Friday Releases: The Fall Guy, Tarot, & I Saw The TV Glow

MAY 3, 2024

The Fall Guy

Directed By: David Leitch
Studio: Universal Pictures

He’s a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, and Winston Duke
Genre: Action | Comedy | Drama
Rating: PG-13 (for action and violence, drug content and some strong language)
Country: USA | Australia | Canada (English)
Runtime: 126 minutes

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Tarot

Directed By: Spenser Cohen & Anna Halberg
Studio: Sony Pictures | Screen Gems

When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings — never use someone else’s deck — they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.

Starring: Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika Vandanapu, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, and Jacob Batalon
Genre: Horror
Rating: PG-13 (for horror violence, terror, bloody images, some strong language and drug content)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 92 minutes

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I Saw The TV Glow

Directed By: Jane Schoenbrun
Studio: A24

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst and Danielle Deadwyler
Genre: Drama | Horror
Rating: PG-13 (for violent content, some sexual material, thematic elements and teen smoking)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 100 minutes

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Star Wars: Episode I
The Phantom Menace

Directed By: George Lucas
Studio: 20th Century Studios

Experience the heroic action and unforgettable adventures of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. See the first fateful steps in the journey of Anakin Skywalker. Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn discover nine-year-old Anakin, who is unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith. After the feature, fans will also get a special first look at Star Wars: The Acolyte series coming to Disney+ June 2024.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August and Frank Oz
Genre: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Rating: PG (for sci-fi action/violence)
Country: USA (English & Sanskrit)
Runtime: 136 minutes

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The Idea Of You

Directed By: Michael Showalter
Studio: Amazon Studios

Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, and Reid Scott
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Rating: R (for some language and sexual content)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 115 minutes

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Jeanne du Barry

Directed By: Maïwenn
Studio: Fathom Events

Jeanne du Barry follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder, using her charms to escape her impoverished life. Her lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), wishes to present her to King Louis XV (Johnny Depp) and orchestrates a meeting through the influential Duke of Richelieu (Pierre Richard). The encounter goes far beyond his expectations for it was love at first sight for the King and Jeanne. Through this ravishing courtesan, the king rediscovers his appetite for life and feels he can no longer live without her. Making Jeanne his last official mistress, scandal erupts as no one at Court will accept a girl from the streets into their rarified world.

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Unfrosted

Directed By: Jerry Seinfeld
Studio: Netflix

Michigan, 1963. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen, Unfrosted stars writer/director Jerry Seinfeld.

Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer, Max Greenfield, Peter Dinklage, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Dan Levy, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Thomas Lennon, Bobby Moynihan, Kyle Mooney, Tony Hale, Maria Bakalova, Dean Norris, Beck Bennett, Sebastian Maniscalco, Cedric the Entertainer, Fred Armisen, John Slattery, Jon Hamm, and Patrick Warburton
Genre: Biography | Comedy | History
Rating: PG-13 (for some suggestive references and language)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 93 minutes

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Evil Does Not Exist

Directed By: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Studio: Sideshow | Janus Films

In the rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, not far from Tokyo, Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for the local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a talent agency’s plan to build an opulent glamping site nearby, offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to the snowy wilderness. When two company representatives arrive and ask for local guidance, Takumi becomes conflicted in his involvement, as it becomes clear that the project will have a pernicious impact on the community. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow up to his Academy Award®-winning DRIVE MY CAR is a foreboding fable on humanity’s mysterious, mystical relationship with nature. As sinister gunshots echo from the forest, both the locals and representatives confront their life choices and the haunting consequences they have.

Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryô Nishikawa, Ryûji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, and Hazuki Kikuchi
Genre: Drama | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Japan (Japanese)
Runtime: 106 minutes

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Prom Dates

Directed By: Kim O. Nguyen
Studio: Hulu

“Prom Dates” follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom. Despite the impending changes that college will bring over the next four years, the two are committed to honoring their prom pact. But with only 24 hours left before the big event, everything falls apart when they break up with each of their dates. Jess and Hannah are left with one night to find new dates and live out their middle-school fantasies.

Starring: Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, John Michael Higgins, & Chelsea Handler
Genre: Comedy
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 90 minutes

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Wildcat

Directed By: Ethan Hawke
Studio: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Directed and co-written by four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, WILDCAT invites the audience to weave in and out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor’s mind as she ponders the great questions of her writing: Can scandalous art still serve God? Does suffering precede all greatness? Can illness be a blessing? In 1950, Flannery (Maya Hawke) visits her mother Regina (Laura Linney) in Georgia when she is diagnosed with lupus at twenty-four years old. Struggling with the same disease that took her father’s life when she was a child and desperate to make her mark as a great writer, this crisis pitches her imagination into a feverish exploration of belief. As she dives deeper into her craft, the lines between reality, imagination, and faith begin to blur, allowing Flannery to ultimately come to peace with her situation and heal a strained relationship with her mother.

Starring: Maya Hawke, Rafael Casal, Philip Ettinger, Cooper Hoffman, Steve Zahn, and Laura Linney
Genre: Biography | Drama
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 103 minutes

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The Roundup: Punishment

Directed By: Heo Myeong Haeng
Studio: Capelight Pictures | Blue Fox Entertainment

During the investigations of a drug trafficking app, the Monster Cop Ma Seok-do (Don Lee) and his team discover a connection between the wanted app developer, who was killed in the Philippines, and a massive illegal online gambling organization. Meanwhile in the Philippines, Baek Chang-gi, a former elite soldier, has been controlling the Korean online illegal gambling market, terrorizing it with kidnap, assault and murder. His partner, the IT genius CEO, Chang Dong-chul plans an even larger scheme in Korea. To put an end to the escalating threat, Detective Ma expands the operation by proposing an unexpected alliance to Jang, and unfolds the biggest roundup mission to hunt down the criminals, collaborating with the cyber unit and Metro Investigations.

Starring: Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Park Ji-hwan and Lee Dong-hwi
Genre: Action | Crime | International | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: South Korea (Korean)
Runtime: 109 minutes

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Turtles All the Way Down

Directed By: Hannah Marks
Studio: Max

Turtles All the Way Down tackles anxiety through its 17-year-old protagonist, Aza Holmes. It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying… trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis, her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship, and hope.

Starring: Isabela Merced, Maliq Johnson, Miles Ekhardt, J. Smith-Cameron, and Poorna Jagannathan
Genre: Drama | Romance
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material involving mental illness, some strong language and sexual references)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 111 minutes

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Macbeth: Ralph Fiennes & Indira Varma

Directed By: Simon Godwin
Studio: Trafalgar Releasing

Tony and BAFTA Award winner Ralph Fiennes and Olivier Award winner Indira Varma star in a brand-new ‘full-voltage visceral’ (Daily Telegraph) production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Filmed live at Dock X, a custom-built theatre space in London, this critically acclaimed staging of Macbeth ‘that quickens the pulse, then goes for the jugular’ (Financial Times) will be unmissable on the big screen. Directed by Simon Godwin with set and costume design by Frankie Bradshaw (Jerusalem, Blues for an Alabama Sky), this is a cinematic and ‘beautifully staged’ (WhatsOnStage) production that brings ‘Shakespeare’s tragedy pulsing into the present day’ (The I). Macbeth is coming. A couple corrupted by their relentless lust for power have blood on their hands. Witness the gripping tale of greed, murder, deception, and superstition in cinemas for a limited time only. Once you cross the line, you can never turn back.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes & Indira Varma
Genre: Drama | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK (English)
Runtime: 156 minutes

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New Life

Directed By: John Rosman
Studio: Brainstorm Media

Jess is a woman on the run, desperate to cross the Canadian border to escape her past. On her tail is Elsa, a resourceful agent, whose recent life-altering diagnosis leaves her one step behind. As their chase narrows to the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, holes in Elsa’s investigation begin to fill with fresh bodies. Soon the pursuit spirals toward its harrowing confrontation between the two women, in search of meaning and redemption, on the razor’s edge of catastrophe.

Starring: Sonya Walger, Tony Amendola, Hayley Erin, Nick George, and Ayanna Berkshire
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 85 minutes

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Something In The Water

Directed By: Hayley Easton Street
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Five friends reunite for a wedding in the Caribbean. The day before the ceremony they go out on a boat to party and accidentally head into shark infested waters. Now they must face their fears and fight for survival in the open waters.

Starring: Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, Natalie Mitson, Nicole Rieko Setsuko, and Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart
Genre: Thriller
Rating: R (for language throughout, some violence and bloody images)
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 86 minutes

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Chief Of Station

Directed By: Jesse V. Johnson
Studio: Vertical

Ben is a former CIA station chief whose world comes crashing down after his wife, a former operative, dies in a terrible accident. Soon, a cryptic message sends him back into the shadowy underworld of Eastern Europe, teaming up with a former adversary to unravel a conspiracy that challenges everything he thought he knew about his wife and the agency that he worked for.

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Olga Kurylenko, Alex Pettyfer, Chris Petrovski, and Laëtitia Eïdo
Genre: Action | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 97 minutes

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Mars Express

Directed By: Jérémie Périn
Studio: GKIDS

In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet’s capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threatens to change the face of the universe.

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Dragonkeeper

Directed By: Salvador Simó
Studio: Viva Kids

A young orphan ventures across ancient China to save the last surviving dragons from extinction.

Starring: Mario Gas, Lucía Pérez, Fernando Castro, Carlos de Luna, and José Gómez Adán
Genre: Animation | Adventure | Fantasy | International
Rating: PG (for violence, thematic elements and scary images)
Country: Spain | China (English, Chinese, & Spanish)
Runtime: 99 minutes

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The Contestant

Directed By: Clair Titley
Studio: Hulu

The incredible true story of a man who lived for 15 months trapped inside a small room, naked, starving and alone… and completely unaware that his life was being broadcast on national TV to over 17 million viewers a week.

Starring: Tomoaki Hamatsu
Genre: Documentary | International
Rating: Not Rated
Country: UK (English & Japanese)
Runtime: 90 minutes

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Slow

Directed By: Marija Kavtaradze
Studio: KimStim

Dancer Elena and sign language interpreter Dovydas meet and form a beautiful bond. As they dive into a new relationship, they must navigate how to build their own kind of intimacy.

Starring: Greta Grineviciute, Kestutis Cicenas, Pijus Ganusauskas, Laima Akstinaite, and Vaiva Zymante
Genre: Drama | Romance
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Lithuania | Spain | Sweden (Lithuanian & English)
Runtime: 108 minutes

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Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg

Directed By: Alexis Bloom & Svetlana Zill
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Anita Pallenberg was at many points in her life a newspaper headline: a “rock n’ roll goddess,” a “voodoo priestess,” and an “evil seductress.” She was accused of trying to break up the Rolling Stones, among other things. But those who loved her considered her an exciting cultural force, and a loving mother — and innocent of the accusations. Never-seen-before home movies and family photographs explore life with the Rolling Stones and tell a bittersweet tale of both triumph and heartbreak. From Barbarella to the Swiss Alps, and the Lower East Side to London, Anita Pallenberg was a creative force ahead of her time.

Starring: Marianne Faithfull, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Moss, Anita Pallenberg, Angela Richards, and Keith Richards
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English, German, & French)
Runtime: 110 minutes

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Lost Soulz

Directed By: Katherine Propper
Studio: Kino Lorber

When aspiring rapper Sol is discovered by a group of Gen-Z musicians after performing at a house party, he joins their tour through the heart of Texas and embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime road trip. Sol and his new collaborators bond over their shared pains and longings from the lives they left behind. Bold and brash, yet surprisingly sensitive and vulnerable, these young artists pour their souls into the music they create together. The novelty of Sol’s newfound family fades as the demons Sol left behind come back to haunt him, including his guilt over abandoning his ailing friend. His sense of self is put to the ultimate test as he seeks refuge from the rootlessness and loss that has defined his existence. Set to a lo-fi, genre-bending hip-hop soundtrack, Katherine Propper’s award-winning debut is suffused with a hazy and infectious energy and features virtuosic musical performances, from the tour van to the stage, that allow the ensemble’s winning chemistry to shine.

Starring: Sauve Sidle, Alexander Brackney, Malachi Mabson, Micro TDH, and Siyanda Stillwell
Genre: Drama
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 95 minutes

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This World Is Not My Own

Directed By: Petter Ringbom & Marquise Stillwell
Studio: Juno Films

Beginning with her birthday July 4, 1900, artist Nellie Mae Rowe’s life spanned the 20th century. For most of her life, Nellie made art in obscurity, propelled by a force she viewed as a God-given gift. As the daughter of a sharecropper and former slave, she made art from whatever she could find. As an adult, she transformed her home into her “Playhouse,” an imaginative oasis filled with vibrant drawings, handmade sculptures and dolls, and collected objects. Six years before her death, a wealthy gallerist, Judith Alexander, “discovered” and introduced her work to the art world. Over four acts, This World is Not My Own traces the lifespan of an artist who struggles to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. The film mixes traditional documentary techniques with animations and scripted scenes shot in intricately detailed sets to bring her dynamic story to life.

Starring: Uzo Aduba, Judith Anderson, William Arnett, Judith Augustine, and Roberta Bates
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 97 minutes

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Kitty The Killer

Directed By: Lee Thongkham
Studio: Epic Pictures

Dina, a highly trained teenage assassin, has worked with her mentor, Keng, for years. Together, they have been on countless missions and have always had each other’s backs. However, their partnership is put to the test when Keng is betrayed by his own organization and left for dead. As Keng escapes, he meets Charlie, an ordinary office worker who he feels a special connection with. Keng sees potential in Charlie and decides to make him the new “Grey Fox Guardian,” a position that is tasked with protecting Dina from the organization that betrayed Keng. Charlie is thrust into a world he never knew existed, one filled with danger and constant threats to his and Dina’s lives. Together, they must navigate the treacherous landscape of the assassin’s world and stay one step ahead of their enemies. As they delve deeper into the organization’s plans, they discover a sinister plot that could threaten the safety of millions. Charlie and Dina must work together to stop the organization before it’s too late.

Starring: Ploypailin Thangprapaporn, Denkhun Ngamnet, Somchai Kemglad, Nara Aniwat, and Vithaya Pansringarm
Genre: Action | Comedy | International | Thriller
Rating: Not Rated
Country: Thailand (Thai)
Runtime: 120 minutes

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Duffle Bag Boy

Directed By: Alexander Raye Pimentel
Studio: Buffalo 8

Lost and forgotten, a homeless veteran hitchhikes his way into becoming an outlaw and goes to war with the kingpin of a criminal empire.

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Who Is Stan Smith?

Directed By: Danny Lee
Studio: Sonder Entertainment

A lyrical and emotional journey, charting the extraordinary life of Stan Smith, the tennis champion turned fashion icon and humanitarian. From his early days in Southern California, through Stan’s historic, collegiate and professional tennis career, this in-depth story peels back the layers to show the true colors of a thoughtful, empathetic leader off the court, all-the-while becoming an unsuspecting fashionista for thousands of artists, celebrities and shoe-lovers around the world.

Starring: Stan Smith, John McEnroe, Pharrell Williams, and Darryl McDaniels
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 95 minutes

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Adiós Buenos Aires

Directed By: German Kral
Studio: Outsider Pictures

Buenos Aires, November 2001. Argentina is embroiled in crisis, with the peso plunging deeper and deeper. Julio Färber, the charismatic bandoneon player of the “Vecinos de Pompeya,” a five-piece working-class tango band, is trying to keep his head above water, but every month he is earning less and less from their gigs as well as from the traditional shoe shop he inherited from his father. At the very moment, he takes the decision to leave his beloved Buenos Aires forever, it clearly appears that life is conspiring against him: overnight, the government freezes all bank accounts in the whole country, preventing Julio from purchasing the flight tickets and sparking violent protests throughout the town. And Mariela, a witty young woman, and feisty cab driver, bumps into his car at full speed, damaging Julio’s last possession of value before stealing his heart….

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Walled Off

Directed By: Vin Arfuso
Studio: Watermelon Pictures

A secret museum in an art hotel located near the Israeli West Bank barrier sparks intrigue when it’s revealed to be a creation of controversial artist Banksy. In a monumental collaboration with American-Palestinian model and musician Anwar Hadid, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, and the grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela, Kweku Mandela, WALLED OFF journeys through the hotel with “the worst view in the world”, as well as the Occupied Palestinian territories, and a lesser-known yet relevant past to highlight the importance of creative resistance as a form of protest.

Starring: Anwar Hadid, Roger Waters, and Kweku Mandela
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 90 minutes

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Finding The Money

Directed By: Maren Poitras
Studio: Giant Pictures

The film follows former chief economist to the Senate Budget Committee, Dr. Stephanie Kelton, on a journey through Modern Money Theory or “MMT,” to unveil a deeper story about money, injecting new hope and empowering democracies to tackle the biggest challenges of the 21st century: from climate change to inequality. What exactly is money? Easy question — except it is not. Finding the Money follows an intrepid group of economists on a mission to instigate a paradigm shift by flipping our understanding of the national debt — and the nature of money — upside down. We all use money, and yet the questions of what is money, and where does money come from remain elusive.

Starring: Stephanie Kelton, Lua K. Yuille, Mathew Forstater, Fadhel Kaboub, Delman Coates, and Jason Furman
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Country: USA (English)
Runtime: 95 minutes

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