Five Nights at Freddy’s
Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), a troubled security guard, starts a night-time job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a once-successful abandoned family entertainment center, where he discovers its four animatronic mascots — Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie the Bunny, Chica the Chicken, and Foxy the Pirate Fox — move and kill anyone that is still there after midnight.
RATED PG-13 FOR STRONG VIOLENT CONTENT, BLOODY IMAGES, AND LANGUAGE.
“Five Nights At Freddy’s has flaws, but it is an excellent adaption. It feels like the game while still being accessible to any newcomers by crafting an original story.” – Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Mostly, Five Nights at Freddy’s relies on a lot of jump scares, and scenes with building tension that result in cat-and-mouse scenarios, which are perfect for the age range it’s playing to.” – Tara Bennett, Paste
“What Five Nights at Freddy’s lacks in a robust story — an unexpected plot turn about halfway through feels like a genuinely bold curveball, though it’s tempered somewhat by a slightly too neat-and-tidy ending — it more than makes up for with a penchant for oddball theatrics and flair.” – Jeremy Mathai, /Film
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist, Indiana Jones, for this highly anticipated final installment of the iconic franchise – a big, globe-trotting, rip-roaring adventure!
RATED PG-13 FOR SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE AND ACTION, LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING.
“The two biggest questions I had going into Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny were: will it be fun and will the film stay true to the character of Indiana Jones. The answer, I’m pleased to say, is yes on both counts. It’s a ton of fun. I had a blast.” – Karen Gordon, Original Cin
“A terrific thrill ride. With Ford in fine form, Indy’s last stand is a highly satisfying blend of action, humour and emotion.” – James Mottram, Total Film
“Crystal Skull (which I liked) didn’t really feel like a proper goodbye, however. Dial of Destiny does, allowing Indy to nobly, creakily hang up his hat and whip, leaving the rest of us in an increasingly exhausted multiverse of capes and cowls.” – Josh Larsen, Larsen On Film
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
RATED PG FOR SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE AND ACTION, LANGUAGE, AND IMPOLITE MATERIAL.
“A visual tour de force of hybrid 2D and 3D animation, Mutant Mayhem is not only the most authentically New York version of the Turtles yet, it’s arguably the most inventive.” – Tara Bennett, Paste
“In a time when so much of what we consume can feel plastic and cheap and mass-produced, it’s the human touch we come to crave — especially when it leads to something as fun as this.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is not only a great introduction to the iconic franchise, but a fantastic film in its own right, and one of the best-looking movies of the year.” – Rafael Motamayor, /Film
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro reinvents Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of the wooden marionette who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto. This whimsical, stop-motion musical directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.
RATED PG FOR DARK THEMATIC MATERIAL, VIOLENCE, PERIL, SOME RUDE HUMOR, AND BRIEF SMOKING.
“While the simple message about trying to be a good person remains, here it has been wonderfully fleshed out to encompass so much more and reminds one why it’s safe to say that del Toro is one of the best filmmakers currently working without worrying about your nose growing any longer.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“Pinocchio feels like the best mix of classic del Toro and new del Toro, with the wisdom and melancholy that comes with age and experience, yet his bright-eyed love of fairy tales from his Spanish-language films. Perhaps more impressive is how Pinocchio pushes the oldest form of animation to new places, and like the puppet himself, breathes life into inanimate objects.” – Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire
“Through the eyes of the Mexican filmmaker, the familiar fable is made anew, carefully carved by the hands of an artist eternally enamored with his craft. This loving relationship between creator and creation imbues the film with the type of contagious excitement that brings one back to the joy of the early days of cinemagoing, a thrilling jolt of nostalgia that only emphasizes the miraculous nature of this fresh recreation.” – Rafaela Sales Ross, The Playlist
The Mandalorian: Seasons 1 & 2
The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) travels the galaxy, out of reach of the New Republic after the fall of the Empire in Disney+’s first Star Wars live-action series.
RATED TV-14. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, PERIL, MILD LANGUAGE, AND SOME THEMATIC CONTENT.
“This is a visually stunning, consistently entertaining space-spaghetti-Western serial.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“Yes, Baby Yoda remains as cute as ever, but more importantly, the show’s titular anti-hero will do what’s right when the time is right, but isn’t afraid of grey areas in other circumstances. In those moments, The Mandalorian is at its boldest and most fascinating.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Collider
“The great thing about Favreau’s approach is that he doesn’t get bogged down in the needlessly complex plotting that blights so much prestige TV – and, for that matter, recent Star Wars films. Instead, he carves a sharp through-line through the story. The action proceeds briskly… Series one was the best Star Wars in decades. And, on this evidence, series two is shaping up to be even better.” – Ed Power, The Telegraph
SEASON 1:
SEASON 2:
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Explores every facet of Yankovic’s life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon” to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle.
RATED TV-14. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, SEXUAL REFERENCES, DRUG MATERIAL, AND SMOKING.
“Weird may not be perfect, but it’s easily one of 2022’s best comedies and feels like a fittingly ridiculous tribute to a man whose musical career had a greater impact than anyone could have imagined back in 1979.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“Weird is an unapologetically ridiculous and over-the-top romp that’s sold by people who are completely, sincerely, and unfailingly committed to the bit on every level. It’s not particularly groundbreaking or subversive, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s smart (or so silly it’s smart), expertly executed, and genuinely funny.” – Sarah Kurchak, Consequence
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story does for the music biopic what the real Weird Al did for many a hit pop song: it makes fun of it, reveres it, remixes it, makes it weirder, and improves it.” – Rafael Motamayor, IGN
The Creator
Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and mankind itself. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory… only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child.
RATED PG-13 FOR VIOLENCE, SOME BLOODY IMAGES, AND STRONG LANGUAGE.
“The Creator is likely to stand as the most impressive and immersive sci-fi movie of the year.” – Justin Lowe, AV Club
“There is no denying that The Creator is a major new sci-fi adventure. If you’re partial to such things, Edwards’ ambitious, immersive film should prompt the intoxicating awe that you might have got from The Matrix and Avatar – the feeling that you’re seeing a rich vision of the future unlike any that has been on the big screen before.” – Nicholas Barber, BBC
“The homages that Edwards and his co-writer Chris Weitz make are honest, and instead of stealing the best ideas of other films, The Creator uses them as the source code to create a next-generation story that is pure, foot-on-the-gas entertainment.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
A crew of young environmental activists execute a daring mission to sabotage an oil pipeline.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT AND SOME DRUG USE.
“The electric, forthright How to Blow Up a Pipeline excels as both truly riveting entertainment and an energizing call to action, in part through the cleverness of its genre conceit: what could be a better fit for a story about collective action and fighting the system than a heist movie?” – Josh Slater-Williams, Total Film
“How to Blow Up a Pipeline is the rare movie that effectively weaponizes a radical political message by marrying it to conventional genre storytelling. It feels like a game-changer: the kind of movie that will inspire artists and budding activists alike for generations to come.” – Pete Volk, Polygon
“Incendiary and furious, confident and courageous, the new thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline boasts not only the best title of the year so far but also the best score, cast and itchy, charged, electric directorial vision – all of it only ever-so-slightly goosed by a political softening that perhaps says more about contemporary American filmmaking than the storytellers working within it.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Dumb Money
Dumb Money is based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world’s hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich – until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.
RATED R FOR PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND DRUG USE.
“If it’s not exactly a documentary, Dumb Money offers up enjoyably anarchic glee as the little guy wins for a minute.” – Jim Slotek, Original Cin
“This energetic, enjoyable movie does not set out to break ground, but in putting centerstage those who are typically left on the sidelines, the movie emerges as a rousing success.” – Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire
“Paul Dano excels in this fact-based tale of how little-guy investors actually took down billionaire Wall Street fat cats. What’s not to like about this slapstick tragedy with a windfall of laughs.” – Peter Travers, ABC News
The Exorcist: Believer
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn).
RATED R FOR SOME VIOLENT CONTENT, DISTURBING IMAGES, LANGUAGE, AND SEXUAL REFERENCES.
“As an homage to Friedkin’s movie, Green’s take is respectful and genuinely scary. Let those tubular bells chime forth in celebration.” – Soren Andersen, Seattle Times
“Though Green may alienate some audiences with choices nowhere near as terrifying as William Friedkin’s original, something about the film’s heart endears beyond another exorcism retread satisfied to follow the same blasphemous beats.” – Matt Donato, Paste
“Does a decent job living up to a legendary predecessor. Original star Ellen Burstyn returns in the latest film, which also goes all in exploring every parent’s deepest fears…” – Brian Truitt, USA Today
Saint Omer
Saint Omer court of law. Young novelist Rama attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. But as the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama’s convictions and call into question our own judgment.
RATED PG-13 FOR SOME THEMATIC ELEMENTS AND BRIEF STRONG LANGUAGE.
“Saint Omer challenges accepted ideas of perspective, of subjectivity and objectivity — and even of what cinema can be when it’s framed by an intelligence that doesn’t accept those accepted ideas.” – Jessica Kiang, Variety
“It reveals its most haunting truths to us slowly even as it seems to lay all its cards on the table early on. In doing so, it confronts us with deeper truths we would otherwise ignore.” – Chase Hutchinson, Collider
“With remarkable stealth and concentration, Diop rewires the generic circuitry of the courtroom drama, avoiding its natural inclination toward sensationalism and grandstanding. She also preserves, through a seamless meld of fiction and nonfiction, the contours and complexities of a terrible true story.” – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
Under the Boardwalk
Two crabs embark on an epic journey to get home after a storm sweeps them away. Their courage soon unites their families, paving the way for great summers to come.
RATED PG FOR SOME IMPOLITE MATERIAL AND MILD VIOLENCE.
“[As] this type of entertainment goes, it has polish and some decent ideas to share with little ones concerning kindness and acceptance.” – Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
A magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The Mighty Pups.
RATED PG FOR MILD ACTION / PERIL.
“There are some nice lessons about confidence and teamwork, a more-funny-than-scary villain, and impressive guest stars voicing minor characters, including Kristen Bell, James Marsden, Lil Rel Howery, and Kim Kardashian (as a pampered poodle social media star) and her children.” – Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com
“Overall, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie has enjoyable moments children and adults will enjoy, but also poses big questions and complicated ideas about personal growth and achievement.” – Alejandra Martinez, Austin Chronicle
“While not as subversive as its predecessor, it delivers on the promise of a smart and salient sequel with bolder action, bigger stakes, and deeper resonance for all ages.” – Courtney Howard, Variety
The Kill Room
An art dealer (Uma Thurman) teams with a hitman (Joe Manganiello) and his boss (Samuel L. Jackson) for a money laundering scheme that accidentally turns the hitman into an overnight Avant-Garde sensation, forcing the dealer to play the art world against the underworld.
RATED R FOR PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND DRUG USE.
“Nicol Paone’s film has pace and smarts, and will appeal to anybody who reckons modern art is all a big con.” – Steve Morrissey, Radio Times
“The final few scenes of The Kill Room stretch the satiric premise to the breaking point, but by then we’re content to go along with the ride and enjoy the dark humor and the fine work of the entire cast, led by Jackson and Thurman in twin knockout performances.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“Thurman’s scenes only get better when she’s paired with Jackson. The duo handles their dialogue like a walk in the park, and you can tell that The Kill Room tries to make the most of it.” – Erick Massoto, Collider
The Retirement Plan
When Ashley (Ashley Greene) and her young daughter Sarah get caught up in a criminal enterprise that puts their lives at risk, she turns to estranged father Matt (Nicolas Cage), currently living the life of a retired beach bum in the Cayman Islands.
RATED R FOR VIOLENCE AND PERVASIVE LANGUAGE.
“Writer-director Tim Brown captures a heady mix of action, bloodshed and comedy here, hitting all the high notes of a crime thriller even as he appears to be spoofing the genre — and who better to do that with than Cage, the meta master himself?” – Liz Braun, Original Cin
“A funny, exhilarating and crowd-pleasing action comedy. Nicolas Cage is in top form.” – Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
“This is really quite a lot of fun… It’s very violent, but it hits a sentimental sweet spot for me.” – Andy Klein, FilmWeek
What Happens Later
Two ex lovers, Bill (David Duchovny) and Willa (Meg Ryan) get snowed in at a regional airport overnight. Indefinitely delayed, Willa, a magical thinker, and Bill, a catastrophic one, find themselves just as attracted to and annoyed by one another as they did decades earlier. But as they unpack the riddle of their mutual past and compare their lives to the dreams they once shared, they begin to wonder if their reunion is mere coincidence, or something more enchanted.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, SOME SEXUAL REFERENCES, AND BRIEF DRUG USE.
“It takes about half the movie, but gradually we realize that we’ve stumbled into something wonderful, that there’s magic happening here, both onscreen and within the lives of the characters.” – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
“Meg Ryan not only dazzles before the camera in What Happens Later, but behind it as well, as director and co-writer. Through the prism of one former couple’s relationship woes, this effervescent, enlightened romantic comedy explores our innate need for reconciliation within ourselves and with each other.” – Courtney Howard, Variety
“What Happens Later is so deeply heartfelt, and so beautifully performed, that it stirs something within — a hope, not necessarily for an airport rendezvous, but for a moment of healing, the kind that everyone desires and everyone deserves.” – Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
In this 1969-set prequel to Stephen King’s novel, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. Banding together, Jud and his childhood friends must fight an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, and once unearthed has the power to destroy everything in its path.
RATED R FOR HORROR VIOLENCE, GORE, AND LANGUAGE.
“While not essential, Bloodlines is an interesting appendix for lovers of the novel… written with some knowledge and curiosity for the backstory of one of the best modern American horror novels.” – Jorge Loser, Espinof
“What director Lindsey Anderson Beer does with this prequel is add much-needed depth to the lore of Ludlow, Maine that elevates the source material.” – Amanda Guarragi, Ready Steady Cut
“Pet Sematary: Bloodlines never loses sight of the rich themes that makes King’s work so engaging. Well-acted with effective horror set pieces, this prequel is well worth a watch.” – Natasha Alvar, Cultured Vultures
Scarlet
Beginning as the tale of a sensitive brute (Räphael Terry) who returns home from World War I to his rural French village to discover his wife has died and that he must take care of their baby daughter, Juliette, the film blossoms into a pastoral portrait of Juliette as a young woman (Juliette Jouan) reckoning with a local witch’s prophecy for her future and falling for the modern man (Louis Garrel) who literally drops from the sky. Based on the 1923 novel by Russian writer Alexander Grin.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS NUDITY, SEXUAL MATERIAL, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
“Classify Pietro Marcello’s sweet new film Scarlet at your own risk, because its pleasures are as diverse and unexpected as a stroll through uncharted lands: Mapping the terrain wouldn’t be half as enjoyable as letting the place host its own truths and enchantments.” – Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
“One of the attractions of Scarlet is that it doesn’t fit obvious categorization, which means that you’re not always sure where it’s headed or why. The vibe is by turns sober, warm, melancholic and playful to the point of near-silliness.” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times
“It’s not groundbreaking stuff, but Marcello has a talent for making such material come alive through his inventive direction, whisking us away to a time and place that we experience as if we were actually there.” – Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter
Joyland
Gentle and timid, Haider (Ali Junejo) lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, Haider finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. The unusual position shakes up the steadfast traditional dynamics of his household and enables Haider to break out of his shell. As he acclimates to the new job, Haider becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba (Alina Khan) who runs the show—an unforeseen partnership that opens his eyes and ultimately his worldview, in ways both unexpected and intimate.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL CONTENT, MILD VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Mostly, Joyland is a film of huge heart and empathy. Mirroring the hapless hero’s journey, it’s an unexpected romance.” – Tara Brady, The Irish Times
“Sadiq is not lecturing us or trading in types; he is taking us by sensory surprise, and the tale that he tells is funny, forward, and sometimes woundingly sad.” – Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
“With its multiple intersecting narratives, writer-director Saim Sadiq’s debut feature takes an almost novelistic approach to its central theme: the repression of human individuality by a regimented traditional society.” – Mark Jenkins, Washington Post
Sakra
Based on the classic wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Louis Cha (known worldwide by his pen name Jin Yong), Sakra stars Donnie Yen as Qiao Feng, the respected leader of a roving band of martial artists. After he is wrongfully accused of murder and subsequently exiled, Qiao Feng goes on the run in search of answers about his own mysterious origin story—and the unknown enemies working to destroy him from the shadows.
RATED R FOR VIOLENT CONTENT.
“The showpiece scenes are absolutely top-notch, ransacking every piece of set in range, with the camera lurching on unpredictable diagonals, as kinetic as the performers.” – Phil Hoad, The Guardian
“A stunning achievement. If you have any interest in wuxia, it is a must-see.” – Daniel Eagan, Film Legacy
“Yen clearly put some work into transposing the wuxia novel’s romantic and often incredible conventions into a live-action movie. Sakra is not light on its feet, but it is a surprisingly well-realized star vehicle and adaptation.” – Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com
Chile ’76
During the early days of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, Carmen (Aline Kuppenheim) leads a sheltered upper middle class existence. She heads to her summer house in the off-season to supervise its renovation, while also performing local charitable works through her church. Her husband, children, and grandchildren come back and forth during the winter vacation, bringing reminders of the world beyond. When the family priest asks her to take care of an injured young man he has been sheltering in secret, Carmen is inadvertently drawn into the world of the Chilean political opposition and must face real-world threats she is unprepared to handle, with potentially disastrous consequences for her and her entire family.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, THEMATIC MATERIAL, AND SMOKING.
“What begins as a muted marital melodrama slowly boils into a restrained political thriller, with an ease and skill all the more impressive in a first feature.” – Manuel Betancourt, Variety
“Chile ’76 is a sly genre exercise, an example of how political repression can squeeze a domestic melodrama until it takes the shape of a spy thriller.” – Teo Bugbee, New York Times
“As historical noir, Martelli’s film is thrilling, but as a document of the comforts of complicity and the terror of resistance, Chile ’76 is visceral.” – Christopher Machell, CineVue
Rise
An uplifting story of resilience set in the dance world, Rise tells the story of a young ballet dancer whose life is upended when she suffers a career threatening injury and catches her boyfriend cheating on her. As she begins her physical and emotional rehabilitation, she finds solace in friends, a new love, and a new contemporary dance troupe.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS NUDITY, SEXUAL REFERENCES, LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING.
“It’s a lovely film, filled often with lovely dancers who adjust their dreams accordingly.” – Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
“This is a sweet, uncomplicated story relayed with enough entrancing dance breaks to fill an American halftime show.” – Natalia Winkelman, New York Times
“An antithesis to Black Swan… Klapisch’s expert direction intimately examines these angst-ridden moments of a ballerina’s mental and physical wellbeing… a mesmerising and graceful film.” – Latoya Austin, Franglais27 Tales
Butcher’s Crossing
Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger) has left Harvard to find adventure. He teams up with Miller (Nicolas Cage), a mysterious frontiersman offering an unprecedented number of buffalo pelts in a secluded valley. Their crew must survive an arduous journey where the harsh elements will test everyone’s resolve, leaving their sanity on a knife’s edge. Based on the novel by John Edward Williams.
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, SOME VIOLENCE / BLOODY IMAGES, AND BRIEF SEXUAL CONTENT.
“Butcher’s Crossing is a tightly spun, well-acted, beautifully shot and unforgiving slice of Old West madness.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“Butcher’s Crossing is a gorgeous travelog. It’s also a warning about what happens when people fail to tread lightly in the natural world, both as a consequence of nature and themselves.” – Andrew Crump, The Playlist
“Butcher’s Crossing makes a lot of little, stretching its small budget to the extreme to create a nightmarish saga of violent men who seem convinced of their own superiority over everything, especially the land.” – Chris Evangelista, /Film
Razzennest
South African enfant terrible filmmaker and artiste-cineaste Manus Oosthuizen meets with Rotten Tomatoes-approved indie film critic Babette Cruickshank in an Echo Park sound studio. With key members of Manus’s crew joining, they record an audio commentary track for his new elegiac feature documentary Razzennest. But the session goes down a different path… cazzart! The ultimate elevation of arthouse horror, just not as you might expect.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Razzennest is an utterly original auditory experiment that works as sharp satire, hilarious meta-commentary, and absolute nightmare fuel. It’s so singularly odd (in the best way) that it’s impossible to capture its magic through a simple review.” – Stephanie Malone, Morbidly Beautiful
“This is truly madness, but the method behind it creates an effective and unique filmic (and audio) experience.” – Bradley Gibson, Film Threat
“Razzennest takes more risks, is more erudite, and is simply better than the majority of indie horror out there.” – Ray Lobo, Battle Royale with Cheese
Elevator Game
Supernatural horror, based on the eponymous online phenomenon, a ritual conducted in an elevator, in which players attempt to travel to another dimension using a set of rules that can be found online.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“McKendry handles the Japanese-style apprehension and sense of helplessness with skill, and the bonds between the characters prove less superficial than they might initially appear, making it easier to feel for them.” – Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“It’s a flicking of the switch that transitions Elevator Game from a fun comedy-horror for its first half into a ghoulish chiller for its closing act.” – Richard Whittaker, Austin Chronicle
Rumble Through the Dark
A desperate, bare-knuckle cage fighter battles to save his family home against the strongest of foes and the longest of odds.
RATED R FOR VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND SOME SEXUAL MATERIAL.
“Aaron Eckhart elevates Rumble Through the Dark with a stunningly intense physical performance.” – Julian Roman, MovieWeb
“The directors bring some style to the picture, helping to turn a lengthy journey into agony into something cinematic, while Smith does a capable job of escalation, taking the long way around to a rough conclusion that finds its intended emotionality.” – Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com
Love Gets a Room
Inspired by true events during the 1942 Nazi occupation of Poland, Love Gets a Room is the story of a Jewish stage actress who must make the gut-wrenching decision to follow her heart or to escape the Warsaw ghetto. Told in real time like director Cortés’ acclaimed Buried, the film is a romantic tale of love and survival in the face of harrowing circumstances.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS THEMATIC MATERIAL AND LANGUAGE.
“A titanic tour de force…” – Blai Morell, Fotogramas
“An affecting WWII musical drama set in the Warsaw ghetto that’s filmed in real-time. Visually arresting with interesting camera work, but it’s the music that’s the real highlight.” – Ruth Maramis, FlixChatter Film Blog
“A fine technical achievement, a moving inquiry into what young love can mean under such conditions, and Cortés’ strongest film since 2010’s Buried.” – Jonathan Holland, Screen Daily
The Ancestral
Following a family tragedy, a widower moves his two daughters to their family’s centuries-old estate. When both daughters have unsettling visions and night terrors, their father seeks a psychologist’s help, as something sinister inhabits the walls.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, TERROR, THEMATIC CONTENT, AND LANGUAGE.
“[A] solid horror film with stylish production that melds its genre elements to a dramatic story involving grief and family trauma.” – Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique
“The Ancestral overcomes repetitive clichés in movies about haunted houses, by delivering an intriguing plot twist in the last third of the movie. Spooky jump scares, convincing visual effects, and good acting make The Ancestral an entrancing horror film.” – Carla Hay, Culture Mix
Viking
The Viking Society is recruiting volunteers for the first manned mission to Mars. The goal is to form a B-team that will mirror the mission here on Earth in order to find solutions to the interpersonal problems that the Mars-bound crew is experiencing. The film tells the story of David, a high school gym teacher, who seizes this opportunity to revive his dream of becoming an astronaut and making a difference.
NOT RATED. CONTAINS LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.
“Viking is endearing and intelligent, but most especially a profound masterwork from visionary filmmaker Stephane Lafleur.” – Faisal Al-Jadir, Film Inquiry
“All the humour in Viking is entirely relatable; the crew’s problems, the minor breakdowns in discipline, and the constant decline into human pettiness are all the funnier for being perfectly believable.” – Monica Reid, Far Out
“Viking is a space movie that’s firmly grounded with both feet planted right here on Earth. It’s easily Lafleur’s best film yet.” – Pat Mullen, That Shelf
Relax, I’m From the Future
Casper (Rhys Darby) is a charming, but embarrassingly underprepared time traveler, now trapped in the past. When he befriends Holly (Gabrielle Graham), a jaded drifter, she helps him exploit his trivial knowledge of the future for a series of quick payouts, oblivious to the consequences they have set in motion. When tracked down by a more competent time traveler, Casper and Holly are forced to figure out what they mean to each other and whether the future they’ve threatened is even worth saving. Will they embrace their fate, or do they have the courage to change it?
NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL REFERENCES, THEMATIC CONTENT, AND DRUG USE.
“Not so much a sci-fi story as an absurdist’s approach to the whole paradoxical nature of the concept of time travel. It’s a film that gives us permission to say, ‘To hell with it all’ and just accept the story instead of dwelling on it.” – John Kirk, Original Cin
“It’s funny, quotable, and unique while constantly finding new ways to feed off the leads’ performances. Higginson has built upon his original short film into a fleshed-out feature more than worth a watch to fans of sci-fi comedies.” – Josiah Teal, Film Threat
“Luke Higginson’s feature directorial debut is fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, anchored by a hilarious performance from Rhys Darby.” – Christopher Cross, Tilt
Beautiful Beings
Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As the group’s behavior escalates towards life-threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?
NOT RATED. CONTAINS PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, SEXUAL MATERIAL INCLUDING THREAT, BLOODY VIOLENCE, THEMATIC CONTENT, DRUG USE, AND SMOKING, ALL INVOLVING TEENS.
“Despite its anger, Beautiful Beings remains deeply hopeful. The kids aren’t alright, but they were never given the space to be alright.” – Tina Kakadelis, Beyond the Cinerama Dome
“A rough and harrowing coming-of-age drama in the tradition of Kids, Thirteen and My Own Private Idaho.” – Roger Moore, Movie Nation
“Beautiful Beings’ disparate parts shouldn’t work together. But its whole is ultimately more than their sum, resulting in something that’s moving in a hard-won way, rather than just a gimmicky take on familiar abusive horror stories.” – Dennis Harvey, 48 Hills
Slotherhouse
Senior Emily Young wants to be elected sorority president. She adopts a cute sloth, thinking it will help her win, but a string of fatalities implicates the sloth.
RATED PG-13 FOR VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, AND LANGUAGE.
“Overall, it’s exactly as absurd as it sounds, but in the best way.” – Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
“This is a movie that gleefully wallows in the ooey-gooey muck of its insane premise. Similar to Cocaine Bear and M3GAN (but not quite as successful), Slotherhouse knows exactly what it is and revels in increasingly hilarious violence.” – Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com
“Slotherhouse is not only a bonkers when-animals-attack midnight treat, but also a competent collegiate comedy that stands on its own merits.” – Matt Donato, IGN
-
-
-
-
-