Friday Releases: Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2

Directed by: Kelsey Mann
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures + Pixar Animation

The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out–but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 introduces a new Emotion: Anxiety.

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Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kensington Tallman
Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy
PG (for some thematic elements)
USA | Japan (English)
96 minutes

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Firebrand

Directed by: Karim Aïnouz
Studio: Roadside Attractions | Vertical

Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, is named regent while the tyrant battles abroad. When the king returns, increasingly ill and paranoid, Katherine finds herself fighting for her own survival.

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Alicia Vikander, Eddie Marsan, Jude Law, Sam Riley, Mia Threapleton, and Erin Doherty
Drama | History
R (for some violent content, brief gore and sexuality/nudity)
USA | UK (English)
120 minutes

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Bad Behaviour

Directed by: Alice Englert
Studio: Gravitas Ventures

The film tells the story of Lucy (Jennifer Connelly), a former child actress who seeks enlightenment at a retreat led by spiritual leader Elon (Ben Whishaw) while she also navigates the close yet turbulent relationship with her stunt performer daughter, Dylan (Alice Englert).

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Jennifer Connelly, Dasha Nekrasova, Karan Gill, Marlon Williams and Ben Whishaw
Comedy | Drama | Horror | International | Thriller
Not Rated
New Zealand (English & French)
109 minutes

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Treasure

Directed by: Julia von Heinz
Studio: Bleecker Street

A father-daughter road trip set in 1990s Poland, TREASURE follows Ruth (Dunham), an American music journalist, and her father, Edek (Fry), a charmingly stubborn Holocaust survivor, on a journey to his homeland. While Ruth is eager to make sense of her family’s past, Edek embarks on the trip with his own agenda. This emotional, funny culture clash of two New Yorkers exploring post-socialist Poland is a powerful example of how reconnecting with family and the past can be an unexpected treasure.

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Lena Dunham, Stephen Fry and Zbigniew Zamachowski
Comedy | Drama | International
R (for some language)
Germany | France (English & Polish)
112 minutes

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Reverse The Curse

Directed by: David Duchovny
Studio: Vertical

Reverse the Curse follows Ted (Logan Marshall-Green), a failed writer-turned-Yankees Stadium peanut slinger who moves back home after learning of the failing health of his Red Sox-obsessed father, Marty (David Duchovny). While Marty strives to make amends for his past, his health drops abruptly whenever his beloved Sox lose a game. To keep his dad’s spirits up, Ted takes matters into his own hands and manufactures a winning streak with the help of a crew of dad’s neighborhood pals. In the process, Ted strikes up a bond with Marty’s charming “Death Specialist,” Marianna (Stephanie Beatriz), and the prospect of a new love reignites his ambitions. An ode to the bond between father and son, this warm and witty film demonstrates how life truly belongs to the losers, and that the longshots are the ones worth betting on.

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Logan Marshall-Green, David Duchovny, Stephanie Beatriz, Pamela Adlon, Jason Beghe, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Evan Handler
Comedy | Drama | Romance
Not Rated
Canada (English)
105 minutes

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The Grab

Directed by: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Studio: Magnolia Pictures | Participant

Quietly and seemingly out of sight, governments, private investors and mercenaries are working to seize food and water resources at the expense of entire populations. These groups are establishing themselves as the new OPEC, where the future world powers will be those who control not oil, but food. And it’s all beginning to bubble to the surface in real time. Global food prices have hit an all-time high, threatening chaos and violence. Meanwhile, Russia is using food as a weapon against the Ukrainians, and as a geopolitical tool to wield global power. THE GRAB is a global thriller combining hard-hitting journalism from The Center for Investigative Reporting with the compelling character-driven storytelling of director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, taking you around the globe from Arizona to Zambia, to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least known threats.

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Ertharin Cousin, Lee Gunn, Nathan Halverson, Mara Hvistendahl, and Holly Irwin
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English, Russian, & Ukrainian)
102 minutes

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Ghostlight

Directed by: Kelly O’Sullivan & Alex Thompson
Studio: IFC Films

When melancholic construction worker Dan (Keith Kupferer) finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet. As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss.

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Keith Kupferer, Dolly de Leon, Katherine May Kupferer, Tara Mallen, Hana Dworkin, Tommy Rivera-Vega, Alma Washington, H.B. Ward, Dexter Zollicoffer, Deanna Dunagan and Francis Guinan
Comedy | Drama
R (for language)
USA (English)
110 minutes

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Latency

Directed by: James Croke
Studio: Lionsgate

When Hana (Sasha Luss), a professional gamer who suffers from acute agoraphobia, is asked to trial sophisticated new gaming equipment which uses AI to interpret the electrical activity of her brain, she sees an opportunity to enhance her game. As Hana and her best friend Jen (Alexis Ren) experiment with this new technology, the line between reality and Hana’s subconscious quickly begins to blur and she starts to wonder if the device is helping her or serving a more sinister force.

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Sasha Luss and Alexis Ren
Action | Horror | Thriller
PG-13 (for some violent content, terror, and strong language)
USA | Thailand (English)
94 minutes

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Cora Bora

Directed by: Hannah Pearl Utt
Studio: Brainstorm Media

Follows Cora, who feels that her relationship is not going well. She goes back home to win her girlfriend back but she will realize that it’s much more than her love life that needs salvaging.

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Megan Stalter, Jojo T. Gibbs, Manny Jacinto, Ayden Mayeri, Thomas Mann, Chrissie Fit, Andre Hyland, Chelsea Peretti, Margaret Cho and Darrell Hammond
Comedy | Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
92 minutes

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Ultraman: Rising

Directed by: Shannon Tindle & John Aoshima
Studio: Netflix

With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans.

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Ride

Directed by: Jake Allyn
Studio: Well Go USA Entertainment

Desperate to raise money for his daughter’s cancer treatment, a retired bull rider teams up with his estranged son and resorts to robbery to secure payment before time runs out. But after the heist goes awry, keeping the money–and their freedom–requires the duo to outwit a dogged pair of local law enforcement officers, including a justice-minded sheriff who soon suspects that the key to her case may lie uncomfortably close to home.

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C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish, Jake Allyn, Forrie J. Smith, Josh Plasse, and Scott Reeves
Crime | Drama
R (for drug content and some violence)
USA (English)
108 minutes

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Brats

Directed by: Andrew McCarthy
Studio: Neon | Hulu

Centering on 1980s films starring the “Brat Pack” and their profound impact on the young stars’ lives.

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Lea Thompson, Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Timothy Hutton, and Bret Easton Ellis
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
92 minutes

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Fresh Kills

Directed by: Jennifer Esposito
Studio: Quiver Distribution

Fresh Kills brings late 1980s Staten Island to vivid life through the lens of Rose Larusso (Emily Bader), an inquisitive young girl who discovers her father (Domenick Lombardozzi) is an emerging mafia kingpin. Rose’s growing desire to break free from the path set before her soon threatens her existence and alienates her from her closest allies: her mother Francine (Jennifer Esposito), her sister Connie (Odessa A’zion), and her aunt Christine (Annabella Sciorra).

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Jennifer Esposito, Odessa A’zion, Annabella Sciorra, Domenick Lombardozzi, David Iacono, Nicholas Cirillo, Emily Bader, and Nicole Ehinger
Crime | Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
120 minutes

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Queendom

Directed by: Agniia Galdanova
Studio: Greenwich Entertainment

In defiance of Russia’s anti-LGTBQ laws, a queer, 21-year-old artist risks her life performing in surreal costumes throughout Moscow. Jenna Marvin’s radical public performances blend artistry and activism in this SXSW documentary.

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Jenna Marvin
Documentary | International
Not Rated
France | USA (Russian)
98 minutes

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Killer Of Men

Directed by: Tzvi
Studio: Quiver Distribution

This neo-noir thriller follows an emotionless loner who works as a delivery man for a grocery store by day and lurks in the green-lit subways by night, looking for innocent victims to beat to death with a metal rod. When he befriends a lonely school teacher at a laundromat, her compassionate personality offers an escape from his depraved existence, though not before he kills his verbally abusive boss in cold blood. And just as his relationship with the teacher stirs an ember within, a co-worker starts to suspect him in the store owner’s murder, imperiling his chances at redemption.

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Jon Peterson, Stacie Brown, Paquito G. Myers, Noah Forrest, and Tyshon Daniels
Thriller
Not Rated
USA (English)
72 minutes

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Tiger Stripes

Directed by: Amanda Nell Eu
Studio: Dark Star Pictures

The first amongst her friends to hit puberty, Zaffan, 12, discovers a terrifying secret about her body. Ostracized by her community, Zaffan fights back, learning that to be free she must embrace the body she feared, emerging as a proud, strong woman.

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Just The Two Of Us

Directed by: Michael Flynn
Studio: Music Box Films

Three couples embark on separate journeys of love. Zoë and Anthony make an online connection. Kevin and Rachel face difficulties in their 13-year marriage. Christopher and Grace grapple with a cancer diagnosis.

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Virginie Efira, Melvil Poupaud, Dominique Reymond, Romane Bohringer, and Virginie Ledoyen
Drama | International | Thriller
Not Rated
France (French)
105 minutes

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Summer Solstice

Directed by: Noah Schamus
Studio: Cartilage Films

Trans man Leo’s (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) life is a jumble of auditions, acting classes, barista jobs, and situationships, all of which he hopes will amount to more. Unexpectedly, Leo’s college best friend, cisgender and straight Eleanor (Marianne Rendón), calls Leo announcing that she’ll be driving through NYC, and offers to pick him up for an impromptu trip upstate. They embark on the weekend getaway, marking their first time spent together since Leo began transitioning. Reunited with new gender dynamics between them, and uncovering problems lurking behind Eleanor’s “well-meaning” façade, Leo and Eleanor navigate how their old feelings towards one another exist within this new context, forcing them both to confront buried secrets and emotions. A modern twist on the buddy comedy from a queer and trans perspective, Noah Schamus’ debut feature SUMMER SOLSTICE is a celebration of friendship, resilience, and coming of age again.

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Keenan Jolliff, Yaron Lotan, Bobbi Salvör Menuez, Marianne Rendón, Tracy Sallows, and Monica Sanborn
Comedy | Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
81 minutes

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Naked Acts (1996 Re-Release)

Directed by: Bridgett Davis
Studio: Kino Lorber

Celebrated as a key film in the canon of independent cinema by African-Americans in the 1990s, Bridgett M. Davis’s Naked Acts was included in the seminal anthology “The 50 Most Influential Black Films” by S. Torriano Berry. Beautiful aspiring actor Cicely (Jake-ann Jones) has just landed her first major role, but there’s a big problem: it requires a nude scene. Her mother was a Blaxploitation star known for her sex appeal, while Cicely is a survivor of sexual assault with life-long body image issues, all of which has left her with a strong aversion to disrobing in public. Now, with the support of her boyfriend Joel (Ron Cephas Jones), she attempts to get past her fear.

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Jake-Ann Jones, Ron Cephas Jones, Patricia DeArcy, John McKie, and Lee Dobson
Comedy | Drama
R (for sexuality/nudity and some language)
USA (English)
87 minutes

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Tell Them You Love Me

Directed by: Nick August-Perna
Studio: Netflix

Tell Them You Love Me explores the extraordinary story of Anna Stubblefield, an esteemed university professor who becomes embroiled in a controversial affair with Derrick Johnson, a non-verbal black man with cerebral palsy. Anna says she unlocked Derrick’s mind from his body by teaching him to communicate using a keyboard. But when Derrick’s family begin to question his miraculous transformation, and Anna’s intentions, it would lead to a criminal trial that would challenge our perceptions of disability and the nature of consent. Through exclusive footage and interviews with those on both sides of the case, this feature documentary weaves a riveting and endlessly nuanced story about communication, race, and sex.

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Kate Dulcich, Jerron Herman, Devva Kasnitz, Brenda McCullough, Richard Rampolla, and Julian Thomas
Documentary
Not Rated
USA | UK (English)
102 minutes

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Scab Vendor: Confessions Of A Tattoo Artist

Directed by: Lucas de Barros & Mariana Thome
Studio: Dark Star Pictures

Born with a silver spoon, Jonathan Shaw chose, at the height of his career as a tattoo artist, to give up on his celebrity lifestyle in order to escape from his own vicious cycle.

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Johnny Depp, Jim Jarmusch, Iggy Pop, Eugene Hutz, Kelly Cutrone, and William Leroy
Documentary | Biography
Not Rated
USA | Brazil (English, Portuguese, & Spanish)
90 minutes

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The Relentless Patriot

Directed by: Christopher Martini
Studio: Global Ascension Studios

For 30 years artist Scott LoBaido has been a passionate advocate championing causes dear to his heart such as reverence for the American Flag, honoring service members and defending American values. Now his remarkable journey — from his earliest arrests to his 50 state quests painting magnificent large scale homages of Old Glory to his demanding of respect for those in uniform — is brought to life in a captivating documentary. Through art, patriotism and activism, Scott’s unique and incredible story resonates as a call to action for all Americans. With stunning visuals and compelling footage, this film is a testament to his unwavering commitment and a rallying cry in a pivotal moment in history. Join Scott as he continues to be a voice for the people in standing up for what is right and what is good in our United States of America.

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Rudy Giuliani, Scott LoBaido, Bill O’Reilly, Curtis Sliwa, and Donald Trump
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
94 minutes

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Wild Eyed And Wicked

Directed by: Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood
Studio: Gravitas Ventures

Lily Pierce is sick of being haunted. She decides to reconnect with her estranged father, a disgraced history professor, and learn how to draw upon a time of steel and blade when armor-clad knights rode out and dueled their monsters to the death.

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Colleen Camp, Molly Kunz, Stefanie Estes, Michael X. Sommers, and William Ford-Conway
Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller
Not Rated
USA (English)
99 minutes

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Apocalypse Clown

Directed by: George Kane
Studio: Red Hound Entertainment

The sudden death of international clown master Jean DuCoque brings together a motley trio of washed up clowns: Bobo a hobo clown who has hit rock bottom… Pepe a talentless mime… and Funzo an inadvertently terrifying “street clown”. After a mass brawl at the funeral with some vengeful human statues earns them a night in jail, the group emerges to find a country suddenly plunged into overnight anarchy by major solar flare.

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David Earl, Natalie Palamides, Amy De Bhrún, Fionn Foley, Tadhg Murphy, and Ivan Kaye
Comedy | International | Sci-Fi
Not Rated
Ireland (English)
102 minutes

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Face Off 7: One Wish

Directed by: Lý Hải
Studio: 3388 Films

A story about the great family of a single mother who raised her five children on her own. As they grew up, each of them has their own life and family. Suddenly, a crisis strikes, and hidden corners are gradually revealed, along with the deep, heavy feelings and worries hidden in the mother’s heart.

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Tram Anh, Truong Minh Cuong, Tran Kim Hai, Thanh Hien, Dinh Y Nhung, and Tung Yuki
Drama | International
Not Rated
Vietnam (Vietnamese)
138 minutes

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Shoeshine (1946 Re-Release)

Directed by: Vittorio De Sica
Studio: Lopert Pictures Corp

Though orphan Pasquale (Franco Interlenghi) and his best friend, Giuseppe (Rinaldo Smordoni), squirrel away the money they earn shining shoes in Rome, their dream of buying a horse seems out of reach until Giuseppe’s older brother ropes them into a scheme to con money from a local fortune teller. The boys are able to purchase the horse, but end up in a juvenile detention center where they are slowly driven apart by police determined to make one of them talk.

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Rinaldo Smordoni, Franco Interlenghi, Annielo Mele, Bruno Ortensi, and Emilio Cigoli
Drama | International
Not Rated
Italy (Italian & English)
87 minutes

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New Strains

Directed by: Prashanth Kamalakanthan & Artemis Shaw
Studio: Memory

As a mysterious pandemic emerges, a squabbling couple in lockdown begin to act like children.

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Artemis Shaw, Prashanth Kamalakanthan, Cynthia Talmadge, and Olivier Sherman
Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi
Not Rated
USA (English)
78 minutes

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