The Unofficial Ongoing Current Movies in Theaters thread

[TurxSki]

Trying to find trailer for "Et Tu". New movie with Lou Diamond Phillips.
Supposed to be in festivals right now

[MontuckyFried]

New Alien: Romulus trailer just dropped yesterday! Whether the movie ends up being good or bad, I'll probably go see it no matter what. Haha.

[dookeyXXX]

THE FALL GUY
For the record, my gold standard for a romantic action comedy is Romancing The Stone. That 1984 film set the bar, as far as I am concerned. It perfectly melded romantic schmaltz, sly comedy, and bristling action into a cohesive mix. Not only that, but it featured two actors in their prime, both as sex objects and respected thespians; the chemistry between Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas was sizzling.
So, how does The Fall Guy hold up in relation? Well, it has comedy, And it has action. And it has romance. It also has two stars—Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt—who are both at the height of their careers, both in terms of acting and also being sexy, too.
The problem with director David Leiitch and screenwriter Drew Pearce’s film, though, is that the romance, comedy, and action never really gel until the third act. The romance elements are funny, but often drag on for too long (an early bit where Blunt’s character subjects Gosling’s character to repeated beatings never seems to end and the comedy element of it soon wears thin). The comedy, for the first two acts kind of rides its own wave. Yet the romantic bits are entertaining (if dragged out) and the comedy is funny, it just feels like you’re watching two different films. But when the third act rolls around, everything clicks and the three genres meld into a nice and tasty cinematic bouillabaisse.
The story, while convoluted on the surface, is actually pretty simple and works as a wonderful homage to episodic television series from the 1980s (the titular Fall Guy, of course, but also shows like The A Team and Miam Vice, the latter of which provides one of the films most wonderful, ongoing jokes). Other jokes are insider leaning, specifically the dog names Jean Claude (you need to be familiar with the director’s previous work as a stuntman to get the full effect of this joke beyond it poking fun at dog/human buddy pics). Perhaps the best bit of satire comes in the form of a riff on the 1983 Z-movie Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared Syn . It’s a film nerd deep dive that probably goes over most folks heads; I loved it.
As for the action? The stunts are pretty damn spectacular. Perhaps not quite Tom Cruise/Mission: Impossible spectacular, but damn close. Hell, the stunt crew set a Guinness World record for one of the vehicular stunts.
So, yeah, the film is a bit disjointed, but the chemistry between Gosling and Blunt crackles and the supporting cast is top-notch, especially the dog. Plus there’s a plethora of sweet stunts.
In the end it’s a fast-paced and fun action film that is worth seeing on the Big Screen.

https://youtu.be/j7jPnwVGdZ8?si=KcjCAKGiFOvnDmjw

[dookeyXXX]

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Okay, so I have seen all of the new Planet of the Apes films in the theaters. Yet I couldn’t tell you much about them in regards to plot, characters, and whatnot. I know that James Franco starred in the first one before he got cancelled. And Woody Harrelson pops up in another one. I recall being entertained by them and that the FX were pretty cool, but beyond that I’m drawing a blank.
So it was with no expectations whatsoever that I found myself sitting in a theater on a day off from work, sharing the space with about a dozen other people to watch the latest installment of this franchise.
I gotta say, it was pretty damn entertaining. I mean the story of this entry is pretty basic, but the FX are damn good and the pacing was whip snappingly quick.There’s some not-so-veiled socio-political allegory happening and the ending felt like more of a set-up for a streaming series than another film, but overall it continues to develop an interesting world and gives us sympathetic simian characters.
Now if they could only shorten the time between films (this one took 7 years to get to the screen)…

https://youtu.be/XtFI7SNtVpY?si=DpnRnGUPcT-UFLjA

[dookeyXXX]

I SAW THE TV GLOW
Writer/director Jane Schoenbrun makes off-kilter, slow-burn psychological films that get stuffed into the horror genre. But they aren’t traditional by any means. They aren’t slasher or supernatural or monster films per se, rather they are intriguing examinations of alienation and detachment. Whereas their first film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, dealt with a nefarious online game, here they tackle children’s television programming with undercurrent themes of memory, nostalgia, the often confusing period deemed coming-of-age, and gender dysphoria. It all makes for an interesting and mesmerizing watch that resonates long after the credits roll.
Honestly, I’m still not 100% sure what I saw, but it was like a darker, creepier, fever dream version of a Steven Spielberg film; you remember how many of Spielberg’s Amblin films focused on the kids and the parents were seemingly never around? That’s the same modus operandi working here: we see parents, but they are peripheral, shadow figures lurking in the background. This technique puts the focus on the kids, but also creates this nightmarish world where kids are on their own, with no guidance or direction other than what they can figure out amongst themselves.
The film focuses on young eighth grader Owen who gets sucked into a weird television show called The Pink Opaque by loner ninth grader Maddy. The two spiral deep down into the show’s fantasy world and naturally their real world and the TV world begin to blur. Simultaneously, t he various realities begin to blur for the audience as well.
Challenging and thought provoking, the film is never dull, it just moves along at it’s own languid, yet strange pace, sucking the viewer ever deeper into the opaque and confusing world of adolescence.
It’s an intriguing—and also frustrating, yet in a grand way—watch for anyone who is patient and doesn’t mind a film that has an unclear ending that’s left open for interpretation.

https://youtu.be/xuU2SrkeCf8?si=_pNg5CtfvpoO4L5N

[dookeyXXX]

KINDS OF KINDNESS
After two semi-mainstream, over-the-top comedies—The Favourite and Poor Things—Yorgos Lanthimos returns to his misanthropically demented roots with this film, which re-teams him with his Greek screenwriting compatriot Efthimis Filippou. The duo were responsible for some of Lanthimos’s most twisted and eerily fantastic early films.
Here they unleash a triptych of stories that all revolve around one omnipresent character mysteriously named R.M.F. Aside from that, the stories featured tend to focus on dominance and submission in a variety of extremes ranging from mutilation to rape and everything in-between. The film is not for a faint of heart, that’s for sure.
Yet it’s all delivered in Lanthimos and Filippou’s wonderful deadpan and detached manner, which will no doubt be off-putting to many; much of the dialogue is delivered in stiff, lurching, often unemotional vocal patterns.
Yet for those willing to stick it out, the film is rife with numerous WTF moments and is gloriously saturated in sparse and glaring atonal music that amps up the emotional fortitude to 11. Ultimately, the entire event feels like a sick-and-twisted update on [IThe Twilight Zone[/I].
The assembled core cast of Jesse Plemens, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and the enigmatic Yorgos Stefanakos, are all mesmerizing in their displays of fetishism, subordination, anger, confusion, and the like.
There are many jarring elements dotted throughout the stories that will undoubtedly induce cringes, grimaces, and unease in some viewers (I exclaimed “FUCK ME!” under my breath more than once) and those expecting the loopy absurdist fantasy elements that populated Poor Things will have another think coming as this film is edgy and mean spirited, yet also funny in a bizarrely satirical manner.

RIYL
The Lobster; The Killing of a Sacred Deer; Triangle of Sadness

https://youtu.be/8fYtuE_ZJ4E?si=24hSCdTS_xA6M_Ql

[Supermoon]

KINDS OF KINDNESS
After two semi-mainstream, over-the-top comedies—The Favourite and Poor Things—Yorgos Lanthimos returns to his misanthropically demented roots with this film, which re-teams him with his Greek screenwriting compatriot Efthimis Filippou. The duo were responsible for some of Lanthimos’s most twisted and eerily fantastic early films.
Here they unleash a triptych of stories that all revolve around one omnipresent character mysteriously named R.M.F. Aside from that, the stories featured tend to focus on dominance and submission in a variety of extremes ranging from mutilation to rape and everything in-between. The film is not for a faint of heart, that’s for sure.
Yet it’s all delivered in Lanthimos and Filippou’s wonderful deadpan and detached manner, which will no doubt be off-putting to many; much of the dialogue is delivered in stiff, lurching, often unemotional vocal patterns.
Yet for those willing to stick it out, the film is rife with numerous WTF moments and is gloriously saturated in sparse and glaring atonal music that amps up the emotional fortitude to 11. Ultimately, the entire event feels like a sick-and-twisted update on [IThe Twilight Zone[/I].
The assembled core cast of Jesse Plemens, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and the enigmatic Yorgos Stefanakos, are all mesmerizing in their displays of fetishism, subordination, anger, confusion, and the like.
There are many jarring elements dotted throughout the stories that will undoubtedly induce cringes, grimaces, and unease in some viewers (I exclaimed “FUCK ME!” under my breath more than once) and those expecting the loopy absurdist fantasy elements that populated Poor Things will have another think coming as this film is edgy and mean spirited, yet also funny in a bizarrely satirical manner.

RIYL
The Lobster; The Killing of a Sacred Deer; Triangle of Sadness

https://youtu.be/8fYtuE_ZJ4E?si=24hSCdTS_xA6M_Ql

Saw this tonight. I was expecting something maybe even more unhinged based on this review so it wasn’t so shocking to me, but a couple of really old people said it was the worst movie they’d ever seen. Haha.

I enjoyed it. Weird but well done. Jesse Plemens is amazing. Emma Stone as well. Willem Defoe was perfect.

[dookeyXXX]

KILL
I had high hopes for this Hindi actioneer billed as the most violent film to ever be produced in India. Sadly, it gets bogged down in a trite neo-Romeo & Juliet forbidden love story-meets-Under Siege (you know the plot: villains hijack a large commercial vehicle only to discover that a badass military dude happens to be on said vehicle). Augmenting this all-too-familiar tale is extremely cheesy dialogue (if we are to believe this film as an accurate representation of modern India, then men call each other “bro” way too much over there). To top it all off the filmmakers have tossed in an all-too-obvious --and common/obligatory--thread about the caste system and inequality in India to top it all off.
None of this would raise an eyebrow if the film actually tweaked the formula, but it fails to elevate the containment action film, in this case the ever-popular “stuck on a train” sub-genre.
To be fair, there are some brilliant moments of gonzo ultra violence, but they all too often get lost in the thin storyline, corny verbal repartee, and one-dimensional characters. Sure, there is some bristling action, grimace inducing gore (a scene involving a toilet is sufficiently jarring and another utilizing Zippo lighter fluid is somewhat inspired), but also moments of missed opportunity (the kill shot using a fire extinguisher ends up fizzling out). And there are a few clever bits, such as one of the baddies having his own theme music. I liked that little touch a lot. Yet there aren't enough moments like these.
The film rolls along at a decent enough pace until the 40-minute mark where it goes off the rails for a good 30-minutes. But then it looses steam.
It doesn’t help that one fight scene takes place in almost total darkness, which is a complete cop-out. It also doesn’t help that the final boss is ultimately lame and our hero dispatches him with ease.
In a year that has been filled with revenge oriented action films—Monkey Man and Boy Kills World, specifically—this one falls a bit short.
Honestly, I kept waiting for the cast to break out into an item number in the tight confines of the train aisles. Now that woulda been killer!

https://youtu.be/cVyNeDYu9Kk?si=ZN4iJmxKaZhbAkCe

[dookeyXXX]

MAXXXINE
The conclusion to writer/director Ti West’s X trilogy is an engaging homage to giallo, cheesy 1980’s Los Angeles based neon procedurals (think Hero and the Terror), and soft-core Skinemax thrillers.
West, like his contemporary Eli Roth, isn’t so much an original filmmaker as he is a patchwork artiste who expertly stitches together bits and pieces of other films into a wink-and-sly smile-drenched tribute to those films.
Here he dives deep into 1985 Los Angeles during the “reign of terror” created by Richard Ramirez (aka The Night Stalker). This serves as the backdrop for lead protagonist Maxine Minx'’s quest for legitimate fortune and fame as a Hollywood star. From there West saturates the film in lambent lights, ominous shadows, and Tyler Bates’ blazing score (as well as a smattering of iconic 80s synth pop). The film is populated by horror film nerds, sleazy gumshoes, pugnacious cops, ambitious directors, and a leading performance from Mia Goth that is nothing short of mesmerizing. Her supporting cast is bonkers good, too.
This may be my favorite entry in the series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALNV4mdHGEE

[dookeyXXX]

LONGLEGS
Os Perkins’ latest cinematic excursion is a slow burn and extremely creepy affair that, while containing quite a few familiar beats, manages to bring a fresh take to the FBI-hunting-down-an-elusive-serial-killer motif. He accomplishes this through even pacing, drawing out kinetic performances, and just enough weirdness lurking in the fringes to keep us all on edge. It’s a wonderfully understated mash-up of psychological thriller, parapsychological horror, nefarious necromancy, and police procedural.
Perkins’ casting choices were pretty brilliant (Blair Underwood was a wonderfully inspired choice, imho) and the twists, turns, and underlying ambiguity all combine to make for an enthralling and unnerving endeavor.

https://youtu.be/RcUwYIfnTrg?si=DoY9iphlaT7fVy-C

[subtle plague]

So...is twisters any fun? Looking for summer Popcorn....

And I'll probably watch deadpool anyway.

[dookeyXXX]

ODDITY
This film more than lives up to its name as it’s a strange melange of whodunnit, supernatural drama, and psychological thriller, with a side order of quasi-golem mythology and psychometry tossed in for extra measure.
Surprisingly, this quizzical mash-up works, thanks to writer/director Damian Mc Carthy’s deft hand at keeping the viewer in the dark, trying to figure out exactly what’s going on throughout its lean 98-minute running time.
While he largely relies upon a mysterious and often ominous mood, he also expertly employs the age-old tactic of jump scares; though he doesn’t use them judiciously, rather nimbly (I jumped each time one was utilized, fwiw).
At the core of the film is a willing and able cast, who guide us through the somewhat labyrinthian plot with wonderful aplomb. Kudos especially go out to Carolyn Bracken, who literally drives the film with a wonderfully droll performance that also lives up to the title.
The only slight is the ending, which would have served the audience better had it faded to black instead of the obvious reveal it exposes, but that’s a minor quibble.
Overall, this is an enjoyable, twisty little yarn that kinda feels like an extended episode of Night Gallery crossed with Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Definitely worth a gander.

https://youtu.be/tLNDvnv8B3A?si=l1JEA7M3Y0VPadD7

[dookeyXXX]

Think I’mma peep this one over the coming weekend…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFYfp-hKxZQ

[Supermoon]

So...is twisters any fun? Looking for summer Popcorn....

And I'll probably watch deadpool anyway.

I really enjoyed Twisters. Good old fashioned summer blockbuster

[dookeyXXX]

This film looks dope-as-fiznuck:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBU6Rff26A



Sadly, as of right now it doesn’t look like it’s playing anywhere even remotely near me…

https://wellgousa.com/

[dookeyXXX]

KNEECAP
Listen, I’m just a white dude from the ‘burbs with zero street cred, but this flick is, imho, the greatest rap origin story ever committed to celluloid. Honestly, it makes both 8 Mile and Straight Outta Compton seem like Hallmark movies…

Unlike other rap dramas that, to date, have been pretty straightforward and traditional, this joint is filmed in an outlandish and kinetic style. There is copious drug usage throughout—mostly ketamine and coke, plus a dash of weed—and often times it feels like the director may have been high AF whilst sitting behind the lens. Honestly, it has more in common with Trainspotting, but with less heroin and way more rap.

Teeming with socio-political themes, revolutionaries, crooked cops, and plenty of boom bap, it’s a rollicking ride from start to finish. I laughed a lot, cried twice, and the rest of the time I was heavily head nodding and waving my hands in the air.

If I were reviewing this film for The Source circa 1990, I’d give it 5 Mics, all of them dropped; it is easily the best and most enjoyable film I have seen this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFYfp-hKxZQ

[dookeyXXX]

CUCKOO
German director/screenwriter Tilman Singer’s sophomore feature film builds upon the abstract horror he unleashed with 2018’s eerie and engaging Luz. Here, however, he borrows a few pages from David Cronenberg in regards to creepy medical facilities and demented doctors.
Tilman keeps us purposefully in the dark, quietly building up the tension from the get-go with giallo like precision.
Sure, there are some plot holes, but as with his previous film, they seem calculated so as to keep the audience off-guard and confused.
The acting is spot on and the sound design helps elevate the strange and heavily brooding atmosphere.

RIYL
Susperia (both versions); Beyond The Black Rainbow; A Cure For Wellness; Yummy; The Guest; Koko-di Koko-da

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuON7HH0UkQ

[dookeyXXX]

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
So, I laughed a few times, got suckered into drawing a few tears, and was overall mildly entertained.
But honestly, this is not the movie that’s gonna save the MCU.
It really didn’t need to be made and ultimately felt like not only mega fanboy/girl service, but also kind of a blatant cash grab.
In the end I left feeling empty and like I’d been kinda hoodwinked.

[dookeyXXX]

ALIEN: ROMULUS
Like the bulk of the films crowding the cineplex this summer, this is yet another pointless sequel/reboot of a franchise that should have never become a franchise in the first place. There have been exactly 2 classic Alien films and the rest have just gotten progressively worse.
As with Deadpool & Wolverine, I was mildly entertained. But as with Furiosa, this film just didn’t need to be made.
It pretty much retreads all the other films.
Sure, the production design is slick and the cast is actually solid, but the story falls flat.
Not only that, but the screenwriters succumb to the reprehensible “magical negro” trope (granted,, they play around with it a bit, but still…) and insert an incredibly wack CG “homage” that should never have been done (honestly, the estate of one celebrated British actor should be ashamed of themselves).
A lot of pre-release web buzz hinted at the possibility this would be a carnage infused bloodbath of a film based on director Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead remake. Sadly, that was not the case. Honestly, imho the gore level was PG-13 at best; more blood, guts, and goo woulda at least made up for the ho-hum story.
Definitely not worth the $17 I shelled out to see it n IMAX (this may be the last time I take the recommendation of Reddit film nerds!).

The trailers, however, are pretty sick (they are what sucked me into going, so whoever edited them did their job and then some).

Naturally, YMMV…

[mcski]

Thanks. Bullet dodged. I was hopeful this one would be good. Oh well

[MontuckyFried]

ALIEN: ROMULUS…

Perhaps it's because I went in with such low expectations, but I actually ended up loving it! Just saw it last night. It felt VERY much like some of the old Dark Horse Alien comics I used to read. And perhaps that's why I feel it's not a "reboot," but rather just another tale in the Alien universe. It also seemed to take a page from the most excellent Alien: Isolation video game. I was super impressed with the aesthetics and practical effects, and tasteful restraint of CG compared to everything else these days. While the original Alien film is by far still my favorite, I think this one was an admirable effort, even if it's not without its flaws. Anybody else get hints of Danny Boyle vibes from it too? Anyway, I like it and want to see it again since there was kind of a lot to take in at once.

Thanks. Bullet dodged. I was hopeful this one would be good. Oh well

I dunno. Go see it for yourself before passing judgment. While Dookey made some fair critiques, I still liked it!

[dookeyXXX]

STRANGE DARLING
This is a taut and beguilingly dirty little psychological thriller.
If you're astute, you might figure out the twist early on (I did), but screenwriter/director J.T. Mollner keeps things in check and the film manages to plow over the giveaway and turn into a tightly paced and violent yarn that should keep you second guessing yourself (I did) until the final final reveal.
It's nasty, edgy, and also disturbingly funny. The cameos are pure gold and Giovanni Ribisi (yes, the actor) manages to make a solid turn as DP; his cinematography is lush and compliments the twisted tale nicely.
Additionally, the score, sound design, as well as some original songs by Z Berg, are fantastic, creating an unnerving balance between loud, antagonistic noize and demurring melancholy.

RIYL
Martha Marcy May Marlene; Piercing

My advice is skip the trailer and just watch the film. The less you know about it, the better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2gHXeNXKxE

[dookeyXXX]

BLINK TWICE
Zoe Kravitz’s feature length directorial debut is a dizzyingly taut psychological thriller that comes with a pre-opening trigger warning, lots of debauchery, and some twisted intensity that should get you wound up pretty tight.
A diverse and game cast take one-dimensional characters and turn them into engaging cubic renderings—sure, they are broad stroked, but the actors involved bring a certain ribald and malevolent joie de vivre to the proceedings— and this, coupled with nifty pacing and carrot-on-a-string plotting makes for a crafty romp that is violent, thought provoking, arty, and trashy all at the same time. It messes with Final Girl, Revenge, and Entitled Rich tropes just enough to come off as fresh, but most importantly it does a bang up job of coalescing mystery, horror, action, and melodrama into a cohesively immersive and visually hypnotic brew. The costumes and set design--particularly the use of white and vibrant colors--as well as the score, soundtrack, and incidental music are great, plus there are some wonderful uses of furniture and food that further compliment the sinister undercurrent running throughout.
My only minor quibble resides with the somewhat “happy and upbeat” twist ending; it sorta feels antithetical to all the nastiness that preceded it.
But the rest of the film is full throttle whip snappingly good.

RIYL
The Stepford Wives; Don’t Worry Darling; The Menu; Infinity Pool



***As with Strange Darling, I’d recommend going into this film as clueless as possible (i.e. don’t watch the trailer or read any reviews). The less you know beforehand, the better the ride will be.

[Mike Pow]

LONGLEGS
Os Perkins’ latest cinematic excursion is a slow burn and extremely creepy affair that, while containing quite a few familiar beats, manages to bring a fresh take to the FBI-hunting-down-an-elusive-serial-killer motif. He accomplishes this through even pacing, drawing out kinetic performances, and just enough weirdness lurking in the fringes to keep us all on edge. It’s a wonderfully understated mash-up of psychological thriller, parapsychological horror, nefarious necromancy, and police procedural.
Perkins’ casting choices were pretty brilliant (Blair Underwood was a wonderfully inspired choice, imho) and the twists, turns, and underlying ambiguity all combine to make for an enthralling and unnerving endeavor.

https://youtu.be/RcUwYIfnTrg?si=DoY9iphlaT7fVy-C

Really enjoyed it

[Mike Pow]

BLINK TWICE
Zoe Kravitz’s feature length directorial debut is a dizzyingly taut psychological thriller that comes with a pre-opening trigger warning, lots of debauchery, and some twisted intensity that should get you wound up pretty tight.
A diverse and game cast take one-dimensional characters and turn them into engaging cubic renderings—sure, they are broad stroked, but the actors involved bring a certain ribald and malevolent joie de vivre to the proceedings— and this, coupled with nifty pacing and carrot-on-a-string plotting makes for a crafty romp that is violent, thought provoking, arty, and trashy all at the same time. It messes with Final Girl, Revenge, and Entitled Rich tropes just enough to come off as fresh, but most importantly it does a bang up job of coalescing mystery, horror, action, and melodrama into a cohesively immersive and visually hypnotic brew. The costumes and set design--particularly the use of white and vibrant colors--as well as the score, soundtrack, and incidental music are great, plus there are some wonderful uses of furniture and food that further compliment the sinister undercurrent running throughout.
My only minor quibble resides with the somewhat “happy and upbeat” twist ending; it sorta feels antithetical to all the nastiness that preceded it.
But the rest of the film is full throttle whip snappingly good.

RIYL
The Stepford Wives; Don’t Worry Darling; The Menu; Infinity Pool



***As with Strange Darling, I’d recommend going into this film as clueless as possible (i.e. don’t watch the trailer or read any reviews). The less you know beforehand, the better the ride will be.

Loved it

Thanks again