DECEMBER 15, 2023
<Click film’s poster to see info/trailer>
Wonka
Directed By: Paul King
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant
Genre: Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical
Rating: PG (for some violence, mild language and thematic elements)
Country: USA | UK | Canada (English)
Runtime: 116 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
American Fiction
Directed By: Cord Jefferson
Studio: Orion Pictures
AMERICAN FICTION is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Adam Brody, Leslie Uggams, and Sterling K. Brown
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Rating: R (for language throughout, some drug use, sexual references and brief violence)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 117 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
The Zone Of Interest
Directed By: Jonathan Glazer
Studio: A24
The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.
Starring: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Ralph Herforth, Johann Karthaus, and Luis Noah Witte
Genre: Drama | History | International | War
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material, some suggestive material and smoking)
Country: USA | UK | Poland (German, Polish, & Yiddish)
Runtime: 105 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire
Directed By: Zack Snyder
Studio: Netflix
From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, Djimon Hounsou, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Cleopatra Coleman, Jena Malone, Fra Fee, Ed Skrein, and Anthony Hopkins
Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of strong violence, sexual assault, bloody images, language, sexual material and partial nudity)
Country: USA | Hungary | Sweden | Denmark | UK (English)
Runtime: 133 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
The Family Plan
Directed By: Simon Cellan Jones
Studio: Apple TV+
Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) loves his quiet suburban life as a devoted husband, father of three and successful car salesman. But that’s only half the story. Decades earlier, he was an elite government assassin tasked with eliminating the world’s deadliest threats. When enemies from his past track him down, Dan packs his unsuspecting wife (Michelle Monaghan), angsty teen daughter, pro-gamer teen son and adorable 10-month-old baby into their minivan and takes off on an impromptu cross-country road trip to Las Vegas. Determined to protect his family — while treating them to the vacation of a lifetime — Dan must put his long-dormant skills into action, without revealing his true identity
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Colletti, Van Crosby, Saïd Taghmaoui, Maggie Q, and Ciarán Hinds
Genre: Action | Comedy
Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and action, sexual material and some strong language)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 118 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
The Tastes of Things
Directed By: Tran Anh Hung
Studio: IFC Films
Cook Eugenie and her boss Dodin grow fond of one another over 20 years, and their romance gives rise to dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs. When Dodin is faced with Eugenie’s reluctance to commit, he begins to cook for her.
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Benoît Magimel, Emmanuel Salinger, Patrick d’Assumçao, and Galatéa Bellugi
Genre: Drama | History | International | Romance
Rating: Not Rated
Country: France | Belguim (French)
Runtime: 145 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Finestkind
Directed By: Brian Helgeland
Studio: Paramount+
Finestkind tells the story of two brothers (Ben Foster & Toby Wallace), raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way a young woman (Jenna Ortega) finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his son are put to the ultimate test.
Starring: Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega and Tommy Lee Jones
Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Rating: R (for pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 126 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Immediate Family
Directed By: Denny Tedesco
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
In Part I of the two-part epic adaptation of the beloved classic by Alexandre Dumas, D’Artagnan arrives in Paris trying to find his attackers after being left for dead, which leads him to a real war where the future of France is at stake. He aligns himself with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, three musketeers of the King.
Starring: Neil Young, Lyle Lovett, Phil Collins, Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, and Linda Ronstadt
Genre: Documentary | Music
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 102 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Ruthless
Directed By: Art Camacho
Studio: Saban Films
Harry (Dermot Mulroney) is a high school wrestling coach recovering from the loss of his daughter who was murdered in a brutal attack. When one of his students disappears under conditions eerily similar to his daughter’s, Harry takes matters into his own hands to hunt down the men responsible for her kidnapping and will stop at nothing to rescue her from their human trafficking operation.
Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Jeff Fahey, Manu Intiraymi, Texas Battle, and Kesia Elwin
Genre: Action | Thriller
Rating: R (for violence, language throughout and some sexual references)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 92 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Call Me Dancer
Directed By: Pip Gilmour & Leslie Shampaine
Studio: Abramorama
Manish is an athletic street dancer from Mumbai, whose working-class parents depend on their only son’s support. When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master, a hunger develops within him. Ambitious and passionate, Manish is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him. Call Me Dancer is a story of hope, heartache, and hard work. Together, Manish and Yehuda transform each other’s lives, searching to uncover who and what they are. Yehuda seeks a purpose and a place to call home. Manish dreams of dancing on the world-stage but struggles to break free from the confines of his own economic and social circumstances.
Starring: Manish Chauhan and Yehuda Maor
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English & Hindi)
Runtime: 84 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Control
Directed By: Gene Fallaize
Studio: TriCoast Worldwide
British Home Secretary Stella Simmons drives home one night while engaging in an affair with the Prime Minister. A mysterious man remotely hijacks her self-driving car, forcing her on a rampage through London.
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Lauren Metcalfe, Mark Hampton, and Natasha Kemball
Genre: Action | International | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK (English)
Runtime: 84 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Godard Cinema
Directed By: Cyril Leuthy
Studio: Kino Lorber
Jean-Luc Godard is synonymous with cinema. With the release of Breathless in 1960, he established himself overnight as a cinematic rebel and symbol for the era’s progressive and anti-war youth. Sixty-two years and 140 films later, Godard is among the most renowned artists of all time, taught in every film school yet still shrouded in mystery. One of the founders of the French New Wave, political agitator, revolutionary misanthrope, film theorist and critic, the list of his descriptors goes on and on. Godard Cinema offers an opportunity for film lovers to look back at his career and the subjects and themes that obsessed him, while paying tribute to the ineffable essence of the most revered French director of all time.
Starring: Guillaume Gouix, Jean-Luc Godard, Cyril Leuthy, Macha Méril, and Thierry Jousse
Genre: Documentary | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: France (French)
Runtime: 100 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Angel Baby
Directed By: Douglas Tait
Studio: Quiver Distribution
Val (Isabel Cueva), a loving wife, and her husband Justin (Dan Thiel), move to a remote cabin to heal from the sudden death of their unborn twins and to get a fresh start. Soon she senses an evil presence. After her best friend (Whitney Anderson) comes to check on her mental health, dark secrets begin to unravel. Val meets a mysterious neighbor (Chris Browning) and starts searching for the truth. With the help of the local bar owner (Rebecca DeMornay) she gains the strength she needs to face what is tormenting her peace.
Starring: Isabel Cueva, Rebecca De Mornay, Daniel Roebuck, Chris Browning, Douglas Tait, and Dan Thiel
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 100 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
The Invisible Guest
Directed By: Chen Zhuo
Studio: CMC Pictures
Young and beautiful entrepreneur Joanna is accused of being the culprit in a locked-room murder case, where the victim is her lover Minghao, during a time when her life and career are flourishing. In order to clear her name, she slowly gathers clues with the police officer Zheng Wei. As they investigate the case together, they discover another murder case that Joanna and Minghao had committed together. The truth gradually comes to light….
Starring: Greg Han Hsu, Janine Chun-Ning Chang, Zheng Yin, and Kara Wau
Genre: Crime | International | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: China (Chinese)
Runtime: 106 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Beyond Bars
Directed By: Robert Greenwald
Studio: Brave New Films
Beyond Bars exposes the punitive and traumatic impact of mass incarceration on children, families, and communities. The film simultaneously tells the story of progressive legal reformers who fight for public safety and resist the unjust and racist system designed to lock people up. The film follows the turbulent and ultimately restorative growth of a family impacted by forced carceral separation. Chesa Boudin is only 14 months old when condemned to only see his Weather Underground parents behind bars, an experience that is life altering and fuels his pursuit to change the system and win election as San Francisco’s District Attorney.
Starring: Chesa Boudin, Kathy Boudin, Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers, and Zayd Dohrn
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 98 minutes
BACK TO THE TOP
Leave a Reply