Predator: Badlands
In the future on a remote planet, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
“…Predator: Badlands is fun. Filled with visually striking action sequences and clever utilization of its circumstances, it’s an absolute blast of a movie…” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“Inhuman though it may be, this is far-and-away the most humane of Predators, expanding rather than skimping on the series’ blood hunt fundamentals. That kind of daring and intelligence makes Badlands the coolest science fiction adventure seen in eons.” – Bob Strauss, San Francisco Chronicle
“This is wickedly exciting filmmaking. The rare, flashy studio blockbuster that doesn’t read like a laundry list of creative compromises, where the money went to telling a story about fascinating characters and putting them in impossible, gorgeous, and horrifically violent situations.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
rated pg-13 for sequences of strong sci-fi violence.
Regretting You
Centers on the strained relationship between young mother Morgan Grant and her teenage daughter Clara, exacerbated by Morgan’s husband Chris’s tragic death, forcing them to navigate life’s challenges together.
“The romantic moments are sweet, it has its lighter moments, and I am sure if you love Hoover’s novel, you’ll have a wonderful time with Regretting You.” – Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
“Colleen Hoover’s adaptation manages to warm our hearts thanks to the adorably talented Mason Thames and McKenna Grace.” – Enid Román Almansa, Cinemanía
“A tale of betrayal, grief, growing up and ultimately finding yourself among the chaos of life, Regretting You balances all of these attributes incredibly well.” – Connor Petrey, Pop Culture Leftovers
rated pg-13 for sexual content, teen drug and alcohol use, and brief strong language.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
The Four Horsemen return along with a new generation of illusionists performing mind-melding twists, turns, surprises, and magic unlike anything ever captured on film.
“Yes, it’s ridiculous. No, it doesn’t make perfect sense. But, damn, if it isn’t a hoot and a half to watch.” – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture
“Stylish, playful and buoyed by the chemistry of its returning ensemble, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t sharpens the franchise’s act with a surer hand to present a dazzling heist film that doesn’t treat its audience like a mark, but rewards them for paying attention.” – Zaki Hasan, San Francisco Chronicle
“The climax, picking up on the metaphysical sleight-of-hand that powered Now You See Me 2, lifts the veil of deception off reality itself. And does it all in good fun. Which is all this movie is or needs to be.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
rated pg-13 for some strong language, violence, and suggestive references.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends. But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 not only has a more involved story, but also features more engaged filmmaking throughout, with more camera setups and visual brio.” – Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 offers up pretty much the same gateway horror delights that its predecessor did, and I don’t have any problem with that whatsoever.” – Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak
“Where the first movie left fans satisfied with the bare minimum, and non-fans bewildered with boredom, the second installment will likely leave fans even happier and non-fans satisfied with a solidly entertaining robot slasher.” – Aidan Kelley, Collider
rated pg-13 for violent content, terror, and some language.
Nuremberg
The Allies, led by the unyielding chief prosecutor, Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon), have the task of ensuring the Nazi regime answers for the unveiled horrors of the Holocaust while a US Army psychiatrist (Rami Malek) is locked in a dramatic psychological duel with former Reichsmarschall Herman Göring (Russell Crowe).
“Nuremberg benefits not only from a terrifying performance from Crowe in a larger-than-life role like those that defined the early part of his career, but also from the ensemble of actors.” – Matthew Creith, The Wrap
“It’s weird, in the year 2025, that it seems timely to point out that the Nazis were bad. But Nuremberg, an old-fashioned and satisfyingly complex morality tale in the guise of a courtroom drama and spy thriller, does that job in impressive style.” – Phil de Semlyen, Time Out
“Vanderbilt’s film slowly, confidently morphs into something beyond a cautionary tale and more like a klaxon blaring through the cinema.” – Matthew Jackson, AV Club
rated pg-13 for violent content involving the holocaust, strong disturbing images, suicide, some language, smoking, and brief drug content.
Sisu: Road to Revenge
Returning to the house where his family was brutally murdered during the war, “the man who refuses to die” (Jorma Tommila) dismantles it, loads it on a truck, and is determined to rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army commander who killed his family (Stephen Lang) comes back hellbent on finishing the job, a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase ensues – a fight to the death.
“Novelist Cormac McCarthy explored the idea that violence can be regenerative and redemptive. In Sisu: Road to Revenge, Helander has painted that concept on the movie screen 20 feet tall, near death, and dripping with gore. By becoming inhumane, Aatami seeks to recover his humanity. Never before will you have felt so cleansed by such brutality.” – Bradley Gibson, Film Threat
“If John Wick is a ballet of ultra-violent choreography, then Sisu: Road to Revenge is its bad-ass country cousin: a full-body-contact square dance where you don’t just swing your partner to the left, but off the top of a speeding train, headfirst into a tree.” – Thom Ernst, Original Cin
“Sisu: Road to Revenge offers a ludicrous and punishing take on the same fantastic action-forward indulgence as the original, resulting in a sublime outcome. Writer-director Jalmari Helander’s brand of excitement is loud, resilient, and pushes breakneck intensity to the maximum.” – Matt Donato, IGN
rated r for strong bloody violence, gore, and language.
The Carpenter’s Son
A remote village in Roman-era Egypt explodes into spiritual warfare when a carpenter, his wife and their child are targeted by supernatural forces in The Carpenter’s Son. Joseph (Nicolas Cage), Mary (FKA twigs) and their teenage son Jesus (Noah Jupe) have lived for years under threat, clinging to their faith and traditions. But a stopover in a small settlement unleashes growing chaos when a mysterious stranger (Isla Johnston) tries to entice young Jesus to abandon his devout father’s rules.
“[A] haunting meditation on divinity, imperfection, and the perilous beauty of choice.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“Rife with great performances and disturbing imagery, The Carpenter’s Son transcends its trappings as a mere horror take on Christ and verges on challenging.” – Siddhant Adlakha, IGN
“There’s more to recommend than not here, thanks to Nathan’s keen visual eye and Jupe’s complex interpretation of a figure often flattened into a neat function.” – Marshall Shaffer, The Playlist
rated r for strong / bloody violent content, and brief nudity.
Trap House
A DEA agent and his partner pursue thieves: their own rebellious teens, who began robbing the cartel using their parents’ tactics and classified intel.
“Its blend of machismo-driven physicality with a genuine sense of emotionality around parents protecting their kids, and how one personally navigates their own grief, lends the film an air of appreciated novelty.” – Peter Gray, The AU Review
“Bautista’s performance makes the wacky premise work.” – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo
“The narrative moves along at a spanking pace, and the action is staged and shot at a pretty high level. Not quite, you know, peak Peter Hyams level, but pretty good.” – Glenn Kenny, RogerEbert.com
rated r for some strong violence / bloody images.
Primitive War
Vietnam. 1968. A recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone.
“Bottom line—this is the dinosaur movie fans have been waiting for, and it doesn’t pull any punches.” – Alan Ng, Film Threat
“It’s a B-movie that completely understands what it is, and even if it doesn’t get a wide release, it’s destined to be a cult classic for both horror and war movie fans.” – Bill Dubiel, Screen Rant
“Primitive War is, improbably, the most entertaining dinosaur film in years. It’s chaotic, heartfelt, brutal and oddly sincere. It knows its audience. It knows its influences. And it is an action movie with enough bite to make a Tyrannosaurus proud.” – Tom Atkinson, Flickering Myth
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT INCLUDING SEXUAL REFERENCES AND RACISM, BRIEF NUDITY, THEMATIC CONTENT, AND DRUG USE.
A Nice Indian Boy
When Naveen brings his fiance Jay home to meet his family, his traditional Indian parents must contend with accepting his white partner and helping them plan the most fabulous same sex Indian wedding the Bay Area has ever seen.
“How refreshing it is when a small film with a big heart comes along unannounced and captures your affection.” – Rex Reed, Observer
“It’s a crowdpleaser that will plaster a smile on your face from beginning to end with a high chance of some tears. Just when it teeters on overly saccharine territory, its hilarious script and earnest performances dial it back.” – Emma Kiely, Collider
“In this vibrant addition to cinema’s romantic landscape, love isn’t the only winner: cultural understanding and the freedom to choose your own path triumph as well.” – Chris Azzopardi, New York Times
NOT RATED. CONTAINS SOME STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, AND DRUG USE.
Riefenstahl
Filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. Her films Triumph of the Will and Olympia are defined by their fascist aesthetics, perfectly-staged body worship, and the celebration of all that is “superior” and victorious, simultaneously projecting contempt for the imperfect and weak. But Riefenstahl – who first broke into the German film industry as an actress – spent decades after the war denying her association with Nazi ideology, and claiming ignorance of the Holocaust. How did she become the Reich’s preeminent filmmaker if she was just a hired hand? Riefenstahl examines this question using never-before-seen documents from Leni Riefenstahl’s estate, including private films, photos, recordings and letters, uncovering fragments of her biography and placing them in an extended historical context. During her long life after the fall of Nazism, she remained unapologetic, managing to control and shape her legacy; in personal documents, she mourns her “murdered ideals.” Meanwhile, her work would experience a renaissance, gaining esteem for its masterful technical skill. Today, Riefenstahl’s aesthetics are more present than ever. Is that also true for their message?
“Riefenstahl is a crushing exposé, and its most impressive trick is peeling back the layers of a very private woman to show a petulant child who can’t believe people haven’t gotten over the atrocities she willingly helped create.” – Barry Levitt, The Daily Beast
“The film is at its most grimly compelling when it puts her on stage, pinned down by her accusers and fielding questions with a mix of wary contempt and sudden explosions of incandescent rage.” – Xan Brooks, The Guardian
“By making a film that says there is no complicated legacy to Riefenstahl, Veiel’s uncomplicated approach, supported by Riefenstahl’s own words, is strongly rendered into a direct, inarguable slashing of Riefenstahl’s importance.” – Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
NOT RATED. CONTAINS REAL VIOLENCE, DISTURBING IMAGES, NUDITY, THEMATIC CONTENT, AND MILD LANGUAGE INCLUDING SEXUAL REFERENCES.
Black Dog
On the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China, Lang returns to his hometown after being released from jail. While working for the local dog patrol team to clear the town of stray dogs before the Olympic Games, he strikes up an unlikely connection with a black dog. These two lonely souls now embark on a new journey together.
“The intense and fascinating vision and lens through which Guan Hu observes everything makes Black Dog unforgettable and haunting long after watching.” – Sabina Dana Plasse, Film Threat
“The dog of the title – a sinewy, reputedly rabid greyhound mix – offers Lang a foil and a path to rediscovering his sense of self. Their snappy early encounters give way to a deepening bond; two solitary souls forming one of the most touching on-screen relationships of the year.” – Phil de Semlyen, Time Out
“Written by Hu and longtime collaborator Rui Ge, it embraces the same premise of countless a noir before it: a lone drifter comes home to start afresh, only to face the ghosts of his troubled past. What’s sensational about Hu’s latest is the way it undercuts that dread to land on an engrossing note that rings wholly, convincingly earned.” – Leonardo Goi, The Film Stage
NOT CONTAINS VIOLENCE, PERIL, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC CONTENT.
The Balconettes
As a heat wave brings a Marseille neighborhood to a boil, three roommates gleefully meddle in the lives of their neighbors from their balcony. Until a late night drink turns into a bloody affair.
“The Balconettes is the announcement of a formidable comedic voice.” – Emma Kiely, Collider
“It leans into the tonal chaos of life on earth, creating an impressively layered genre mishmash that reflects the complex reality of how women are seen in the world, and how they see themselves in return.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire
“Nicole, Ruby and Elise are powerfully defiant just by refusing to be intimidated or shaped by patriarchal forces: an idea which rises above the outlandish events unfolding on screen to strike a universal, cathartic chord.” – Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily
NOT RATED. CONTAINS STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT INCLUDING RAPE, GRAPHIC NUDITY, VIOLENCE, BLOODY IMAGES, STRONG LANGUAGE, THEMATIC MATERIAL, AND DRUG USE.
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