Release Radar – August 13th, 2021

With the Delta variant nixing a lot of studios’ plans for some of the bigger releases down the stretch in 2021, the release calendar could look a lot different in the coming months. In the meantime, things are still chugging right along and this week has a great line-up.

Don’t Breathe 2 (Theaters)

The Redband Trailer is pretty wild

Writer(s): Rodo Sayagues & Fede Alvarez, Director: Rodo Sayagues

Starring: Stephen Lang, Brendan Sexton III, & Madelyn Grace

Most memorable for its graphic turkey baster scene, I enjoyed the original Don’t Breathe back in 2016 but it wasn’t the kind of movie where I thought a sequel was necessary. Maybe that’s why this movie is coming five years down the line. However, looking at the trailer, the filmmakers appear to have made a bold choice in rebranding their villain as the hero (or anti-hero) in the sequel. Stephen Lang is great and I trust the character in his hands, but it remains to be seen whether or not the role reversal works out. Only one way to find out.

Respect (Theaters)

Jennifer Hudson in the Aretha Franklin biopic

Writer(s): Tracy Scott Wilson & Callie Khouri, Director: Liesl Tommy

Starring: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whittaker, & Audra McDonald

Biopics are always risky endeavors, increasingly so the higher you go up the mountain of fame. There will be an almost guaranteed audience, but there’s also a lot to live up to at that point. Bohemian Rhapsody is a great example of a very successful and well-made film that took a lot of criticism from the most ardent of Queen fans. No matter how you slice it, the Aretha Franklin biopic is upon us with Jennifer Hudson stepping into the lead role as the Queen of Soul. Hudson’s background makes her a great fit and I don’t doubt that the Oscar winner will do more than hold her own.

Ema (Theaters)

This red band trailer will give you a good idea of what to expect

Writer(s): Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón, & Alejandro Moreno

Director: Pablo Larraín

Starring: Mariana Di Girólamo, Gael García Bernal, & Santiago Cabrera

If there’s only one movie I could see from this week’s group, this might just be the one. The color, the style, and the attitude definitely separate Pablo Larraín’s film from the competition. When a couple’s adoption doesn’t work out, their relationship spirals out of control and their story is told with intense passion.

The Lost Leonardo (Theaters)

How can a prized DaVinci go missing without anyone knowing where it is?

Writer(s): Andreas Koefoed, Andreas Dalsgaard, & Christian Kirk Muff,

Director: Andreas Koefoed

Starring: Jerry Saltz, Martin Kemp, & Alexandra Bregman

There are so many fantastic documentaries this year, it’s honestly tough to stay on top of them all. This one focuses on a rare painting by Leonardo DaVinci, the Salvator Mundi, that was the first one discovered in more than a 100-years and after being sold for a crazy amount of money, it goes missing. Art trading is a world of rich elites but there’s also a significant black market for valuable artifacts. So, I’m very intrigued to see where this goes.

What Else is New

Free Guy (Theaters)

Writer(s): Matt Lieberman & Zak Penn, Director: Shawn Levy

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, & Taika Waititi

This is definitely the most high-profile release on the calendar but it’s had an extensive marketing campaign for quite some time, so it doesn’t need that from me. That’s not to say I’m not interested. It looks plenty entertaining and by most accounts, it’s pretty good. So, if you generally like Ryan Reynolds, this looks like the kind of movie that capitalizes on all his strengths. If I had to look for a comparison, it sorta looks like a mix of The Truman Show and Jumanji (2017).

CODA (Theaters & AppleTV+)

Writer & Director: Sian Heder

Starring: Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, & Troy Kotsur

Apple TV has steadily built a collection of quality originals and their latest film fits the brand identity to a tee. Ruby is the only member of her family with hearing and, as the Child of Deaf Adults, she’s torn between her responsibility to her family and her individual dreams of becoming a singer. The trailer makes it look a bit like a TV show but that’s not a negative. I haven’t been disappointed by anything I’ve watched from Apple TV yet.

The East (Theaters)

Writer(s): Jim Taihuttu & Mustafa Duygulu, Director: Jim Taihuttu

Starring: Martijn Lakemeier, Marwan Kenzari, & Jonas Smulders

The story of a group of Dutch troops sent into Indonesia at the end of World War II in order to protect the interests of a Dutch colony. In the process, one soldier begins to question their mission as he sees things with his own eyes. This one looks pretty good, especially if you like war movies.

Naked Singularity (Theaters & VOD)

Writer(s): Chase Palmer & David Matthews, Director: Chase Palmer

Starring: John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, & Ed Skrein

Chase Palmer’s directorial feature debut is based on the book by Sergio de la Pava. The story of a public defender who gets burnt out by a flawed justice system and decides to try his luck on a multi-million-dollar heist is certainly one of the more interesting ideas this week. Palmer’s film has taken it on the chin ratings-wise but, the cast is awesome and the movie looks like it has plenty of personality.

Beckett (Netflix)

Writer: Kevin A. Rice, Director: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino

Starring: John David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holbrook, & Vicky Krieps

Netflix’s latest centers around an American tourist at the center of tragedy and conspiracy while on vacation in Greece. This is another one that’s been on the negative side of the early reviews but suspenseful thrillers like this usually play pretty well and the cast is strong too. Since going to theaters may not be an option for many, this could be a good alternative for those looking to stay home.


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