November 14th, 2023

ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE - TBD Sale / TBD Rental

With this film and the currently in theaters RADICAL, actor/producer Eugenio Derbez is quietly building an impressive resume stateside. We have to admit, the Mexican actor wasn’t on our radar until 2021’s Coda. His 3Pas Studios is gaining clout in Hollywood, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the kind of project that benefits from some name talent (Lin-Manuel Miranda and Kyra Sedgwick are also producers) helping to get it made. We’re looking forward to catching up with this one.

THE CREATOR - TBD Sale Only

While it didn’t break out at the box-office, we’re hoping The Creator is influential in how Hollywood approaches sci-fi blockbusters. Rather than build sets, or rely exclusively on digital methods such as green screens or StageCraft, the production found it more cost effective to pay to send a small crew to film in 80 locations around the world which came closest to matching the desired sci-fi look. Then, once the film finalized the edit , visual effects would be layered into the image. Using this method, director Gareth Edwards estimated the production spent only $80 million on a project which would have typically cost $300 million. The look is such a breath of fresh air after countless muddy, dark CGI monstrosities of the last decade. More of this, please.

November 16th, 2023

BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER! - Netflix

We love a good holiday movie, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed this one delivers. In addition to late 90s/early 00’s icons Heather Graham, Jason Biggs, and Brandy, this one boasts some nostalgic pedigree behind the camera. Director Mary Lambert will always be remembered for delivering the first (and in our opinion, best) Pet Sematary film. And writer/producer Charles Shyer was one half of the Shyer/Meyers team that brought us Baby Boom, both Father of the Bride movies, and The Parent Trap remake. But based on the duo’s output since their marriage broke up, we tend to think Nancy Meyers had the creative touch that made the partnership successful. Still…with a plethora of new Christmas movies coming out in the next month, this has one of the highest profiles.

MUTT - Netflix

Directed, written and produced by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz in his feature directorial debut, Mutt had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where actor Lío Mehiel won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Acting. In the film, Feña, a trans man, rekindles his relationships with his foreign father, his straight ex-boyfriend and his estranged younger half-sister after having lost touch with them since his gender transitioning. It’s been a great year for films chronicling trans stories, with this and IFC’s MONICA both breaking out. And bravo to Netflix for giving Mutt a larger platform for it to be seen.

November 17th, 2023

BIOSPHERE - AMC+

We love Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown, and we’re curious to check out Biosphere based on some plot spoilers that have us intrigued. We won’t share here, but the Wikipedia page details the provocative ideas this sci-fi comedy pursues. That’s what we want from our indie sci-fi: Ideas! Provocation! Sure, reviews were mixed, but we’ll always support creatives who take big swings, even if they don’t fully connect. If you have AMC+, give it a chance. It will also likely come to Hulu in the next few months.

BLACK ICE - Hulu

A Canadian documentary directed by Hubert Davis, Black Ice is based in part on Darril Fosty and George Fosty's 2004 non-fiction book Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes, 1895-1925. The film chronicles the lingering history of anti-black racism in the sport of ice hockey, and it won the People’s Choice Award for documentaries at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Executive producers of the film included Drake, LeBron James and Maverick Carter. With this and The League, we’re finally getting some docs that tell the long-ignored history of African-Americans in sports.

BLUE BEETLE - Max

Yes, it’s the lowest grossing film ever in the DCEU. But now that it’s hitting Max, let’s hope it can have a bit of a reclamation. Blue Beetle is harmless fun, and features some terrific actors who elevate the story and make this a perfectly enjoyable romp. We’re hoping lead Xolo Maridueña gets more chances in film, especially since Cobra Kai (his Netflix series) is coming to an end. DC co-boss James Gunn has said Maridueña will continue to play Blue Beetle in other DCEU films, but we’d love to see what else he can do.

PLEASE DON’T DESTROY: THE LEGEND OF FOGGY MOUNTAIN - Peacock

Three childhood friends who live and work together, don't like where their lives are headed, and set off to find gold treasure rumored to be buried on a nearby mountain. A great premise for a movie! The fact that this is going straight to Peacock has our eyebrows raised, but based on the box-office performance of other 2023 comedies, maybe it’s the right call. Ben Marshall, Martin Herlihy and John Higgins make up the trio known as Please Don’t Destroy, and their pre-recorded sketch videos on SNL have built them a solid audience. Peacock released the first four minutes of the film, so take a look to see if it’s your thing:

RUSTIN - Netflix

Colman Domingo will one day win an Oscar. We’re sure of it. Unfortunately, this might not be the year. Reviews out of the Toronto International Film Festival deflated hopes that Rustin would be a slam-dunk for a Colman Domingo Oscar nomination. It could still happen, but competition in the Best Actor category is tough this year. And while Domingo is also in The Color Purple musical still to be seen, we’re resigned to the fact that he’ll likely come up short. We’ll definitely check out Rustin, though. It may not be one of the year’s best, but it’s an important story and Colman Domingo is always riveting.

SEE YOU ON VENUS - Netflix

Voltage Pictures strikes again! The production company behind the After film series brings us another YA romance, this one based on the debut novel of the same name by Victoria Vinuesa. What’s fascinating about Voltage Pictures is their pedigree: They’ve won nine Oscars! Yes, Voltage pictures produced six-time Oscar winner The Hurt Locker, and three-time Oscar winner Dallas Buyer’s Club. Respect. See You on Venus continues the company’s relationship with Netflix, where we’re assuming their films do very well.

THE STONES AND BRIAN JONES - $16.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Director Nick Broomfield tackles another music subject, after previously chronicling Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love (Kurt & Courtney), Whitney Houston (Whitney: Can I Be Me), and Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls (Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac). This time he tells the sad story of Brian Jones, the founder and original leader of The Rolling Stones, whose battles with drugs and alcohol caused his ouster from the band and lead to his death at age 27. In fact, Jones' death was the first in a string of 1960s rock tragedies, and was followed within two years by the drug-related deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Alan Wilson, and Janis Joplin. The coincidence of their deaths at the same age has been referred to in popular culture as the "27 Club.”

Happy streaming everyone!