Coming off of a jam-packed release weekend, there isn’t a whole lot on deck but that doesn’t mean that the quality isn’t there. One of the most anticipated films of the year drops this weekend so, let’s get to it.
*Nope (Theaters) – Editor’s Pick*
Written & Directed by: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun
Jordan Peele’s track record is firmly established at this point. This is only his third project as director but his name already carries a lot of weight in terms of brand recognition. Normally, the highest-profile releases of any given week don’t end up as my Editor’s Pick because, normally, that kind of stuff isn’t geared towards me. However, I love the sci-fi and horror genres and seeing them both come together for this film uniquely interests me. The idea got my attention and the cast helped drive home my interest, so it’s been nice to hear so many positives surrounding this title so far.
Alone Together (Theaters)
Written & Directed by: Katie Holmes
Starring: Katie Holmes, Jim Sturgess, and Derek Luke
This is the second feature project for writer/director Katie Holmes, and like her first film (All We Had) she stars in this one as well. A woman shows up to her Airbnb rental at the start of the Covid pandemic to find someone else already there. If that sounds like the beginning of a horror film, that’s because a very similar setup was used in Gone in the Night which got my Editor’s Pick last week. Anyway, this one skews more romance than rom-com and that more adult approach offers something that’s hopefully less generic. I won’t rush to the theaters for it, but I am more amenable to seeing this that I would have been at face value alone.
My Old School (Theaters)
Written & Directed by: Jono McLeod
Starring: Alan Cumming, Lulu, and Dawn Steele
If there weren’t a sci-fi/horror film coming out that I was interested in, this would be my Editor’s Pick for the week. This docu-drama tells the story of Brandon Lee. A 16-year-old enrolled at a secondary school in Scotland who was not at all who he claimed to be. According to the trailer, Lee refused to be filmed so we are treated to the lip-sync performance of Alan Cumming. The combination of styles on display from Jono McLeod just looks like such a fun and unique way to tell this story, and who doesn’t enjoy a good mystery.
The Nan Movie (Theaters + VOD)
Writers: Cathering Tate, Brett Goldstein
Starring: Catherine Tate, Mathew Horne, and Katherine Parkinson
I know nothing about this other than it reminds me of The Tracy Ullman Show. It’s cool to see Brett Goldstein is one of the writers, but I’ll let someone else fill you in:
Does anyone in the US even know who this “Nan” is or anything about her comedy? She is from a BBC spin-off series of specials following the character “Joannie Taylor” from the original sketch comedy series “The Catherine Tate Show”. The movie is “an origin story that mixes Nan’s present with her past where we finally find out what’s made her the cantankerous old b*****d she is today.”
Alex Billington of FirstShowing.net
What Else Is New…
The Gray Man (Netflix debut)
Writers: Joe Russo and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, Mark Greany (book)
Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas
Considering the star power involved in the project, including Billy Bob Thorton, Jessica Henwick, and Alfre Woodard, the word through The Gray Man‘s theatrical release week was primarily meh. Fortunately, you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg to find out if that’s true as it lands on Netflix this weekend.
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