Friday Releases: The Bikeriders & Kinds Of Kindness

The Bikeriders

Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Studio: Focus Features

THE BIKERIDERS captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Jodie Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

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Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus
Crime | Drama
R (for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality)
USA (English)
116 minutes

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Kinds Of Kindness

Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Studio: Searchlight Pictures

KINDS OF KINDNESS is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.

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Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer
Comedy | Drama
R (for strong/disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity and language)
USA | UK | Ireland (English)
164 minutes

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The Exorcism

Directed by: Joshua John Miller
Studio: Vertical

A troubled actor begins to exhibit a disruptive behavior while shooting a horror film. His estranged daughter wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play.

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Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, Adrian Pasdar, and David Hyde Pierce
Horror | Thriller
R (for language, some violent content, sexual references and brief drug use)
USA (English)
93 minutes

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Thelma

Directed by: Josh Margolin
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

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June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell
Action | Comedy
PG-13 (for strong language)
USA | Switzerland (English)
97 minutes

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Janet Planet

Directed by: Annie Baker
Studio: A24

In rural Western Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker captures a child’s experience of time passing, and the ineffability of a daughter falling out of love with her mother, in this singularly sublime film debut.

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Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, and Sophie Okonedo
Drama
PG-13 (for brief strong language, some drug use and thematic elements)
USA (English)
113 minutes

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Fancy Dance

Directed by: Erica Tremblay
Studio: Apple Original Films

Since her sister’s disappearance, Jax (Lily Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki’s grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system.

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Lily Gladstone, Isabel DeRoy-Olson and Shea Whigham
Drama
R (for language, some drug content and sexual material)
USA (English)
90 minutes

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Trigger Warning

Directed by: Mouly Surya
Studio: Netflix

Special Forces commando Parker (Jessica Alba) is on active duty overseas when she gets called back to her hometown with the tragic news that her father has suddenly died. Now the owner of the family bar, Parker reconnects with her former boyfriend-turned-sheriff Jesse (Mark Webber), his hot-tempered brother Elvis (Jake Weary) and their powerful father Senator Swann (Anthony Michael Hall), as she looks to understand what actually happened to her dad. Parker’s search for answers quickly goes south and she soon finds herself at odds with a violent gang running rampant in her hometown. Unsure of who she can truly trust, Parker draws on her commando training and proves herself a force to be reckoned with as she hunts down the truth and attempts to right what has gone wrong in Swann County, with the help of her covert ops partner and hacker Spider (Tone Bell) and connected local dealer Mike (Gabriel Basso).

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Jessica Alba, Anthony Michael Hall, Mark Webber, Jake Weary, and Tone Bell
Action | Thriller
TV-MA
USA (English)
106 minutes

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Blackwater Lane

Directed by: Jeff Celentano
Studio: Lionsgate

Late one night, a woman drives by a stranded motorist, who later ends up dead. After a series of strange events, the woman believes she is the killer’s next victim.

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What Remains

Directed by: Ran Huang
Studio: VMI Releasing

At a Scandinavian psychiatric hospital, an uneasy triumvirate of multiple murderer Mads, therapist Anna, and policeman Soren, all have a vested interest in unearthing the truth, and a deepening co-dependency threatens to consume them all.

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Chestnut

Directed by: Jac Cron
Studio: Utopia

After graduating college, Annie is the only one of her friends who stayed behind in her small college city of Philadelphia for the summer. She has a good job lined up in LA come fall and is seemingly ready to take the leap, but things still feel unfinished. During this aimless in-between period, Annie finds herself entangled with Tyler, a woman she meets at a bar one night, and Danny, Tyler’s co-worker… or best friend… or more? Annie is never quite sure. Chestnut follows Annie through a summer of self-discovery as all three battle for unrequited connection, ultimately helping her find her voice in desire, independence, and the comfort in change.

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Natalia Dyer, Rachel Keller, Danny Ramirez, Chella Man, and Caleb Eberhardt
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
87 minutes

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Agent Recon

Directed by: Derek Ting
Studio: Quiver Distribution

A covert military task force tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico that is suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength and speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity’s demise.

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Derek Ting, Marc Singer and Chuck Norris
Action | Sci-Fi
Not Rated
USA (English)
84 minutes

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Federer: Twelve Final Days

Directed by: Asif Kapadia & Joe Sabia
Studio: Amazon Studios

Helmed by Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia and director Joe Sabia, the Federer documentary is an intimate follow-along through the final 12 days of Roger Federer’s illustrious career. Originally a home video never intended for public viewing, the film captures Federer at his most vulnerable and candid self, as he says goodbye to a game and the fans that shaped his life for the last two decades. Featuring interviews from legendary rivals and close friends Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokivic, and Andy Murray, Federer: Twelve Final Days provides unprecedented access to the relationship between these unparalleled stars.

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Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray
Documentary | International | Sport
R (for some language)
UK (English)
88 minutes

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Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Directed by: Ariane Louis-Seize
Studio: Drafthouse Films

Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill! When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.

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Sara Montpetit, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Steve Laplante, Sophie Cadieux, and Noémie O’Farrell
Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | International
Not Rated
Canada (French)
90 minutes

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The Devil’s Bath

Directed by: Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
Studio: Shudder

In 1750 Austria, a deeply religious woman named Agnes has just married her beloved, but her mind and heart soon grow heavy as her life becomes a long list of chores and expectations. Day after day, she is increasingly trapped in a murky and lonely path leading to evil thoughts, until the possibility of committing a shocking act of violence seems like the only way out of her inner prison. Giving a voice to the invisible and unheard women of the rural past; THE DEVIL’S BATH is based on historical court records about a shocking, hitherto unexplored chapter of European history.

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Copa 71

Directed by: Rachel Ramsay & James Erskine
Studio: Greenwich Entertainment

The extraordinary story of the 1971 Women’s World Cup, which was held in Mexico City and witnessed by more than 100,000 fans. This landmark tournament was dismissed by FIFA and written out of sports history — until now. COPA 71 weaves together dazzling archival footage and interviews with the former players.

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Elvira Aracen, Brandi Chastain, Birte Kjems, Chris Lockwood, Nicole Mangas, and Alex Morgan
Documentary | International | Sport
Not Rated
UK (English, Spanish, Italian, & French)
90 minutes

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The Speedway Murders

Directed by: Luke Rynderman & Adam Kamien
Studio: Vertical

In the gritty small-town landscape of 1978 Speedway, Indiana, The Speedway Murders unravels a mystery surrounding four teenagers toiling away on the graveyard shift at their local Burger Chef. When police respond to a midnight call there, they discover the restaurant eerily deserted — lights aglow, back door ajar, and the young workers vanished without a trace. The enigma deepens when, the following day, the bodies of the teenagers are discovered in the depths of the nearby woods. Employing reenactments to explore four divergent theories, the film leads the audience through the intricacies of that grisly night, challenging assumptions, casting doubt on the innocence of various characters and weaving an intricate web of intrigue.

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Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple

Directed by: Bill Teck
Studio: HBO Max

Stevie Van Zandt, known as New Jersey’s most famous consigliere to Bruce Springsteen and Tony Soprano, takes center stage in this feature documentary, which traces Van Zandt’s career as a producer, musician, songwriter, activist, actor, and more, from the clubs of Asbury Park, N.J. to arena stadiums, to the Bada Bing Club and the Underground Garage.

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Stevie Van Zandt
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
147 minutes

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Green Border

Directed by: Agnieszka Holland
Studio: Kino Lorber

In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called “green border” between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are trapped in a geopolitical crisis cynically engineered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. In an attempt to provoke Europe, refugees are lured to the border by propaganda promising easy passage to the EU. Finding themselves pawns in this hidden war, the lives of Julia, a newly minted activist who has given up her comfortable life, Jan, a young border guard, and a Syrian family intertwine. Thirty years after her Oscar-nominated film Europa Europa, Agnieszka Holland’s poignant and essential Green Border opens our eyes and speaks to the heart, challenging viewers to reflect on the moral choices that fall to ordinary people every day.

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She Rises Up

Directed by: Maureen Castle Tusty
Studio: Abramorama

Following the struggles of three resilient women determined to battle poverty by establishing and sustaining local businesses, thereby empowering their communities.

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Gladys Yupanqui, Magatte Wade, and Selyna Peiris
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
91 minutes

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Geoff McFetridge: Drawing A Life

Directed by: Dan Covert
Studio: Gravitas Ventures

One of the most prolific artists of his time, Geoff McFetridge has undoubtedly influenced the way the world looks. His art is everywhere–on your Apple watch, in countless galleries around the world, in title designs for films by Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze, and in collaborations with Nike, Hermès, Warby Parker, and more. The antithesis of the archetypal artist fueled by drugs, alcohol, and chaos, what sets the prodigious McFetridge apart is his obsessive quest to balance family with a creative life. In GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE, director and fellow artist Dan Covert offers unprecedented access into Geoff’s multifaceted world, painting an intimate portrait of a man guided by intention and authenticity.

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Geoff McFetridge, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola, and Sarah DeVincentis
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
80 minutes

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Hummingbirds

Directed by: Silvia Del Carmen Castaños & Estefanía “Beba” Contreras
Studio: Extra Terrestrial Films

In Laredo, a city in southern Texas on the Mexican border, best friends Silvia and Beba know that the long summer nights of their youth cannot last forever. Their hang-out spots are so familiar but, stuck in an immigration process over which deportation hangs as a constant possibility, home still seems a fragile concept. Between bars, drive-thrus, friends’ couches and the borderlands, they confront the stresses of survival, the future, and community building. For them, this means protest action for legal abortion and against border control abuses, in a politically divided America. But the dusty half-light is also a time for poetry and dreams. Their laughter and creative expression cement a sense of solidarity and belonging in togetherness.

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Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English & Spanish)
78 minutes

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For Prophet

Directed by: Mark Stewart Iverson
Studio: Integrity Releasing

A struggling entrepreneur encounters the Archangel Raphael, who reveals him to be a part-time prophet of The Most High God, tasking him to save his crumbling and corrupt hometown. He must also battle a demon that has manifested in his life, constantly whispering negatives into his mind. His marriage, his business, and his sanity will be pushed to the limit on this spiritual quest to let go and find faith.

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Ben Marten, Valentina Garcia, Enrico Natale, T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh, Bert Belasco, and Eddie Jemison
Comedy | Drama | Family
Not Rated
USA (English)
105 minutes

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Rite Here Rite Now

Directed by: Alex Ross Perry & Tobias Forge
Studio: Trafalgar Releasing

Combining live performance from Ghost’s sold-out Kia Forum shows in LA with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band’s long-running webisode series.

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Maralyn Facey and Alan Ursillo
Music
Not Rated
USA (English)
145 minutes

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