April 15th, 2024

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental (iTunes & Prime Video only)

One of the great indie success stories of the year, Hundreds of Beavers world premiered at the 2022 Fantastic Fest, and has built buzz ever since. The film is in black and white, has no dialogue, and features breathtaking slapstick comedy that is absolutely ingenious. The story is as follows: Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) is thrust into a bizarre winter realm, relying solely on his limited intellect to navigate the surreal environment. Amidst unforgiving weather and eerie beings portrayed by actors in elaborate mascot attire, Kayak devises intricate traps to earn the affection of a playful paramour (Olivia Graves). Take a chance on this one. It’s worth it.

April 16th, 2024

DUNE: PART TWO - $29.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

The much-loved (and long delayed) sequel has dominated the Spring box-office, grossing (at this point) almost $670M worldwide. And just because it’s hitting PVOD doesn’t mean its theatrical life is over. Warner Bros will be re-releasing the film on IMAX screens on April 19th in the top 20 markets. Do we think it has the juice to be remembered at Oscar time next year? It has a long way to go…but at least it’s a beloved blockbuster, much like last year’s Oppenheimer. No word yet on a Max premiere date, but The Color Purple, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Wonka all debuted about a month after their PVOD release.

IMMACULATE - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Immaculate has become NEON’s fourth highest grossing film of all time, behind only Ferrari ($18.5M), I Tonya ($30M), and Parasite ($53M). That’s a huge win for the indie distributor, and another success story for star Sydney Sweeney, who used her newly earned clout to produce the film. Sweeney had originally auditioned for a role the film in 2014, but it ended up in development hell and was put in to turnaround. In October 2022, it was announced that Sweeney had joined the cast of the film, with Michael Mohan directing, and with Sweeney serving as a producer under her Fifty-Fifty Films production banner. The script originally featured a cast of high school girls, not nuns, and was changed to better suit Sweeney. We love how NEON nicely leaned in to the Christian backlash to promote the film:

April 19th, 2024

ASPHALT CITY - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival under the title Black Flies, this New York City-set EMT thriller received mixed reviews, with many critics citing its unrelentingly grim tone. Sean Penn (who replaced original star Mel Gibson) and Tye Sheridan star in this ‘Training Day for Paramedics’ story, with a cast that includes Michael Pitt, Katherine Waterston, Kali Reis (so great in True Detective: Night Country), and Mike Tyson (!).

THE BEEKEEPER - MGM+

The kind of meat-and-potatoes action movie we should be getting on a monthly (weekly?) basis, The Beekeeper is the best kind of January high-end trash (compliment). Jason Statham goes from sharks to bees, which are actually more dangerous. He plays the titular Beekeeper, who looks to exact revenge on a group that caused the death of his landlady. And what a cast! In addition to Statham, it’s got Jeremy Irons, Minnie Driver, Josh Hutcherson, and Phylicia Rashad. Director David Ayer knows how to shoot action, so it’s no wonder this has over-performed at the box-office. No sequel announced or confirmed yet…but c’mon…it’s gotta happen.

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL - Shudder, AMC+ / $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Our most anticipated title of the week! A huge indie success story for IFC Films, as this has become the distributor’s fourth highest grossing film of all time, behind only Y Tu Mamá También ($13.6M), Boyhood ($25.3M), and My Big Fat Greek Wedding ($241M). And the films box-office success will certainly help elevate its release on Shudder. Framed as a found footage film with a documentary prologue, it focuses on a Halloween night 1977 talk show episode in which the host, the ambitious Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), invites a supposedly possessed girl onto the program in an attempt to boost ratings. Will make a great double-feature next weekend with Immaculate.

MIGRATION - Peacock

Illumination’s track record at the box office is incredibly impressive. The Despicable Me/Minions franchise, The Secret Life of Pets 1&2, Sing 1&2, The Grinch…every one of them a blockbuster. And last year, they had their biggest hit yet with The Super Mario Bros Movie. Unfortunately, Migration ended that streak for them. Not exactly a flop (it made nearly $300M worldwide), but certainly not at the level of their other films. We’re curious to check it out now that it’s on Peacock, especially since the screenplay is written by The White Lotus creator Mike White. And it’s only 83 minutes!

PROBLEMISTA - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

Julio Torres’s satirical art world comedy made a big splash at last year’s SXSW, and was slated for a summer 2023 release by A24. The release was delayed, presumably due to the SAG and WGA strikes, and the film was sort of lost in the shuffle of Spring 2023 premieres. It’s a shame, Problemista deserves to find an audiences. The film follows a struggling aspiring toy designer (Torres) from El Salvador who starts working for an erratic art-world outcast (Tilda Swinton) in New York City, hoping to stay in the country and realize his dream before his work visa expires. Torres and Swinton have been incredibly charming in their promotion of the film. Check out this Easter-timed video of them painting pictures of eggs, where they discuss, among other things, Barbra Streisand’s cloned dogs:

REBEL MOON - PART TWO: THE SCARGIVER - Netflix

We have to admit reviews for the first Rebel Moon scared us away from checking it out. It just felt like a slog. Now that the sequel is getting decent buzz, we’re tempted to check it out. The film takes place on the moon of Veldt where Kora and the crew of warriors venture to help the farmers defend and fight for their home against the Motherworld. Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Staz Nair, Fra Fee, E. Duffy, Charlotte Maggi, Stuart Martin, Cary Elwes, and Anthony Hopkins reprise their roles from Part One: A Child of Fire. An R-rated director’s cut of both films are supposedly happening. Maybe we’ll wait until then?

SAW X - Starz

The tenth in the Saw franchise, this one got some of the best reviews in the series. And we love that it’s the third sequel after 2010’s Saw: The Final Chapter. Words mean nothing! Saw X technically takes place right after the original Saw movie, so we’ll give them credit for that. And did you know it’s technically a Christmas movie if you watch it upside down?

THE THREE MUSKETEERS PART II: MILADY - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental

The second film of a two-part epic saga that was preceded by 2023’s The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan, this sequel again stars François Civil, Vincent Cassel, Pio Marmaï, Romain Duris, and Eva Green. And they’re incredibly entertaining! Both films have been huge hits in France, and Milady received six nominations at the 2024 César Awards, winning one for Best Production Design. The first film is available to rent on VOD and digital platforms, and also can be streamed for free on Kanopy. Highly recommend.

April 20th, 2024

FREUD’S LAST SESSION - Netflix

Sony Pictures Classics was likely looking for lightning to strike twice with this late December release. Having shepherded Anthony Hopkins to a Best Actor Oscar win in 2020 for The Father, they followed the same playbook for this period drama. It didn’t work, as the film got middling reviews and didn’t even break $1M at the US box office. It hits Netflix this week hoping to find an audience. Will the ‘Netflix and Chill’ crowd check out this talky debate over the existence of god? SPC’s The Miracle Club has done surprisingly well on the platform, so you never know!

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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