Friday Releases: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

MARCH 29, 2024

Godzilla x Kong:
The New Empire

Directed By: Adam Wingard
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

This latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence — and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen
Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Rating: PG-13 (for creature violence and action)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 115 minutes

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Wicked Little Letters

Directed By: Thea Sharrock
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction true story, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS follows two neighbors: deeply conservative local Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women — led by Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) — begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.

Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Lolly Adefope, Eileen Atkins, and Timothy Spall
Genre: Comedy | Crime | Drama | History | Mystery
Rating: R (for language throughout and sexual material)
Country: UK | France (English)
Runtime: 100 minutes

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Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey 2

Directed By: Rhys Frake-Waterfield
Studio: Fathom Events + ITN Distribution

Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria, The White Lotus) stars as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

Starring: Scott Chambers, Ryan Oliva, Tallulah Evans, Teresa Banham, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Alec Newman, and Simon Callow
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK (English)
Runtime: 100 minutes

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In the Land of Saints and Sinners

Directed By: Robert Lorenz
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the political violence that grips the rest of the country. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, led by a ruthless woman named Doirean (Kerry Condon), Finbar is drawn into an increasingly vicious game of cat and mouse, forcing him to choose between exposing his secret identity or defending his friends and neighbors.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon, Jack Gleeson and Ciarán Hinds
Genre: Action | Crime | International | Thriller
Rating: R (for violence, and language throughout)
Country: Ireland (English)
Runtime: 106 minutes

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The Listener

Directed By: Steve Buscemi
Studio: Vertical

Directed by Steve Buscemi and starring Tessa Thompson as Beth, a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami. As Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting — patching the world back together, one stitch at a time.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Alia Shawkat, Casey Wilson, and Rebecca Hall
Genre: Drama
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 96 minutes

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Asphalt City

Directed By: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire
Studio: Roadside Attractions + Vertical

Asphalt City follows Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan), a young paramedic assigned to the NYC night shift with an uncompromising and seasoned partner Gene Rutkovsky (Sean Penn). The dark nights reveal a city in crisis; Rutkovsky guides Cross, as each 911 call is often dangerous and uncertain, putting their lives on the line every day to help others. Cross soon discovers firsthand the chaos and awe of a job that careens from harrowing to heartfelt, testing his relationship with Rutkovsky and the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.

Starring: Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Raquel Nave, Kali Reis, Michael Pitt, Katherine Waterston, and Mike Tyson
Genre: Drama | Thriller
Rating: R (for violent content, disturbing/bloody images, suicide, sexual content, graphic nudity, and pervasive language)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 120 minutes

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Lousy Carter

Directed By: Bob Byington
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

In LOUSY CARTER, David Krumholtz (OPPENHEIMER) stars as a ne’er-do-well literature professor adrift on a soulless college campus who learns he only has six months to live. With the clock ticking, will he change his ways? Probably not.

Starring: David Krumholtz, Martin Starr, Olivia Thirlby, Jocelyn DeBoer, Trieste Kelly Dunn, and Stephen Root
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R (for violence/bloody images, sexual content and language)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 80 minutes

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The Beautiful Game

Directed By: Thea Sharrock
Studio: Netflix

Mal (Bill Nighy, Living, About Time) is the manager of England’s homeless football team, taking his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street soccer tournament. At the last minute he decides to bring with them a talented striker Vinny (Micheal Ward, Empire of Light, The Book of Clarence), who could give them a real chance at winning, but only if he’s ready to let go of his past and become part of the team. Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup,The Beautiful Game is a film of second chances — where homeless teams from around the world find that all roads lead to Rome, and everything’s to play for.

Starring: Cristina Rodlo, Bill Nighy, Valeria Golino, Stephane Fichet, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, and Micheal Ward
Genre: Drama | Sport
Rating: PG-13 (for some language, a suggestive reference, brief partial nudity and drug references)
Country: USA | UK (English)
Runtime: 125 minutes

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DogMan

Directed By: Luc Besson
Studio: Briarcliff Entertainment

A boy, bruised by life, finds his salvation through the love of his dogs.

Starring: Caleb Landry Jones, Jojo T. Gibbs, Christopher Denham, Clemens Schick, John Charles Aguilar, and Grace Palma
Genre: Crime | Drama | International | Thriller
Rating: R (for violent content, language and brief drug use)
Country: France (English & Spanish)
Runtime: 113 minutes

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La Chimera

Directed By: Alice Rohrwacher
Studio: NEON

Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, goes inside the earth — in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.

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Hate to Love: Nickelback

Directed By: Leigh Brooks
Studio: Trafalgar Releasing

A seemingly glamorous real estate agent in a small mountain community is revealed to be an unhinged alcoholic with a dark secret when a charismatic man in black shows up one day at the behest of his shadowy boss.

Starring: Daniel Adair, Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, Nickelback, and Ryan Peake
Genre: Documentary | International | Music
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Canada (English)
Runtime: 90 minutes

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The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane

Directed By: Helena Coan
Studio: Brainstorm Media

The tragic death of 21-year-old Grace Millane while on a solo holiday made headlines worldwide for her murderer’s violent history and attitude towards women. That was illustrated during a 2019 trial, where her killer was found guilty after offering a so-called “rough sex” defense that Millane could not rebut, and her family had to hear in court. Jesse Kempson, dubbed the Tinder killer, was eventually found guilty of murder and sentenced to a life sentence, with 17 years in prison without parole. The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane is set to present newly released CCTV footage and interviews that captures Millane’s Tinder date before she was strangled to death and holds a mirror up to broader issues of violence against women in society.

Starring: Grace Millane
Genre: Documentary | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK | New Zealand (English)
Runtime: 104 minutes

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Light

Directed By: Matt Woollard
Studio: Vertical

After crash-landing in an escape pod on a dark and misty planet, a mother is hunted by an alien creature which is drawn to the lights she must use to find her missing son.

Starring: Christine Roche, Gia Lily, Anna Swan, and Tedroy Newell
Genre: International | Sci-Fi
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK (English)
Runtime: 93 minutes

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Spermworld

Directed By: Lance Oppenheim
Studio: Hulu

SPERMWORLD is a road movie set inside the new wild west of baby making – online forums where sperm donors connect with hopeful parents. Against the landscape of roadside motels, abandoned shopping malls and suburban bathrooms across the country, the film follows intimate encounters between donors and recipients as they exchange more than just genetic material.

Starring: —
Genre: Documentary
Rating: TV-MA
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 84 minutes

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Madu

Directed By: Matthew Ogens & Joel Kachi Benson
Studio: Disney+

“Madu” follows 12-year-old Anthony Madu as he leaves his family and community in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world in England. Having never left his home outside of Lagos, Anthony finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dreams are suddenly within reach. His courageous journey is a story of extraordinary obstacles as he searches for belonging and acceptance, a family far away, and unexpected challenges that could impact his future. Forming a rich and immersive tapestry told on multiple continents, MADU introduces the world to a boy chasing a dream of inspiration that will resonate with us all.

Starring: Anthony Madu
Genre: Documentary | Biography
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA | Nigeria (English)
Runtime: 100 minutes

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Monster Mash

Directed By: José Prendes
Studio: The Asylum

Dracula, Werewolf, and the Invisible Man must work together to stop Dr. Frankenstein from creating an unstoppable monster.

Starring: Ethan Daniel Corbett, Michelle Bauer, Emma Reinagel, Gabriel Pranter, and Maddie Lane
Genre: Horror
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 90 minutes

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The Soviet Sleep Experiment

Directed By: Barry Andersson
Studio: Buffalo 8

In the late 1940’s, Russian researchers kept four test patients awake for 30 days using an experimental gas-based stimulant. Cut off from the world, the researchers conduct a series of tests on the subjects. What starts as a purely scientific study, quickly spirals out of control and the subjects take matters into their own hands and test the concept of truth as a matter of life and death.

Starring: Eva De Dominici, Rafal Zawierucha, Chris Kattan, Michael Villar, and Charles Hubbell
Genre: Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: — minutes

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Sue Bird: In the Clutch

Directed By: Sarah Dowland
Studio: Wolfe Releasing

In her 21-year professional career, WNBA basketball legend Sue Bird has won five Olympic gold medals, becoming the most successful point guard to ever play the game. Alongside her fiancee, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Sue confronts her next challenge — retiring from the only life she’s ever known.

Starring: Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Diana Taurasi
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 98 minutes

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A Cat’s Life

Directed By: Guillaume Maidatchevsky
Studio: Capelight Pictures + Blue Fox Entertainment

Clémence rescues a kitten named Lou in her Parisian attic, and they form an unbreakable bond. They venture to the countryside for her family’s vacation, where Lou’s curiosity leads to thrilling adventures in the woods. Amidst new friendships and dangers, Lou’s journey unfolds, marking a transformation from a curious kitten to a brave and adventurous cat.

Starring: Capucine Sainson-Fabresse, Corinne Masiero, Lucie Laurent, Nicolas Casar-Umbdenstock, and Juliette Gillis
Genre: Adventure | Drama | Family | Internationa;
Rating: PG (for thematic material, some peril and language)
Country: France | Switzerland (French)
Runtime: 83 minutes

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Bag of Lies

Directed By: David James
Studio: Dread

Desperate to save his dying wife, Matt turns to The Bag, an ancient relic with dark magic. The cure demands a chilling ritual and strict rules. As his wife heals, Matt’s sanity unravels, facing terrifying consequences.

Starring: John Wells, Madison Pullins, Patrick Taft, Brandi Botkin, and Terry Tocantins
Genre: Horror
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 96 minutes

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Mind Body & Soul

Directed By: Robert Lang
Studio: Indican Pictures

Delve into the intriguing story of Satan’s second coming, now living in Los Angeles. No longer willing to let others dictate his narrative, he’s determined to set the record straight and seize control of his own story. Follow him as he embarks on a transformative journey of reinvention, rebranding, and a visionary future, all while inviting a documentary crew into his home.

Starring: Conr Kinman, Melissa Bergland, Eric Wu, Anna Newell, and Matthew Brown
Genre: Comedy
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 80 minutes

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A Fragile Flower

Directed By: Mai Thu Huyền
Studio: Atlas Distribution Company

Thach Thao is a beautiful girl with an angelic beautiful voice, and the first time she sang on stage at Itango Club, Thao immediately caught the eye of a music producer named Son. Then, she was invited to cooperate in filming a music video called “A Fragile Flower.” After the music video was released, Thach Thao became a renowned singer. She is beautiful, talented, so many men love her. Then, which man will Thao’s heart belong to? And what is the dangerous disease that she encountered?

Starring: Maya, Quoc Cuong, Mai Thu Huyen, Trizzie Phuong Trinh, and Anh Dung
Genre: Drama | International | Music | Romance
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA | Vietnam (Vietnamese)
Runtime: 96 minutes

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Karaoke

Directed By: Moshe Rosenthal
Studio: Greenwich Entertainment

Meir (Sasson Gabay of The Band’s Visit and Shtisel) and Tova (Rita Shukrun) are a long-married couple living in an upscale high-rise in Tel Aviv. Itzik (Lior Ashkenazi) is their new neighbor, a worldly modeling agent and bachelor. The couple attend Itzik’s karaoke parties and soon become obsessed with him, competing with each other, and other residents of the building, for his attention.

Starring: Lior Ashkenazi, Sasson Gabay, Gabriel Omri Loukas, Keren Tzur, Talleen Abu Hanna, and Rita Shukrun
Genre: Comedy | Drama | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Israel (Hebrew)
Runtime: 100 minutes

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Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later

Directed By: Daniel Peddle
Studio: MTV + Showtime Documentary Films

In 2005, the groundbreaking film The Aggressives showcased the remarkable stories of Chin, Octavio, Trevon, and Kisha. Now, nearly 20 years later, the same four protagonists reunite to reflect on their past and envision new futures.

Starring: Kisha Batista, Trevon Haynes, Octavio Sanders, and Chin Tsui
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 80 minutes

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Earlybird

Directed By: Martin Kaszubowski
Studio: Good Deed Entertainment

A desperate theater owner resuscitates his struggling business with off-the-wall productions, all the while losing sight of why he chose this life at all.

Starring: Joshua Koopman, Julie Pope, Amanda Platt, Chloe Skoczen, and Zachary Krueger
Genre: Comedy
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 101 minutes

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With Love and a Major Organ

Directed By: Kim Albright
Studio: Circle Collective

In a world where everyone’s heart is an object and there’s a strong societal pressure to dampen emotion, lonely Virtual Insurance broker Anabel always follows her heart. At odds with this overly pragmatic society, and after a series of devastating emotional blows, she rips her heart from her chest and gives it to a man she’s fallen for, the strangely unfeeling George. Unburdened by her unique yet cumbersome heart, Anabel finds life easier. George, on the other hand, begins to feel everything, to the shock of his overbearing mother, Mona. Anabel soon realizes she needs to get her heart back if she’s going to survive.

Starring: Anna Maguire, Hamza Haq, Veena Sood, Donna Benedicto, and Arghavan Jenati
Genre: Drama | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Canada (English)
Runtime: 91 minutes

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The Unicorn

Directed By: Isabelle Dupuis & Tim Geraghty
Studio: OVID

The Unicorn is a feature length documentary about outsider musician Peter Grudzien, the one-man musical force behind The Unicorn, possibly the first gay country album. But country doesn’t begin to describe the dizzying range of music included on this 1974 album. Peter composed, performed and recorded The Unicorn entirely in his childhood home in Queens, NY. He sold the 500 pressed copies out of a suitcase on the streets of New York. To quote music critic Paul Major, “The Unicorn is not an LP, it is life itself”.

Starring: Peter Grudzien
Genre: Documentary | Music
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 92 minutes

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Bad Faith

Directed By: Stephen Ujlaki & Christopher Jacob Jones
Studio: Heretical Reason Productions

BAD FAITH is a feature-length documentary that explores the dangerous rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States. Part archival chronicle, part exposé, the film reveals the secretive political machinery that has relentlessly sought to weaken and destroy American democracy in order to promote its authoritarian vision.

Starring: Steve Schmidt, William J. Barber II, Randall Balmer, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Anne Nelson
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 89 minutes

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Old Fox

Directed By: Ya-chuan Hsiao
Studio: Circle Collective

This family drama is about an 11-year-old boy who befriends his landlord, nicknamed Old Fox, and learns from him how to survive in a rapidly changing world as well as things his poor father would never be able to teach him.

Starring: Run-yin Bai, Kuan-Ting Liu, Akio Chen, Tie-Hsiang Ban, and Tsai-Hsing Chang
Genre: Drama | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Taiwan (Mandarin & Min Nan)
Runtime: 112 minutes

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Heart of the Hunter

Directed By: Mandla Dube
Studio: Netflix

A retired assassin is pulled back into action when his friend uncovers a dangerous conspiracy at the heart of the South African government.

Starring: Bonko Khoza, Connie Ferguson, Masasa Mbangeni, Tim Theron, and Peter Butler
Genre: Action | International | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: South Africa (English)
Runtime: 105 minutes

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