Monday, September 30th, 2024

BABES - Hulu

Synopsis: After getting pregnant from a one-night stand, a single woman leans on her married best friend and mother of two to guide her through gestation and beyond.

What we like:

• The feature directorial debut of Pamela Adlon, who co-created and starred in the acclaimed FX comedy-drama Better Things.

• This pregnancy comedy co-stars real life friends Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau, who John Stewart characterized as ‘a dirty Laverne & Shirley.’

• Legendary comedienne Sandra Bernhard has a small role in the film, playing ‘Dr. Shirley.’

What we don’t like:

• Despite decent reviews, this NEON release failed to break out at the box-office, earning about $3.8M. Still, we’re just happy when a comedy gets a theatrical release.

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 - Starz

Synopsis: After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motives.

What we like:

• Director Renny Harlin has delivered some quality action films that have stood the test of time. Die Hard 2: Die Harder is a worthy sequel. The Long Kiss Goodnight is deeply underrated. And Deep Blue Sea is an actually great shark movie (yes, we’re in the bag for shark movies).

• The original 2008 film The Strangers is honestly terrifying. We have an irrational fear of home invasions, so it hit a nerve.

What we don’t like:

• From the buzz online, it sounds like this prequel was truly terrible. Like…inept terrible.

• What made the original 2008 film so effective was that it didn’t over-explain. Liv Tyler’s character asks: ‘Why are you doing this to us?’ The killer responds: ‘Because you were home.’ HORRIFYING! But guess what this prequel (and subsequent chapters, we assume) does? It gives context! Way to remove what makes it so terrifying! Dumb.

• Two more of these are on the way. Still no release dates.

Tuesday, October 1st, 2024

THE 4:30 MOVIE - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: In the summer of 1986, three sixteen year old friends spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local multiplex. But when one of the guys also invites the girl of his dreams to see the latest comedy, each of the teens learn more about life and love.

What we like:

• Kevin Smith’s latest is a nostalgic comedy loosely based on his experiences sneaking into movie theaters as a teenager and his earliest romantic endeavors.

• The film’s ensemble of actors features many of Smith’s usual collaborators: Jason Lee, Rosario Dawson, and Clerks co-stars Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, and Jason Mewes.

• The film was shot at Smith’s Smodcastle Cinemas, a New Jersey movie theater he co-owns.

What we don’t like:

• Reviews were mixed. And for a film that’s a love letter to the theatrical movie-going experience, it sure got a short window before launching on digital.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE - $29.99 Sale / $24.99 Rental

Synopsis: A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life with his days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. But when his home world faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctant Wolverine.

What we like:

• Hugh Jackman said he really was done playing the character of Wolverine after 2017’s Logan. He then said he regretted that statement after watching the first Deadpool movie and expressed his interest to Ryan Reynolds in the two characters meeting on the big screen.

• Kevin Feige was originally against bringing back Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, as he was concerned that doing so would undermine the events of Logan, a movie Feige held in very high esteem. He eventually relented once it was confirmed that this film would focus on a different variant of Wolverine, combined with Jackman really wanting to return to the role.

What we don’t like:

• Peggy the Dog makes her Hollywood debut in the film. In 2023, Peggy won the title of Britain's Ugliest Dog, a competition held by a photography printing firm called ParrotPrint. We reject the notion that Peggy is Ugly, just look at her at the premiere:

EVIL DOES NOT EXIST - The Criterion Channel

Synopsis: Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a camping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature.

What we like:

• Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning Drive My Car won the Grand Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Award from the International Federation of Film Critics at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. It was awarded Best Film at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival.

• Hamaguchi started working on the film in January 2023, with the intention of it being a 30-minute short film accompanied by a live score composed by Eiko Ishibashi, the production ended up getting lengthier as the shoot went along and Hamaguchi decided to turn it into a feature film with dialogue.

What we don’t like:

• The ambiguous nature of the ending may frustrate some viewers. But let’s be honest, if you’re watching a Ryusuke Hamaguchi film, you’re likely fine with not having everything spelled out for you.

MADE IN ENGLAND: THE FILMS OF POWELL AND PRESSBURGER - $14.99 Sale/ TBD Rental

Synopsis: Martin Scorsese presents this very personal and insightful new feature-length documentary about British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

What we like:

• Martin Scorsese celebrates the enduring legacy of visionary writer-directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, two of British cinema's greatest filmmakers.

• Scorsese takes a deep dive in to their filmographies, including The Life and Death Of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, Peeping Tom and The Tales of Hoffmann.

What we don’t like:

• Michael Powell never won an Oscar, and was nominated only once. He and Pressburger shared a nomination for writing 1942’s One of Our Aircraft is Missing.

MY PENGUIN FRIEND - $12.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: A lost penguin named Dindim is rescued from an oil spill transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.

What we like:

• What can we say? We’re suckers for a heartwarming animal story. And while penguins aren’t the most expressive animals, they’re still cute and cuddly.

• Portraying Dindim were 10 rescue penguins from Ubatuba, Brazil. In the movie, 80 percent of the shots are of real penguins. For the other 20 percent, where the situation would be unsafe for a real penguin, 15 percent of the shots are CGI and 5 percent were animatronics.

• Oscar-nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel) has a supporting role!

What we don’t like:

• It’s a good thing the title of the film is ‘My Penguin Friend,’ because the chemistry between Jean Reno and Dindim on the poster is white hot. Not to worry, though. They’re just friends.

SPEAK NO EVIL - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

Synopsis: When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.

What we like:

• A remake of the 2022 Danish-Dutch film of the same name, this thriller changes some key elements from the original.

• The sterling cast includes a jacked-up James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, and Scoot McNairy.

What we don’t like:

• We haven’t seen this remake, but we have seen the original (streaming now on Shudder). It is disturbing! There’s one shot we’ll never be able to scrub from our brains. We’re interested to see if they dare replicate in the new version.

STRANGE DARLING - $19.99 Sale Only

Synopsis: Nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.

What we like:

• The first film from upstart distributor Magenta Light Studios, this thriller became a buzzy hit in theaters. It was directed by JT Mollner and stars Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, and Ed Begley Jr.

• The film was shot on 35 mm film on location in Oregon in the summer of 2022 by Giovanni Ribisi, marking his debut as a cinematographer.

What we don’t like:

• With all the online chatter, it’s been tough trying to avoid spoilers for the film. We’re really looking forward to catching up with it.

THE WASP - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: Heather bumps into Carla, having not spoken to her in years, and presents her with a very unexpected proposition that could change both of their lives forever.

What we like:

• Two fantastic actresses, Oscar-nominee Naomie Harris (Moonlight) and Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) get meaty lead roles in this tense psychological thriller.

• Olivier award-winning playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm wrote the script, which she adapted from her own 2015 play.

What we don’t like:

• A trigger warning: the film does include a disturbing (though not graphic) sexual assault.

Thursday, October 3rd, 2024

HOLD YOUR BREATH - Hulu

Synopsis: A young mother in 1930s Oklahoma who is haunted by her past and trapped in horrifying dust storms. She becomes convinced that her family is threatened by a mysterious presence and takes extraordinary measures to protect them.

What we like:

• This psychological horror-thriller film was directed by Karrie Crouse and Will Joines, and written by Crouse. It has a stellar cast, including Sarah Paulson, Amiah Miller, Annaleigh Ashford, Alona Jane Robbins, and recent Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

• The film premiered as part of the Special Presentations lineup at the Toronto International Film Festival…

What we don’t like:

• …the reviews out of the festival were not great. Still, we’ll give it a shot when it hits Hulu this week.

HOUSE OF SPOILS - Prime Video

Synopsis: An ambitious chef opens a restaurant on a remote estate where she battles kitchen chaos, crushing self doubts… and a haunting presence who threatens to sabotage her at every turn.

What we like:

• Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose gets her very own Blumhouse-produced thriller, with reviews out of Fantastic Fest looking promising.

• Euphoria’s Barbie Ferreira has a supporting role in the film, and we’re always interested in what she brings to her projects.

What we don’t like:

• We’re happy Amazon MGM/Prime Video is increasing their original film output, we just wish the quality scale was a little higher.

SALEM’S LOT - Max

Synopsis: Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem's Lot only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

What we like:

• The first film adaptation of Stephen King’s second ever published novel (Carrie was the first). The book had previously been adapted as a television miniseries in 1979 and 2004.

• Gary Dauberman directs, and his track record with King adaptations is solid. He wrote the screenplays for It Chapters 1&2.

• The film boasts a stellar cast, including Lewis Pullman, Alfre Woodard, William Sadler, Bill Camp, John Benjamin Hickey, and Makenzie Leigh.

What we don’t like:

• The film was originally set to be released on September 9, 2022, the post-Labor Day weekend that had been successful for the studio's past horror releases, but was delayed to April 21, 2023, "due to COVID-related delays in the post-production realm." The April release was then scrapped.

• The delays even baffled King, who felt the film was strong enough to play in theaters. Alas, it’s going straight to streaming.

WE GROWN NOW - Netflix

Synopsis: In 1992 Chicago, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.

What we like:

• This small gem of a film was nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Feature.

• We love an early 1990s period piece! The film follows best friends Malik and Eric as they come of age in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing complex in the early 1990s.

• The stellar cast includes S. Epatha Merkerson, Jurnee Smollett, Lil Rel Howry, and newcomers Blake Cameron and Gian Knight Ramirez.

What we don’t like:

• It’s a shame the film couldn’t capitalize on its Indie Spirit nominations. Why not release the film around the time of the awards?

• The now shuttered Participant Media is a producer on the film. The production company’s contribution to indie cinema cannot be overstated, and its loss is devastating.

Friday, October 4th, 2024

DÌDI - Peacock

Synopsis: 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.

What we like:

• This coming-of-age comedy-drama made a huge impact at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning both the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award: Ensemble.

• The cast, featuring Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua, is fantastic. Look out for cameos from Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze and Oscar-nominee Stephanie Hsu.

• Hats off to Focus Features, who nurtured this to $5M domestic at the box-office. In this market, that’s a huge win. Here’s hoping it continues to find an audience on streaming.

What we don’t like:

• In a just world, veteran actress Joan Chen would be getting Best Supporting Actress Oscar chatter. Her career highlights include Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar-winning The Last Emperor, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution, and Andrew Ahn’s upcoming remake of The Wedding Banquet. Her performance in DÌDI is fantastic.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE - Netflix

Synopsis: A pre-wedding party descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend shows up with a mysterious suitcase.

What we like:

• Greg Jardin’s horror comedy got an enthusiastic reception when it premiered in the Midnight Section of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Netflix quickly snapped up the worldwide rights for a reported $17M, which was the most expensive acquisition of the festival.

• Reviews have been stellar, with critics praising the film for its stylish visual design and clever storytelling. We’re excited for it.

What we don’t like:

• It’s great that the filmmakers and producers got a big payday from Netflix, but it’s such a shame this won’t play theaters. Last year’s Talk to Me grossed nearly $50M in the US, and there’s no reason to believe this film couldn’t have done the same.

THE KILLER’S GAME - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

Synopsis: When a top hitman is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his pregnant ex-girlfriend, he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late.

What we like:

• This action-comedy sports an appealing cast, including Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley. Yes…the Oscar-winning star of Gandhi. Still gotta pay the bills.

• A reunion of sorts for stars Bautista and Boutella. They co-starred in the 2018 film Hotel Artemis.

What we don’t like:

• Hoo boy…another box-office bomb from Lionsgate. They’ve had a rough year. Those John Wick/Hunger Games spin-offs can’t come soon enough.

• We haven’t seen The Killer’s Game, but from the trailer, it’s clear the film uses CGI blood splatter when someone is shot. It looks terrible. It always looks terrible. Please, filmmakers, use squibs. The effect is tactile and visceral. CGI blood splatter is for video games. And it’s cheap-looking and annoying.

THE PLATFORM 2 - Netflix

Synopsis: As a mysterious leader imposes their rule in the Platform, a new resident becomes embroiled in the battle against this controversial method to fight the brutal feeding system. But when eating from the wrong plate becomes a death sentence, how far would you be willing to go to save your life?

What we like:

• A sequel to the 2019 film The Platform, the film returns to the world of a large, tower-style "Vertical Self-Management Center" prison that houses various criminals. The dozens of floors house two occupants per floor and a free-floating platform delivers food to them on a daily schedule.

• The original film was released on Netflix in March 2020. Subsequently, the film received a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the company revealed the film had been watched by 56 million households over its first four weeks of release, among the most-ever for one of their original films (at the time).

What we don’t like:

• From the trailer, it looks like there’s plenty of disgusting food and eating in the film. Not our favorite genre!

RED ROOMS - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the case’s puzzle.

What we like:

• Strange Darling and It’s What’s Inside are the two high-profile indie horror releases this week, but don’t sleep on this Canadian chiller. It won Best Film, Screenplay, Performance (Juliette Gariépy) and Score at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival.

• The film is named after the highly disputed violent dark web spaces known as red rooms in online urban legends, where killers are said to post videos of their murders.

What we don’t like:

• This one flew under-the-radar in the wake of the success of Longlegs. But adventurous horror-heads should absolutely seek it out. Brace yourselves for a harrowing experience.

THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT - $16.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: In order to escape the police after a robbery, two estranged siblings lay low in a metaphysical farmhouse that hides them away in a different time. There they reckon with a mysterious force that pushes their familial bonds to unnatural breaking points.

What we like:

• The feature directorial debut of Michael Felker, whose inspirations for this trippy sci-fi thriller include Rian Johnson’s Looper and the Coen Brothers’ Blood Simple. Felker also wrote the screenplay.

• Irish actress Sarah Bolger has a supporting role in the film. We’ll do our ‘Wanna feel old?’ here: Sarah Bolger played one of the young daughters in Jim Sheridan’s Oscar nominated 2003 film In America.

What we don’t like:

• This well-reviewed indie is getting a day-and-date streaming release in the middle of a busy week for new releases. It will eventually arrive on Hulu, so hopefully more people are able to check it out.

V/H/S BEYOND - Shudder, AMC+

Synopsis: The infinite playground of forbidden worlds and dangerous lifeforms offered by the sci-fi horror genre will lead to the biggest, maddest, bloodiest V/H/S ever.

What we like:

• The seventh installment in the V/H/S franchise, which has been a terrific incubator of horror talent over the years. Each of the anthology segments are sci-fi oriented in the vein of other horror franchise sequels set in outer space (Jason X, Hellraiser: Bloodline)

• The film features segments from Jordan Downey, Christian and Justin Long, Justin Martinez, Virat Pal, Kate Siegel, and Jay Cheel.

What we don’t like:

• Just like any anthology, the segments will likely be hit-or-miss. But reviews out of Fantastic Fest were encouraging, so we’re excited to dig in.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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