Friday Releases: AfrAId & Slingshot

AfrAId

Directed by: Chris Weitz
Studio: Sony + Columbia Pictures

In AFRAID, Curtis (John Cho) and his family are selected to test a revolutionary new home device: a digital family assistant called AIA. Taking smart home to the next level, once the unit and all its sensors and cameras are installed in their home, AIA seems able to do it all. She learns the family’s behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothing — and no one — gets in her family’s way.

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John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, Keith Carradine
Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
PG-13 (for sexual material, some strong violence, some strong language, and thematic material)
USA | UK (English)
85 minutes

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Slingshot

Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Studio: Bleecker Street

A psychological thriller starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne, SLINGSHOT follows an elite trio of astronauts aboard a years-long, possibly compromised mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. As the team gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot maneuver that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space, it becomes increasingly difficult for one astronaut to maintain his grip on reality.

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Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Emily Beecham, Tomer Capone
Sci-Fi | Thriller
R (for language and some violence/bloody images)
Hungary | Indonesia | USA (English)
109 minutes

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1992

Directed by: Ariel Vromen
Studio: Lionsgate

In 1992, Mercer (Tyrese Gibson) is desperately trying to rebuild his life and his relationship with his son (Christopher A’mmanuel) amidst the turbulent 1992 LA uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Across town, another father and son (Ray Liotta and Scott Eastwood) put their own strained relationship to the test as they plot a dangerous heist to steal catalytic converters, which contain valuable platinum, from the factory where Mercer works. As tensions rise in Los Angeles and chaos erupts, both families reach their boiling points when they collide in this tense crime-thriller.

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Tyrese Gibson, Ray Liotta, Scott Eastwood, Dylan Arnold
Action | Drama | Thriller
R (for violence and pervasive language)
USA (English)
90 minutes

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The Wasp

Directed by: Guillem Morales
Studio: SHOUT! STUDIOS

Heather and Carla agree to meet after having not spoken in years. Over tea, Heather presents a very unexpected proposition that will change their lives forever.

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Naomie Harris, Natalie Dormer, Dominic Allburn, Jack Morri
Thriller
R (for some violence, sexual assault, and language)
USA (English)
96 minutes

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Reagan

Directed by: Sean McNamara
Studio: ShowBiz Direct

From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, REAGAN is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan’s when Reagan first caught the Soviets’ attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey.

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Dennis Quaid, Mena Suvari, C. Thomas Howell, Penelope Ann Miller
Biography | Drama | History
PG-13 (for violent content and smoking)
USA (English)
135 minutes

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City Of Dreams

Directed by: Mohit Ramchandani
Studio: Roadside Attractions

Inspired by true events, City of Dreams follows Jesús, a young Mexican boy whose dreams of becoming a soccer star are shattered when he’s trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop making fast fashion in downtown Los Angeles. Thrust into a world of exploitation and despair, he’s forced to adhere to the grueling work schedule dictated by El Jefe, a boss who promises freedom for those who complete their quotas. Despite Jesús’ hellish existence, he finds solace in Elena, a girl who was similarly betrayed and sold into slavery. When she goes missing and another co-worker Carlitos is severely beaten, Jesús realizes that the only way to save himself and the others is to fight back, even if it costs him his life.

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Jason Patric, Paulina Gaitan, Renata Vaca, Samm Levine
Drama | Thriller
R (for strong violence, partial nudity, bloody images, language, child abuse, and some sexual material)
USA | Mexico (English)
96 minutes

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Shaun of the Dead
(20th Anniversary)

Directed by: Edgar Wright
Studio: Focus Features

Shaun is a 30-something loser with a dull, easy existence. When he’s not working at the electronics store, he lives with his slovenly best friend, Ed, in a small flat on the outskirts of London. The only unpredictable element in his life is his girlfriend, Liz, who wishes desperately for Shaun to grow up and be a man. When the town is inexplicably overrun with zombies, Shaun must rise to the occasion and protect both Liz and his mother.

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Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis
Comedy | Horror
R (for zombie violence/gore and language)
USA | UK | France (English)
99 minutes

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You Gotta Believe

Directed by: Ty Roberts
Studio: Well Go USA Entertainment

After dedicating the season to a teammate’s ailing father, a group of underdog youth baseball players makes it all the way to the 2002 Little League World Series, culminating in a record-breaking showdown.

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Sarah Gadon, Molly Parker, Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear
Family | Sport
PG (for thematic content, language and suggestive references)
USA (English)
104 minutes

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Across the River and Into the Trees

Directed by: Paula Ortiz
Studio: Level 33 Entertainment

Set in Italy during WWII, American Army Col. Richard Cantwell, is a bona fide war hero who faces news of his terminal illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend his weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate what is likely a final duck hunting trip and visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell’s plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a young countess begins to kindle in him the hope of renewal. Based on the last full-length novel Hemingway published in his lifetime, Across The River and Into The Trees captures a fleeting moment of immortality where time stands still. The story contains the great Hemingway themes of love, war, youth and age.

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Josh Hutcherson, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Matilda De Angelis
Drama | International | Romance | War
Not Rated
UK (English)
106 minutes

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Take My Hand

Directed by: John Raftopoulos
Studio: Blue Fox Entertainment

At the peak of her career, a mother of three living in London is diagnosed with MS. Following the sudden death of her husband and the loss of her job, she moves back home to Australia; where a chance encounter with her high school sweetheart gives her renewed hope in love as she battles the disease.

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Radha Mitchell, Adam Demos, Bart Edwards, Meg Fraser
Drama | International | Romance
Not Rated
Australia (English)
102 minutes

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Seeking Mavis Beacon

Directed by: Jazmin Jones
Studio: NEON

One of the most influential Black women in technology is a figment of our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon was invented by the Co-Founder of MySpace to sell the world’s most popular typing software, but the real woman she was modeled after disappeared in 1995. Seeking Mavis Beacon poses critical questions regarding anthropomorphization and the consumption of marginalized bodies in the tech industry, while reimagining the legacy of a missing historical figure.

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Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
102 minutes

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Gary

Directed by: Robin Dashwood
Studio: Peacock

GARY follows the extraordinary story of Gary Coleman’s rise to international fame as the child star of Diff’rent Strokes; his struggles with fame; and the controversy surrounding his tragic death at the age of 42. For the first time, viewers will get insight into Coleman’s private world through exclusive interviews with his fellow actors, industry insiders and his estranged ex-wife and parents.

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Dana Plato, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Shannon Price, Eve Brandstein
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
90 minutes

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Out Comes the Wolves

Directed by: Adam MacDonald
Studio: IFC Films

At a remote cabin deep in the wilderness, a weekend of hunting turns to mayhem and a fight for survival when a pack of wolves attack a man, his female best friend, and her fiancé.

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Missy Peregrym, Damon Runyan, Joris Jarsky
International | Thriller
R (for violent content/grisly images and language)
Canada (English)
86 minutes

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The Lockdown

Directed by: Ryan C Jaeger
Studio: Paramount

Siblings Charlie and Jack are in Myanmar’s toughest prison, accused of a crime they didn’t commit. Forced into televised fights where inmates battle for the chance to escape death row, they face off against the deadliest opponents where each match could be their last. Charlie and Jack must work together, their bond tested in a high-stakes game where only the strongest can win their way out.

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Michael Biehn, Caity Lotz, Leo Howard, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Ron Smoorenburg
Action
Not Rated
USA (English & Min Nan)
112 minutes

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Freedom Hair

Directed by: Dianne Houston
Studio: MPI Original Films

When a mother decides to start a natural hair braiding business to achieve financial independence, she must overcome obstacles imposed by a powerful cosmetology cartel and the state of Mississippi.

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Sophia Bush, Lauren Buglioli, Donna Biscoe, Simona Brown, Erica Tazel
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
99 minutes

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Concussed: The American Dream

Directed by: David Kano
Studio: Gravitas Ventures

Tyler Sash was drafted by the New York Giants and became a part of the 2012 Super Bowl winning team; concussions would cut Sash’s career short and the film is paralleled by NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre’s CTE experience.

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Brett Favre, Josh Cribbs, Ann McKee, Chris Nowinski, Christian Okoye
Documentary | Sport
Not Rated
USA (English)
88 minutes

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First Shift

Directed by: Uwe Boll
Studio: Quiver Distribution

NYPD veteran Mike and rookie Angela tackle a high-stakes day on New York’s toughest streets, diving headfirst into a vortex of danger and action. Their adrenaline-fueled pursuits and unexpected threats unfold as they navigate perilous encounters. Amidst the chaos, intense challenges forge unbreakable bonds.

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Kristen Renton, James McMenamin, Willy C. Carpenter, Brandi Bravo, and Daniel Sauli
Crime | Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
89 minutes

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We Will Dance Again

Directed by: Yariv Mozer
Studio: Paramount+

A music festival symbolizing peace, freedom, and eternal love transforms into a horrifying nightmare of terror. Survivors, marked by death and trauma, reconstruct the event through their perspectives, embodying the lost innocence and beauty of youth, forever scarred by the tragic events that unfolded. We Will Dance Again is a horrifying glimpse through the eyes of the individuals who endured the brutal October 7th onslaught at the Nova music festival.

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Documentary
Not Rated
USA | UK | Israel (Hebrew & English)
90 minutes

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Tokyo Cowboy

Directed by: Marc Marriott
Studio: Purdie Distribution

A Japanese businessman goes on an unwitting journey of self-discovery when he takes a company trip from Tokyo to a Montana cattle ranch.

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Arata Iura, Robin Weigert, Goya Robles, Ayako Fujitani, Jun Kunimura
Drama
PG (for language and a suggestive reference)
USA (English & Japanese)
118 minutes

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The Falling Star

Directed by: Fiona Gordon & Dominique Abel
Studio: Kino Lorber

Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel (THE FAIRY, LOST IN PARIS) delight audiences with their blend of slapstick and burlesque. Their latest “crime movie” transmutes the codes of film noir through their characteristically colorful palette and clownish plot twists. Abel plays Boris, a former activist hiding from his dark past, keeping in the shadows as a barkeeper, until a one-armed vigilante finally hunts him down. The fortuitous appearance of a double–the depressive recluse Dom (also played by Abel) seems to offer the perfect decoy. But his tenacious and loopy ex-wife, the private eye Fiona (Gordon), could foil their master plan. Abel and Gordon’s memorable dose of hilarity seems perfectly calibrated to the social mood; each deceptively minimalistic set piece brims with a cinematic intelligence that recalls Tati and Keaton. The cast features Philippe Martz and Bruno Romy and the Japanese dancer Kaori Ito, who plays a willful and hilariously unpredictable femme fatale.

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Merchant Ivory

Directed by: Stephen Soucy
Studio: Cohen Media Group

MERCHANT IVORY (2023) is the first definitive feature documentary to lend new and compelling perspectives on the partnership, both professional and personal, of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and their primary associates, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins. Footage from more than fifty interviews, clips, and archival material gives voice to the family of actors and technicians who helped define Merchant Ivory’s Academy Award-winning work of consummate quality and intelligence. With six Oscar winners among the notable artists participating, these close and often long-term collaborators intimately detail the transformational cinematic creativity and personal and professional drama of the wandering company that left an indelible impact on film culture.

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John David Allen, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, James Ivory, Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Thompson
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
112 minutes

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Petrol

Directed by: Alena Lodkina
Studio: Indican Pictures

The Melbourne-set drama, co-stars Nathalie Morris as an impressionable film student of Russian origin who falls under the thrall of an enigmatic performance artist, played by big screen newcomer Hannah Lynch. The pair move in together and their lives become more and more entwined, with Morris’s character embarking on a voyage of self-discovery played out between reality and her imagination.

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Emmett Aldred, Daniel Aloisio, Kit Brady-Brown, Jia Jia Chen, Brittany D’Argaville
Drama | International | Mystery | Thriller
Not Rated
Australia (English)
95 minutes

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My First Film

Directed by: Zia Anger
Studio: MUBI

Nearly 15 years later, Vita (Odessa Young), recounts making her first feature — a semi-autobiographical film about a young woman who gets pregnant and decides to leave home. Being an enthusiastic but inexperienced filmmaker the shoot is chaotic, and her ego-tripping methods destroy the production. As her “first film” falls apart, director Zia Anger stages a lyrical auto-critique that probes the nature of artistic truth and personal mythmaking.

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Odessa Young, Devon Ross, Cole Doman, Jane Wickline, Philip Ettinger, Eamon Farren
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
100 minutes

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Once In A Valentine

Directed by: Javon Johnson
Studio: Entertainment Squad

Haunted by past trauma, a woman faces her fears and finds unexpected love, risking everything on one suspenseful night.

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Clifton Powell, BernNadette Stanis, Loren Lott, Shiobann Amisial, Jessie Jalee
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
102 minutes

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The Boy in the Woods

Directed by: Rebecca Snow
Studio: Menemsha Films

THE BOY IN THE WOODS follows the true story of Max (Jett Klyne), a Jewish boy escaping Nazi persecution in Eastern Europe. After he is separated from his family, Max finds refuge with a Christian peasant Jasko (Richard Armitage) who hides him in plain site until a tense stand — off with Nazi police. Afraid for his own family’s life, Jasko sends Max to live in the woods where he learns to survive alone.

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Jett Klyne, Richard Armitage, David Kohlsmith, Katherine Fogler, Masa Lizdek
Biography | Drama | History | International
Not Rated
Canada (English)
101 minutes

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The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick

Directed by: Quinn Armstrong
Studio: Cranked Up Films

A pastor takes a young gay teen to a cabin to perform conversion therapy. When the pastor goes too far, bullying the kid into suicide, the ghost of his victim returns to plague the pastor and avenge the deaths of so many other ghosts like him.

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Steve Pinder, Michael J. Cline, Maya Jeyam, Caitlin McWethy, Alan Tyson
Horror
Not Rated
USA (English)
90 minutes

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Death Bitch

Directed by: Ken Brewer
Studio: Livid Media

Alexis Walker lost her mother and brother in a home invasion. Now, Alexis has become a vigilante and walks the streets in search of vengeance. All the while a serial killer known as The South Bay Slasher adds more victims to his list.

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August Kyss, Bridget Powers, Josi Kat, Traci Burr, Auzi Capri
Action | Horror
Not Rated
USA (English)
88 minutes

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