I see that the major studios are doing that thing they did last year where every major release gets its own weekend to spin the box office roulette wheel. Inside Out 2 should do well and it doesn’t have much competition from its release mates because this weekend is loaded with mostly indies and small releases. There’s some stuff I want to see, so let’s get to it.
New In Theaters
Inside Out 2
Director(s): Kelsey Mann | Writer(s): Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein, Kelsey Mann
Stars (voices): Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman
I liked the first one and in a world where there are a lot of unwarranted cash-grab sequels, the complexity of the emotional spectrum lends itself to more fertile territory than the other hollowed-out IPs. Plus, it’s more accessible to a broad audience. I’m in.
Tuesday (Expands)
Written & Directed by: Daina Oniunas-Pusic
Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Arinzé Kene, Lola Petticrew
I’m behind JLD in whatever she does and I’m always excited to see her get feature film opportunities. Maybe a more straightforward drama about a mother losing her daughter to illness would be slightly less intriguing but we’re getting a talking bird to guide us through this grief. I’m not sure why, but I like it. Let’s go!
Limited Release
The Last Breath (Jun 12th)
Director(s): Joachim Hedén | Writer(s): Andrew Prendergast, Nick Saltrese
Stars: Julian Sands, Alexander Arnold, Jack Parr
You know it’s summer by the arrival of shark-bait movies. Last week we got Under Paris which I’ve heard is a lot of fun, and this one seems to take itself seriously and intelligently enough to be aware of the pitfalls of lesser shark movies. Whether or not it works remains to be seen, but I’m not dismissing it out of hand like a lot of others I can see are bad at a distance.
Cora Bora
Director(s): Hannah Pearl Utt| Writer(s): Rhianon Jones
Stars: Manny Jacinto, Chelsea Peretti, Megan Stalter
For a movie that uses pull quotes like “hilarious,” the trailer is missing the funny part. That’s not to say it isn’t good. It just strikes me as more of a quirky indie drama that uses humor to disarm the audience while the real goal is more of a catharsis.
Firebrand
Director(s): Karim Aïnouz| Writer(s): Henrietta Ashworth, Jessica Ashworth, Elizabeth Fremantle, Rosanne Flynn
Stars: Alicia Vikander, Eddie Marsan, Jude Law
I have been pretty over period pieces like this for the last few years but that might be because they don’t have Alicia Vikander as Katherine Parr and Jude Law as King Henry VIII. It’s simple, just gimme some sexy star power if we have to go back.
Fresh Kills
Written & Directed by: Jennifer Esposito
Stars: Jennifer Esposito, Odessa A’Zion, Annabella Sciorra, Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenick Lombardozzi might be channeling James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano here, but I’m not opposed. It’s cool to see Jennifer Esposito’s feature debut as both writer and director, and she stars in it too. It’s easy for me to get behind something like this. I’m in.
Latency
Written & Directed by: James Croke
Stars: Sasha Luss, Alexis Ren
This kind of movie is my bread and butter. My wife calls it “Sci-fi porn”. It’s typically low-budget/high-concept stuff and this fits the bill perfectly. It’s a two-person cast focused on an interesting idea. I am so on board with this!
Summer Solstice
Written & Directed by: Noah Schamus
Stars: Kennan Jolliff, Yaron Lotan, Bobbi Salvör Menuez
There’s not a ton to chew on here, but remember what I said about that quirky indie-drama tone…not quite a comedy, but some laughs along the way. There’s not even a plot summary or tagline for this, so you’ll have to use your imagination.
Naked Acts (re-release)
Written & Directed by: Bridgett M. Davis
Stars: Jake-Ann Jones, Ron Cephas Jones, Patricia DeArcy
This year, 2024, is the year of the re-release. It seems like we get one each week and that’s a good thing in my book, especially with the doom and gloom box office reporters. I say let’s just take a year off from new movies for an entire year and only show re-releases. A lot of truth is said in jest but, in all seriousness, it’s good for films like this to get another moment in the sunlight.
Ghostlight
Director(s): Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson | Writer(s): Kelly O’Sullivan
Stars: Keith Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen
This is another one of those indie dramas I’ve mentioned a couple of times, but this trailer showcases some of the humor that can make this worthwhile. The goal is to get to something serious behind the laughter and this one looks compelling on both fronts.
The Grab
Written & Directed by: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Stars: Ertharin Cousin, Lee Gunn, Nathan Halverson
Unfortunately, I have heard about this stuff happening all over the world already and in my home state of California as well. While the stories were out there, they didn’t get much daylight. Now, we’re looking at a global conspiracy that is sure to make everyone who is already struggling even angrier and more depressed. Yay! It does look good though and it’s important to be informed.
Bad Behaviour (+VOD)
Written & Directed by: Alice Englert
Stars: Jennifer Connelly, Alice Englert, Ben Whishaw
It’s crazy to think we are getting an interesting, original movie, with Jennifer Connelly in the lead and it’s relegated to VOD purgatory. It will probably have a small release window in big markets, but this is the kind of movie that should have a footprint. The cast is solid and Alice Englert is coming off some solid profile projects and stepping into her directorial debut. I’m here for it though.
Reverse the Curse (+VOD)
Written & Directed by: David Duchovny
Stars: David Duchovny, Stephanie Beatriz, Pamela Adlon, Logan Marshall-Green
Speaking of movies that shouldn’t be relegated to the co-release VOD market. David Duchovny writing, directing, and starting in this one is all I need. I’m in. It is odd that both this and the aforementioned Bad Behaviour would fall into the indie drama territory, but the cast does a lot for said projects. And so does a good trailer.
Ride (+VOD)
Director(s): Jake Allyn | Writer(s): Jake Alyn, Josh Plasse
Stars: C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish, Jake Allyn
I spend all this money on monthly subscriptions for movie theaters and streaming services, but it looks like I may have to consider the straight-to-VOD market with a little more seriousness. It’s not like bull riding is my thing, but this looks more compelling than a lot of what is out there.
Treasure
Director(s): Julia von Heinz | Writer(s): Julia von Heinz, John Quester, Lily Brett
Stars: Lena Dunham, Stephen Frym André Hennicke
I guess the industry collectively decided to release all these comedy/dramas together in the same week. I like Stephen Fry enough to roll the dice, but it’s not high on the pecking order.
International Marketplace
Queendom
Director: Agniia Galdanova
Stars: Jenna Marvin
The visual fingerprint of this movie looks incredible and the subject matter has gravity. That’s really all I need. I’m in.
Face Off 7: One Wish
Written & Directed by: Ly Hai
Stars: Tram Anh, Truong Minh Cuong, Tran Kim Hai
An interesting look at family responsibility and parenthood. I highly doubt this is anywhere I can see it, but I’ll keep an eye out.
Just the Two of Us
Director(s): Valérie Donzelli | Writer(s): Audrey Diwan, Valérie Donzelli, Éric Reinhardt
Stars: Virginie Efira, Melvil Poupaud, Dominiquw Reymond
We need more sexy thrillers in our lives.
Streaming & Digital
Ultraman: Rising (Netflix)
Director(s): Shannon Tindle, John Aoshima | Writer(s): Shannon Tindle, Marc Haimes
Stars: Christopher Sean, Rob Fukuzaki, Hiro Nakamura
What a time to be a fan! The Netflix Ultraman series was really good, so I hope we continue that trend. The animation looks great and I’ll watch it either way, but I like making the character ton a little more like a Peter Parker type. It should make him more accessible.
Maharaj (Netflix)
Director(s): Malhotra P. Siddharth | Writer(s): Sneha Desai, Vipul Mehta, Bernard Williams
Stars: Junaid Khan, Jaideeo Ahlawat, Shalini Pandey
Okay, I’m digging the synth vibes of the music for this trailer. Reading the description does not align with how wild this movie actually looks. I didn’t expect to be interested in the “historic court case” movie, but wow. I’m in!
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