Movies Of The Spirit -

NEW MOVIES: May 22-28, 2025, “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “The Last Rodeo,” “The New Boy”

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a 2025 American action spy film directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. The sequel to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), it is the eighth and final installment in the Mission: Impossible film series.^[6]^[7] Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett reprise their roles from the previous films.^[8]^[9]

In January 2019, Cruise announced that the seventh and eighth Mission: Impossible films would be shot back-to-back, with McQuarrie co-writing and directing both films. Plans for the eighth film later changed in February 2021. Returning and new cast members were announced soon after, including Lorne Balfe, who composed the score for two other films in the franchise, returning to score Final Reckoning. However, Balfe later left the production and was replaced by his longtime collaborators Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey. Filming began in March 2022 in the United Kingdom, with other filming locations including Malta, South Africa, and Norway. Production was halted in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, resumed in March 2024, and concluded in November 2024. The film, originally titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, dropped its subtitle in October 2023, and the new subtitle was announced in November 2024. With an estimated budget of $300–400 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made.

The Final Reckoning had its world premiere in Tokyo on May 5, 2025, was screened out of competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 14, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on May 23 by Paramount Pictures. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

IMF agents Ethan Hunt and Grace pursue Gabriel, an agent working for the Entity artificial intelligence. Instead, Gabriel captures them and coerces Ethan into retrieving the core module, revealed to be the “Rabbit’s Foot”^[a], from the sunken Russian submarine Sevastopol for him, which would give him control over the Entity’s source code. Ethan and Grace escape with the aid of IMF agent Benji Dunn and new recruits Paris and Theo Degas. They discover a device that Gabriel used to communicate with the Entity, which shows Ethan a vision of a coming nuclear apocalypse. Ethan realizes the Entity needs access to a secure digital bunker in South Africa to ensure its survival.

Ethan sends his team to retrieve the Sevastopol‘s coordinates, while he rejoins Luther Stickell to disarm a nuclear device Gabriel planted in London. Luther reveals that he developed a malware for the Entity called the Poison Pill, but Gabriel has stolen it. Sacrificing himself, Luther stays behind to stop the bomb. Ethan then surrenders to U.S. President Erika Sloane, who urges cooperation due to the Entity’s escalating control over global nuclear systems. With only four days before it launches global strikes, Ethan convinces Sloane to let him act independently to locate the Sevastopol, against CIA Director Eugene Kittridge‘s objections.

Cast

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt: An IMF agent and leader of a team of operatives.
Hayley Atwell as Grace: A former thief turned IMF agent and Ethan’s ally.^[10]
Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell: An IMF computer technician, Ethan’s best friend, and a team member.
Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn: An IMF technical field agent, member of Ethan’s team, and close friend.
Esai Morales as Gabriel: An assassin with ties to Ethan’s past before the IMF, who acts as the Entity’s liaison.
Pom Klementieff as Paris: A French assassin betrayed by Gabriel and became Ethan’s ally to kill Gabriel.
Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge: The former director of the IMF in the first film, who is now the director of the CIA in Dead Reckoning.
Angela Bassett as Erika Sloane: The former CIA director, now President of the United States. Bassett returns from Fallout.
Holt McCallany as Serling Bernstein, The Secretary of Defense
Janet McTeer as Walters, The Secretary of State
Nick Offerman as General Sidney: The Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman.
Hannah Waddingham^[11]^[12] as Rear Admiral Neely, the head of an aircraft carrier.^[13]
Shea Whigham as Jasper Briggs/Jim Phelps Jr: A US Intelligence agent assigned to track down Ethan and his team. Son of Ethan’s former team leader turned nemesis, Jim Phelps.^[14]
Greg Tarzan Davis as Theo Degas: A US Intelligence agent and Briggs’ former partner assigned to track Ethan and his team down. He joins Ethan’s team in this film.
Charles Parnell as Richards, the DNI, and head of the NRO.
Tramell Tillman as Captain Bledsoe,^[15] the commander of a rescue submarine^[16]
^{Rolf Saxon as William Donloe, a CIA analyst, last seen in the first film, is being transferred to Alaska.[17]}
Lucy Tulugarjuk as Tapeesa, Donloe’s wife^[18]
Pasha D. Lychnikoff as Captain Koltsov
Tommie Earl Jenkins as Colonel Burdick
Mariela Garriga as Marie: A woman from Ethan and Gabriel’s past.^[19]
Katy O’Brian^[20] as Kodiak
Mark Gatiss as Angstrom, Head of the NSA
Stephen Oyoung as Pills, a naval soldier on board the submarine.^[21]

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LILO & STITCH

Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated science fiction comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures.^[3]^[4] It was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois in their directorial debuts and produced by Clark Spencer, based on an original story created by Sanders. It stars Daveigh Chase and Sanders as the voices of the title characters, with the voices of Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, Zoe Caldwell, and Kevin Michael Richardson in supporting roles. It was the second of three Disney animated feature films produced primarily at the Florida animation studio in Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida.^[5]^[d]

The film tells the story of two individuals: an orphaned Hawaiian girl named Lilo Pelekai, who is raised by her struggling older sister, Nani, after their parents’ deaths, and the genetically engineered extraterrestrial creature Experiment 626, who Lilo adopts as her “dog” and renames “Stitch”. Stitch, who was designed to cause chaos and destruction, initially uses Lilo to avoid recapture by an intergalactic federation. They develop a close bond through the Hawaiian concept of ʻohana, or extended family, causing Stitch to reconsider his intended destructive purpose to keep his newfound family together.

The film is based on an idea by Sanders, who originally conceived Stitch in 1985, and the film’s design and aesthetics are based on his personal art style. Stitch was initially at the center of a children’s book Sanders had conceptualized, but later abandoned. A feature-length film starring the character entered development in 1997 when Thomas Schumacher, then the president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, approached Sanders intending to produce “the Dumbo for our generation.” The use of watercolor backgrounds hearkened back to early Disney productions such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The film and its accompanying soundtrack extensively used the music of Elvis Presley, while Alan Silvestri composed the film’s score.

Lilo & Stitch premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 16, 2002, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 21. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its story, humor, charm, and originality. Produced on an $80 million budget and promoted with a marketing campaign that played up its oddities, it was a box-office success, grossing over $273 million worldwide. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards but lost to Spirited Away.^[6]^[7] The film’s success highlighted Disney’s post-animation renaissance era in the 2000s, spawning a franchise that includes three direct-to-video film sequels and three television series. A live-action adaptation is set to be released in 2025.

Plot

On planet Turo, the United Galactic Federation convicts evil scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba of illegal genetic experimentation; he has created Experiment 626, an aggressive and near-indestructible creature with advanced learning capabilities. 626 is sentenced to exile on a desert asteroid, but he escapes and hijacks a space cruiser that crash-lands on Kauaʻi, Hawaii, on the planet Earth. Shortly after landing on Earth, 626 is hit by three passing trucks and taken to an animal shelter. The Federation’s Grand Councilwoman offers Jumba an early release if he retrieves 626 with the assistance of the council’s Earth expert, Agent Pleakley.

On Kauaʻi, orphaned teenager Nani Pelekai struggles to take care of her lonely, rambunctious younger sister, Lilo, following their parents’ death in a car crash. Social worker Cobra Bubbles doubts Nani can be a guardian for Lilo and threatens to place Lilo in foster care if the Pelekais’ situation fails to improve. After overhearing Lilo, who wishes for a friend, Nani brings her to the animal shelter to adopt a dog. Lilo adopts 626, who is impersonating a dog, and names him “Stitch”. Stitch causes chaos at the lūʻau where Nani works while trying to avoid capture by Jumba and Pleakley. Nani’s boss blames Nani for the chaos, and she is fired. The news of Nani’s unemployment reaches Bubbles, who orders Nani to find a new job and tells Lilo to teach Stitch to be a “model citizen”.

Voice cast

Daveigh Chase as Lilo Pelekai, an eccentric young Hawaiian girl on the island of Kauaʻi who adopts Stitch as her pet dog.
Chris Sanders^[b] as Stitch, also known as Experiment 626, is a blue koala-like illegal genetic experiment that can create untold chaos.
Tia Carrere as Nani Pelekai, Lilo’s older sister and legal guardian.
Jason Scott Lee as David Kawena, Nani’s hapless surfer boyfriend.
David Ogden Stiers as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, a Kweltikwan mad scientist employed by Galaxy Defense Industries who created Stitch.
Kevin McDonald as Agent Pleakley, a Plorgonarian Galactic Federation agent who acts as the expert on Earth.
Ving Rhames as Cobra Bubbles, a social worker in charge of Lilo’s welfare and Nani’s duties as her guardian.
Kevin Michael Richardson as Captain Gantu, the respected but arrogant Shaelik second-in-command of the Galactic Federation.
Zoe Caldwell is the Grand Councilwoman and the Grey leader of the Galactic Federation.
Miranda Paige Walls as Mertle Edmonds, Lilo’s classmate from their hālau hula who despises and derides her.
Kunewa Mook as Moses Puloki, Lilo’s hula teacher.
Amy Hill as Mrs. Hasagawa, an elderly woman who runs a fruit stand.
Susan Hegarty as the Rescue Lady, who runs the animal shelter where Lilo adopts Stitch.

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THE LAST RODEO

The Last Rodeo is an upcoming American drama film written and directed by Jon Avnet. It stars Neal McDonough (who is also a co-writer and producer), Mykelti Williamson, Christopher McDonald, Sarah Jones, and Daylon Swearingen.

Film synopsis

A retired rodeo legend risks it all to save his grandson. Facing his own painful past and his family’s fears, he enters a high-stakes bull-riding competition as the oldest contestant ever. Along the way, he reconciles old wounds with his estranged daughter, proving that true courage is found in the fight for family.

Release Date

May 23, 2025

Director

Jon Avnet

Producers

Jon Avnet

Kip Konwiser

Neal McDonough

Ruve McDonough

Writers

Jon Avnet

Derek Presley

Neal McDonough

Cast

Neal McDonough as Joe Wainright
Ruvé McDonough as Rose Wainright
Mykelti Williamson as Charlie Williams
Christopher McDonald as Jimmy Mack
Sarah Jones as Sally Wainright
Daylon Swearingen as Billy Hamilton

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THE NEW BOY

The New Boy is a 2023 Australian drama film written and directed by Warwick Thornton. It stars Aswan Reid as the title character, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, and Cate Blanchett, who also produced the film. The film follows a young Aboriginal Australian orphan boy who is brought into a Christian monastery run by a renegade nun, where he begins to question his faith and loyalty to his heritage.

The film premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023 and was theatrically released in Australia on 6 July 2023 by Roadshow Films. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

In the Australian outback in the mid-1940s, a nameless nine-year-old orphan boy, Aboriginal except that he has some fair hair, strangles a white horseman. Another horseman fells the boy with a boomerang; then the boy is taken in at a remote monastery for raising Aboriginal boys. The monastery is seemingly run by a male priest, who has been dead for a year without anyone appearing to know the cause. The lead nun, Sister Eileen, claims to outsiders that the priest is still alive and forges letters to create this impression. Eileen is supported in her work and her deception by a fellow nun who goes by the nickname “Sister Mum” and a man named George, both of whom are Aboriginal and assimilated to Christian beliefs. Though times are difficult, the nuns care for the boys and desire to protect them through Christian teachings and shared manual work. The boys are not provided with knowledge of Aboriginal values, language, or practices. Their fate is to be forced to leave early and be employed as farmhands. Sister Mum is implied to have converted to Christianity due to the loss of her two children, while George lives a secure life at the monastery.

The orphan boy, nicknamed the “New Boy,” initially struggles to fit in with the other boys. He is incapable of speaking or understanding English and lacks any desire for Western behaviour, such as footwear and clothing. After a period of bullying, the New Boy gradually asserts himself physically and emotionally and becomes accepted by everyone. Throughout this process, the New Boy is shown to possess mysterious supernatural abilities to conjure small balls of light and to heal sick animals and humans.

Cast

Aswan Reid as New Boy
Cate Blanchett as Sister Eileen
Deborah Mailman as Sister Mum
Wayne Blair as George
Shane McKenzie-Brady as Michael
Tyrique Brady as Matthew
Laiken Beau Woolmington as David
Kailem Miller as Steven
Kyle Miller as James
Tyzailin Roderick as Henry
Tyler Rockman Spencer as Johnny
Andrew Upton and Tyson Pawley as Firefighters

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5/20/2025 #MissionImpossible:TheFinalReckoning #Lilo&Stitch #TheLastRodeo #TheNewBoy

NEW MOVIES: May 15-21, 2025, “Final Destination Bloodlines,” “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,” “E. 1027 Eileen Gray – The House by the Sea”

FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES

Final Destination Bloodlines is a 2025 American supernatural horror film directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein and written by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor, based on a story developed by them and Jon Watts. It is the sixth installment in the Final Destination film series and a direct sequel to The Final Destination (2009). The film stars Kaitlyn Santa Juana as a college student who inherits her grandmother’s sudden premonition about the collapse of a tower years ago and tries to save her entire family after they start dying one by one. Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, and Tony Todd appear in supporting roles.

After the commercial success of Final Destination 5 (2011), the film entered development and was described as a “re-imagining” of the franchise. In March 2020, series producer Craig Perry said the film would be set “in the world of first responders,” but in October, series creator Jeffrey Reddick confirmed it was the sixth main film in the franchise. Filming took place in Vancouver, as did most previous installments.

Final Destination Bloodlines will be released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on May 16, 2025. It has received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

In 1968, Iris Campbell and her fiancé Paul attend the opening ceremony of the Sky View Restaurant Tower. At the dance party, Iris is struck by a premonition in which a chandelier’s shard cracks the glass floor beneath the guests while a gas heater leaks and ignites a massive explosion, leading to the tower’s collapse and killing everyone.

Fifty-six years later, college student Stefani Reyes has nightmares about the collapse. Encouraged by her roommate, Val, Stefani travels home for answers and is greeted by her father, Marty, and her brother, Charlie. The siblings visit their uncle Howard, aunt Brenda, and cousins Erik, Julia, and Bobby. When Stefani asks Howard about Iris, her maternal grandmother, he explains that she not only subjected him and Stefani’s mother, Darlene, to a paranoid childhood of overprotection but also became reclusive and caused Darlene to leave them. Brenda gives Stefani letters Iris sent to Howard, and she goes to a fortified cabin in the woods where Iris resides.

Iris explains to Stefani that she disrupted Death‘s plan by warning Paul and the other guests to leave the glass floor before it broke. In response, the tower never collapsed, but Death began killing the survivors and their descendants generation after generation for being lives that should never have existed. Paul was among the casualties of the accident, and Iris compiled information about the omens in a book. Though Stefani does not seem to believe her, Iris leaves her cabin to give Stefani the book and prove her claims, as a chain reaction causes a weather vane to fatally impale Iris through her mouth.

Cast

Kaitlyn Santa Juana as Stefani Reyes, a college student haunted by nightmares of a 1968 tower collapse^[4]^[5]
Teo Briones as Charlie Reyes, Stefani’s younger brother^[6]^[5]
Richard Harmon as Erik Campbell, one of Stefani’s cousins^[6]
Owen Patrick Joyner as Bobby Campbell, one of Stefani’s cousins^[6]
Rya Kihlstedt as Darlene Campbell, Stefani and Charlie’s estranged mother and Iris’ daughter^[6]^[5]
Anna Lore as Julia Campbell, one of Stefani’s cousins^[6]
Gabrielle Rose as Iris Campbell, Stefani’s grandmother, who had a premonition in 1968^[7]
- Brec Bassinger as young Iris Campbell^[7]
Tony Todd as William Bludworth^[4]
- Jayden Oniah as young William Bludworth
Tinpo Lee as Marty Reyes, Stefani’s father^[7]^[5]
April Telek as Brenda Campbell, Stefani’s aunt^[7]
Alex Zahara as Howard Campbell, Stefani’s uncle and Iris’ son^[7]
Max Lloyd-Jones as Paul Campbell, Iris’ husband^[7]
Brenna Llewellyn as Val, Stefani’s college roommate^[7]
Yvette Ferguson as Mrs. Fuller, an elderly woman present in the tower’s collapse in 1968^[8]
Mark Brandon as Mr. Fuller, an elderly man present in the tower’s collapse in 1968^[7]

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HURRY UP TOMORROW

Hurry Up Tomorrow is an upcoming American musical psychological thriller film directed and edited by Trey Edward Shults. The film serves as a companion to Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye‘s sixth studio album of the same name, which was produced in conjunction with the film. Shults wrote the screenplay with Tesfaye and Reza Fahim, who also produced the film with Kevin Turen and Harrison Kreiss. The film stars Tesfaye as a fictionalized version of himself, an insomniac musician on the verge of a mental breakdown who is pulled into an existential odyssey by a mysterious stranger. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan also star.

The film will be released worldwide by Lionsgate on May 16, 2025.

Cast

Abel Tesfaye as Abel / The Weeknd
Jenna Ortega as Anima
Barry Keoghan as Lee

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JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (French: Jane Austen a gâché ma vie) is a 2024 French romantic comedy film written and directed by Laura Piani.

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024. ^[2]It was released in France on 22 January 2025 and is set to be released in the United States by Sony Pictures Classics on May 23, 2025.

Cast

Camille Rutherford as Agathe Robinson
Pablo Pauly as Félix
Charlie Anson as Oliver
Annabelle Lengronne as Chéryl
Liz Crowther as Beth
Alan Fairbairn as Todd
Lola Peploe as Olympia

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E. 1027 EILEEN GRAY & THE HOUSE BY THE SEA

Documentary drama based on a true story.

E.1027 is a cinematic journey into the mind of Eileen Gray. A story about the power of female expression and men’s desire to control it.

Directors
- Beatrice Minger
- Christoph Schaub
Writer
- Beatrice Minger
Stars

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5-13-2025 #FinalDestinationsBloodlines #HurryUpTomorrow #JaneAustenWreckedMyLife #E.1027EileenGrayandtheHousebytheSea

NEW MOVIES: May 8-14, 2025, “Fight or Flight,” “Shadow Force,” “Lilly,” “Sharp Corner”

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

Fight or Flight is a 2025 action comedy directed by James Madigan, and written by Brooks McLaren and D. J. Cotrona. It stars Josh Hartnett as a man who is recruited to identity and protect a wanted criminal aboard a commercial airline; Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, and Katee Sackhoff also star. The film was released in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2025, and is scheduled to be in the United States on May 9.

Premise

A mercenary is tasked with a job on an airplane flight.^[2]

Cast

Josh Hartnett as Lucas Reyes
Charithra Chandran as Isha
Julian Kostov as Aaron Hunter
Katee Sackhoff as Katherine Brunt
Marko Zaror as Chayenne
Rebecka Johnston as Rebecca

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SHADOW FORCE

Shadow Force is an upcoming American action thriller directed by Joe Carnahan and co-written by Carnahan and Leon Chills. It stars Kerry Washington, Omar Sy, Mark Strong, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith.

Premise

Kyrah and Isaac were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. However, they broke the rules by falling in love, and they went underground to protect their son, with the rest of the Shadow Force hot on their trail.

Cast

[edit]

Kerry Washington as Kyrah Owens
Omar Sy as Isaac Sarr
Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Auntie Clanter
Method Man as Marcus “Unc” Owens
Mark Strong as Jack Cinder
Jahleel Kamara as Ky Sarr
Krondon as Eddie “Cysgod” Clanter
Natalia Reyes as Moriti Sarr
Yoson An as Varjo
Ed Quinn as Reggie Parker
Jénel Stevens-Thompson as Anino
Marshall Cook as Patrick

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LILLY

Lilly is a 2024 American drama film directed and produced by Rachel Feldman from a screenplay by Feldman and Adam Prince. It stars Patricia Clarkson as Lilly Ledbetter, who battles the court case Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. John Benjamin Hickey and Thomas Sadoski also star.

It premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2024, and is scheduled to be released by Blue Harbor Entertainment on May 9, 2025.

Premise

The movie follows Lilly Ledbetter and the groundbreaking Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. case.

Cast

Patricia Clarkson as Lilly Ledbetter
John Benjamin Hickey as Charles Ledbetter
Thomas Sadoski as Jon Goldfarb
Will Pullen as Phil Ledbetter
Josh McDermitt as Dan McGinty
Deirdre Lovejoy as Jocelyn Samuels
Bethany Anne Lind as Vickie Ledbetter
Keith Brooks as Andy Guthrie
Paul Teal as Timothy Granger
Amy Parrish as Deborah
Rhoda Griffis as Marcia Greenberger
Judd Lormand as Trevor Dawkins
Robert Pralgo as Kent Kohler
Darin Toonder as Jay St. Clair

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SHARP CORNER

Sharp Corner is a 2024 thriller film written and directed by Jason Buxton. Based on the short story by Russell Wangersky, the film stars Ben Foster as Josh McCall, a man who becomes obsessed with saving car accident victims at the sharp road corner near his home.[1] It is produced by Paul Barkin, Marc Tetreault, Jason Levangie, Susan Mullen, and Buxton.

The film also stars Cobie Smulders as Josh’s wife Rachel, William Kosovic as Max, and Gavin Drea, with Alexandra McDonald, Alexandra Castillo, Julia Dyan, Jonathan Watton, Reid Price, Leah Johnston, Andrew Shaver, Mark A. Owen, Bob Mann, Allison Wilson-Forbes, Wayne Burns, Trina Corkum, Gita Miller, Eugene Sampang, David Light, Steve Lawrence, Sebastien Labelle, Stephanie MacDonald, Rena Kossatz, Kevin Kincaid, Emily Jewer, Ryan Willis, and Susan Leblanc-Crawford in supporting roles.

Production

^{Buxton’s second feature film, following Blackbird in 2012 [1], entered the development process in the late 2010s, with its screenplay included in the International Financing Forum at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. [2]}

It was filmed in 2023 in the Halifax, Nova Scotia, area.^[3]

Release

The film was screened for distributors at the 2024 Berlin Film Market ^[4] and premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.^[5]

It was subsequently screened at the 2024 Atlantic International Film Festival, winning the Best Atlantic Canadian Feature and Best Atlantic Canadian Director awards. ^[6]In October 2024, it was showcased at the 19th Rome Film Festival.^[7]

In November 2024, Vertical acquired the United States distribution rights for the film and will release the film theatrically in the second quarter of 2025.^[8]

Critical reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film scores 94%, based on 18 critic reviews with an average rating of 6.5/10.^[9]

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5/6/2025 #FightorFlight #ShadowForce #Lilly #SharpCorner

NEW MOVIES: May 1-7, 2025, “Thunderbolts,” “The Surfer,” “Rosario,” “Rust”

THUNDERBOLTS

Thunderbolts* is a 2025 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the team Thunderbolts. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Jake Schreier from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, and stars an ensemble cast featuring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. In the film, a group of antiheroes are caught in a deadly trap and forced to work together on a dangerous mission.

Marvel Studios first teased the formation of a Thunderbolts team within the MCU in 2021. The film was revealed to be in development in June 2022, when Schreier and Pearson were attached. The main cast was revealed in September, with additional casting through early 2023. Lee Sung Jin joined to rewrite the script by March 2023, one of several creatives who returned to work with Schreier from the Netflix series Beef (2023–present). Production was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, causing some cast changes in early 2024. Calo joined by then for further rewrites. Filming took place from February to June 2024 at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and also on location in Utah and Kuala Lumpur.

Thunderbolts* premiered on April 22, 2025, at the Empire Leicester Square in London, England, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 2, as the final film of Phase Five of the MCU. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Premise

A group of antiheroes are caught in a deadly trap by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and are forced into a dangerous mission that could bring them redemption if they unite as a team.^[3]

Cast

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova:
A member of the Thunderbolts who was trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow assassin.^[4] Pugh said the character has been affected by the traumatic events of recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, including the death of her adoptive sister Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in the film Avengers: Endgame (2019).^[5]
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes:
An enhanced super soldier with a cybernetic arm who is the de facto leader of the Thunderbolts.^[4]^[6] Presumed killed in action during World War II, he reemerged in the present day as a brainwashed assassin before his programming was removed,^[4] and has since been elected as a member of the United States Congress.^[7] Stan compared Barnes to Jack Nicholson‘s character Randle McMurphy in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), saying they were both coming into a chaotic and degenerate group whose members need to be united.^[8]
Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent:
An enhanced super soldier and member of the Thunderbolts. He is a former decorated Captain of the U.S. Army Rangers who was chosen by the U.S. government to become Steve Rogers‘s successor as Captain America before receiving an other than honorable discharge in the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021).^[4]
Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster:
A member of the Thunderbolts with photographic reflexes that allow her to mimic opponents’ fighting styles. She was formerly controlled by her father, Dreykov, to complete missions for the Red Room before being freed by Romanoff in the film Black Widow (2021).^[4]
Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void:
A superpowered individual who suffers from amnesia.^[9] As the Void, a version of Sentry completely shrouded in shadows, he is invincible, spreads darkness, and can turn people into shadows.^[10]
Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s assistant^[11]^[12]
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian:
A member of the Thunderbolts who is the Russian super soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father-figure to Belova.^[4] Harbour said the film further explores the complex relationship between Shostakov and Belova that was introduced in Black Widow. He noted that Belova cannot stand Shostakov, but she needs someone to help her feel complete and Shostakov is able to fill that role.^[13]
Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost:
A member of the Thunderbolts who can phase through objects.^[4] John-Kamen said the film shows a different side of the character following her introduction in the film Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), with Ghost no longer in a constant state of molecular disequilibrium and able to control her powers with calmness and decisiveness.^[14]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine:
A contessa and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),^[4]^[15] who brings together the members of the Thunderbolts.^[3] The film establishes de Fontaine as the one who bought Avengers Tower, now referred to as “Watchtower”, from Tony Stark in the film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).^[16] Louis-Dreyfus described de Fontaine as someone who is “after power, control, and just generally she wants to kick ass in the Marvel Universe”.^[17]

Additionally, Chris Bauer has been cast in an undisclosed role,^[18] while Wendell Edward Pierce portrays a political figure.^[19] Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Weisz are expected to reprise their respective MCU roles as Bill Foster and Melina Vostokoff.^[20] There are conflicting reports about whether Harrison Ford will reprise his role as Thaddeus Ross from the film Captain America: Brave New World (2025).^[21]^[22]

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THE SURFER

The Surfer is a 2024 English-language psychological thriller written by Thomas Martin, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, and starring Nicolas Cage.^[1]^[2]^[3]

A man returns to his childhood beach to surf with his son, but faces a humiliating confrontation with local bullies. The Surfer is a 2024 film directed by Lorcan Finnegan and starring Nicolas Cage, Finn Little, and Rahel Romahn.

The Surfer addresses the failures of perceived masculinity. The protagonist has lost everything he holds dear as a provider. His marriage, career, and authority as a father have crumbled into dust. He believes that reclaiming a source of childhood happiness will somehow fill that void. The Surfer will show his fractured family that he can still do the job and give them palpable security. The loathsome Scally preaches a similar message to the Bay Boys, but with a far more aggressive reach. Men have to be dominant, territorial, and unflinching when challenged. But you must first feel pain and worthlessness to claw your way back to an alpha position.

The Surfer had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024, before its theatrical release by Roadside Attractions on 2 May 2025.

Cast

Nicolas Cage as the Surfer
Julian McMahon as Scally
Nic Cassim as the Bum
Miranda Tapsell as the Photographer
Alexander Bertrand as Pitbull
Justin Rosniak as the Cop
Rahel Romahn as the Estate Agent
Finn Little as the Kid^[4]
Charlotte Maggi as Jenny

Production

Nicolas Cage‘s casting in the film was announced in May 2023.^[5] The film is an Australian and Irish co-production. It was produced by Tea Shop Productions, Arenamedia, Lovely Productions, and Gramercy Park Media, with support from Australia’s Screenwest.^[6] In October and November 2023, it was reported that Cage was filming scenes in Yallingup.^[7]^[8]^[9] Principal photography concluded in December 2023.^[6]

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ROSARIO

Rosario is an upcoming American horror film directed by Felipe Vargas in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Emeraude Toubia, David Dastmalchian, José Zúñiga, Diana Lein and Paul Ben-Victor.

Stockbroker Rosario “Rosie” Fuentes returns to her deceased grandmother’s New York apartment. While sorting through her grandmother’s belongings, Rosario discovers a hidden chamber with occult artifacts tied to dark rituals. Rosario begins to be plagued by supernatural events and “must confront her family’s buried secrets and the price of abandoning her roots.” She’s forced to spend the night with her grandmother’s corpse as she waits for an ambulance to arrive during a snowstorm.

Cast

Production

Development

In October 2023, it was reported that a high-concept horror film titled Rosario was in development by director Felipe Vargas in his feature directorial debut, and with David Dastmalchian, José Zúñiga, Diana Lein, Paul Ben-Victor, and Emeraude Toubia starring. Principal photography began in mid-November 2023 in Bogotá.^[1]

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RUST

Rust is a 2024 American Western film written and directed by Joel Souza. It stars Alec Baldwin (who also produced and co-wrote the story with Souza), Patrick Scott McDermott, Josh Hopkins, Frances Fisher, and Travis Fimmel.^[2] The film gained notoriety for a shooting incident in 2021, wherein cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was accidentally killed when a live round was discharged from a prop revolver that Baldwin was using. It premiered at the Polish film festival Camerimage on November 20, 2024, and is scheduled for a theatrical release on May 2, 2025.

Premise

In the 1880s, in Kansas, elderly outlaw Harland Rust comes out of hiding to rescue his 13-year-old nephew Lucas Hollister, after he is sentenced to hang for an accidental killing. Now fugitives, the pair must outrun the vicious bounty hunter Fenton “Preacher” Lang.^[3]^[4]

Cast

Alec Baldwin as Harland Rust, an elderly outlaw
Patrick Scott McDermott as Lucas Hollister, Rust’s nephew.^[5] Brady Noon was initially cast as Lucas, but when production was delayed for over a year, his other commitments made him unable to re-commit to the role.^[6]
Travis Fimmel as Fenton “Preacher” Lang, a bounty hunter after Rust
Frances Fisher as Lucas’ grandaunt
Jake Busey as Drum Parker^[7]
Josh Hopkins as Wood Helm, a sheriff. Jensen Ackles was originally cast as Helm before being replaced by Hopkins because the delayed production caused scheduling conflicts.^[8]^[9]
Devon Werkheiser as Boone LaFontaine^[10]

Production

Development

In May 2020, it was announced that Alec Baldwin would produce and star in Rust, a Western based on a story he created with writer and director Joel Souza.^[3] Baldwin told The Hollywood Reporter that he was elated to work with Souza after missing the opportunity to star in Crown Vic (2019). He compared the screenplay to the film Unforgiven (1992), and said a true story inspired it. When asked about his gun slinging and horse riding skills, he said: “They’re always at the ready. I’m an actor of the old school. So if you read my resume, my motorcycle riding, my French, juggling, my horseback riding, my gunplay—is all right at my fingertips.”^[11]

In October 2021, production was suspended after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot when a gun being used as a prop was fired by Baldwin during the preparation for a scene; the same round injured Souza. Several lawsuits were filed, and eventually, manslaughter charges were filed against Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.^[12]^[13]^[14] Filming finally restarted in April 2023 and was completed soon after. Gutierrez-Reed was ultimately found guilty, but Baldwin was acquitted.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]

Rust was being produced on a $6–7 million budget and described as a “passion project” for Baldwin.^[19]^[20]^[21] The film’s distribution rights were sold to The Avenue for $2 million during pre-production.^[22] Travis Fimmel, Brady Noon, and Frances Fisher joined the cast in September 2021,^[23] with Jensen Ackles being cast the following month.^[24] The production involved approximately 150 crew members, half local, 22 principal, and 230 background actors from New Mexico.^[25]^[26] The production had a filming schedule of 21 days.^[22]^[27] Filming began in New Mexico on October 6, 2021.^[28]

Shooting incident

On the morning of October 21, 2021, which was to be the twelfth day of filming, seven unionized members of the film’s camera crew collected their belongings at approximately 6:30 a.m. MT in a walkout.^[29] They claim they were told to leave the set, with a producer threatening to call the police, and were replaced.^[30]^[31] According to a statement given to TheWrap by an anonymous insider, several crew members took some prop guns off-set that day, including the firearm involved in the incident, to pass the time shooting at beer cans with live ammunition.^[32] After a lunch break, the prop guns had been returned.^[32] It is not clear if the firearms were checked again.^[33] On October 26, the Santa Fe County district attorney said these claims were still unconfirmed.^[34]

Later that day, the cast and crew rehearsed a gunfight inside a Bonanza Creek Ranch church. Firearms and ammunition were retrieved from a locked safe, and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed placed three guns for filming on a cart.^[29] Among them were a plastic gun that could not shoot live ammunition, a modified weapon that could not fire any ammunition, and a solid-frame .45 Colt revolver replica made by Pietta.^[29]^[35]^[36]^[37]

According to a search warrant, Gutierrez-Reed briefly checked the guns before assistant director David Halls took the Pietta revolver from the prop cart and handed it to Baldwin.^[38]^[39] In a subsequent affidavit, Halls said the safety protocol regarding this firearm was such that he would open the loading gate of the revolver and rotate the cylinder to expose the chambers so he could inspect them himself. According to the affidavit, Halls said he did not check all cylinder chambers but recalled seeing three rounds in the cylinder at the time. After the shooting, Halls said in the affidavit, Gutierrez-Reed retrieved the weapon and opened it, and Halls said that he saw four rounds, which were blanks, and one which could have been the remaining shell of a discharged live round.^[40] In the warrant, it is further stated that Halls announced the term “cold gun”, meaning that it did not contain live rounds.^[38] Halls’s lawyer, Lisa Torraco, later sought to assert that he did not take the gun off the cart and hand it to Baldwin as reported, but when pressed by a reporter to be clear, she refused to repeat that assertion.^[41]

B-camera operator Reid Russell was situated on a camera dolly, looking at a monitor with Hutchins and Souza both nearby. The scene involved Baldwin’s character removing a gun from its holster and pointing it toward the camera.^[29]^[33] The trio behind the monitor was two feet (0.6 m) from the firearm’s muzzle, and none of them wore protective gear such as noise-canceling headphones or safety goggles.^[29]

The trio behind the monitor began repositioning the camera to remove a shadow, and Baldwin explained to the crew how he planned to draw the firearm.^[33] He said, “So, I guess I’m gonna take this out, pull it, and go, ‘Bang!'”^[29] He removed it from the holster, and the revolver discharged a single time. Baldwin denied pulling the trigger of the gun, while ABC News described a later FBI report stating that the gun could only fire if the trigger were pulled.^[42]^[43] Halls was quoted by his attorney Lisa Torraco as saying that Baldwin did not pull the trigger, and that Baldwin’s finger was never within the trigger guard during the incident.^[44] When the gun fired, the projectile approached the three behind the monitor. It struck Hutchins in the chest, traveled through her body, and then hit Souza in the shoulder.^[30]^[38]^[45] Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell called 9-1-1 at 1:46 p.m. MT, and emergency crews appeared three minutes later.^[29] Footage of the incident was not recorded.^[35]

Hutchins was flown by helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she was pronounced dead.^[46] Souza was treated by EMS and transported by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, where he was admitted and released by the following morning.^[47]

As a result of the incident, production on Rust was suspended indefinitely,^[46] though co-producer Anjul Nigam was confident the film would resume production once the investigation ended. However, Nigam later clarified that he meant to express optimism and hope, rather than confidence, as he stated that many involved in the production hope to honor Hutchins by completing her final work.^[48]^[49]

Spider bite incident

In November 2021, weeks after the shooting incident, lamp operator and pipe rigger Jason Miller was bitten in the arm by a brown recluse spider while closing the set. Miller suffered necrosis and sepsis. He was hospitalized and underwent multiple surgeries to avoid amputation of his arm.^[50]^[51]^[52]

Resumed production

In October 2022, the Hutchins family settled the lawsuit,^[53] with filming set to resume in January 2023 in California, with Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s husband, as an executive producer.^[54]^[55] Many of the film’s crew gave mixed reactions towards the news, with some supporting it and planning on resuming their work on it, but others condemning the decision and deciding not to return.^[56] On January 18, filming was delayed again after New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies decided to charge Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.^[57] In February 2023, it was reported that filming would resume in spring 2023 with Souza directing and Bianca Cline as cinematographer. Grant Hill was added as producer.^[58] The new shooting location was reported to be Yellowstone Film Ranch in Livingston, Montana.^[59] Producers stated that the use of working weapons or ammunition would be prohibited.^[58]

Production of the film resumed on April 20, 2023.^[5]^[12] The same day, it was reported that prosecutors had informed Baldwin that the charges against him were being dropped, and the new, updated cast was released.^[13] Meanwhile, Patrick Scott McDermott was confirmed to have replaced Noon.^[6] By May 2023, Jensen Ackles left because of scheduling conflicts; Josh Hopkins plays a new character.^[9] On April 24, 2023, Baldwin returned to the set to finish filming his scenes,^[60] with the production concluding on May 22, 2023.^[14]

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#Thunderbolts #TheSurfer #Rosario #Rust

NEW MOVIES: April 24-30, 2025, “The Accountant 2,” “Until Dawn,” “The Legend of Ochi,” “Another Day in America”

THE ACCOUNTANT 2

The Accountant 2 is a 2025 American action thriller film directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by Bill Dubuque.^[2] It is the sequel to The Accountant (2016). Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and J. K. Simmons reprise their roles from the previous film, with Daniella Pineda joining the cast.

The film premiered at the South by Southwest Festival on March 8, 2025, to positive reviews from critics. It will be theatrically released on April 25, 2025, in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and internationally by the original film’s domestic distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] A third film is in development.^[8]

Premise

“When unknown assassins kill someone close to her, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina is forced to contact Christian Wolff to solve the murder. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax, Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. As they get closer to the truth, the trio draws the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive, all intent on putting a stop to their search.”^[9]

Cast

Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff / The Accountant, an accountant who launders money for some of the most dangerous criminals in the world
Jon Bernthal as Braxton, Christian’s brother
Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Marybeth Medina, a young Treasury agent
Daniella Pineda as Anaïs
Allison Robertson as Justine
J. K. Simmons as Raymond King, the Director of the Treasury Department’s FinCEN
Robert Morgan as Burke
Grant Harvey as Cobb
Andrew Howard as Batu

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UNTIL DAWN

Until Dawn is a 2015 interactive drama survival horror game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. In it, players assume control of eight young adults who must survive on Blackwood Mountain when their lives are threatened. The game features a butterfly effect system in which players must make choices that may change the story. All playable characters can survive or die, depending on the choices made. Players explore the environment from a third-person perspective and find clues that may help solve the mystery.

Until Dawn was originally planned as a first-person game for the PlayStation 3‘s motion controller, PlayStation Move, but the motion controls were dropped when it became a PlayStation 4 game. The story was written by Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick, who sought to create the video game equivalent of a slasher film. The development team took inspiration from various sources. These include the movies Evil Dead II and Poltergeist, and video games Heavy Rain, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill. To ensure the game was scary, the team used a galvanic skin response test to measure playtesters’ fear levels when playing it. Jason Graves composed the soundtrack and Guerrilla Games‘ Decima game engine was used for the graphics. Several noted actors, including Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, Meaghan Martin, Brett Dalton, Jordan Fisher, Nichole Sakura, and Peter Stormare, provided motion capture and voice acting.

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THE LEGEND OF OCHI

The Legend of Ochi (/ˈoʊtʃi/) is a 2025 American fantasy adventure film written and directed by Isaiah Saxon in his feature film debut. The film stars Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe.

A24 released it in limited theaters in the United States on April 18, 2025, before a wide release on April 25.

Premise

In a secluded northern village in Carpathia, a farm girl named Yuri is taught not to go outside after dark and to fear the reclusive creatures known as the Ochi. But when she discovers a lost and injured baby Ochi, she sets off on a journey to return it to its family.^[5]

Cast

Helena Zengel as Yuri
Willem Dafoe as Maxim
Finn Wolfhard as Petro
Emily Watson as Dasha

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ANOTHER DAY IN AMERICA

Based on true events, Another Day in America is a dark, radical comedy-drama that revolves around an ensemble of distinct characters going through a post-pandemic day in an American office. It’s not business as usual — it’s personal. It’s cultural guerrilla warfare, navigating the pains of disenfranchisement, misogyny, racism, perversion, and mental illness. They are at a tipping point, making things even more painful, damaging, and dangerous. Another Day in America focuses on its polarized society, fueled by our dependence on online internet culture, a culture that is quickly changing yet is anchored by a profoundly violent and painful history.

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4/22/2025 #TheAccountant2 #UntilDawn #TheLegendofOchi #AnotherDayinAmerica

NEW MOVIES: April 17-23, 2025, “Sinners,” “Sneaks,” “The Wedding Banquet,” “Evicted!”

SINNERS

Sinners is an upcoming American period supernatural horror film written, produced, and directed by Ryan Coogler. Set in the 1930s in the Southern United States, the film stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers who return to their hometown but face greater evil. ^[4]The film also features Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, and Delroy Lindo.

By January 2024, when Jordan was cast, Coogler began developing the genre film through his production company, Proximity Media. Warner Bros. Pictures acquired distribution rights the next month following a bidding war, and casting for additional roles took place in April, before filming that month. Filming wrapped in July 2024.

Sinners is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 18, 2025.^[5]

Premise

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.^[6]

— Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack, twin brothers
Hailee Steinfeld as Mary
Miles Caton as Sammie Moore
Jack O’Connell as Remmick
Wunmi Mosaku as Annie
Jayme Lawson as Pearline
Omar Benson Miller as Cornbread
Li Jun Li as Grace Chow
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim
Yao as Bo Chow
Helena Hu as Lisa Chow
Lola Kirke as Joan
Peter Dreimanis as Bert
Saul Williams as Jedidiah
Andrene Ward-Hammond as Ruthie
David Maldonado as Hogwood
Buddy Guy

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SNEAKS

Sneaks is a 2025 animated sports comedy film directed by Rob Edwards and Chris Jenkins from a script by Edwards. It is Edwards’ feature directorial debut.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The film features an ensemble cast, including the voices of Anthony Mackie, Martin Lawrence, Swae Lee, Chloe Bailey, Macy Gray, Ella Mai, Mustard, Roddy Ricch, Quavo, Young Miko, Amirah Hall, Kiana Ledé, Bobbito Garcia, Sam Jay, Sky Brown, Rayssa Leal, Rico Rodriguez, Keith David, Chris Paul, and Laurence Fishburne.

The film was released on Sky Cinema in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2025, and will be released theatrically in the United States on April 18.

Plot

Sneaks follows the adventures of Ty, a misguided designer sneaker who does not know life outside the comforts of his velvet-lined shoe box. After a shady collector steals his sister, Ty must venture into New York City to find and rescue her. In his adventure, Ty meets a ragtag group of footwear friends from all walks of life who help him find the courage to step outside his shoe box and find his “sole-mate.” ^{[citation needed]}

Voice cast

Anthony Mackie as Ty, a white shoe^[4]
Martin Lawrence as JB, a black shoe^[4]
Chloe Bailey as Maxine, Ty’s sister^[4]
Laurence Fishburne as The Collector, an obsessed shoe collector who stole Ty and Maxine^[2]
Roddy Ricch as The Forger^[3]
Ella Mai as Britany^[3]
Macy Gray as Adriana^[3]
Swae Lee as Edson, a basketball-obsessed young man who wins Ty and Maxine^[3]
Chris Paul as himself^[3]
Mustard as himself^[4]
Quavo as Spike, a wire shoe^[4]
Sam Jay^[4]
Keith David as O.G.^[4]
Donovan Louis Bazemore as a wire shoe^[4]
Coi Leray^[4]
Kiana Ledé as Shawna, Edson’s mom^[4]
Jonathan Kite as Whiz, a nerdy shoe^[4]
Amari McCoy as Shanika^[4]
Sky Brown^[4]
Rayssa Leal^[4]
Young Miko as Tiffany
Rico Rodriguez as Ice
Bobbito Garcia

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THE WEDDING BANQUET

The Wedding Banquet^[3] is a 1993 romantic comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Ang Lee. The story concerns a bisexual Taiwanese immigrant man (Winston Chao, in his film debut) who marries a mainland Chinese woman (May Chin) to placate his parents (Gua Ah-leh and Lung Sihung) and get her a green card. His plan backfires when his parents arrive in the United States to plan his wedding banquet, and he has to hide the truth about his gay partner (Mitchell Lichtenstein). It was a co-production of Lee’s Good Machine production company and the Taiwanese Central Motion Picture Corporation.

Lee’s second feature film and his first to get a theatrical release in the United States, The Wedding Banquet, premiered at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Bear. It was both a critical and commercial success, winning five Golden Horse Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. It received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign-Language Film, as well as six Independent Spirit Award nominations.

Together with Pushing Hands (1991) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), all showing the Confucian family at risk and all starring the Taiwanese actor Lung Sihung, The Wedding Banquet forms what has been called Lee’s “Father Knows Best” trilogy.^[4]

In 2023, the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Plot

Gao Wai-Tung is a bisexual Taiwanese immigrant happily living in Manhattan with his gay Jewish partner, Simon. He has not come out to his traditionally minded parents, who live back in Taiwan, and, as he’s in his late 20s, they’ve become eager to see him get married and have a child to continue the family line. When his parents hire a dating service, Wai-Tung and Simon stall for time by inventing numerous impossible demands. They demand an opera singer while requesting that she be 5’9″, have two PhDs, and speak five languages. To their shock, the service locates a 5’8″ Chinese woman who meets all but one of their qualifications, having only a single PhD instead of two. She is very gracious when Wai-Tung explains his dilemma, as she, too, is hiding a relationship with a white man from her parents.

At Simon’s insistence, Wai-Tung decides to marry one of his tenants, Wei-Wei, a penniless artist from mainland China needing a green card. Besides helping Wei-Wei, the couple hopes this will placate Wai-Tung’s parents. To complicate matters, Mr. and Mrs. Gao announce they will visit. Before the parents arrive, Simon tells Wei-Wei everything she needs to know about Wai-Tung’s habits, body, and lifestyle, and the three hastily take down all gay imagery and décor from the house and hang Mandarin calligraphy scrolls in its place.

Mr. and Mrs. Gao arrive bringing gifts and US$30,000 to hold an extravagant wedding for their son, believing he has a wealthy fiancée. Wai-Tung dares not tell his parents the truth because his father (a retired army officer) has just recovered from a stroke. As a part of the lie, Wai-Tung introduces Simon as his landlord.

The day after his parents arrive, Wai-Tung announces that he and Wei-Wei plan to be married by a Justice of the Peace. However, the heartbreak his mother experiences at the courthouse wedding, both at the arrangement and at the discovery of the low social class of Wei-Wei, moves Wai-Tung to make up for the ‘disgraceful’ wedding by accepting the offer of a magnificent wedding banquet from Mr. Gao’s former batman, who now owns a restaurant and reception hall. After the lavish banquet, a huge party of relatives and friends barges into the bridal suite for an after-party and demands that the newlyweds get in bed naked before they leave. This leads to Wei-Wei’s pregnancy. Simon is extremely upset when he finds out, provoking an argument between them and Wei-Wei, and his relationship with Wai-Tung deteriorates.

Mr. Gao suffers another stroke, and in a moment of anger after the fight, Wai-Tung admits the truth to his mother. She is shocked and insists that he not tell his father. However, the perceptive Mr. Gao has seen more than he lets on. He tells Simon that he knows about their relationship and considers Simon his son, appreciating his considerable sacrifices to be together with Wai-Tung. Mr. Gao gives Simon a hongbao, a symbolic admission of their relationship. Still, Simon promises not to let on to the others that he knows the truth, saying that without the sham marriage, he’d never have a grandchild. While en route to an appointment for an abortion, Wei-Wei decides to keep the baby and asks Simon to stay together with Wai-Tung and be the baby’s father, too.

At the airport, before the Gaos’ flight home, Mr. Gao accepts Simon and warmly shakes his hand. Mrs. Gao bids Wei-Wei a fond farewell before they board their plane, leaving the unconventional new family to figure themselves out.

Cast

Winston Chao as Gao Wai-Tung (simplified Chinese: 高伟同; traditional Chinese: 高偉同; pinyin: Gāo Wěitóng; Wade–Giles: Kao¹ Wei³-t’ung²)
May Chin as Gu Wei-Wei (顧葳葳; 顾葳葳; Gù Wēiwēi; Ku⁴ Wei¹-wei¹)
Mitchell Lichtenstein as Simon (賽門; 賽门; Sàimén; Sai⁴-men²)
Gua Ah-leh as Mrs. Gao (高母; Gāo mǔ; Kao¹ mu³), Wai-Tung’s mother
Lung Sihung as Mr. Gao (高父; Gāo fù; Kao¹ fu⁴), Wai-Tung’s father
Vanessa Yang as Mao Mei (毛妹; Máo mèi; Mao² mei⁴)
Dion Birney as Andrew
Neal Huff as Steve
Jeanne Kuo Chang as Wai-Tung’s secretary
Hsu Yung-Teh as Bob Law
Eddie Johns as Haskell
Michael Gaston as Justice of the Peace
Mason Lee as a baby
Ang Lee as a wedding guest

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EVICTED!

With an impending eviction hanging over their heads, freshly unemployed Maggie, gig-economy worker Will, and feuding couple Isabelle and May embark on a seemingly futile hunt for an affordable shared house. Along the way, they encounter unsanitary toilets, attic kitchens, and an alleged haunting. As Will forms an unlikely friendship with a war veteran, Isabelle hits it off with her local barista, and endless mishaps, coincidences, and hookups go awry.

Director

Rowan Devereux

Writers

(in alphabetical order)

Rowan Devereux

screenplay
Rowan Devereux

story
Ashley Pollard

story
Sophie Saville

story

Cast

(in credits order)

The Story Mill is a fresh, new production studio crafting unique stories through visual mediums. Whether through narrative features or documentaries, we always know how to leave an impression.

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4/15/2025 #Sinners #Sneaks #TheWeddingBanquet #Evicted!

NEW MOVIES: April 10-16, 2025, “The Amateur,” “Drop,” “The Teacher,” “One to One: John & Yoko”

THE AMATEUR

The Amateur is an upcoming American vigilante action spy film directed by James Hawes and written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli, based on the 1981 novel of the same name by Robert Littell, which was previously adapted into a Canadian film that same year. It stars Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne.

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States by 20th Century Studios on April 11, 2025.

Premise

After Charles Heller, a CIA cryptographer, loses his wife in a London terrorist attack, he realizes his bosses will not act due to conflicting internal priorities. Having blackmailed the agency to train him as a field operative, Charles embarks on a one-man mission to hunt down his wife’s killers.^[2]

Cast

Rami Malek as Charles Heller, a CIA cryptographer and vigilante^[3]
Laurence Fishburne as Robert Henderson, Charles’s boss^[4]
Rachel Brosnahan as Sarah Horowitz, Charles’s wife^[4]
Caitríona Balfe as Inquiline Davies^[4]^[5]
Jon Bernthal as Jackson O’Brien, a.k.a. The Bear
Michael Stuhlbarg as Sean Schiller
Holt McCallany as CIA Deputy Director Alex Moore^[6]
Julianne Nicholson as Samantha O’Brien^[6]
Adrian Martinez as Carlos^[7]
Danny Sapani as Caleb Horowitz
Takehiro Hira as The Professor^[8]
Marc Rissmann as Mishka Blazhic
Joseph Millson as Ellish
Alice Hewkin as Ali Park
Henry Garrett

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DROP

Drop is a 2025 American thriller film^[2] directed by Christopher Landon and written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach. It stars Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Ben Pelletier, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson.

Drop premiered at SXSW on March 9, 2025, and is scheduled to be released in the United States by Universal Pictures on April 11, 2025. The film has received positive reviews from critics.

Premise

Violet, a widowed mother, is on a date with Henry when she is terrorized by a series of anonymous messages on her phone. The caller instructs her to tell nobody and follow increasingly malicious instructions, or her younger sister, Jen, and her son, Toby, will be killed, culminating with her being told to kill Henry.^[3]

The title refers to the AirDrop feature on Apple’s iPhone, which allows you to share pictures and videos with other phones within your proximity.

Cast

Meghann Fahy as Violet, a single mother
Brandon Sklenar as Henry, Violet’s date
Violett Beane as Jen, Violet’s younger sister and babysitter of her son
Jacob Robinson as Toby, Violet’s son
Reed Diamond as Richard
Gabrielle Ryan Spring as Cara
Jeffery Self as Matt
Ed Weeks as Phil
Travis Nelson as Connor

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THE TEACHER

The Teacher (Arabic: الأستاذ) is a 2023 drama film written and directed by British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi. It stars Saleh Bakri, Imogen Poots, and Muhammad Abed Elrahman. It premiered at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2023.

Set in the present-day West Bank in the occupied Palestinian Territories, Nabulsi described the film as a “human drama set in a political landscape” and “a story about characters that represent a severely marginalized and underrepresented people,” stating that she “needed to make this film to cope with the injustice I’ve witnessed.”^[3]

Plot

Basem is a Palestinian schoolteacher who finds himself caught between his commitment to political resistance and his role as a father figure to one of his students, Adam.

Cast

Saleh Bakri as Basem El Saleh
Imogen Poots as Lisa
Muhammad Abed Elrahman as Adam
Stanley Townsend as Simon Cohen
Muayyad Abd Elsamad
Andrea Irvine
Nabil Al Raee
Mahmood Bakri
Paul Herzberg

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ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO

One to One: John & Yoko is a 2024 documentary film co-directed by Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards. ^[2]The film follows the couple of years that John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent in a Greenwich Village apartment while also tracing developments in American politics like the presidency of Richard Nixon and opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War. It is centered around Lennon and Ono’s “One to One” benefit concert for the children at Willowbrook.^[3] Sean Ono Lennon, son of Lennon and Ono, oversaw audio mastering for the concert footage.^[4]

The film was announced on May 29, 2024.^[5] It later premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and was followed by showings at the Telluride Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival with distribution by Mercury Studios. ^[6]On January 21, 2025, Magnolia Pictures announced their acquisition of North American rights for the film, after which they announced an April 11 release date in IMAX theaters, as well as plans for streaming releases later in the year.^[4]

Synopsis

The film is centered around concert footage and audio from Lennon and Ono’s “One to One” benefit concert held at Madison Square Garden in August 1972 on behalf of children at the Willowbrook institution in Staten Island. The “One to One” benefit concerts were the only performances that Lennon performed following The Beatles‘ split in 1970.^[7]

The film also follows the trajectory of their 18-month stay in a Greenwich Village apartment from 1971–1973.^[8]

Background

The project began when Macdonald was presented with remastered, restored, never-before-seen footage of the “One to One” benefit concert. Macdonald then considered why the concert happened, probing further questions about Lennon and Ono’s lives and careers.^[9]

Macdonald then sought to create a film around the benefit concert and the couple’s “political engagement” and their relationship with watching television.^[9]

The original release of this concert is the Live in New York City album and home video in 1986.

Composition

Between clips of the “One to One” benefit concert, the film additionally cuts together video and audio recordings from television, phone calls, and other contexts from the same time, highlighting historical events such as Lennon’s failed “Free the People” tour and controversies around Ono’s relationship to Lennon and The Beatles.

The film also uses “newly transferred and restored footage” from the years Lennon and Ono spent in Greenwich Village “alongside previously unseen and unheard items from the couple’s archives, including phone calls and home movies”.^[10] It additionally features a replica construction of Lennon and Ono’s apartment.^[11]

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4/8/2025 #TheAmateur #Drop #TheTeacher #OneToOne:John&Yoko

NEW MOVIES: April 3-9, 2025, “A MineCraft Movie,” “The Luckiest Man in America,” “Psycho Therapy,” “Eric LaRue”

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

A Minecraft Movie is a 2025 American fantasy adventure comedy film based on the 2011 video game Minecraft by Mojang Studios. It was directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta, from a story by Allison Schroeder, Bowman, and Palmer. The film stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen. In the film, four misfits are pulled through a portal into a cubic world that thrives on imagination, having no choice but to master the world while embarking on a quest with an expert crafter named Steve.

Plans for a Minecraft film adaptation were announced in February 2014 when creator Markus Persson revealed that Mojang was in talks with Warner Bros. Pictures to develop the project, with Roy Lee and Jill Messick producing. During development, filmmakers Shawn Levy, Rob McElhenney, and Peter Sollett, were initially hired to direct, while writers Kieran and Michele Mulroney, Jason Fuchs, Aaron and Adam Nee, and Allison Schroeder, were attached. In April 2022, Legendary Entertainment became involved, with Hess hired as the new director and Momoa in talks to star. Further casting took place from May 2023 to January 2024. Principal photography began later that month in New Zealand and concluded in mid-April 2024.

A Minecraft Movie had its world premiere at Empire, Leicester Square in London, United Kingdom, on March 30, 2025,^[3] and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on April 4, 2025.

Premise

Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like piglins and zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.

— Warner Bros. Pictures^[4]

Cast

Jason Momoa as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison^[5]
Jack Black as Steve^[6]
Emma Myers as Natalie^[7]
Danielle Brooks as Dawn^[8]
Sebastian Hansen as Henry^[8]^[9]
Jennifer Coolidge as Vice Principal Marlene^[10]^[11]
Rachel House as the voice of Malgosha^[12]

Additionally, Matt Berry, Kate McKinnon, and Jemaine Clement have been cast in undisclosed roles.^[13]^[10]^[14] YouTubers Valkyrae, DanTDM, Aphmau, Mumbo Jumbo, and LDShadowLady will appear in the film.^[15] In addition, a reference to Technoblade is included as a tribute to him.^[16]

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THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA

The Luckiest Man in America is a 2024 American drama film directed and co-written by Samir Oliveros. It stars Paul Walter Hauser, Walton Goggins, Shamier Anderson, Brian Geraghty, Patti Harrison, Haley Bennett, Damian Young, Lilli Kay, James Wolk, Shaunette Renée Wilson, David Rysdahl, Ricky Russert, David Strathairn, Johnny Knoxville, and Maisie Williams.

The film’s world premiere was scheduled for September 5, 2024, at the Toronto International Film Festival. It will be released in the United States on April 4, 2025.

Premise

Depicts the 1984 scandal orchestrated by ice cream truck driver Michael Larson when he appeared on and won the game show Press Your Luck.

Cast

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PSYCHO THERAPY

The Steve Buscemi-led black comedy Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer has been released. Directed by Turkish filmmaker Tolga Karaçelik in his English-language debut, the film follows John Magaro (Past Lives) as Keane, a writer whose crumbling marriage to Suzie (Britt Lower) is further complicated by his years-long struggle to complete a book about serial killers. His luck takes a bizarre turn when he meets Kollmick (Buscemi), an ex-murderer who offers to mentor him in the finer points of homicide.

The newly released trailer for Psycho Therapy shows things spiral further out of control when Suzie mistakes reformed serial killer Kollmick for their new marriage counselor (via Brainstorm Media). Psycho Therapy is set to premiere in New York theaters on April 4. The film will also star Ward Harton, Olli Haaskivi, and Lower’s Severance co-star Sydney Cole Alexander.

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ERIC LARUE

Eric LaRue is a 2023 American drama film directed by Michael Shannon in his directorial debut. It was written by Brett Neveu and based on his 2002 play of the same name.

Synopsis

Janice, the mother of a high school murderer, prepares to visit her son in prison and meet a collection of bereaved local parents.

Cast

Judy Greer as Janice LaRue
Paul Sparks as Steve Calhan, a Presbyterian pastor
Alison Pill as Lisa, a Human Resources manager close with Ron
Tracy Letts as Bill Verne, motivational preacher
Annie Parisse as Stephanie, a grieving mother
Kate Arrington as Jill, a grieving mother
Alexander Skarsgård as Ron LaRue, Janice’s husband
Nation Sage Henrikson as Eric LaRue, Janice’s son and school shooter
Lawrence Grimm as Jack, Janice’s boss.

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4/1/2025 #AMinCraftMovie #TheLuckiestManinAmerica #PsychoTherapy #EricLaRue

NEW MOVIES: March 27-April 2, 2025, “Death of a Unicorn,” “A Working Man,” “The Friend,” “The Encampments”

THE DEATH OF A UNICORN

Death of a Unicorn is a 2025 American comedy horror film written and directed by Alex Scharfman. It stars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter who accidentally hit and kill a unicorn, causing them to be hunted down by its parents. Will Poulter, Tea Leoni, and Richard E. Grant appear in supporting roles.

Death of a Unicorn had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Festival on March 8, 2025, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States by A24 on March 28, 2025.

Premise

Elliot Kintner and his teenage daughter, Ridley, accidentally hit a unicorn while en route to a crisis management summit with Elliot’s boss, Odell Leopold, and his family. The Leopolds seize the unicorn, and their scientists discover that the creature is endowed with supernaturally curative properties, which the Leopolds seek to exploit. However, as they delve deeper into their research, the unicorn’s parents arrive and begin to slaughter one by one those involved in the exploitation of their dead foal.^[2]^[3]

Cast

Paul Rudd as Elliot Kintner, Ridley’s widowed father
Jenna Ortega as Ridley Kintner, Elliot’s daughter
Richard E. Grant as Odell Leopold, Elliot’s boss
Will Poulter as Shepard Leopold, Odell’s son
Téa Leoni as Belinda Leopold, Odell’s wife
Anthony Carrigan as Griff, the Leopolds’ butler
Jessica Hynes as Shaw, the Leopold family’s personal assistant
Sunita Mani as Dr. Bhatia, a scientist
Steve Park as Dr. Song, a scientist
Kathryn Erbe as the voice of Tapestry Video Narrator

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A WORKING MAN

A Working Man is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by David Ayer, written by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone, and based on the 2014 novel Levon’s Trade by Chuck Dixon. It stars Jason Statham, Michael Peña, and David Harbour.

A Working Man is scheduled to be released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and internationally by Warner Bros. Pictures on March 28, 2025.

Premise

Levon Cade, an ex-Royal Marines commando, lives peacefully as a construction worker in Chicago. However, Levon is forced to use his old set of skills to find his boss’s teenage daughter, Jenny, who human traffickers had kidnaped, and soon uncovers a conspiracy of corruption and government agents’ involvement in human trafficking.

Cast

Jason Statham as Levon Cade
David Harbour as Gunny Lafferty
Michael Peña as Joe Garcia
Jason Flemyng as Wolo Kolisnyk
Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia
Noemi Gonzalez as Carla Garcia
Emmett J. Scanlan as Viper
Eve Mauro as Artemis
Maximilian Osinski as Dimi Kolisnyk
Max Croes^[2] as Karp
Kristina Poli as Svetlana Kolisnyk
Andrej Kaminsky as Symon Kharchenko
Isla Gie as Merry Cade, Levon Cade’s daughter
Alana Boden as Nina

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THE FRIEND

The Friend is a 2024 American drama film written and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel. Based on the 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez, it stars Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, and Ann Dowd. It had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and screened in the Gala section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.^[1]^[2]

Follows a story of love, friendship, grief, and healing, about a writer who adopts a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend and mentor.

Directors
- Scott McGehee
- David Siegel
Writers
Stars

Cast

Naomi Watts as Iris
Bill Murray as Walter
Sarah Pidgeon as Val
Constance Wu as Tuesday
Ann Dowd as Marjorie
Noma Dumezweni as Barbara
Felix Solis as Hektor
Owen Teague as Carter
Carla Gugino as Elaine
Gina Costigan as Jocelyn
Josh Pais as Jerry

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THE ENCAMPMENTS

The Encampments is a 2025 American documentary film directed and produced by Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker. It follows the 2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupations. Macklemore serves as an executive producer.

It will have its world premiere at CPH:DOX on March 25, 2025, and is scheduled to be released on March 28 by Watermelon Pictures.

Premise

The Encampments explores the 2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupations. Mahmoud Khalil appears in the film.^[2]

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3/25/2025 #DeathofaUnicorn #AWorkingMan #TheFriend #The Encampments

NEW MOVIES: March 20-26, 2025, “Disney’s Snow White,” “Alto Knights,” “McVeigh,” “Secret Mall Apartment”

DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE

Disney’s Snow White,^[2]^[7] or simply Snow White, is a 2025 American musical fantasy film directed by Marc Webb and written by Erin Cressida Wilson.^[8] Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Marc Platt Productions, it is a live-action reimagining^[9] of Walt Disney Productions‘s 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which itself is based on the 1812 fairy tale “Snow White” by the Brothers Grimm. The film stars Rachel Zegler in the title role, alongside Andrew Burnap and Gal Gadot.

Plans for a remake of 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were confirmed in October 2016, with Wilson announced as a screenwriter. Webb entered talks to direct the film in May 2019 and was announced as director in September 2019. Filming took place primarily in London, England, from March to July 2022, with additional filming and pick-ups taking place in June 2024. The film elicited pre-release controversies, with criticism levied against the color-blind casting, story changes, Zegler’s public critiques of the original film, and reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs.

Snow White premiered at Alcázar of Segovia in Segovia, Spain on March 12, 2025, and is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on March 21, 2025.

Premise

A princess joins forces with Seven Dwarfs to liberate her kingdom from her cruel stepmother, the Evil Queen.

Cast

The film stars Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot and Andrew Burnap

Rachel Zegler as Snow White,^[10] a fearless and pure-hearted princess who is determined to free her kingdom from her stepmother’s tyranny.
- Emilia Faucher as young Snow White^[11]
- Olivia Verrall as baby Snow White^[12]
Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen,^[13] Snow White’s jealous, tyrannical stepmother who is obsessed with being the fairest one of all.
Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, a new character created for the film as Snow White’s love interest (partially based on the Prince from the original film) and a rebel who wants to defy the Evil Queen’s monarchy.^[14]
Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman,^[15] the Evil Queen’s servant whom she orders to kill Snow White and bring back her heart.
Patrick Page as the voice of the Magic Mirror,^[16] a mirror containing a being that would answer the Evil Queen’s question on who is the fairest one of all.

Seven Dwarfs

Andrew Barth Feldman as Dopey (voice),^[17]^[12] a member of the Seven Dwarfs who doesn’t speak and makes other sounds.
- Jaih Betote as Dopey (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
- Feldman also narrates the film.^[12]
Tituss Burgess as Bashful (voice),^[17]^[12] a shy member of the Seven Dwarfs.
- Leah Haile as Bashful (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
Martin Klebba as Grumpy (voice),^[18]^[12] a grouchy member of the Seven Dwarfs.
- Omari Bernard as Grumpy (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
Jason Kravits as Sneezy (voice),^[17]^[12] a member of the Seven Dwarfs who sneezes a lot.
- Dominic Owen as Sneezy (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
George Salazar as Happy (voice),^[17]^[12] a cheerful member of the Seven Dwarfs.
- David Birch as Happy (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
Jeremy Swift as Doc (voice),^[17]^[12] the intelligent leader of the Seven Dwarfs.
- Jonathan Bourne as Doc (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12]
Andy Grotelueschen as Sleepy (voice),^[17]^[12] a tired member of the Seven Dwarfs.
- Sandy Foster as Sleepy (motion capture/puppeteer)^[12

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ALTO KNIGHTS

The Alto Knights is an upcoming American biographical crime drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pileggi. The film stars Robert De Niro in a dual role as 1950s mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, with Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci, and Michael Rispoli in supporting roles.

Warner Bros. Pictures is scheduled to release The Alto Knights in the United States on March 21, 2025.

Premise

A power struggle between Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, the top bosses of the Mafia, spills into open conflict when Vito orders a hit on Frank. Barely surviving, Frank maneuvers to protect himself and his family from Vito while also planning to retire from the Mafia.^[4]

Cast

Robert De Niro as Vito Genovese and Frank Costello
Debra Messing as Bobbie Costello, Frank’s wife
Cosmo Jarvis as Vincent Gigante, a rising soldier in Vito’s family
Kathrine Narducci as Anna Genovese, Vito’s wife
Michael Rispoli as Albert Anastasia, boss of the Anastasia family and close ally of Frank^[5]
Michael Adler^[6]
Ed Amatrudo^[6]
Joe Bacino^[6]
James Ciccone^[7]
Anthony J. Gallo^[6]
Wallace Langham^[6]
Belmont Cameli^[8]
Louis Mustillo^[6]
Frank Piccirillo^[6]
Matt Servitto^[6]
Robert Uricola^[6]

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MCVEIGH

McVeigh is a 2024 American drama film co-written and directed by Mike Ott. It is based on the true story of domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Alfie Allen plays McVeigh. The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 7, 2024. ^[1]It will be released on digital platforms and in theaters on March 21, 2025.^[2]

Cast

Alfie Allen as Timothy McVeigh
Brett Gelman as Terry Nichols
Ashley Benson as Cindy
Anthony Carrigan as Frédéric
Tracy Letts as Richard Snell
Isolda Dychauk as Jen
Karen Suriano as Marife
Courtney Warner as Karen

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SECRET MALL APARTMENT

Secret Mall Apartment is a 2024 American documentary film directed by filmmaker Jeremy Workman that recounts the story of a group of young Rhode Islanders who built a secret apartment inside the bustling Providence Place shopping mall in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2003, living there for four years until getting caught and charged with trespassing in 2007.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The group filmed much of their activity in the secret apartment with inexpensive Pentax Optio cameras they purchased at the mall’s RadioShack and concealed in Altoids tins.^[4] The story of the secret apartment had been an urban legend for many years [5], and the documentary brought together the original 8 participants for the first time in 17 years.^[6]

Secret Mall Apartment marks the second collaboration between Workman and actor Jesse Eisenberg, one of the film’s producers. ^[7]^[8]Previously, Eisenberg produced Workman’s 2018 documentary The World Before Your Feet.

Synopsis

The film tells the true story of eight Rhode Islanders who built and lived in a secret apartment in a busy local mall from 2003 to 2007.^[9]

Background

According to the main subject, Michael Townsend, after the story broke in 2007, several Hollywood production companies approached him about making a film. For nearly 15 years, he and his fellow artists turned down “north of 30 directors” who wanted to make a documentary on the story. ^[10]Finally, in 2019, after meeting director Jeremy Workman in Greece, Townsend felt he had finally found a director who could tell the story properly, depicting how the group’s outside public artwork intersected with the larger ideas of the secret apartment. ^[11]In interviews, Workman has talked about seeing the secret apartment as “the Trojan Horse” to explore deeper ideas about passion and purpose.^[6]

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3/18/2025 #Disney’sSnowWhite #AltoKnights #McVeigh #SecretMallApartment