If you take a look at the picture above, that is Tom Cruise. Yes, the same handsome, big screen action superstar who you know and love from the "Top Gun" and "Mission: Impossible" movies. And he appears ready to challenge himself once again as an actor in the upcoming black comedy, "Digger" which he teams up with Oscar-winning filmmaker, Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon, who wants to be viewed as the savior for humanity before an impending disaster that he's responsible for causing destroys the entire planet. With echoes of Stanley Kubrick's wild political satire, "Dr. Strangelove", "Digger" looks like the perfect showcase to remind audiences that he is quite capable as a character actor in a comedic role. Cruise is surrounded by an impressive cast that includes John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons and Sandra Hüller.
"Klara and the Sun", based on the popular novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, will be coming to movie screens this fall. Jenna Ortega plays Klara, a solar-powered, artificial friend who is in search of the perfect home. When Klara is purchased for an ailing Josie (Mia Tharia), they immediately make a deep connection with each other. But Josie has a complicated relationship with her mother (Amy Adams) yet Klara’s positive energy and unwavering loyalty begins to help heal the family. Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker behind "Jojo Rabbit", has adapted the book with Dahvi Waller and directed the film. Natasha Lyonne and Steve Buscemi also star.
"Klara and the Sun" is due in US theaters on October 23, 2026
William Greaves, who was first an actor before moving behind the camera to become a pioneering documentarian, had invited every surviving creator during the Harlem Renaissance he could locate back in 1972 to Duke Ellington’s home in Harlem for a party. Over the next four hours, Greaves filmed as this group of artists reminisced and debated about their experiences and how they had shaped the culture.
The director behind the "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm" films struggled for years trying to figure out how to best utilize his footage. But Greaves died in 2014 at the age of eighty-seven with the film incomplete. Louise Greaves, his widow, would go on working on the project until she died in 2023. Then their son, David and daughter, Liani would continue on with this work until they were able to finally complete the film.
"Once Upon a Time in Harlem" made its world premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival where it was well received and highly praised. The documentary will be released theatrically this fall by Neon who won the bidding war following the screening during the fest.
"Once Upon A Time In Harlem" is due in US theaters on October 16, 2026
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA May 26, 2026 4:10 PM
Boots Riley has finally returned with a follow-up to his cleverly absurdist comedy, "Sorry To Bother You" with "I Love Boosters", a lively comedy that pushes even more aggressively to be hilariously deranged, visually eye-popping and slyly thought provoking. Propelled by an impressive and game cast, Riley certainly wants to entertain while discretely delivering a weighty message with his latest. But "I Love Boosters" is unable to seamlessly merge these sentiments into an effective and meaningful manner.
Corvette (Keke Palmer) is the ringleader behind the Velvet Gang who are sort of like a modern-day Robin Hood and his merry men, regularly shoplifting from high-end designer shops and turning around to sell the expensive clothes to help out the common fashionistas for a far more affordable price point. Along with Mariah (Taylour Paige) and Sade (Naomi Ackie), Corvette's main focus is on a chain of stores called Metro that is run by designer, Christie Smith (Demi Moore). As an aspiring fashion designer, Corvette greatly admires Christie who views what she does as important, transformative art.
The trio get jobs at one of the Metro stores which will make it far easier to get their hands on the clothing. But before they are able to steal the store's inventory, someone else has beat them to it and emptied out the store. Using the surveillance footage, which shows the robber vacuuming up all the merchandise into a large bag, the gang are able to track down the retail thief. It turns out to be Jianhu (Poppy Liu), an employee at the Metro manufacturing plant in China. She explains that the company uses a teleporter to ship their merchandise, saving them a lot of money. But the working conditions at the factory remains miserable and dangerous, so she's using a stolen teleporter to ship the clothes back to China so the workers will have some leverage against the company.
Enhanced by the colorfully vivid production design by Christopher Glass, the delightfully gaudy costumes from Shirley Kurata and the quirky musical score by indie pop artist, Tune-Yards, "I Love Boosters" chugs along with a manic energy, continuously throwing us off balance with chaotic visuals. Riley thrillingly lets his imagination run wild by throwing in absurdist humor (with a black character able to appear as a white woman when she hold her breath), stop-motion animation and a madcap, car chase that utilizes a miniature set. But by the time we reach the third act, our story shifts even deeper into a surreal atmosphere, still with some amusing moments, that becomes more narratively convoluted and exhausting.
As a filmmaker, Riley displays a persuasive confidence, boldly and fearlessly expressing his social and political views which at this period in time could be considered very risky. The film may be filled with intellectual vigor, savvy street style and highbrow sci-fi but the characters in "Boosters" end up being not much more than sketches lacking in the fine details that would bring them properly to life.
But this doesn't mean that the actors on board are not able to shine with some dazzling performances. Palmer plays to her strengths, delivering plenty of smarts, sass and style while Moore gets to chew up the fabric as the ego-driven mastermind behind the fashion company. We also get Will Poulter as a prissy manager of a Metro store where the ladies are employed, an unrecognizable Don Cheadle playing a pyramid schemer and LaKeith Stanfield appears as the Pinky Ring Guy, a smooth taking dude who has an peculiar interest in Corvette.
Without a doubt, Riley is a true cinematic innovator, an audacious and compelling visionary eager to challenge audiences to consider stories and perspectives outside of what is continuously being spoon fed to them through all types of media. I really wanted to love "I Love Boosters". Really. But this whimsical yet fiery call for resistance ends up being a wild jumble of mind-bending thoughts and twisted ideas that unfortunately disappoints because the relentlessly outrageous style winds up overwhelming the political agenda.
This year in cinema has gotten off to a rousing start this spring which has been driven by several blockbuster hits that include "Project Hail Mary", "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie", "Michael" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2". All of this appears to be a healthy sign that the upcoming summer movie season should continue the momentum of eager attendance, leading to big numbers at the box-office.
There are many films that look intriguing that will be released over the next three months but these movies I've listed below have really captured my attention.
All release dates are subject to change:
"BACKROOMS"
Release date: May 29, 2026
The twenty year old, Kane Parsons makes his feature film directorial debut with "Backrooms", a sci-fi horror thriller which expands upon the 2022 web series he created with a screenplay by Will Soodik. Oscar-nominee Renate Reinsve plays a therapist to Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who owns a furniture store, as he tries to explain to her some strange happenings at his location. But he soon disappears into this dimension beyond reality and she must venture into the unknown to try and save him.
"DISCLOSURE DAY"
Release date: June 12, 2026
Steven Spielberg's upcoming film, "Disclosure Day" takes us back into the world of dark sci-fi where aliens seem poised to invade our planet. Not many clear details have been revealed but we have Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Eve Hewson, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo all on board in a story that involves solving a mysterious conspiracy about revealing evidence of extra-terrestrial life that has been long hidden by the government. This thriller is based on a story by Spielberg with the screenplay by his long-time collaborator, David Koepp.
"STOP! THAT! TRAIN!"
Release date: June 12, 2026
"Stop! That! Train!" is set in the wacky world created by the RuPaul's Drag Race franchise with many of the stars of that television competition program appearing in this wild ride of riotous comedy. Train stewardesses, Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), best friends who work together on the Stank Rail for the Glamazonian Express. A horrific storm threatens to derail the high-speed train and crash it into Los Angeles unless the girls along with the passengers come together to save the day. Drag queens, Latrice Royale, Monét X Change, Brooke Lynn Hytes and Symone plus non-drag queens, Lisa Rinna, Jerry O'Connell, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicole Richie and Charo also star. And of course, RuPaul makes an appearance as President Judy Gagwell. Adam Shankman directs.
"LEVITICUS"
Release date: June 19, 2026
Creating a buzz at this year's Sundance Film Festival, "Leviticus" is a queer horror-drama about two Aussie teenage boys (Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen) that are falling in love but live in a religious environment. They are soon being tormented by an evil and violent entity who is able to create havoc by taking the form of each other. The Australian filmmaker, Adrian Chiarella makes his directorial debut with this film.
"THE INVITE"
Release date: June 26, 2026
Olivia Wilde’s third directorial effort, "The Invite" follows Joe and Angela (played by Wilde and Seth Rogen), a long married couple going through some challenging times in their relationship, who are hosting a dinner for their upstairs neighbors, Pina (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton). But the evening does not go smoothly with the neighbors making an unexpected offer to the couple. This comedic-drama (written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack) is based on the 2020 Spanish film, "The People Upstairs" and made an impressive splash during its premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival, leading to a bidding war for distribution rights with A24 becoming the victor.
"SUPERGIRL"
Release date: June 26, 2026
She briefly made an appearance near the end of the "Superman" reboot last year and now "Supergirl" is the focus of her own movie, directed by Craig Gillespie. This is the latest iteration of this DC comic-book character following the campy 1984 movie and the 2015 television series that lasted six seasons. Based on the 2021–22 comic book miniseries, "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow", Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock), the cousin of Superman who was raised on a chunk of the destroyed planet Krypton before that soon perished, travels across the galaxy to celebrate her twenty-third birthday with her dog, Krypto. But her celebration is interrupted when she is asked by a young girl (Eve Ridley) to help avenge her father's death. Matthias Schoenaerts and Jason Momoa (who appears here as the alien bounty hunter, Lobo even though he played Aquaman in several movies) also star.
"THE ODYSSEY"
Release date: July 17, 2026
For his next feature film, Christopher Nolan is taking on an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic, "The Odyssey". On his very long journey home to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway) following the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, encounters many treacherous obstacles that will delay him which includes sirens, the witch-goddess, Circe (Charlize Theron) and the Cyclops. A very impressive cast has been assembled with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo and Lupita Nyong'o to name just a few on board.
"THE END OF OAK STREET"
Release date: August 14, 2026
"The End of Oak Street" is a sci-fi thriller involving a family that begin to notice very strange events happening on their street. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor play the parents of two teenage children (Maisy Stella and Christian Convery) who live a comfortable life in a suburban neighborhood. After a mysterious cosmic event, their entire street is transported to some perilous other world and they must work together in order to survive. This is the latest feature film from writer/director, David Robert Mitchell ("It Follows", "Under The Silver Lake").
"TONY"
Release date: August 7, 2026
Anthony Bourdain was a celebrity chef, author and host of the popular television cuisine travelogue program, "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" before shockingly ending his own life in 2018. Now there is a biopic about how Bourdain became the famous culinary bad boy with "Tony", co-written and directed by Matt Johnson. Dominic Sessa stars as Bourdain, a nineteen year old who wants to be a writer but fails to get accepted for a fellowship. Discouraged, he winds up working at a seafood restaurant in Cape Cod, run by the no-nonsense owner, Ciro (Antonio Banderas), where his eyes are reluctantly opened to possibilities. Emilia Jones and Leo Woodall also star.
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. April 28, 2026 3:55 PM
Despite his tragic death at the age of fifty in 2009 from a drug overdose and some disturbing allegations that have continued to muddy his legacy, Michael Jackson has managed to maintain his position as one of the biggest global pop music stars on the planet. The biographical musical drama, "Michael", capably directed by Antoine Fuqua, focuses on the singer's life from childhood as the highlight of the popular singing group with his brothers, the Jackson 5 to him going on to become even more famous as a solo artist after anxiously breaking free from the tight grip of his manager who also happened to be his father.
With Graham King, who was the producer behind the rock band, Queen's bombastic yet neutered bio-pic, "Bohemian Rhapsody", John Branca, Jackson's former attorney and co-executor of the estate and the participation by most of the Jackson family all on board, "Michael" is slickly packaged, visually stunning propaganda, presenting a Jackson that fans would want to believe existed: gifted, enigmatic, quirky, a little sad but relatively harmless.
The film wastes no time jumping us straight into Gary, Indiana in 1966 where we witness the conflict between Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo) and his five sons, Jackie (Nathaniel Logan McIntyre), Tito (Judah Edwards), Jermaine (Jayden Harville), Marlon (Jaylen Lyndon Hunter) and the youngest, Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi). He has assembled his children as a musical act and believes that in order to achieve success, they must constantly rehearse. But since they are kids, this isn't how they really want to spend all their time doing. However, Joseph, frustrated at his job at a steel mill, wants a better life for his family and isn't asking them, expecting his boys to obey otherwise face being beaten into submission.
Their first break comes two years later while opening for Gladys Knight (Liv Symone) and the Pips when the Jackson boys catch the attention of Suzanne de Passe (Laura Harrier), an executive at Motown Records. They are signed to the label, named "The Jackson 5", record their debut album and become an instant sensation. While they are a group, it is Michael, who is the lead singer, that receives the most recognition. Shy and timid off stage, Michael's confidence as a person (and later as an artist) is helped by Motown founder, Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) who takes the young boy under his wing, guiding him on how the recording process works.
Years later, the Jacksons have left Motown and signed with Epic Records. Now a young man, Michael (played by Jaafar Jackson) is ready to make another solo album and teams with Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) to produce. "Off The Wall" becomes a best-selling smash hit but Michael isn't able to fully enjoy his success because Joseph, who still manages his son's career, expects him to hit the road with his brothers to promote their album. Michael begins to take steps to try and control his own life: first by having surgery to make his nose smaller and then hiring John Branca (Miles Teller) as his attorney and has him fire his father as his manager. Then Michael begins recording his follow-up album with Jones which will be called "Thriller".
Since the estate of the pop singer was behind the production of this film, it was clear that "Michael" was never going to be an in-depth and revealing examination into who Jackson actually was and his turbulent personal history. The film, with a serviceable screenplay by John Logan, simply rehashes the familiar details of his career that many people are probably already fully aware. The only revelation I learned from this film was how severely Michael had been injured during the filming of the Pepsi commercial when a spark from the pyrotechnics sets his hair on fire, actually leaving him with third-degree burns on his scalp and nerve damage. Fuqua, who has made his career as a proficient filmmaker who was behind "Training Day" and "The Equalizer", doesn't try to elevate this movie with any artistic flourishes instead just sticks to the basics in his storytelling, briskly taking us from point A to point B, leaving no room for introspection.
Jaafar Jackson (the nephew of Michael and son of Jermaine) does make a dynamic impression with his acting debut playing his uncle. With an obvious advantage of having a family resemblance, his performance also captures the soft spoken, sweet-natured side of Jackson while expertly recreating some of the dazzling dance moves and musical highlights of the chart-topping artist with the singing in the film is largely from Michael's recordings.
Domingo, buried under heavy prosthetics, does what he can with the one-note villain role of Joseph. But since there's nothing revealed about what made this ruthless man tick, we simply witness him terrorizing and manipulating everyone in his orbit with his horrid behavior. Nia Long appears as the matriarch of the family, Katherine Jackson who isn't given much to do or say beyond looking grave and concerned as she silently watches her husband abuse their children.
It is quite jarring that several key members of the Jackson family are treated like they just don't exist (most notably the second most famous Jackson, Janet) in this movie. But the rest of the Jacksons who did agree to appear in "Michael" are largely just shadows, with nothing made known about them and are simply filling up space around the actual star of this story when needed. And an unrecognizable Mike Myers makes a very brief appearance as Walter Yetnikoff, the president of Jackson's label, CBS Records who plays a vital part in helping take the performer to the next level by getting his videos played on MTV, which had largely refused to run Black artists, by threatening to pull all of the label's acts from the music channel.
"Michael" ends after his final tour with his brothers, completely severing professional ties with his family and begins his first solo tour in 1988. This means that this film doesn't deal with any of the child sexual abuse accusations against Jackson which began about five years later. There had been plans originally to include the allegations and scenes were apparently shot. But after "Michael" had been nearly completed, the producers were informed that they could not mention the accuser due to a clause in the settlement. You would have thought that since this was such an extremely sensitive subject matter that the production's legal team would have made some effort to look into this long before the cameras rolled.
Due to the overwhelming and expected success of "Michael" (with a half billion dollars earned at the global box-office to date and still growing), there is a follow-up planned of Jackson's story which will continue with his career and apparently deal with some of the more unsavory aspects that occurred later in the pop superstar's life. But much like this well made yet toothless bio-pic, there isn't any expectation that the sequel will dig too deep nor make Jackson appear in any way that would actually make him seem deceitful or threatening. "Michael" was never intended to disrupt the connection between the eternal King of Pop and his devoted and loyal fanbase. This film was supposed to serve as a solid and entertaining reminder of the extraordinary talent and enduring influence of Michael Jackson, never to tarnish his image or question his morals. And with that, "Michael" largely succeeds.
The writer, Colleen Hoover has enjoyed some great success with having her best-selling novels transformed into motion pictures. The first, "It Ends with Us", which starred Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, became a huge commercial success in 2023, grossing over three hundred and fifty million dollars worldwide. Her other books, "Regretting You" and "Reminders of Him" were also made into films and while neither managed to reach the same massive box-office heights, both were still able to attract a sizable audience.
Now Hoover's latest book-to-screen adaptation is "Verity" with this drama driven with some major star power. Bestselling author, Verity Crawford (played by Oscar-winner, Anne Hathaway) has become incapacitated and her husband (Josh Hartnett) has hired Lowen, (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer, to help complete his wife's popular book series. While living in the Crawford's home to work, Lowen discovers a hidden manuscript that contains some disturbing information about the author.
Based on the teaser trailer, "Verity", directed by Michael Showalter, appears to be filled with suspense and psychological tension, diving into shifting boundaries between truth and fiction. And this will be the fifth movie featuring the very busy Hathaway released this year following the indie drama, "Mother Mary", the long-awaited sequel, "The Devil Wears Prada 2", Christopher Nolan's historical epic, "The Odyssey" and the sci-fi thriller, "The End of Oak Street".
"Practical Magic" was a romantic fantasy film (released in 1998 and based on the popular novel by Alice Hoffman) about two sisters who are descendants of a long line of witches. After their parents' tragic death from a family curse, the young girls are raised by their aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) and taught the uses of practical magic. And it comes in handy years later when the adult sisters (played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) must unite to use their powers to destroy an evil spirit.
The movie was only a modest success and largely critically panned when it was initially released. Yet over time, thanks to it's constant appearance on cable stations, the film's style aesthetic and themes of female empowerment, "Practical Magic" would develop a rabid cult following with millennial and Gen Z women.
Now twenty-seven years later, a sequel is on the horizon. "Practical Magic 2" reunites Kidman and Bullock, who are now both bigger stars and Oscar-winners, to play the sisters. The teaser trailer for the movie has just been released and it looks like this encore could provide some enchanting delights.
Based on the sequel "The Book of Magic" that Hoffman wrote in 2021 and directed by Susanne Bier, this story is set twenty-five years after the events of the first film with Kylie (Joey King), the daughter of Sally (Bullock), discovers the family's hidden secrets and develops her own magical abilities. With Gillian (Kidman) and the aunts (Channing and Wiest also return), they all come together to try and finally break the curse that has haunted their lineage for centuries.
"Practical Magic 2" will be in US theaters on September 11, 2026
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 9, 2026 4:00 PM
For her second feature film as a writer and director, Maggie Gyllenhaal, best known for her acting performances, has taken on a classic horror character and has attempted to capture a more modern and highbrow element to this story originally written by Mary Shelley back in 1818. Yet "The Bride!", which involves Frankenstein's monster in search of a female companion, offers us a punk rock energized reimagining of the 1935 Hollywood movie, "Bride of Frankenstein" that ends up being chaotically structured and narratively disjointed.
The film begins when we meet the spirit of the long dead writer Shelley (played by Jessie Buckley) who has another story she wants to tell regarding her creation. She decides to take possession of a young woman in 1936 Chicago named Ida (also Buckley) who she has spill the secrets of a crime boss, Lupino (Zlatko Burić) in the middle of a very public nightclub. A couple of Lupino's associates (John Magaro, Matthew Maher), who know Ida personally, take her out of the ballroom to try and talk some sense into her. But Shelley has a firm grasp upon her which causes an accident where Ida falls to her death down a flight of stairs.
At the same time, Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale), who now goes by the name "Frank", has arrived in Chicago to seek the help of Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Bening). The doctor has been experimenting with reanimating the dead and a very lonely Frank would desperately like her to create a female version of himself. Hesitant to get involved, Dr. Euphronius relents and they go out to find the perfect specimen. After digging up Ida's body, she is brought back to "life" with no memory of her past and a black stain across her face from the toxic chemicals used to reanimate her. Frank, deciding this would be easier for all involved, tells her that she's his bride.
After catching a movie starring Frank's favorite song-and-dance man, Ronnie Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal), the undead couple are harassed by a gang of hoodlums. In an act of self-defense, Frank kills some of these men and they soon become lovers on the run, heading to New York City (of all places) to hide.
Buckley, who won the Best Actress Oscar this year for her devastating turn in "Hamnet", does the best she can with her dual roles of author and monster. Without being given much of a backstory for Ida (or of Shelley for matter), we can only gather that she was an impoverished, marginalized person, just trying to get through each day, who continued to be subjugated even in her rebirth. But Ida does manage to find her own voice and with her halo of a bleach blonde bob and inventive face smudge, Buckley is certainly visually stunning. The rest of the supporting cast is distinguished which includes Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz as police detectives trying to track down the couple and Jeannie Berlin as Dr. Euphronius' maid. Yet they all struggle with their underwritten roles.
There is no question that "The Bride!" is impressive to look at with a beautiful, period perfect production designed by Karen Murphy, exquisite costumes by three time Oscar-winning veteran, Sandy Powell, eerie makeup designed by Nadia Stacey and expertly photographed by Lawrence Sher. But this is all wasted on a film that is tonally all over the place and Gyllenhaal's ponderous screenplay doesn't help matters beginning with the clunky framing device of the ghost of Shelley narrating this story and inexplicably provoking the death of an innocent young woman.
There are a few interesting ideas at play in "The Bride!" but it feels overloaded, with all of the details not really sorted out and fine-tuned before the cameras began to roll. It's unclear exactly what the outcome of this film was even supposed to be: there is some graphic violence and gore to be found but does not offer any of the ghastly frights we have come to expect from our standard horror film. We have a frenzied song-and-dance musical number involving the monster couple that unfortunately comes across more like a moment from Mel Brooks' hilarious comedy, "Young Frankenstein" which isn't helped by the use of the song "Putting on the Ritz". And there is the considered feminist outrage and organized social protest against the patriarchy in this story. Yet it seems oddly out of place considering the era this movie is set in.
"The Bride!" ends up being a misguided attempt of trying to use the horror genre to artfully express our current fears and anxieties involving several social issues. I think Gyllenhaal's provocative movie might have worked better if it was scaled back and more intimately told. Instead, we have a quirky, indie film trapped in the body of a major Hollywood production with an impractical, almost one hundred million dollar price tag.
I do not believe that there is one person on this planet who does not know who is Michael Jackson. Beginning his professional career as a gifted child singing with his four brothers as the Jackson 5 who together found great success and torrid popularity before Jackson decided to concentrate on being a solo performer. The upcoming film, "Michael", directed by Antoine Fuqua, focuses on the life and legacy of one of the biggest pop stars the world has ever known.
This movie will trace the journey with his musical family, lead by the strong-willed father, Joseph (played by Colman Domingo) and nurturing mother, Katherine (Nia Long), struggling to be discovered and given a shot by Motown founder, Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) who helps to guide the act to international fame. Juliano Krue Valdi will play the young Michael and Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson (the son of brother, Jermaine) will play the older Michael. With a screenplay by the Oscar-nominated writer, John Logan, "Michael" will examine the singer's engaging yet turbulent life on and off-stage and recreate some of Jackson's most iconic performances. Considering Jackson's still fervent fanbase, I think "Michael" will certainly be one of the biggest box-office successes of the year.
The upheaval of cinema in general and the film industry as a whole unfortunately continued throughout the previous year. From theaters still struggling to get audiences into seats that were not for big-budgeted sequels or remakes to Netflix and Paramount in a nasty battle over trying to swallow another studio, Warner Bros. which, if either is successful, will leave one less movie company and definitely many more job losses and even fewer films making it into a local movie house. And don't even get me started on AI.
But being an optimist, I remain hopeful that the business will continue to thrive and flourish. My hopefulness is guided largely due to many of the types of films that found both critical praise and box-office glory in movie theaters in 2025: bold and stylish feature films that offered fresh perspectives and unexpected exhilarations that actually gave folks a compelling reason to leave the comfort of their homes. I believe this trend will continue and an even bigger year in film is on the horizon. So here is my opportunity to celebrate my favorite films of 2025, listed in alphabetical order:
"BUGONIA"
With their fourth collaboration together, "Bugonia", Emma Stone and director, Yorgos Lanthimos have created an outlandishly twisted yet profoundly clever pitch black comedy about a ruthless CEO kidnapped by two men who believe she is an alien. Stone plays Michelle Fuller, the head of the pharmaceutical conglomerate, Auxolith who likes to believe that she's enlightened yet passively maintains the standard toxic workplace environment. She is taken hostage by Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his autistic cousin, Don (Aidan Delbis) with the sole purpose of getting her to admit that she's actually from another planet that is causing harm to Earth. Chained in their basement and routinely tortured, Teddy, a high-strung, conspiracy theorist, will not let up until he gets a confession. But as the days pass, Michelle, remaining cool and calm, begins to chip away at the confidence of their plan with Teddy becoming more unhinged and Don starting to question the situation they are in. Inspired by the 2003 South Korean film, "Save The Green Planet!" (which is expertly adapted by Will Tracy), Lanthimos uses mordant wit, uneasy quirkiness and shocking bursts of gory violence to propel his version of this story forward. The verbal dueling by Stone and Plemons, both doing peak work, is absolutely fascinating to watch. "Bugonia" has a lot to say, touching on environmental concerns, capitalism and big pharma to name the obvious ones, and brilliantly does it in a way that is provocative, oddly hilarious and very bleak.
"BLUE MOON"/"NOUVELLE VAGUE"
Richard Linklater managed to have made two great films released last year with both reflecting back on a couple of highly praised, creative talents: one at the very start of his prestigious career and the other in the unfortunate decline of the occupation he once thrived in.
"Blue Moon" looks back on one day (March 31, 1943 to be exact) in the life of Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), a celebrated lyricist and one half of the popular songwriting team of stage and screen, Rodgers and Hart. After leaving the world premiere of the new musical, "Oklahoma!" early, Hart arrives to Sardi's restaurant where the afterparty will be held. With his heavy drinking somewhat in control, the chatty and sardonic Hart complains to the bartender (Bobby Cannavale) about the show, which he was supposed to help write with his creative partner, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) but didn't believe in its potential, while trying to get a drink served to him. Rodgers put the musical together with a new lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein (Simon Delaney) which Hart resents, mostly because the show has received raves. During the party, Hart hopes he can coax his long-time partner into working on a revival or even a new musical together. Linklater and Hawke previously found great success with their "Before" trilogy of films which consisted of just conversations between a couple and "Blue Moon" expands upon this in their latest collaboration with a dialogue-driven, drama that is remarkably heartfelt and candid. Hawke, in one of his best screen performances, carries this film as the boisterous Hart holds court, having conversations filled with sparkling bon mots and delivering melodic monologues. Yet there is an overwhelming sadness that hangs over him that he's not completely able to conceal.
"Nouvelle Vague" (which translates to "new wave") tells the incredible story of how Jean-Luc Godard broke all the rules to make his first feature film, "Breathless". Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) was a film critic for the influential French magazine, Cahiers du Cinéma. Some of his fellow critics, Éric Rohmer (Côme Thieulin), Claude Chabrol (Antoine Besson) and François Truffaut (Adrien Rouyard) (with his directorial debut, "The 400 Blows" just making its premiere at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival) had moved into filmmaking and decides he's ready to create a movie too. Starting with a brief outline written by Truffaut, Godard sets about hiring his cast and crew. He finds former boxer, Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) as his lead and convinces Hollywood starlet, Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch), who was in Paris to promote her latest film, to join his project. Young, brash and with a healthy ego, Godard embraces a guerilla filmmaking style that ignores continuity, rewriting the script constantly or simply disregarding it altogether and having very short shooting days. Filmed in shimmering black and white by David Chambille and with a translated screenplay by Holly Gent and Vincent Palmo, "Nouvelle Vague" is almost entirely spoken in French, a language that Linklater does not speak. The Texan filmmaker has crafted a loving tribute to the French New Wave movement and particularly to Godard who inspired him to just go out and make his first movie anyway he could. An enchanting celebration of independent cinema, Linklater beautifully captures with "Nouvelle Vague" the importance of following and trusting your instincts in the name of creating art.
"EDDINGTON"
"Eddington" is the latest from the king of "emotional horror", Ari Aster. The writer/director continues his vividly surreal exploration into family trauma and psychological deterioration. This story takes place in the fictional small town of Eddington, New Mexico during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The local sheriff, Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) doesn't believe in the lockdown or mask mandate, feeling that it violates his rights. But many in the town disagrees with him including the Mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) who insists he follow the guidelines. Frustrated, the sheriff decides to run for mayor against Ted who is up for re-election. But Joe's unstable wife (Emma Stone) is not happy with his abrupt decision. Then the film takes a progressively weirder shift into darker territory involving Black Lives Matter protests, cultism, conspiracy theories, sexual abuse and cold-blooded murder. This is a lot to take in and much of it is intended to be very divisive. Yet Aster is in full control of "Eddington", audaciously creating tension and discomfort in this drama that's inspired and messy. There is no denying that Aster is a challenging filmmaker, tackling harrowing, difficult subjects in his now trademark offbeat style, that is clearly an acquired taste. But his brutally dour cinema is thought provoking and captivating with "Eddington" another interesting addition to Aster's oeuvre.
"FRANKENSTEIN"
I must admit I didn't think another cinematic rendering of Mary Shelley's gothic novel was really necessary. Yet in the masterful hands of Guillermo del Toro, "Frankenstein" is a dazzling visual spectacle, exquisitely presenting this illustrious horror tale in a manner that hasn't really been seen before. Told in two parts: first from the doctor's viewpoint and then from his creation's perspective. After his mother (Mia Goth) dies while giving birth to his younger brother when he was a child, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) becomes a surgeon obsessed with trying to "cure" death through science. Expelled from college for attempting to reanimate corpses, Victor meets Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), a wealthy merchant who witnessed the trial. Harlander offers him unlimited funding and a private location to continue his experiments but under one condition which he would disclose at a later date. With the help of his brother, William (Felix Kammerer), Victor advances by assembling a "man" using body parts from dead soldiers. On the day of the trial, Harlander reveals the condition which Victor promptly refuses and the merchant accidently dies trying to stop the experiment. The creature (Jacob Elordi) is successfully brought to life. Frustrated by a lack of intellectual abilities and fearful of its incredible strength, the doctor tries to destroy his creation. Unable to die, the creature runs away, hiding out on a family's farm. The blind grandfather (David Bradley) befriends the monster, teaching it how to speak and read. And then the creature decides to track down his "father". The director had long professed his desire of making his version of "Frankenstein" and this dream project is a relatively faithful adaptation that is beautifully rendered (with stellar camerawork by Dan Laustsen and breathtaking production design by Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau), capably performed (with Goth also appearing as William's fiancé, Elizabeth who manages to comes between Frankenstein and his monster) and intoxicatingly entertaining.
"HEDDA"
"Hedda Gabler" was a play written by Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen back in 1891. And while it received negative feedback at the time of it's initial stage production, this drama about an aristocratic woman feeling trapped in her marriage who manipulates those around her has gone on to be considered a theatrical masterpiece and one of the great dramatic roles in theater. This play has been adapted for the screen several times since then and the latest, "Hedda" from writer/director, Nia DaCosta strikingly reimagines Ibsen's play into a thrilling contemporary drama elevated by commanding performances from Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss. Set in 1950s England, the story opens with police interrogating Hedda Gabler Tesman (Thompson) following a shooting at her estate. We then flashback to the events leading up to this unfortunate mishap with Hedda preparing for a lavish party to help her new husband, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), a financially struggling academic hoping to secure a lucrative promotion from Professor Greenwood (Finbar Lynch). But Dr. Eileen Lovborg (Hoss) is also a rival for this position who has been invited to the party and, unbeknownst to George, is Hedda's former lover. While DaCosta's Hedda may still be a sly, bored newlywed who entered into a loveless marriage in pursuit of potential wealth but she is now a queer Black woman, still desperately holding a torch for her ex-lover and more than willing to destroy her if she can't have her. This creates fresh tension to this compelling drama with other notable changes include Thea (Imogen Poots), still a former classmate of Hedda's yet now a rival for Eileen's affections. "Hedda" is a vivid retelling that cleverly twists the emotional and psychological power struggles in this well-known classic with a modern sensibility that unexpectedly includes race, gender and sexuality.
"MARTY SUPREME"
For his first film after creatively splitting with his brother, Benny, Josh Safdie has taken us into the world of professional ping-pong with "Marty Supreme". Loosely based on the life of table tennis champion, Marty Reisman, Safdie and co-writer, Ronald Bronstein has concocted a frenzied, fictionalized account of his wild and outrageous exploits. In 1952 New York City, Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) has set himself a goal to become the greatest table tennis player in the world. Unwilling to let a lack of funds stop him from heading to England to compete in the British Open, Marty borrows the money from his uncle's shoe store where he works. Staying at the player's barracks is not suitable for him so Marty cons his way into a room at the Ritz London where he meets former Hollywood actress, Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow). He talks his way into an affair with her and despite Kay being married to Milton Rockwell (Kevin O'Leary from the tv show, "Shark Tank") a wealthy executive of a pen company, that doesn't stop Marty from going to him for sponsorship. After losing against Koto Endo (Koto Kawaguchi), a deaf Japanese player in the finals, Rockwell offers Marty a chance for a rematch during an exhibition in Tokyo before the World Championships. But Marty refuses the deal after learning he would be expected to throw the game. With propulsive energy and an offbeat, unpredictable storyline, "Marty Supreme" takes you on a weird ride filled with quirky, comedic moments and shocking violence. As an emotionally detached, bamboozling grifter, there doesn't seem to be much to admire about this wannabe table tennis champ. Yet through the fully committed performance by Chalamet, he's able to make Marty not only irresistibly charismatic but you even find yourself rooting for him to somehow succeed with his endless schemes. "Marty Supreme" is a riveting character study (with galvanic appearances by a diverse group of performers that includes Odessa A'zion, Fran Drescher, Tyler Okonma or better known as musician, Tyler the Creator, fashion designer, Isaac Mizrahi and film director, Abel Ferrara) with a heightened narrative structure that boldly defies expectations.
"ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER"
Since his breakthrough with "Boogie Nights" back in 1997, Paul Thomas Anderson has continued to prove that he's one of the best contemporary filmmakers working today. With his tenth feature film as a writer and director, "One Battle After Another", Anderson (loosely adapting another Thomas Pynchon novel, "Vineland") has masterfully created a dark comedic action-thriller involving a former revolutionary forced back into combative battle when he and his teenage daughter are pursued by a venomous military officer. The story begins with meeting the members of a far-left military group, the French 75 lead by lovers, "Ghetto" Pat Calhoun (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia Beverly Hills (a dynamic Teyana Taylor). Their violent activities gains the attention of commanding officer, Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) who captures Perfidia and compromises her to provide him information about their group. A racist, race fetishist, Lockjaw also engages with her to abuse him sexually. Perfidia later gives birth to Bob's child but doesn't want to give up the thrill she gets fighting for revolution, abandoning him and their baby. Years later, Lockjaw, promoted to colonel, begins to track down the former members of the French 75 when Perfidia is forced to inform on them after being arrested again and goes into witness protection, eventually coming for Pat. After a warning, he's on the run with his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), getting assistance from her karate instructor and community activist, Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio del Toro). Sprawling with ideas, Anderson has cleverly assembled his film in a way that doesn't seem like it would work together. We have the long-standing fight between equity and injustice, counterculture rebellion, breathtaking car chase sequences, white nationalism and some screwball comedy antics thrown in for good measure. But at the heart of this film is a father and daughter love story. As they fight to stay alive, Pat and Willa, whose relationship has been strained largely due to him being stoned all the time, manages to find a deeper, closer connection. "One Battle After Another" succeeds because PTA maintains his subversive indie spirit while still achieving a mass appeal entertainment.
"SINNERS"
On the surface, "Sinners" might appear to be just another horror movie. But writer/director, Ryan Coogler had something far more audacious on his mind, using the genre to address social and political themes inventively with a commanding visual style. After spending some time in Chicago associating with the Mob, the identical twins, Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore (both impressively played by Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown in Mississippi with a plan. They are going to run their own business by opening a juke joint. They offer their young, musician cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton) a chance to perform there despite the warnings of his pastor father who rages about the sin of playing the blues. They track other friends to help including Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), Smoke's estranged wife and luring a local music legend, Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) to also perform. But during their raucous opening night, they are paid a visit by three strangers: an Irish-immigrant vampire named Remmick (Jack O'Connell) and a racist married couple (Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke) he turned. They are musicians and want to be let inside but are turned away, with a strong sense that there is something off about them. Still lurking around, Stack's former girlfriend, Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), a White passing Black woman, goes out to investigate this group. She is bitten and after going back inside of the club, horrifying chaos and rampant bloodshed goes on through the night. Coogler explores in "Sinners" the long, complex history of racial oppression and the misappropriating of African-American artistry by viewing it through a vampiric theme and how music, particularly the blues, was used to help galvanize and heal through these dark times. But he never loses sight of this also being an entertainment, delivering blood-soaked frights and stirring musical numbers. With razor sharp imagery from cinematographer, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, a rousing musical score by Coogler's long-time collaborator, Ludwig Göransson and an excellent cast, "Sinners" is an innovative, groundbreaking horror drama that transcends through exceptional storytelling and authentic characterizations.
"TRAIN DREAMS"
Based on the novella by Denis Johnson, "Train Dreams", from director, Clint Bentley, artfully recounts the story of a quiet, working man, who doesn't do anything particularly special and copes with several tragedies during his life, in a way that is intimate, haunting and deeply moving. Told through genial narration by actor, Will Patton, we meet Robert Grainier (a sublime Joel Edgerton) who takes up railroad construction and seasonal logging work in Washington state. After seeing a Chinese laborer killed by his co-workers for no clear reason, Robert continues to be haunted by this memory. He witnesses other disturbing and deadly situations while working on these jobs. An orphan and later adopted by a family, Robert lived his life largely in isolation. But that changed after meeting Gladys (Felicity Jones) at church. They soon marry, build their home and have a child. Robert's work keeps him away from his family for months at a time, creating some tension between him and Gladys, which leads to a distressing situation when a wildfire sweeps through the area. Bentley and co-writer, Greg Kwedar has taken Johnson's story and skillfully crafted a meditative and impassioned drama, poetically offering insight into the human condition. "Train Dreams" is a tremendously graceful and understated masterwork (enhanced by the luminous camerawork of Adolpho Veloso) that lingers with you long after viewing the film.
Honorable Mentions: "Black Bag", "Friendship", "Caught Stealing", "A House of Dynamite", "Is This Thing On?", "K-Pop Hunters", "Lurker", "The Mastermind", "Mickey 17", "No Other Choice", "Sentimental Value", "Superman", "Thunderbolts*", "Twinless", "Weapons", "Zootopia 2"
Boots Riley dazzled with his feature film directorial debut, "Sorry To Bother You", a sci-fi, dark comedy, back in 2018. This critically acclaimed film told the story of a struggling, young African-American telemarketer (played by LaKeith Stanfield) who adopts a "white voice" to succeed at his job but soon discovers a sinister corporate scheme and forced to choose between continuing to enjoy the high life or join in with his fellow workers that are trying to unionize.
Now Riley has finally returned with his follow-up feature, "I Love Boosters", another absurdist black comedy. The teaser trailer reveals Keke Palmer who stars as the ringleader of a gang of fashion obsessed, shoplifters who target a ruthless style maven, played by Demi Moore. The rest of the impressive cast includes Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter and Don Cheadle.
"I Love Boosters" will make its world premiere as the opening film at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in March before reaching theaters in May.
"I Love Boosters" is due in US theaters on May 22, 2026
Happy 2026 and here’s to a new year filled with more exciting and intriguing movies. One of the upcoming films I’m looking forward to seeing is "Mother Mary", the latest feature from David Lowery, the director behind the innovative features, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints", "A Ghost Story" and "The Green Knight". This psychological thriller takes place in the outlandish world of modern pop music.
Anne Hathaway plays Mother Mary, a pop superstar who is in need of a show-stopping dress for an upcoming tour. Mary approaches Sam (Michaela Coel), a costume designer that she had previously worked with but they hadn't spoken to each other in many years due to a falling out. Sam, who had a very close friendship with Mary, agrees to do this project however the dress will be created under her terms.
Original songs in "Mother Mary" have been provided by pop musicians, Charli XCX, FKA Twigs (who also makes an appearance in the film) and one of current top producers working in popular music today, Jack Antonoff. Hunter Schafer and Kaia Gerber also co-star in the film.
"Mother Mary" will be in US theaters on April 17, 2026
"Crime 101" is an upcoming film adaptation of the Don Winslow novella about an evasive thief with a thrill for high-stakes heists along the 101 freeway in Los Angeles. And this crime-thriller stars two of the most beautiful people to ever grace the movie screen: Chris Hemsworth playing the suave burglar looking to do one final job before calling it a day and Halle Berry as a disgruntled insurance broker that he lures into helping him commit this crime. But Mark Ruffalo is a determined detective working relentlessly on the case and closing in on capturing this thief. Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte also star.
The writer and director, Bart Layton continues his fascination with stories involving crime, following his debut with the 2012 documentary, "The Imposter" about the French scam artist, Frédéric Bourdin and "American Animals", a docudrama recounting the Transylvania University book heist in Lexington, KY.
"Crime 101" will be in US theaters on February 13, 2026
The actor, Maggie Gyllenhaal made her directorial debut back in 2021 with the psychological drama, "The Lost Daughter" which she would receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Now she is finally returning behind the camera with "The Bride!", a bold reimaging of the 1935 Hollywood film, "The Bride of Frankenstein" which was based on the character created by Mary Shelley.
Set in 1930's Chicago, the Frankenstein monster (Christian Bale) asks Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. Much like how he was created, they take a recently deceased woman (Jessie Buckley) and bring her back to life in order to become his "bride".
The teaser trailer has just been released for the film (which will reach theaters early next year) and it reveals a less gothic and more naturalistic setting. It's been said that "The Bride!" will have elements of modern bloody horror and more character driven. Gyllenhaal's brother, Jake; her husband, Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz will also star.
"The Bride!" is due in US theaters on March 6, 2025
"Wuthering Heights", the only novel by the British author, Emily Brontë, has captivated readers since it's publication back in 1847 and has endured as true classic of English language literature. This story about the passionate relationship between Cathy Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a poor orphan taken in by her family and the destruction he causes after she chooses to marry a wealthy neighbor instead of him has been adapted for film and television numerous times since the very beginning of cinema.
The latest version of "Wuthering Heights" is from the provocative filmmaker, Emerald Fennell who was behind the controversial and polarizing dramas, "Promising Young Woman" and "Saltburn". The just released teaser trailer of Fennell's interpretation, that will feature Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Cathy, makes it clear that this will not be a tradtional rendition of Brontë's acclaimed story. With a bold, experimental style and surreal imagery, this film is almost certain to stir intense debate over what the director has done with this timeless narrative.
"Wuthering Heights" is due in US theaters on February 14, 2026
As we move from steamy hot weather into a brisk cooler season, this is reflected in the upcoming movie slate. We had a summer filled with box-office hits of largely sequels, reboots and lighter fare. And now it's time for a shift with movies involving more serious, dramatic subjects and prize-seeking projects. There is a lot of intriguing movies on the horizon over the next four months and here are a few I'm really looking forward in seeing:
"THE HISTORY OF SOUND"
Release date: September 12, 2025
"The History of Sound", based on short stories by Ben Shattuck (who wrote the screenplay), deals with the romantic relationship between two men, Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O'Connor) after meeting while attending a music conservatory in Boston. Separated due to World War I , they are reunited and, to make up for their lost time together, begin traveling to record traditional folk songs throughout rural Maine. Oliver Hermanus directs.
"KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN"
Release date: October 10, 2025
"Kiss of the Spider Woman" began as a drama in 1985 from director, Héctor Babenco that was set in a Brazilian prison during the military dictatorship and centers on two very different cellmates; a rigid leftist revolutionary (Raul Julia) and an apolitical gay man (William Hurt who would win the Oscar for Best Actor). Seven years later, this film was adapted into a popular Broadway musical by Terrence McNally, John Kander and Fred Ebb, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. Now this musical of "Kiss of the Spider Woman" will be brought to the big screen by Bill Condon who has had great success previously with the stage-to-screen transfers of "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls". Here Diego Luna will play the revolutionary, Valentin, Tonatiuh is Molina, the gay cellmate and in her first screen musical, Jennifer Lopez appears as Ingrid Luna, Molina's favorite movie star.
"BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER"
Release date: October 15, 2025
The Swiss/Austrian filmmaker, Edward Berger, who made a major splash with his first English-language film, the papal drama, "Conclave" which was nominated for eight Academy Awards last year, is back with another film in English. "Ballad of a Small Player" is set in the high stakes world of gambling with Colin Farrell playing a troubled man deeply in debt and trying to lay low in the Chinese city of Macau. But he can't keep away from the lure of the tables and hopes to be saved by an employee of the casino (Fala Chen) before it's too late. Tilda Swinton also stars.
"GOOD FORTUNE"
Release date: October 17, 2025
After the attempt for his directorial debut was cancelled back in 2022 due to star Bill Murray's alleged inappropriate behavior on set, stand-up comedian, Aziz Ansari went to work on his next project. The comedy, "Good Fortune" tells the story of Arj (Ansari), a man struggling to make ends meet while working for Jeff, a wealthy mogul (Seth Rogen). A "budget" guardian angel (Keanu Reeves) enters Arj's life to help by proving that if he swapped places with Jeff his life wouldn't be any better. But Arj is actually very happy with his newly acquired opulent lifestyle, causing the angel to lose his wings and forced to live back on Earth. Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh also star.
"THE SECRET AGENT"
Release date: November 26, 2025
"The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto)" made it's world premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival where it received the Best Director prize for Kleber Mendonça Filho and Wagner Moura won Best Actor. Moura (his first role in his native Portuguese in eight years) plays a teacher caught in the political turmoil during the final years of the Brazilian military dictatorship while desperately trying to escape persecution.
"FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER"
Release date: December 24, 2025
Jim Jarmusch, a major force in independent cinema since the 1980s, is back with his latest offbeat comedy-drama. "Father Mother Sister Brother" is an anthology film involving three stories with each concerning the complicated relationships between adult children and their parents. Set in present day and in different countries, Jarmusch offers a series of character studies that features an impressive cast that includes Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps.
"MARTY SUPREME"
Release date: December 25, 2025
Josh and Benny Safdie began as an indie filmmaking team, making their mark with the compelling crime thrillers, "Good Time" and "Uncut Gems". But like the Coen Brothers, the Safdie siblings have decided to go their separate ways as filmmakers. Josh's first solo directorial venture will be "Marty Supreme", a sports drama based on the life of professional table tennis player, Marty Reisman. Timothée Chalamet will play Reisman in this film which apparently is not an accurate biopic but a more fictionalized version of his life and career. Safdie continues the family tradition of eclectic casting with fellow filmmaker, Abel Ferrara; comedian, Sandra Bernhard; sitcom star, Fran Drescher; "Shark Tank" businessman, Kevin O'Leary and Oscar-winner-turned-lifestyle-guru, Gwyneth Paltrow appearing in the film.
(And Benny Safdie will also be making his solo directorial debut this fall with his own sports biopic, "The Smashing Machine" with Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, premiering during this year's Venice Film Festival and reaching US theaters on October 3rd).
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