Disney has the box office in a stranglehold this month with Guardians 3 and now The Little Mermaid remake. However, it’s a very strong week for streaming services as they look to offer theater alternatives.
New In Theaters
The Little Mermaid
Director: Rob Marshall | Writers: David Magee, John Musker
Stars: Halle Bailey, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King
The latest Disney remake is at least six years in the making as Rob Marshall signed on to direct in 2017. This “live-action” remake of The Little Mermaid looks like it has a ton of CGI, so it’s only more live-action than the all-digital The Lion King. I get it, it’s a necessity for telling this story, but the branding is a tad disingenuous. I will see this out of morbid curiosity more than anything else because there is potential for it to be a breathtaking experience if nothing else.
The Machine
Director: Peter Atencio | Writers: Kevin Biegel, Scotty Landes
Stars: Bert Kreischer, Mark Hamill, Martyn Ford
I have a pretty adept sense of humor but I’m not a fan of Bert Kreischer’s comedy. That said, it’s interesting to see that he isn’t a writer on this. The selling point for me is Mark Hamill letting loose in a rated-R comedy. This is not the theatrical experience I am looking for, so I’ll likely wait until it inevitably hits streaming.
About My Father
Director: Laura Terruso | Writers: Austen Earl, Sebastian Maniscalco
Stars: Robert DeNiro, Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb
On the other side of the coin from The Machine, this is a project where comedian Sebastian Maniscalco (who I do like) helped write the movie loosely based on his own life. So, at least I can trust that the comedy and the characters are coming from the right place, whether or not it ultimately works. I dunno which comedy I’d lean towards if I had to but I probably won’t see either in theaters.
Kandahar
Director: Ric Roman Waugh | Writer: Mitchell MaFortune
Stars: Gerard Butler, Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal
It’s Gerard Butler, so you know that there’s going to be fast-paced action and intensity. Plane, which already showcased Butler in 2023, fit that bill pretty well and was much more engaging and entertaining than I thought possible. This seems kind of in the same vein as The Covenant and is based on Mitchell LaFortune’s experiences rather than being set in real conflict but not based on an actual event. Seems like the kind of movie that is made for theaters.
Limited Release
We Might As Well Be Dead (May 22nd)
Director: Natalia Sinelnikova | Writer: Viktor Gallandi, Natalia Sinelnikova
Stars: Ioana Iacob, Pola Geiger, Jörg Schüttauf
I’ve watched the trailer for this a handful of times and am still not quite sure what I am looking at. However, the music gives off some creepy vibes, and reading a little about the plot makes me much more intrigued than I would have been. Why everyone is carrying golf clubs remains to be seen.
*You Hurt My Feelings – Editor’s Pick*
Written & Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias. Menzies, Amber Tamblyn, David Cross
Much more than the other two titles on the list, this is a comedy that speaks my language. A lot of that is Julia Louis-Dreyfus who has been a comedy icon on-screen for at least 30 years. This looks like a more measured, adult approach to humor that isn’t played for punchlines but rather infuses it into the infused into the identity of the situation. JLD plays a novelist who is struggling to have a voice in the modern world and she overhears her husband sharing his honest opinion on her work. It’s definitely more drama heavy than the other two comedies I named so far, but I have come to like that approach more and more as I’ve gotten older. I’ve seen the trailer several times and I am definitely on board to see it this weekend if I can.
The Wrath of Becky
Directors: Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote
Writers: Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote, Nick Morris
Stars: Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, Denise Burse
Lulu Wilson is back and she’s been training to reprise her role as Becky. I really enjoyed the first film a lot and I like that this one isn’t interested in much of a departure. It’s basically the same premise again but it’s Proud Boys this time and there’s a little John Wick thrown in as they kidnap the dog. I expect all the bloody fun from the first and I’m excited to see Seann William Scott as the villain here. If it’s available, I’m going.
Will-o’-the-Wisp
Director: João Pedro Rodrigues
Writers: João Pedro Rodrigues, João Rui Guerra da Mta, Paulo Lopes Graça
Stars: Mauro Costa, André Cabral, Margarida Vila-Nova
I saw the words gay fireman musical and still didn’t expect what I saw in the trailer. The year is 2069 and climate change is raging as the child of the deposed Portuguese Royal Family is joining the brigade. I dunno where this story is headed but, at just 67 minutes, does it matter? It looks colorful and funny.
MobKing
Director: Jokes Yanes | Writer: Jokes Yanes, Michael Villar, J. Bishop
Stars: James Russo, Robert LaSardo, Oksana Lada
Robert LaSardo would be my primary reason to see this because he was so much fun in Johnny & Clyde but I don’t think I ever even saw him in the trailer. What I did see was something that I’m surprised is heading to theaters at all. If you are really into mob movies as a genre maybe there is something there, but I don’t think I am ever going to watch this one.
The Hole in the Fence
Director: Joaquin del Paso | Writer: Lucy Pawlak, Joaquin del Paso
Stars: Valeria Lamm, Lucciano Kurti, Eric David Walker
It’s interesting to see a film coming out of Mexico that seems to condemn Christianity or, at the very least, this particular religiously affiliated boarding school. There is some haunting imagery but it’s the themes of suppression, violence, peer pressure, and a cult-like mindset that is really frightening.
Close to Vermeer
Director: Suzanne Raes
Stars: Pieter Roelofs, Jonathan Janson, Gregor J.M. Weber
The first of two art documentaries on deck, Close to Vermeer focuses on the works of Johannes Vermeer and the curator of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam as he looks to put on the painter’s largest exhibition ever. Such a monumental task also revealed some secrets. For that reason, I’m not familiar enough with Vermeer to be interested in it, but maybe I should watch The Last Vermeer from 2019 first.
White Balls on Walls
Written & Directed by: Sarah Vos
In the second art and museum doc of the weekend, the question of inclusivity comes up at a different museum…in Amsterdam too, no less. This one appears to be broader, topically, and I am curious to see how other countries tackle this question.
Werckmeister Harmonies (4K Restoration)
Director: Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky
Writers: László Krasznahorkai, Béla Tarr, Péter Dobai
Stars: Lars Rudolph, Peter Fitz, Hanna Schygulla
This new 4K restoration comes on an odd 23-year anniversary, but it’s cool to see movies from the 2000s era getting this level of respect and treatment. Shot in glorious black-and-white, a young man bears witness to the volatile attitudes of his small Hungarian town when a trophy whale is displayed like a circus act. See it if you can.
Streaming & Digital
Blood & Gold (Netflix)
Director: Peter Thorwarth | Writer: Stefan Barth
Stars: Robert Maaser, Jördis Triebel, Alexander Scheer
I guess Nazis and gold are a popular theme this year. This one isn’t played for the same level of brutality as we saw with Sisu but I can totally see this one capitalizing on a similar vibe. There’s also a soldier seeking revenge so, at the very least, they are spiritual siblings. I wouldn’t want it to be too similar anyway, so seeing the tone be a tad more comedic is refreshing too. A solid couch-watch option.
Reality (Max)
Director: Tina Satter | Writer: Tina Satter, James Paul Dallas
Stars: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis
This was not expected out of a movie with this title and Sydney Sweeney in the lead, but I am glad because this looks much more interesting than what I was imagining. A former US intelligence specialist is investigated for releasing certain information. If I don’t get out to theaters this weekend, it’s good to know I have options.
Victim/Suspect (Netflix)
Director: Nancy Schwartzman
Stars: Rachel de Leon, Amanda Pike
If you didn’t like the police using bullying tactics to push their own narratives, get ready to get even more upset. This documentary focuses on women who told police they are the victims of sexual assault only to be charged with filing a false report and even arrested.
Days of Daisy (VOD/Digital)
Director: Alexander Jeffrey | Writer: Paul Petersen, Alexander Jeffrey
Stars: Wanetah Walmsley, Maddie Nichols, Lo Graham
What does starting a relationship in your late-30s look like? Well, it’s not as clean and tidy as traditional rom-coms tend to make it look because priorities are a lot different at that age. I wish the trailer itself was funnier, especially for a comedy, but it looks much more like a light-hearted drama with some humor.
Being Mary Tyler Moore (Max)
Director: James Adolphus| Writer: James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, Susan Silver
Stars: Mary Tyler Moore, James L. Brooks, Rob Reiner
A look back at the career and the impact of Mary Tyler Moore as both a performer and as something of a revolutionary who changed the portrayal of women in the media. I don’t know much about her but I am interested to check this one out.
Influencer (Shudder)
Director: Kurtis David Harder | Writer: Tesh Guttikonda, Kurtis David Harder
Stars: Sara Canning, Emily Tennant, Cassandra Naud
This is what I thought the Sydney Sweeney movie was going to be. I think we have collectively had enough of influencer culture so turning it into a horror film seems appropriate. I don’t think it’s the first, and it probably won’t be the last, but the freedom to watch this from my couch late at night is a huge bonus.
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