New Videos: February 2024

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

RATED PG-13 FOR STRONG VIOLENT CONTENT AND DISTURBING MATERIAL.

“What makes this fifth film the best of the franchise is its tense, paranoid latter half.” – Lou Thomas, NME

“It’s a sharp, exciting movie — one that finally gives YA dystopias the ending that the genre trend deserves.” – Petrana Radulovic, Polygon

“Significantly more intimate and grounded than the previous Hunger Games movies (despite being longer than any of them and responsible for seeding all of their lore), The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the rare prequel that manages to stand on its own two feet and still feel taller than the other stories it’s ultimately meant to support.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

The Marvels

Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as The Marvels.

RATED PG-13 FOR ACTION / VIOLENCE AND BRIEF LANGUAGE.

“The Marvels is an uproariously fun and action-packed comic book movie that’s made all the more delightful by the heartwarming dynamic of the leads.” – Molly Freeman, Screen Rant

“Director and co-writer Nia DaCosta uses three of Marvel’s most charismatic heroes to create a delightful team-up filled with color, odd genre explorations and some timely themes, all characterized by a trio that bursts with chemistry.” – Abby Olcese, Paste

“The Marvels is a triumph. Its depth can be seen not just through its characters, but through its story as it explores war’s complicated fallout; the difficulty of being a human when you are perceived as a monolith; and the hilarious and complicated virtues of family. Both funny and heartfelt, Nia DaCosta’s MCU debut will have you asking when she and her leading ladies are coming back immediately after the credits roll.” – Amelia Emberwing, IGN

Anyone But You

Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold – until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, SEXUAL CONTENT, AND BRIEF GRAPHIC NUDITY.

“Anyone But You, from director Will Gluck and co-writer Ilana Wolpert, has the charm, wit, swoony romance, and, most importantly, star chemistry that has been solely missing from recent lackluster entries in the genre.” – Marya E. Gates, RogerEbert.com

“There’s a zaniness to this film that feels refreshing, a going-for-broke energy reminiscent of an Adam Sandler movie at its peak.” – Chandler Levack, The Globe and Mail

“While Anyone But You isn’t a bold new take on traditional romcom formulas, it becomes an infectiously sincere and easily watchable movie featuring a charming ensemble cast and great situational comedy.” – Alyssa Mora, IGN

Priscilla

When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a gentle best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland.

RATED R FOR DRUG USE AND SOME LANGUAGE.

“Melancholy young women searching for escape are one of Coppola’s favorite subjects, and Priscilla may be her most haunting endeavor thus far.” – Shirley Li, The Atlantic

“The genius of Coppola’s film is that it is both knowingly hollow and somehow deeply felt all at once, celebrating female self-ownership and the travails of learning to know oneself.” – Christina Newland, Dazed and Confused

“Priscilla is a vibe. It’s a viscerally emotive whirlwind that sweeps around the viewer with hurricane-like intensity.” – Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak

Hypnotic

Determined to find his missing daughter, Austin detective Danny Rourke (Ben Affleck) instead finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole while investigating a series of reality-bending bank robberies where he will ultimately call into question his most basic assumptions about everything and everyone in his world. Aided by Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), a gifted psychic, Rourke simultaneously pursues and is pursued by a lethal specter (William Fichtner) – the one man he believes holds the key to finding the missing girl – only to discover more than he ever bargained for.

RATED R FOR VIOLENCE.

“Hypnotic has that run-and-gun energy, rough around the edges but not in a way that impinges on the fun.” – Richard Whittaker, Austin Chronicle

“Hypnotic is a speedy, twisty, riotously enjoyable thriller that seeks to bend your mind into impossible shapes while also delivering more than a few droll wisecracks.” – Adam Sweeting, The Arts Desk

“This is an electric cocktail of Christopher Nolan mind-bending and Troublemaker Studios exploitation ridiculousness. You’ve had this concoction in better forms, but the ice cubes light up in this drink, and there is sugar on the rim.” – Cory Woodroof, For the Win (USA Today)

Dream Scenario

Hapless family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom.

RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT.

“Dream Scenario is worth watching for its clever premise alone, and the casting of Cage is inspired.” – Margot Harrison, Seven Days

“This is a strikingly original concept for a movie and Cage does a great job keeping it anchored in a realm of relative plausibility. Recommended to jaded viewers who think they’ve seen it all.” – Leigh Paatsch, Herald Sun

“A wickedly inventive satire that blends comedy, horror, and sci-fi to hurl jabs at cancel culture and the cult of celebrity. This awkward, eccentric film is one that will make you laugh while simultaneously causing a great deal of discomfort.” – Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots

Next Goal Wins

In 2001, the tiny Pacific island of American Samoa suffered a world record 31-0 defeat at the hands of Australia, garnering headlines across the world as the worst soccer team on the planet. A decade after that humiliating night, they remain rooted to the bottom of FIFA’s World rankings, having scored only twice in seventeen years. They have lost every competitive game they have ever played. Against this backdrop of serial underachievement, the team face the daunting prospect of a qualification campaign for the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil. It would take a miracle-maker or a madman to turn the team’s fortunes around – and in maverick Dutch coach Thomas Rongen the islanders somehow find both.

RATED PG-13 FOR SOME STRONG LANGUAGE AND CRUDE MATERIAL.

“Waititi maintains that warm and endearing spirit that, little by little, weaves through his filmography and makes him identifiable amongst other creatives.” – Sara Heredia, Sensacine

“While Next Goal Wins follows the traditional structure of the sports movie (it all leads to the Big Game), it undermines the genre from within. It’s even narratively adventurous: fourth walls get broken and critical junctures are dealt with offhandedly.” – Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Planet S

Planet Earth III

David Attenborough narrates the third Planet Earth documentary series that was filmed over five years.

RATED TV-PG. CONTAINS VIOLENT IMAGES.

“At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world, how enormously reassuring to know Attenborough is still on hand to share his passion with us.” – Ed Power, The Telegraph

“Planet Earth III was always going to be spectacular, eye-opening, awe-inspiring and other such epithets… Altogether, it was heartening to realise that there is still so much nature out there to discover – even if the underlying message seemed to be ‘catch it while you can.'” – Gerard Gilbert, i

“The scale and scope of this project are spectacular… Attenborough and the team reel you in with the softer stuff, as they build towards the more brutal stories.” – Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

Miranda’s Victim

In 1963 eighteen-year-old Trish Weir (Abigail Breslin) is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Her assailant, Ernesto Miranda (Sebastian Quinn), confesses without legal representation and serves a two-year sentence, only to have the verdict later overturned. In the resulting retrial, a determined prosecutor (Luke Wilson) seeks to hold Ernesto accountable for his crimes, despite grueling opposition from Ernesto’s defense attorney (Ryan Phillippe). What follows is a legal proceeding that forever changes the nation’s justice system. Based on true events.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE INCLUDING RAPE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING.

“Building in power and finesse, Danner oversees a very satisfying dialectical dustup.” – Phil Hoad, The Guardian

“Miranda’s Victim is a strong film to watch to put into perspective what victims of a sexual attack go through in a non-varnished way.” – Terry Sherwood, Film Threat

“Ultimately, this story, likely unfamiliar to the masses, conveys the hidden history behind Miranda Rights with conviction and great storytelling.” – Patrice Witherspoon, Screen Rant

The Three Musketeers Part 1: D’Artagnan

D’Artagnan arrives in Paris trying to find his attackers after being left for dead, which leads him to a real war where the future of France is at stake. He aligns himself with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, three musketeers of the King.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, NUDITY, SEXUAL REFERENCES, AND MILD LANGUAGE.

“It is romantic in the classic sense of the word. These characters have values, and although the film is frequently funny, it never sneers at honor or chivalry. When Athos announces he would rather die than betray his King, we believe him.” – Alan Zilberman, Spectrum Culture

“What this installment energetically proves is that you can ruffle the feathers of a totemic tale and still capture what’s good, galloping fun in Dumas’ storytelling.” – Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

“Dumas was a master of the serial form, and this version of The Three Musketeers manages to preserve that thrill-to-thrill sensation.” – Peter Debruge, Variety

The Independent

It’s the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history. America is poised to elect either its first female president (Ann Dowd) or its first viable independent candidate (John Cena). Reporting history as it’s made, an idealistic young journalist (Jodie Turner-Smith) teams up with her idol, legendary journalist Nick Booker (Brian Cox), to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands.

RATED R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.

“The cast is engaging, with Turner-Smith making for a dogged lead, and Cox captivates as the veteran pundit making one last stand for a beleaguered press.” – Kevin Harley, Radio Times

No Bears

One of the world’s great cinematic artists, Jafar Panahi has been carefully crafting self-reflexive works about artistic, personal, and political freedom for the past three decades, despite his oppression at the hands of the Iranian government. In No Bears, as in many of his recent titles, Panahi plays a fictionalized version of himself, in this case relocated to a rural border town to remotely direct a new film in nearby Turkey – the story of which comes to sharply mirror disturbing events that begin to occur around him. As he struggles to complete his film, Panahi finds himself thrust in the middle of a local scandal, confronting the opposing pulls of tradition and progress, city and country, belief and evidence, and the universal desire to reject oppression.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS BLOODY IMAGES, SUICIDE, AND LANGUAGE.

“Panahi’s courageousness as an agitator is matched only by his inventiveness as a filmmaker.” – Christopher Machell, CineVue

“Defiant, endlessly resourceful and gripping cinema.” – Tara Brady, The Irish Times

“The realities of the situation are grim enough that a lesser work might have paled into insignificance, but No Bears — the best and bravest new feature I saw last year, a work of extraordinary emotional power, conceptual ingenuity and critical force — somehow manages the opposite.” – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

Godland

In the late nineteenth century, Danish priest Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) makes the perilous trek to Iceland’s southeastern coast with the intention of establishing a church. There, the arrogant man of God finds his resolve tested as he confronts the harsh terrain, temptations of the flesh, and the reality of being an intruder in an unforgiving land. What unfolds is a transfixing journey into the heart of colonial darkness attuned to both the majesty and terrifying power of the natural world.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, SEXUAL REFERENCES, BRIEF GRAPHIC NUDITY, LANGUAGE, AND SMOKING.

“This is a languid, bleak, and haunting film, with much to say about the very nature of man. It won’t be for everyone, but patient viewers will be well-rewarded.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal

“…filmed in a 1.33:1 ratio to mimic the framing of the inspirational photographs. It’s absolutely breathtaking work – the camera helmed by Maria von Hausswolff captures the unassuming beauty of Iceland, but also does not hide its frigid nature, both terrifying and beautiful.” – Jenny Nulf, Austin Chronicle

“If that first hour or so is where the film resembles debilitating wilderness trek tales such as Kelly Reichardt’s Meek’s Cutoff or Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo (in both content and quality), the claustrophobic second half is where valid comparisons to something like Shūsaku Endō’s Silence – though especially Martin Scorsese’s 2016 screen adaptation – come to the fore; where colonial arrogance and perceived enlightenment make for a combustible mix ready to blow at the slightest provocation.” – Josh Slater-Williams, Little White Lies

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster

Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.

“Numerous writers use spare parts from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story to assemble something patchwork for their purposes. Few, however, have done it as seamlessly as writer and director Bomani J. Story.” – Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News

“When a film like Bomani J. Story’s The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster comes along, it is truly a breath of fresh air.” – Nadir Samara, Screen Rant

“The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a horror movie, no doubt. It’s also an intelligent one, with the courage to challenge its audience, to make it see the horrors not just in the monster, but in the societal inequities that ultimately created him. Thankfully, Story isn’t afraid to rework a classic.” – Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Linoleum

Cameron Edwin (Jim Gaffigan), the host of a failing children’s science TV show called Above & Beyond, has always had aspirations of being an astronaut. After a mysterious space-race era satellite coincidentally falls from space and lands in his backyard, his midlife crisis manifests in a plan to rebuild the machine into his dream rocket. As his relationship with his wife (Rhea Seehorn) and daughter (Katelyn Nacon) start to strain, surreal events begin unfolding around him—a doppelgänger moving into the house next door, a car falling from the sky, and an unusual teenage boy forging a friendship with him. He slowly starts to piece these events together to ultimately reveal that there’s more to his life story than he once thought.

RATED TV-PG. CONTAINS SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, MILD VIOLENCE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.

“West has made an extraordinary tale of the personal universes we all inhabit, the strange messiness of life, and the beauty of how everything all shakes out in the end.” – Ross Bonaime, Collider

“Colin West’s Linoleum is the kind of movie that’s all but impossible to review with any specificity, because so much of its achievement lies in its surprises – how it seems to be doing one thing while slyly doing another, without deception, and then revealing its ultimate intentions with grace and style.” – Jason Bailey, The Playlist

“Just when we’re wondering where all this is going, West executes a final act as devilish as it is emotionally potent.” – Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

Dreamin’ Wild

Dreamin’ Wild, the true story of love and redemption, is about what happened to singer/songwriter Donnie Emerson and his family when the album he and his brother recorded as teens was rediscovered after thirty years of obscurity and was suddenly hailed by music critics as a lost masterpiece. While the album’s rediscovery brings hopes of second chances, it also brings long-buried emotions as Donnie (Casey Affleck), his wife Nancy (Zooey Deschanel), brother Joe (Walton Goggins), and father Don Sr. (Beau Bridges) come to terms with the past and their newly found fame.

RATED PG FOR LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC ELEMENTS.

“A fact-based film about the life-altering pain of failure, the thrill of belated success, and the challenges inherent in both, Dreamin’ Wild is a testament to a musical family who epitomize the old saying ‘No matter how long it takes, if you wait long enough, your dream will come true.’” – Rex Reed, Observer

“Dreamin’ Wild is an elegant appreciation of the many textures of aging, balancing the feel of rhapsodic memories and shuddery regrets.” – Kyle Smith, Wall Street Journal

“This isn’t just a movie about reawakened ambitions, but about how our teenage hopes inform our grownup selves, or perhaps haunt them. It’s a lot to pack into a seemingly unassuming little movie, but Pohlad—who also directed 2014’s superb Love & Mercy—pulls it off.” – Stephanie Zacharek, Time

Monica

A woman returns home to care for her ailing mother who she hasn’t seen in years in this tender portrait of family, forgiveness, and acceptance.

RATED R FOR SEXUAL CONTENT, NUDITY, AND LANGUAGE.

“This is a tremendously crafted, impeccably intelligent film.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“A quiet, heartfelt, and beautifully nuanced drama that feels unique and universal, featuring what will surely go down as one of the best performances of 2023.” – Peter Sobczynski, RogerEbert.com

“Spare but poignant, Monica is a pensive family drama that’s loaded with the empty space of things left unsaid.” – Jude Dry, IndieWire

Susie Searches

An awkward college student seizes the opportunity to bolster her popularity and her under-the-radar true-crime podcast by solving the disappearance of a classmate.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC MATERIAL.

“It’s a fun and intriguing ride that, though it leads to an ending that one might guess is coming, has great energy. Clemons is a charismatic lead who delves fully into her role. When all the puzzle pieces finally come together, the film fires on all cylinders and makes for a magnetic watch.” – Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

“Susie Searches is a twisty, fun, and engaging film. Clemons brings relatability to a role that is, at its core, a non-heroic character.” – Monique Jones, Common Sense Media

“When we think the film has shown its hand, it pulls another card out to make us question all that has come before, and just as it appears to be wrapping up in the neatest of manners, it saves its best reveal for last.” – Peter Gray, The AU Review

The Man in the Basement

After a Jewish couple (Jérémie Renier and Bérénice Bejo) sells their basement to a former history teacher (François Cluzet), they discover his secret life as an anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist. As the couple struggles to rescind the sale, the buyer befriends their naive teenage daughter.

NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC CONTENT.

“As it unfolds, The Man in the Basement is as provocative, intelligent and suspenseful as anything you are likely to see this year.” – Rex Reed, Observer

“The performances are impeccable, and the film’s structural elements are deftly handled across the board.” – Elizabeth Weitzman, The Wrap

“Le Guay effectively keeps the pressure on his characters and their loaded situation throughout, using ominous camera angles and anxious music cues to heighten the dread and uncertainty. He receives a fine assist from Renier and Cluzet, who commit to their divergent roles with unnerving intensity. It’s a terrific film.” – Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times