New Videos: October 2024

A Quiet Place: Day One

On a day trip to New York City, a woman named Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) must survive an invasion of bloodthirsty alien creatures with ultrasonic hearing.

rated pg-13 for terror and violent content / bloody images.

“The opposite of the soulless franchise extension it could’ve been, A Quiet Place: Day One delivers a prequel that elevates the series to new heights.” – Eric Goldman, IGN

“It’s likely the best Manhattan mayhem film since Cloverfield, and it’s also a downright excellent Hollywood blockbuster, if an entirely unexpected one.” – Siddhant Adlakha, Polygon

“The cast all give wonderful, humanistic performances, with Nyong’o and Quinn in particular excelling at making us care very deeply for their fates… there are still some truly terrifying moments here, and audiences will likely spend a lot of the time on the edge of their seats. In between those moments though, is a surprisingly sweet story about two strangers who are each suffering in their own way and learn to lean on each other to get through an extraordinarily trying situation, and it’s that element that truly makes the movie memorable.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal

Thelma

When 93-year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

rated pg-13 for strong language.

“Thelma is sweet, charming, often laugh-out-loud funny, and surprisingly suspenseful. This is the best comedy of the year so far and likely to be the feel-good movie of 2024.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal

“How often does a film come along that you can comfortably recommend to literally everyone in your life? Not often enough. For that reason alone, Thelma deserves to be celebrated.” – Cindy White, AV Club

“Thelma is a totally pure delight that gives June Squibb a much-deserved leading role. Her and Roundtree are fabulously paired and Margolin’s script is breezy and sharp in equal measure. You’ll want to see this with your best friend, your parents, and, yes, your grandma.” – Kristen Lopez, The Wrap

The Gilded Age: Season 2

Set in 1882, Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) moves from Pennsylvania to live in New York City with her aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Chrstine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon) after the death of her father in this Julian Fellowes drama.

rated tv-ma. contains violence, sexual material, thematic content, and mild language.

“Is The Gilded Age a whimsical indulgence or an artful, well-acted work of historical fiction? The answer, dear reader, is yes.” – Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly

“The Gilded Age doesn’t waste any time before thrusting you right back into its realm of unadulterated glamour, cutting ambition, and precarious scandal, all set to the Gregson-Williams brothers’ sweeping orchestral score.” – Carly Lane, Collider

“In its delicious Season 2, Gilded has its own debutante coming out party, establishing itself as more than a Downton duplicate and embracing the richness of the story it has to tell. The best elements of Season 1 are even bigger in Season 2.” – Kelly Lawler, USA Today

Kinds of Kindness

Kinds of Kindness is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.

rated r for strong / disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity, and language.

“It’s a movie that laughs in the face of a happy ending, refusing to let you get too comfortable. It is evil in the best way.” – Esther Zuckerman, The Daily Beast

“This ramping-up of darkness from episode to episode is largely what justifies Kinds Of Kindness’ triptych structure. It never feels like these evenly-timed stories would fare better in isolation; they build upon and complicate one another, gelling into something haunting that fits the touted ‘fable’ description.” – Farah Cheded, AV Club

“It’s a triptych that at first seems slight, then gains meaning the longer you hold its three seemingly disconnected short films in juxtaposition and peer through the overlaps.” – Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times

MaXXXine

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

rated r for strong violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, language, and drug use.

“[A] gleefully violent bit of fun that also has something to say.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal

“Darker, moodier and altogether nastier than its predecessors — X and, later that same year, Pearl — this hyperconfident feature is also funny, occasionally wistful and deeply empathetic toward its damaged, driven heroine.” – Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

“So yes, MaXXXine is sometimes more style than substance. Still, amid all the clever inside jokes and Easter eggs, writer-director-producer-editor West delivers a masterfully paced horror film set against the dichotomy between actor-turned-politician Ronald Reagan’s ‘Morning in America’ and the reality of 1985 Hollywood and its grimy, exploitative, misogynist underbelly.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

Borderlands

Lilith (Cate Blanchett), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), the universe’s most powerful S.O.B. Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits – Roland (Kevin Hart), a seasoned mercenary on a mission; Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound protector; Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), the oddball scientist who’s seen it all; and Claptrap (Jack Black), a wiseass robot. Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora’s most explosive secrets. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other. Based on one of the best-selling videogame franchises of all time, welcome to Borderlands.

rated pg-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language, and some suggestive material.

“Blanchett knows exactly what movie she’s in, and she seems to be having the time of her life fitting herself into the mold of a video game heroine.” – Tatiana Hullender, Screen Rant

“The cast is top-notch, and the connection between Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt) and Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is one of the most striking points.” – Andrea Garcia, Cine Premiere

“If you’re looking for an afternoon of silly goofs, great costumes, fun action, and Cate Blanchett showing up to Work, you could do worse than Borderlands.” – Susana Polo, Polygon

Robot Dreams

DOG lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, DOG, with great sadness, is forced to abandon ROBOT at the beach. Will they ever meet again?

rated pg-13 for some language and smoking.

“The central relationship between Dog and Robot is one of the most endearing friendships in movie history, and this story will hit viewers directly in the feels in all the right ways.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal

“Who needs humans? This is visual storytelling at its finest, a traditional animation of gentle, unshowy genius. Sometimes the very best love stories go deeper than words can say.” – Helen O’Hara, Empire

“Romance and cinema are ideal bedfellows for all sorts of obvious reasons, but on screen, the beauty of friendship can be harder to pin down. This wise and wondrous (and wordless) animation does it better than any other film in recent memory – and in ways a six-year-old could effortlessly grasp.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life–and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends’ creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children’s classic that has captivated young readers for decades.

rated pg for mild action and thematic elements.

“This bright children’s adventure, loosely adapted from a picture book about a young boy whose drawings become real, feels like the sort of thing Jim Carrey might have made in his first flush of success. It’s silly, relentlessly amiable, and embraces the low-stakes playfulness of its conceit.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

“Thankfully, the movie remains amusing, with a light-hearted sense of naivete about life’s nastier elements.” – Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

“The film will probably play best with 7 to 12-year-olds and its wholesome message about the importance of creativity is surely one we can all get behind.” – Ed Potton, The Times

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 12

Larry David is back, once again landing himself in one self-inflicted faux pas after another in the 12th and final season.

rated tv-ma. contains pervasive strong language throughout, sexual material, drug references, and comic violence.

“With an array of great guest stars and triumphantly surprising storylines, the final season of Curb is as brilliantly funny and beautifully outrageous as ever.” – Boyd Hilton, Empire

“Effortless, affecting, and urgent, the final season of Curb leaves us to ponder just how humankind will fare in the future, considering how David spent his entire career shining a light on the asinine rules society demands we adhere to.” – Felicia Reich, Paste

“Curb Your Enthusiasm was great from the very beginning, but this twelfth and final season is a testament to this show’s greatness. While we can’t comment on the final episode, the buildup to this finale seems as though David is heading towards another iconic end, a meta-joke that the entire season is building towards.” – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Interview with the Vampire: Season 2

Daniel Molloy continues interviewing the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac. Following an attempt to kill Lestat, Louis and Claudia seek others of their kind in Europe, finding in Post WWII Paris the Vampire Armand and his Theatre des Vampires coven.

rated tv-ma. contains graphic violence, sexual content, nudity, strong language, thematic material, and smoking.

“Interview With The Vampire continues to outshine the ’90s movie and even the source material with an extravagant, unabashedly queer second season that cements it as one of the all-time greats.” – David Opie, Empire

“Interview with the Vampire might be one of the best TV shows of the decade… The show understands how to build emotional stakes that make all this timeline jumping so gripping. Other small nuances stand out, like the way a couple can fight and then somehow also bicker within said fight, like a nesting doll of anger and frustration.” – Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune

“It remains a supernatural gem. The AMC series is as good as it was in season 1, as it continues to capture the despair, the anarchy, and the raw power of being immortal… And the acting is uniformly excellent.” – Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Oddity

After Dani is brutally murdered, her blind occultist twin sister Darcy goes after those responsible using inherited haunted items as her tools of revenge.

rated r for some bloody images / gore, and language.

“Oddity is one of the best horror movies of the year.” – Chris Evangelista, /Film

“Oddity is everything a horror film should be—creepy, exciting, unpredictable—and it leads to an ending that’s both shocking and inevitable.” – Kyle Smith, Wall Street Journal

“It’s got great tension, great characters, and great jump scares, and it cements Mc Carthy’s place as a major new voice in horror.” – Matthew Jackson, AV Club

Coup!

Isolated on a seaside estate, an entitled journalist (Billy Magnussen) and his socialite wife (Sarah Gadon) take in a mysterious grifter as a private cook (Peter Sarsgaard). When a plague descends on the island, the wily cook rouses his fellow staff to rebel and take over the mansion. Their employer suspects the cook’s coup is part of a more sinister agenda, and mind games between master and servant escalate into all-out class warfare.

not rated. contains mild violence, sexual content, nudity, language, and thematic material.

“It’s a dark comedy about class warfare, government overreach and infectious disease. It’s a lot more fun than that sounds.” – Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

“Anchored by its leads, Coup! is a tasty morsel of social commentary about problems that continue to plague our world.” – Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times

“Although Coup! has a small cast and unfolds mostly in a secluded mansion during the 1918 influenza pandemic, it packs a lot of flavor, suspense and droll comedy into its slim 97-minute running time, making it fun enough to deserve an exclamation point in its title.” – Leslie Felperin, Hollywood Reporter

The Beast Within

After a series of strange events leads her to question her family’s isolated life on a fortified compound deep in the English wilds, 10-year-old Willow follows her parents on one of their secret late-night treks to the heart of the ancient forest. But upon witnessing her father undergo a terrible transformation, she too becomes ensnared by the dark ancestral secret they’ve tried so desperately to conceal.

rated r for some violent content and language.

“With its dreamlike visuals and strong performances, this is a striking modern fairytale.” – Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily

“The film prioritizes an unsettling ambiance and strong performances over a high body count and full-on creature reveal. It’s worthwhile if you enjoy a slow burn…” – Chris Swain, Bounding Into Comics

“The Beast Within is a supernaturally laced thriller, but seems as if it came from a painful, dark personal place where the horrors are human and the wounds remain open forever.” – Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News

About Dry Grasses

Samet, a young art teacher, is finishing his fourth year of compulsory service in a remote village in Anatolia. After a turn of events he can hardly make sense of, he loses his hopes of escaping the grim life he seems to be stuck in. Will his encounter with Nuray, herself a teacher, help him overcome his angst?

not rated. contains strong language, sexual content, and thematic material.

“It’s beautiful work, and not just because it’s beautiful.” – Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

“The vigorous, masterful script, written by the director his wife and frequent collaborator Ebru Ceylan, counterpoints the extended runtime. The director says he could have made the film longer; remarkably, most viewers will agree.” – Tara Brady, The Irish Times

“The effortlessly orchestrated dialogue scenes are riveting, but what’s remarkable is that, no matter how talkative Samet and his cohorts are, they often don’t say what they mean. The characters argue politics, worldviews or how to handle the disturbing accusations leveled against Samet and Kenan at school, but their rhetorical jousting masks unspoken resentments and disappointments.” – Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times

Dìdi (弟弟)

In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.

rated r for language throughout, sexual material, and drug & alcohol use – all involving teens.

“Both the filmmaker and his cast are breakouts to watch in this Sundance standout, a heartfelt and hilarious entry in the coming-of-age canon that’s primed to find kindred souls in a wider audience.” – Jen Yamato, Los Angeles Times

“By centering on the start of the film and its conclusion, you realize Wang possesses not only a preternatural feel for the emotional jumble of boyhood, but also an astute understanding of both film structure and how to mine many layers of unforced truth from his troupe of talented actors.” – Oliver Jones, Observer

“You get the sense watching Dìdi that this is a bit of an apology from Wang to his own mother for not seeing her as a real person when he was young. But that isn’t all it is: It’s a funny, heartfelt movie, tapping into the audience’s latent memories as well as our great relief at no longer being 13.” – Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times

The Boy in the Woods

The Boy in the Woods follows the true story of Max (Jett Klyne), a Jewish boy escaping Nazi persecution in Eastern Europe. After he is separated from his family, Max finds refuge with Christian peasant Jasko (Richard Armitage), who hides him in plain site until a tense stand-off with Nazi police. Afraid for his own family’s life, Jasko sends Max to live in the woods where he learns to survive alone.

not rated. contains violence, bloody images, peril, language, and thematic content.

“The Boy in the Woods is not only moving, but serves as an important reminder of how devastating war is, especially to innocent children. A must watch.” – Romey Norton, Film Focus Online

“It’s not perfect but this adaptation of Maxwell Smart’s bestseller about his childhood escape from Nazis is powerful thanks to a star turn by Jett Klyne.” – Liz Braun, Original Cin

“Writer-director Rebecca Snow skillfully maintains the youthful perspective, which keeps the actual violence off-screen while giving everything a sharply matter-of-fact tone.” – Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

Exhuma

When a renowned shaman (Kim Go-Eun) and her protégé (Lee Do-hyun) are hired by a wealthy, enigmatic family, they begin investigating the cause of a disturbing supernatural illness that affects only the first-born children of each generation. With the help of a knowledgeable mortician (Yoo Hai-jin) and the country’s most revered geomancer (Choi Min-sik), they soon trace the affliction’s origin to a long-hidden family grave located on sacred ground. Sensing an ominous aura surrounding the burial site, the team opts to exhume and relocate the ancestral remains immediately. But as something much darker emerges, they soon discover what befalls those who dare to mess with the wrong grave.

not rated. contains strong violence, bloody images, and strong language.

“Exhuma is a masterpiece of art-horror and South Korean filmmaking, ensured to enthrall viewers into repeated viewings and deep dives into each chapter.” – Josiah Teal, Film Threat

“Writer/director Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma bobs and weaves in ways American exorcism stories couldn’t fathom.” – Matt Donato, Paste

“Plenty happens in Exhuma, which branches out from its home base in South Korea, briefly touching down in America, with added references to Japan. It can make for a crowded narrative, launching several storylines of unsettled spirits and ghostly miscreants. Yet Hyun’s story is told efficiently enough not to seem convoluted or aimless.” – Thom Ernst, Original Cin

The Convert

A lay preacher (Guy Pearce) arrives at a British settlement in 1830s. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes.

not rated. contains violence, sexual content, language, and smoking.

“The Convert is by far one of Tamahori’s best films in years.” – Grant Hermanns, Screen Rant

“Tamahori successfully brings a sense of scale and scope to The Convert. He displays an eye for wide-screen compositions, and the film is frequently visually stunning.” – Ankit Jhunjhunwala, The Playlist

“Existing at the intersection of the specific and the universal, The Convert manages to combine an entertaining portrayal of an often ignored historical era with universal questions about whether it’s ever possible to build a human society on the foundation of something other than violence.” – Christian Zilko, IndieWire

Baghead

Following the death of her estranged father (Peter Mullan), Iris (Freya Allan) learns she has inherited a run-down, centuries-old pub. She travels to Berlin to identify her father’s body and meet with The Solicitor (Ned Dennehy) to discuss the estate. Little does she know, when the deed is signed she will become inextricably tied to an unspeakable entity that resides in the pub’s basement – Baghead – a shape-shifting creature that can transform into the dead. Two thousand in cash for two minutes with the creature is all it takes for desperate loved ones to ease their grief. Neil (Jeremy Irvine), who has lost his wife, is Iris’ first customer. Like her father, Iris is tempted to exploit the creature’s powers and help desperate people for a price. But she soon discovers breaking the two-minute rule can have terrifying consequences. Together with her best friend Katie (Ruby Barker), Iris must battle to keep control of Baghead and figure out how to destroy her, before she destroys them.

not rated. contains strong violence, bloody images, strong language, peril, thematic material, and sexual references.

“If the superior Talk to Me didn’t exist I’d probably rate Baghead a little higher, however it still earns its place in the horror market with a haunting titular creation steeped in the stuff of nightmares.” – Ian Bunting, Daily Record

“Baghead isn’t perfect, but when it works, it works like gangbusters. It sets up a creepy and compelling scenario, then adds characters with relatable flaws.” – Tim Brennan, About Boulder

“The lead performances work to lend credibility to the narrative, the scary moments will have you jumping in your seats, and while the premise isn’t the most original, at least it doesn’t feel like a copy of some other production.” – Sebastian Zavala Kahn, Me Gusta el Cine

Christmas on Cherry Lane

A young couple preparing to welcome their first child; an empty-nester and her fiancé ready to start a new chapter; and a couple who unexpectedly have the chance to expand their family on Christmas Eve celebrate the holiday as they navigate these turning points in their lives.

rated tv-g.

“While there are certainly cheesy and campy moments, in the end Christmas on Cherry Lane still manages to tug at the heartstrings with reminders of what the holiday season is truly about: togetherness.” – Maddy Casale, Decider

“It’s commendable that the channel did something different. Hopefully, it will continue to take chances and try different storylines and formats. Christmas on Cherry Lane has smart ideas and a brilliant cast.” – Jerrica Tisdale, Tell-Tale TV

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Summaries provided by the studios.