Friday Releases: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera & Hard Truths

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

Directed by: Christian Gudegast
Studio: Lionsgate

Gerard Butler (Plane, Has Fallen series) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Out of Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) return in the sequel to 2018’s action-heist hit Den of Thieves. In DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA, Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.

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Hard Truths

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Studio: Bleecker Street

Legendary filmmaker Mike Leigh returns to the contemporary world with a fierce, compassionate, and often darkly humorous study of family and the thorny ties that bind us. Reunited with Leigh for the first time since multiple Oscar-nominated Secrets and Lies, the astonishing Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy, a woman wracked by fear, tormented by afflictions, and prone to raging tirades against her husband, son, and anyone who looks her way. Meanwhile, her easygoing younger sister, played by Michele Austin (Another Year), is a single mother with a life as different from Pansy’s as their clashing temperaments — brimming with communal warmth from her salon clients and daughters alike. This expansive film from a master dramatist takes us into the intensities of kinship, duty, and the most enduring of human mysteries: that even through lifetimes of hurt and hardship, we still find ways to love those we call family.

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Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, David Webber
Comedy | Drama | International
R (for language)
UK | Spain (English)
97 minutes

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Turn Me On

Directed by: Michael Tyburski
Studio: Vertical

In a world where the inconvenience of human emotion has been eradicated by a government-imposed daily vitamin, one young couple skips their dose and discovers love, joy, sex and all the baggage that comes with it.

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Luke Kirby, Griffin Newman, Bel Powley, Nick Robinson, Ava Eisenson
Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi
Not Rated
USA (English)
99 minutes

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Diane Warren: Relentless

Directed by: Bess Kargman
Studio: Greenwich Entertainment

Diane Warren: Relentless is a groundbreaking documentary that reveals the unique genius of a woman who has shaped an entire generation of music. Having written over 400 songs for iconic artists such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Celine Dione, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, and Aerosmith, Diane Warren resides in the pantheon of music greats. This is her untold story.

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Diane Warren, Cher, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Gloria Estefan, Kesha, Jerry Bruckheimer, Randy Jackson, Quincy Jones
Documentary | Music
Not Rated
USA (English)
91 minutes

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Waltzing With Brando

Directed by: Bill Fishman
Studio: VMI Worldwide

Movie star Marlon Brando recruits a Los Angeles architect to build the world’s first ecologically perfect retreat on a small, uninhabited island in Tahiti.

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Tia Carrere, Billy Zane, Richard Dreyfuss, Jon Heder, Rob Corddry
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
104 minutes

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Birdeater

Directed by: Jack Clark & Jim Weir
Studio: Dark Sky Films

A bride-to-be is invited to join her own fiancé’s bachelor party on a remote property in the Australian outback. But as the festivities spiral into beer-soaked chaos, uncomfortable details about their relationship are exposed, and the celebration soon becomes a feral nightmare.

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Mackenzie Fearnley, Shabana Azeez, Ben Hunter, Jack Bannister
Drama | International | Thriller
Not Rated
Australia (English)
113 minutes

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Survive

Directed by: Frédéric Jardin
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

In SURVIVE, Julia and her loving husband celebrate their son’s birthday on their boat in the middle of the ocean. When a violent storm nearly capsizes them, the family awakes in a desert land. Earth has undergone a tragic polarity reversal, draining water from the oceans. The family must race to safety before the water returns all while battling hungry creatures from the abyss that hunt for fresh flesh.

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Émilie Dequenne, Andreas Pietschmann, Lisa Delamar, Lucas Ebel, Arben Bajraktaraj
Adventure | International | Sci-Fi
Not Rated
France | Belgium (France & English)
90 minutes

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The Prosecutor

Directed by: Donnie Yen
Studio: Well Go USA Entertainment

Inspired by an actual legal case in Hong Kong, THE PROSECUTOR follows the story of a man who falsely pleads guilty to drug trafficking after being framed. Despite the confession, the veteran policeman-turned-prosecutor (Donnie Yen) handling the case is convinced of the man’s innocence and pursues his own investigation, risking both his career and his life to bring the real perpetrator to justice.

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Donnie Yen, Francis Ng, Kent Cheng, Michael Tin Fu Cheung, Julian Cheung
Action | International | Thriller
Not Rated
China | Hong Kong (Cantonese)
117 minutes

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Oceans Are The Real Continents

Directed by: Tommaso Santambrogio
Studio: Film Movement

Three stories of migration, exile, and memory develop in the Cuban town of San Antonio De Los Baños, a place that time forgot. Alex and Edith, a young couple in their 30s, build their lives upon small gestures, reminisces, and a deep connection amidst the nation’s ruins. Milagros survives selling peanut cones on the street, spending her days listening to the radio and reading old letters. Nine-year-old best friends Frank and Alain go to school and dream of emigrating to the U.S. to become Baseball players.

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Alexander Diego, Edith Ibarra, Frank Ernesto Lam, Alain Alain Alfonso González
Drama | International
Not Rated
Italy | Cuba (Spanish)
119 minutes

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Eat The Night

Directed by: Caroline Poggi & Jonathan Vinel
Studio: Altered Innocence

Pablo, a small-time dealer, and his teenage sister Apolline have forged an unbreakable bond through their shared obsession with the online video game Darknoon. When Pablo falls for the mysterious Night, he gets swept up in their liaison, abandoning his sister to deal with the impending shutdown of their digital haven alone. As Pablo’s reckless choices provoke the wrath of a dangerous rival gang, the end of their virtual life draws near, upending their reality….

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Théo Cholbi, Erwan Kepoa Falé, Lila Gueneau, Mathieu Perotto
Adventure | Drama | International | Thriller
Not Rated
France (French)
106 minutes

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Sons Of Ecstasy

Directed by: Julian P. Hobbs & Elli Hakami
Studio: HBO Max

At the epicenter of the 1990s ecstasy drug trade in Arizona sits an unusual rivalry. English stockbroker Shaun Attwood faces off against Gerard Gravano, the son of notorious New York mobster and hitman Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano. For the first time, the Gravanos tell their side of the story. Through riveting first-hand accounts from inside both factions, the film unravels the unexpected showdown between the British business guru and the Mafia heir apparent in the Arizona desert. Guns, gangsters, and underground raves set the stage in a deadly battle for control of an Ecstasy Empire.

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Shaun Attwood, Jim Cope, Gerard Gravano, Karen Gravano, Sammy Gravano
Documentary
TV-MA
USA (English)
91 minutes

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Every Little Thing

Directed by: Sally Aitken
Studio: Kino Lorber

Author and rehabber Terry Masear wants to save every injured hummingbird in Los Angeles. Terry takes in the most fragile of patients through her volunteer hummingbird rescue, but the path to survival is fraught with uncertainty and drama. Over the course of Sally Aitken’s intimate and moving documentary, we become invested in Terry’s hummingbird patients — including Cactus, Jimmy, Wasabi, Raisin, and Mikhail — celebrating their small victories and lamenting their tiny tragedies. Through the eyes of America’s busiest bird rehabilitator, each bird becomes memorable, mighty and heroic. As she nurtures the wounded hummingbirds back to health, Terry finds herself on her own transformative journey, unraveling a visually captivating and magical tale of love, healing, and the delicate beauty in tiny acts of greatness.

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Terry Masear
Documentary | International
Not Rated
Australia (English)
93 minutes

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Minted

Directed by: Nicholas Bruckman
Studio: PBS

When the artist known as Beeple shatters records by selling a digital artwork for $69 million, it ignites a global NFT phenomenon that transforms the lives of artists around the world–but they must reckon with the controversies that threaten to collapse this wild and controversial new frontier.

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Laws Of Man

Directed by: Phil Blattenberger
Studio: Saban Films

At the dawn of the Cold War, U.S. marshals Frank and Tommy pursue wanted murderer Benjamin Bonney in the deserts of Nevada and stumble upon a sinister plot that threatens to upend the very foundations of justice and peace.

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Dermot Mulroney, Keith Carradine, Forrie J. Smith, Graham Greene, Harvey Keitel
Crime | Drama | Thriller | War
R (for violence, some grisly images, language and drug use)
USA (English)
98 minutes

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Good Side Of Bad

Directed by: Alethea Root
Studio: Freestyle Digital Media

Three adult siblings are brought back together after a shocking diagnosis forces them to confront harsh future realities regarding the mental state of one of their own. A raw and intimate look into what it means to be a family navigating the waters of mental illness, GOOD SIDE OF BAD film dives into humanity’s dark places while illuminating the love, laughter, and light discovered when you reconnect with those closest to you. Based on the bestselling book The Good Side of Bad, this raw family drama touches on our shared human experience of disconnectedness, and how connecting to each other is ultimately the best way to help one another.

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Jules Bruff, Lexi Simonsen, Alex Quijano, Tess Harper, Myles Grier
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
96 minutes

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Octopus With Broken Arms

Directed by: Jacky Gan
Studio: CMC Pictures

Kidnap my daughter? I’ll kill you! ZHENG Bingrui’s (XIAO Yang) precious daughter Tingting is kidnapped in public. LI Huiping (TONG Liya), who always accompanies the father and daughter, joins the rescue mission. However, the cunning kidnapper skillfully evades the intense pursuit of police captain ZHANG Jingxian (DUAN Yihong) and manipulates Zheng and Li, who are eager to save the daughter. Driven to the brink of desperation, ZHENG Bingrui chooses a road to hell to rescue his daughter. Even if he turns into a “devil”, he cannot let go of the villain who hurt his daughter! Little do they realize that a bigger conspiracy is quietly unfolding, and no one involved can escape.

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Yang Xiao, Liya Tong, Yihong Duan, Yase Liu, Longzheng Wang
Crime | Drama | International | Mystery
Not Rated
China (Mandarin & Chinese)
109 minutes

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Black Diamond

Directed by: Judd Bloch
Studio: Brainstorm Media

After moving into a secluded cabin, a young woman and her boyfriend meet a local cowboy handyman, turning their idyllic life into a deadly triangle of lust, obsession, and murder.

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Inbar Lavi, Jake McLaughlin, Shaun Sipos, Ray Panthaki, Tristan Cunningham, Michael James Bell
Thriller
Not Rated
USA (English)
89 minutes

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Disfluency

Directed by: Anna Baumgarten
Studio: Buffalo 8

After flunking her final college class, Jane retreats to her Michigan hometown for one last, carefree summer vacation. She soon rekindles an old friendship with a single mother, teaching her sign language so she can reconnect with her son. Despite her best efforts, however, Jane can’t hide the traumatic secret that caused her academic failure.

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Libe Barer, Ariela Barer, Chelsea Alden, Dylan Arnold, Travis Tope
Drama
R (for some strong violent content, and language)
USA (English & American Sign Language)
95 minutes

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Putin

Directed by: Patryk Vega
Studio: Horizon Events

The story of Russian President Vladimir Putin — from his life as a troubled child to his ruthless ascent to power.

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Ad Vitam

Directed by: Rodolphe Lauga
Studio: Netflix

After escaping an attempted murder, Franck Lazarev must find his wife Léo, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious group of armed men. He is caught up by his past as a former member of the French Elite Intervention Squad (GIGN) and pulled into a state affair far beyond his control.

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Alone In Venice

Directed by: Jules East
Studio: Freestyle Digital Media

A modern reversal of “Death in Venice,” a young aspiring actor is waiting for his director in Venice while questioning what love is.

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Lisa Jacqueline Starrett, Apollo Luce, Luca Rosini, Elizabeth Starrett, Lucrezia Spreafico
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
84 minutes

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Hazard

Directed by: Eddie Mensore
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

HAZARD, directed by Eddie Mensore, unveils a haunting look at a mining town entangled in the grip of the opioid crisis. In this intense drama, Will, a reluctant drug dealer played by Alex Roe, fights to shield his family from the same devastating addiction that has ravaged their community. Despite his efforts, every choice threatens to pull him and his loved ones deeper into chaos. Co-starring Sosie Bacon, HAZARD is a powerful portrayal of resilience and sacrifice, as Will must decide whether to succumb to the addiction he despises or rise above it to save his family.

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Sosie Bacon, Steven Ogg, Alex Roe, Dave Davis, Kevin Sizemore
Drama
R (for strong drug content, language throughout and some sexuality)
USA (English)
89 minutes

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Roswell Delirium

Directed by: Richard Bakewell
Studio: Gravitas Ventures

Roswell Delirium is a 1980s emotionally charged science fiction thriller which tells the story of an alternate 1980s where the US is hit by a wave of nuclear attacks, and after the fallout those who remain, pretend like everything is normal even though they are all experiencing radiation poisoning. A young girl named Mayday tries to make contact on a series of ham radios with her father who is in space on a shuttle mission. Instead of making contact she receives an intergalactic distress call from space that leads her on a journey to Spacerock, the land where Area 51 once was. She is exposed to severe levels of radiation and within days all of her organs start to fail. Knowing that medical treatment won’t help, her mother Wendy brings her back to Spacerock to give her to the aliens that in hopes that she can be saved.

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Kylee Levien, Ashton Solecki, Arielle Bodenhausen, Anthony Michael Hall, Lisa Whelchel, Dee Wallace, Reginald VelJohnson
Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Not Rated
USA (English)
110 minutes

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Extremely Unique Dynamic

Directed by: Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu, & Katherine Dudas
Studio: Strand Releasing

In this Meta-Asian-Queer-Stoner-Coming-of-Age-Bromantic-Dramedy, Ryan and Daniel, two childhood best friends and aspiring actors, spend one final weekend together before Ryan moves to Canada with his fiancé. Wanting to create one lasting memory, they decide to make a movie — about two guys making a movie — about two guys making a movie. Along the way, bottled-up secrets arise as they unpack their decades-long friendship and put their extremely unique dynamic to the test.

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Ivan Leung, Harrison Xu, Hudson Yang, Nathan Doan, Lucus Liua
Comedy | Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
73 minutes

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The Alien Perspective

Directed by: Dean Alioto
Studio: Filmhub

The Alien Perspective offers a bold and groundbreaking take on the UFO and alien phenomenon. This first installment of a two-part movie series takes audiences on a journey unlike any before–exploring the UFO phenomenon not from humanity’s viewpoint, but for the first time, from the perspective of the visitors themselves. Seven years in the making, this unique project features insights from world-renowned scientists outside the UFO field, including NASA directors and esteemed professors from Oxford and more. These experts delve into the possible motivations and reasons behind extraterrestrial visits to Earth and their interactions with humans. The film not only examines compelling evidence from the most credible UFO cases but also explores how these encounters impact humanity on a deeper level. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, The Alien Perspective invites you to consider the phenomenon in a whole new light.

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Michio Kaku, Dave Foley, Leslie Kean, Seth Shostak, Michael P. Masters
Documentary
Not Rated
USA (English)
45 minutes

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Somewhere In Montana

Directed by: Brandon Smith
Studio: Nova Vento Entertainment

A Montana ranch owner runs into financial difficulties and allows a Hollywood production company to use his land as a location for their movie.

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Graham McTavish, Matt Drago, Kaleigh Macchio, Michelle Hurd, Andrew Roa
Drama
Not Rated
USA (English)
104 minutes

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Uninvited

Directed by: Dan Villegas
Studio: Mentorque Productions

Eva seeks revenge on billionaire Guilly for killing her daughter. Disguised, she attends his party with a vengeful plan.

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Vilma Santos, Nadine Lustre, Aga Muhlach, Tirso Cruz III, Mylene Dizon
Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Not Rated
Phillippines (Tagalog, English, Filipino)
93 minutes

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Black Zone

Directed by: Jeffrey N. Albert
Studio: Black Zone Productions

An extraterrestrial object crashes, disabling electronics within fifty miles and causing extreme manias to surface within the population. At its center, John is enhanced by the alien artifact. Desperate for answers, the government hunts him.

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Matthew Schmidli, Andrea Fantauzzi, Richard F Law, Bruce McGill, Jake Busey
Action | Drama | Sci-Fi
TV-MA
USA (English)
102 minutes

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Finist: The First Warrior

Directed by: Dmitriy Dyachenko
Studio: START

Finist is the most daring warrior of Belogorie. He is the strongest, the bravest and the most handsome one. All the other warriors look up to him, children want to be like him, and the most beautiful girls of Belogorie have a crush on him. He is proud and self-confident, and sometimes even refuses to help if he considers the task boring and dull. He just needs to remain the best so that people admire him forever. To surprise everyone, Finist sets off on a tough mission that will lead him to the mysterious Eastern lands. There he will understand the simple truth – one can’t win without a team.

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Yuliya Peresild, Elena Yakovleva, Fyodor Dobronravov, Kirill Zaytsev, Sergey Lavygin
Adventure | Family | Fantasy | International
Not Rated
Russia (Russian)
121 minutes

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