a harrowing, real-time thriller that guarantees this author will never set foot in scuba gear. The drama does run a little thick, but the life or death scenario keeps you gasping for air until the credits.” – Julian Roman, MovieWeb
“Shot underwater rather than using CGI, the film benefits hugely from its realism: there are no monsters except the women’s own thoughts, and the tension rests on their resilience and resourcefulness in the face of the mounting pressure.” – Amber Wilkinson, Radio Times
“I can’t remember a time when I was more emotionally invested in the outcome of fictional movie characters than I was while viewing this. That the filmmakers were able to so successfully suspend the disbelief speaks volumes to their crack storytelling acumen.” – Michael Clark, Epoch Times
Til Death Do Us Part
After bailing on her wedding, a former bride-to-be must fight off her ex-groom and seven angry killer groomsmen in order to survive the night.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, AND STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.
“A hybrid of John Wick and Tarantino, Til Death Us Do Part, the latest feature from director Timothy Woodward Jr. is an exhilarating, tense ride peppered with some black humour and a very resilient bride.” – Martin Unsworth, Starburst
“The direction effortlessly balances the action, comedy, and heart, while the screenplay and story structure reveals their hand at exactly the right time.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Til Death Do Us Part is a more than enjoyable thrill with one hell of a fun lead performance. Natalie Burn is perfect here, delving into a character we can get behind.” – JimmyO, We Live Entertainment
The Good Mother
After the murder of her estranged son, journalist Marissa Bennings (Hilary Swank) forms an unlikely alliance with his pregnant girlfriend Paige (Olivia Cooke) to track down the killers. Together they confront a world of corruption and drugs in the seedy underbelly of a small city in upstate New York. As they get closer to the truth, they unearth an even darker secret.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, DRUG USE, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
“Much as he did with his 2016 feature debut (at the age of 23), the love-triangle drama As You Are, Joris-Peyrafitte tells this story with welcome subtlety and a keen attenuation to his actors.” – Josh Kupecki, Austin Chronicle
“As the movie’s title indicates, this is a film for parents, and even though not all parents will relate, many will understand.” – Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media
“A slick, engrossing, and intelligent murder mystery with a powerhouse cast. The Good Mother is a super tight 90 minutes that packs all kinds of complexities without leaving the audience feeling overwhelmed or shorted.” – Preston Barta, Fresh Fiction
God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya
In Stip, a small town in Macedonia, every January the local priest throws a wooden cross into the river and hundreds of men dive after it. Good fortune and prosperity are guaranteed to the man who retrieves it. This time, Petrunya dives into the water on a whim and manages to grab the cross before the others. Her competitors are furious — how dare a woman take part in their ritual? All hell breaks loose, but Petrunya holds her ground. She won her cross and will not give it up.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS SOME STRONG LANGUAGE AND BRIEF NUDITY.
“A sharp Macedonia-set satire about power, change and a woman’s place in a patriarchal world.” – Sarah Ward, Screen Daily
“An inspirational, fable-esque but true story of a woman who stands her ground against ancient sexist traditions and social backlash will have you cheering!” – Anne Brodie, What She Said
“[Writer/director Teona Strugar] Mitevska skillfully plies the waters of sexism, patriarchy, poverty, and courage resulting in a thoroughly enjoyable and thoughtful film.” – Neely Swanson, Easy Reader
Inside Man
The life of New York Police Detective Bobby Belucci (Emile Hirsch) falls apart when he discovers his wife (Ashley Greene) is having an affair. After beating her lover to a pulp, she leaves him and Bobby gets demoted at work, triggering his determination to prove he’s worthy of redemption. His plan is to go undercover as a grunt and infiltrate the Gambino crime family’s notorious “DeMeo Crew,” a violent and bloody faction that reigned terror in the 1960s and ‘70s. Bobby will stop at nothing to get close to the head of the crew, Roy DeMeo (Danny Abeckaser), to expose the murder and corruption. But as Bobby sinks deeper into the mob and more bodies drop, the price for absolution may be higher than he can afford. Based on true events.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, STRONG VIOLENCE, SEXUAL CONTENT, DRUG USE, AND SMOKING.
“[A] mob movie that is one of the best of its kind since 2019’s The Irishman… Emile Hirsch has never been better as he draws us into a character who may be over the edge with no possibility of turning back.” – Thomas Duffy, Film Book
Jules
Milton (Ben Kingsley) lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard. Before long, Milton develops a close relationship with the extra-terrestrial he calls “Jules.” Things become complicated when two neighbors (Jane Curtin and Harriet Sansom Harris) discover Jules and the government quickly closes in.
RATED PG-13 FOR STRONG LANGUAGE.
“It’s a lighthearted, empathetic film that multiple generations of family can see together and all find something worth taking with them.” – Alexander Harrison, Screen Rant
“Marc Turtletaub’s gentle, winning comedy Jules is technically a science-fiction film, but it is actually about loneliness and aging, much like the classic ’80s audience-pleaser Cocoon, which this film often resembles.” – G. Allen Johnson, San Franciso Chronicle
“The movie has a tighter, more out-there scope than its contemporaries, but its ideas about aging and companionship are universal. Bolstered by a terrific core cast of older actors, Jules is a warm film that proves senior cinema doesn’t have to be the same fluff, repackaged several times over.” – Coleman Spilde, The Daily Beast
The Outwaters
Four travelers encounter menacing phenomena while camping in a remote stretch of the Mojave Desert.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, NUDITY, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND DRUG REFERENCES.
“The Outwaters is an immersive hellmouth waiting to, quite literally, swallow us up and spit us back out into the landscape more horrified of what the universe is capable of than ever before — and trust me, you don’t stand a chance against what it has in store for you.” – Lex Briscuso, Slashfilm
“A cannier, and more effective, slice of shaky-cam insanity than most of its brethren, right down to a finale that’s akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey as processed through a meat grinder.” – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“This film takes no prisoners, offers no explanations, and forces you to go on its twisted journey that blends found footage structure with something that H.P. Lovecraft might have dreamed up. It’s a ride.” – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
Dos Estaciones
Dos Estaciones follows fifty-year-old businesswoman María García (Teresa Sánchez), the owner of Dos Estaciones, a once-majestic tequila factory now struggling to stay afloat. The factory is the final hold-over from generations of Mexican-owned tequila plants in the highlands of Jalisco, the rest having folded to foreign corporations. Once one of the wealthiest people in town, María knows her current financial situation is untenable. When a persistent plague and an unexpected flood cause irreversible damage, she is forced to do everything she can to save her community’s primary economy and source of pride.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Delicate and subtle in its harshness and austerity, Dos Estaciones is deeply human, enigmatic in its denouncement, and heart-wrenching.” – Diego Batlle, Otros Cines
“An angry film, and rightfully so, but it is also an achingly human and disarmingly beautiful one.” – Matt Fagerholm, RogerEbert.com
“At once specific and expansive, Dos Estaciones can be described several ways: as a drama, a character study, a meditative exploration of the ravages of globalization.” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times
The Severing
From acclaimed filmmaker Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophecies) comes a visceral and powerful feature-length dance film. This cathartic movement piece was created in collaboration with the brilliant choreographer Nina McNeely (Gaspar Noe’s Climax), rising Dutch cinematographer Evelin Van Rei, and editor Sergio Pinheiro. Inspired by the Wim Wenders film Pina, Pellington was interested in expressing feelings and emotions through a “narrative of movement and text,” told through the physical expression of dancers’ bodies and souls. Grief is physical and lies in the body, in our very DNA, which makes movement the ideal way to communicate it. In Pellington’s words, “It’s the way to express what it feels like to be severed or to feel nothing. The film is a cathartic reencounter for anybody who’s felt loss, or isolation, or struggled with these themes: fear, reconnection, isolation.”
NOT RATED. CONTAINS NUDITY AND MATURE THEMES.
“The Severing is a brooding, meditative reach for catharsis translated through dance… Even when the cleaner elements guide viewers too close to a didactic emotion, the possibility of varied audience response is what gives The Severing a welcomed plasticity, a chance to contemplate, through the movement of dance, the thoughts that feel too difficult to put into words. ” – Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
“The Severing is Pellington’s boldest and most audacious film to date, an unclassifiable dance movie that plays like a cross between Wim Wenders’ Pina and Saw; using a sophisticated interplay of choreography, light, and sound design, Pellington moves beyond the limitations of narrative to get at something primal and raw—but also ultimately transcendent and life affirming—that perfectly conveys the transformative effects of grief and loss.” – Jim Hemphill, Filmmaker
“My interpretation won’t align with yours, and I believe that was purposefully baked into the cake. The Severing is its own beast that has no intention of holding your hand. If you can get on its particular wavelength and accept the visual approach, this may hit you hard, as it did me. If you’re willing to take the ride, it’s a fascinating trip.” – Lance Vlcek, JoBlo Movie Network
The Anchor
Sera, a nightly news anchor, receives a distressing phone call from a mother saying that a man has broken into her house and is going to kill her. In a rush of whispers, she explains Sera is the only one capable of solving her murder. When she discovers that the caller was real, Sera digs deeper into the case to reveal the shocking truth.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, AND LANGUAGE.
“Despite the somewhat obvious story The Anchor emerges as a rather entertaining and interesting movie, that juggles its comments and its thriller premises excellently, highlighting in the process Jung’s direction and the great performances.” – Panos Kotzathanasis, HanCinema
History of the Occult
A supernatural thriller from the creators of Netflix’s The Kirlian Frequency. It’s 60 minutes to Midnight‘s last broadcast, the most famous late night news show on TV. Tonight’s host Adrian Marcato just might expose a conspiracy that links the Government to a coven of witches.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, DISTURBING IMAGES, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Absolutely exceptional.” – Juan Pablo Russo, EscribiendoCine
“Ponce’s ingeniously structured, unnervingly hallucinatory film reimagines John Carpenter’s They Live (1987) – with 2020 vision – for an arrested Argentina’s omnipresent slump.” – Anton Bitel, Through the Trees
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