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 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.
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"
I can't believe we are already approaching June which means the summer movie season is just around the corner. These next three months are the most important for the film industry as it tends to account for about 40% of the annual box-office totals in the US. The first quarter of the year has been down significantly but there is optimism due to the recent successes of "A Minecraft Movie", "Sinners" and even "Thunderbolts" which has helped the box-office regain some lost ground by 16%.
This upcoming line-up of summer films appears, for the most part, overly cautious with Hollywood seeming to rely even more heavily on remakes, sequels and live-action versions of popular animated films to try and lure audiences back into theaters. But despite this safe, unadventurous slate, there are a few films that has managed to catch my attention that I am anticipating:
"ELIO"
Release date: June 20, 2025
With "Elio", Pixar/Disney will be releasing their first original animated movie since "Elemental" three years ago. This tells the story of an eleven-year-old boy named Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) who is convinced there is extraterrestrial life somewhere out there in the galaxy. After being beamed up to an alien communiverse, Elio accidentally becomes the ambassador of Earth where he must help divert an intergalactic crisis.
"F1"
Release date: June 27, 2025
Brad Pitt lends his star power to Formula One racing in "F1", a sports action drama from director, Joseph Kosinski who last brought us "Top Gun: Maverick". Pitt plays a successful Formula One driver who has a horrible crash, forcing him to retire. Years later, a team owner and friend (Javier Bardem) contacts him to mentor a promising young driver (Damson Idris) for the Apex Grand Prix team.
"THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS"
Release date: July 25, 2025
The Fantastic Four, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, were the first superhero team by Marvel Comics. But Marvel has struggled to get a decent cinematic version of this group to make it to the big screen. With "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (the third attempt of these characters in a feature film), this version looks very promising. The story is set in a 1960s-inspired, parallel Earth with highly intelligent scientist, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), his wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), her brother Johnny (Joseph Quinn) and Reed's best friend, former astronaut, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) making up the Fantastic Four who were transformed into Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing respectively, who gained their superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays during a scientific mission into space. They must stop the planet-devouring cosmic being, Galactus (Ralph Ineson) in order to save Earth.
"WEAPONS"
Release date: August 8, 2025
"Weapons" is a disturbing, horror mystery from Zach Cregger, a performer who found great critical and commercial success his first time as a writer/director with another horror film, "Barbarian" three years ago. One night, all of the children but one child from the same classroom mysteriously vanish at exactly the same time. The community is left frightened and confused by who or what could be behind the disappearance of their children. But they soon begin to look suspiciously at the teacher of the classroom, played by Julia Garner. Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan also star.
"AMERICANA"
Release date: August 22, 2025
"Americana", the feature debut by writer/director Tony Tost, made it's premiere at South by Southwest back in 2023 and is now finally getting it's theatrical release. Originally titled, "National Anthem", this brutal, dark comedy thriller revolves around numerous people who become connected through a fight to the death over a priceless, Native American ghost shirt that is believed to have spiritual powers. Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser headline a cast that also features Simon Rex, Eric Dane and pop singer, Halsey.
"THE ROSES"
Release date: August 29, 2025
Way back in 1989, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner starred in a pitch-black marital comedy, "The War of the Roses" which was directed by Danny DeVito who also co-starred. Now this popular hit has been remade as "The Roses" and directed by Jay Roach (the "Austin Powers" film series; "Meet the Parents"). We have the inspired pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as Theo and Ivy Rose, a long-time married couple whose relationship quickly comes apart, progressively leading to more violent behavior. And while the film appears to be still quite dark, the comedy feels raunchier and more edgy which makes this version come across as a completely different movie than the original. SNL vets, Kate McKinnon and Andy Samberg and Oscar-winner, Allison Janney are also along for the ride.
Here are a few of the films I saw last year that I have no intention of ever watching again:
"BORDERLANDS"
I should start off by saying that I have never been a fan of movies based on video games. The few that I have seen I really haven't enjoyed at all. The problem I find is that there really isn't enough of a story to base an entire film around and the filmmakers tend not to expand the narrative elements nearly enough to make these video game stories truly cinematic. And the studios end up coasting largely on name recognition to get folks to turn out to theaters. I got lured into seeing the sci-fi action-comedy, "Borderlands" based on the trailer that featured an impressively eclectic cast that included Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Edgar Ramirez, Jack Black and Jamie Lee Curtis. Yet once again, I was tricked. "Borderlands" is a very expensive, poorly conceived, convoluted mess with several of the creative team jumping ship during or after production and even having their names removed from this project. It begins on the planet Pandora with a mercenary soldier named Roland (Hart) kidnaps a teen called Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt) who happens to be the daughter of Atlas (Ramirez), a powerful corporate bigwig. He hires the bounty hunter, Lilith (Blanchett) to rescue his child. Tracking down Roland, Lilith discovers that Atlas actually wants Tina back against her will and she teams up with him to fight against Atlas' army, the Crimson Lance. Then the story goes further into some nonsense involving the secrets of advanced technology by a lost civilization of Pandora which Atlas believes is located in a mysterious vault that only Tina can open. Eli Roth is the credited director (with Tim Miller taking on reshoots) and wrote the screenplay with Joe Crombie (writer, Craig Mazin had his name removed from the script). The end results makes the film feel completely disjointed, impaired by underdeveloped characters, a meandering plot and without a whiff of originality. "Borderlands" was a complete waste of the prestigious talent involved and the one hundred and one minutes of time I will never get back.
"I SAW THE TV GLOW"
"I Saw The TV Glow", Jane Schoenbrun's follow-up to their acclaimed 2021 debut, "We're All Going to the World's Fair", received a glowing reception by many critics with several placing this psychological-horror drama high on their Best of the Year lists. However, the appeal of this film was completely lost on me as my viewing experience was torturous with a feeling like it was never going to end. This '90's-set story follows Owen (Justice Smith), a lonely and isolated teen who bonds with another loner at school, Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) over their love of a television show, "The Pink Opaque". The program involves two teenage girls who use their shared psychic abilities to fight a villain called Mr. Melancholy, who has the power to shift time and existence. Owen and Maddy deeply connect to this show, which in turn, helps them grow closer to each other. Family problems makes Maddy want to run away from home and asks Owen to go with her. After sincerely considering this offer, he decides to stay and Maddy disappears. "The Pink Opaque" is also cancelled around this time. Several years later, Maddy reappears with news that she's been living in their favorite show during her time away. Schoenbrun has tapped into the surrealist, experimental style of the great David Lynch yet "I Saw the TV Glow" feels more muddled and less engaging than a wonderfully puzzling Lynchian experience.
"LISA FRANKENSTEIN"
The romantic-horror comedy, "Lisa Frankenstein" might have been intended be an ode to the classic comedies of the '80's but only ends up being a tired and predictable modern comedy. Lisa (Kathryn Newton) is an odd, goth teenager still trying to cope with the loss of her mother to an axe murderer. And to make matters worse, her father (Joe Chrest) has remarried to Janet (Carla Gugino), a self-involved woman who doesn't care about Lisa, and they live together with her daughter, Taffy (Liza Soberano). Lisa spends her time at the local cemetery and speaks to the grave of a young Victorian man who was killed by lightning. Lightning winds up striking twice and this man (Cole Sprouse) is brought back from the dead as a mute zombie to become Lisa's perfect boyfriend. Zelda Williams (who happens to be the daughter of the late Robin Williams) makes her feature directorial debut with "Lisa Frankenstein" and displays no real gift behind the camera, sadly proving the argument about nepo babies. The shockingly bad screenplay was written by Oscar-winner, Diablo Cody who seemed to have scripted this in a time warp, trapped reliving worn out, comedic ideas about love and relationships. Painfully dull and uninspired, "Lisa Frankenstein" is an apparent comedy that never came to life, effectively dead on arrival.
"MADAME WEB"
Based on a little known, minor character in the Spider-Man comic book universe, the super-hero film, "Madame Web" has managed to do nothing to make us intrigued, let alone inspired, to want to see anymore of her. Dakota Johnson has once again been given a leading role as Cassandra Webb, a New York City paramedic who develops abilities of a clairvoyant following a near-death experience. This leads her to connecting to three young girls (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O'Connor) and protect them from shady businessman, Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim). Also having limited psychic abilities and enhanced strength he obtained from a Peruvian spider, Sims has visions that these girls will be the cause of his demise. And that means he wants to end their lives before that can happen, forcing Cassandra to develop the use of her powers in order to save them. The director, S.J. Clarkson, who has had an extensive career working in British television, makes her feature film directorial debut with "Madame Web" and is in way over her head trying to get a handle on the comic-book genre. The hazy and shapeless screenplay assembled by Clarkson along with the team of Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless and Claire Parker does the film no favors. I do not pretend to understand the allure of Johnson yet the offspring of the charismatic actors, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith continues to book jobs despite adding very little charm and appeal to her performances. With an incoherent story, underwhelming visual style and listless thrills, "Madame Web" finds success as another very expensive addition to the garbage heap of super-hero movies that failed to launch a hopeful franchise.
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. June 23, 2024 4:20 PM
Inspired by the 1968 photo journal by Danny Lyon, writer/director Jeff Nichols takes us into the compelling world of a Chicago outlaw motorcycle club with "The Bikeriders". First formed by some suburban men who loved to ride together, drawing attention to other riders which helped expand the group across the country. They had their own code of conduct and specific lifestyle yet over time a more violent and criminal element entered the gang, shifting from the playful camaraderie of a social club into the ruthless dogma of a organized crime outfit. Filled with explosive moments and captivating imagery, this riveting film traces the history of these easy riders during the brief height of their infamous popularity in the culture.
Lyon (played here by Mike Faist) had gained the trust of members of the Vandals MC (which is based on the actual Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Illinois), allowing him entry into their exclusive club. One of his key interviews is with a person who would be considered an outsider of the Vandals yet still very much part of the gang. Kathy (Jodie Comer) recalls to Lyon how she first became involved with these bikers after meeting the brooding, charismatic member, Benny (Austin Butler) at a seedy bar. After locking eyes with him, Kathy's life changed almost in an instant; leaving behind her nice yet boring, long-time boyfriend and marrying Benny five months later. But this also meant, much to her dismay, that the Vandals would become an extension to their marriage.
The leader of the Vandals is Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy) who founded the gang after seeing a leather-geared, Marlon Brando on a Harley in the film, "The Wild One". A family man with a wife and children, Johnny rules his bikers much like he does at home with tough love and demanding they follow his decisions without question. There isn't much of a plot to follow, largely just detailing the typical routine of the Vandals which really only involves them riding their hogs, engaging in loud, riotous banter and drinking endless beers in a bar, usually leading to finishing the day with somebody getting involved in a vicious brawl.
But at the heart of "The Bikeriders" is a sort-of love triangle involving Kathy and Johnny each trying to win in a battle to secure their place with the remote, Benny. After getting seriously injured during a fight at a bar, almost losing his foot, Kathy attempts to convince her husband to slow down following his surgery while Johnny is wanting him get out to participate in a motorcycle rally. And certain that he's the only one the other bikers would even consider following, Johnny tries to talk Benny into succeeding him as leader. But they both fail to realize that Benny refuses to be controlled, unpersuaded by other people's desires and needs regardless of how he feels about them.
"The Bikeriders" is the first film in about seven years from Nichols, the creator behind the small-scale dramas with expansive viewpoints, typically set in the South where he is from, that include "Take Shelter", "Mud" and "Loving". Since first seeing this book, Nichols had been trying for about twenty years to find a way to turn it into a feature film, settling on creating characters based on the real-life subjects in the book. The film captures an authentic environment of time and place during the late '60's and early 1970's thanks to the production design by Chad Keith. The camera work by Adam Stone sets a proper mood, recreating the specific style and accelerated energy of the photos in Lyon's book.
The Vandals (which includes Norman Reedus and Michael Shannon appearing as bikers) are made-up of the expected arch types; chaotic and precarious men with restless spirits seeking freedom and adventure on the open road while riding a Harley-Davidson. While some do have jobs and family, they live mostly without commitment to anybody but themselves.
As for the women in their lives, occasionally sitting on the back of a bike or participating in rider gatherings, they typically remain in the background, stoically waiting for their men to eventually return home to them. The only substantial female voice in this film is Kathy, who fearlessly shares her thoughts on these guys and will aggressively push back against their macho postering when needed. Much has been made about the Midwestern accent she uses here yet regardless of it's accuracy, the British-born Comer perfectly captures the fiery soul of this woman, delivering another powerful performance. Not called on to do much more than glower and smolder, Butler remains very effective as Benny, proving with his Oscar-nominated performance as Elvis Presley and his menacing turn in "Dune: Part Two" that he certainly has the potential to become the next major movie star. And Hardy, who has spent most of the last few years playing Venom, the Marvel super-hero antagonist in those awful movies, is always a welcome presence on screen and nice to see playing a human being again.
"The Bikeriders" recalls a generation of working class men rebelling against the status quo by driving their own path through life. Some of these men were damaged, coming from broken homes but they all searched for a sense of family which they found together on the open road. The ideology of the bikers transformed following the end of the Vietnam War. These new riders who joined had their views and priorities severely altered after seeing so much destruction and death. The world had changed and society had abandoned them, with some even viewing these veterans as the enemy. Now being part of a gang of rebels had taken on a whole new meaning.
As the summer movie season approaches, it appears that it's not going to be business as usual. The effects of the pandemic and the Hollywood strikes are still being felt with attendance still significantly below previous years. It's proven to be even more challenging than expected to get people to want to leave their home to see a new movie in a theater after being conditioned to wait until it hits VOD.
This past Memorial Day weekend has proven to be a big disappointment with the final box-office tally over the four days ended up being the lowest in thirty years. And with the strikes lasting for months, there were no movies being made, leaving not enough major movies available to fill the schedule throughout this year. All of this doesn't seem to bode well for the upcoming summer. But I'm optimistic that there will be several films that will breakout over the next three months that will generate buzz and business. Here are a few upcoming movies that I am looking forward to see this summer:
All release dates are subject to change:
"THE BIKERIDERS"
Release date: June 21, 2024
It has been almost nine years since Jeff Nichols, the filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed, "Take Shelter", "Mud" and "Loving", has directed a feature film. He is finally back with his sixth film, "The Bikeriders", inspired by a real-life Chicago based biker gang. Set in the '60's, the film follows the rise of the Vandals MC, a group of motorcycle riding outcasts and we watch it's members (Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Mike Faist and Michael Shannon who has appeared in all of Nichols' films) form a surrogate family. But when a violent criminal element enters their group, it creates problems for some members.
"THELMA"
Release date: June 21, 2024
The actor, Josh Margolin, makes his directorial film debut with the action-comedy, "Thelma". June Squibb stars (for the very first time in her seventy year acting career) as the title character, a grandmother who is duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson (Fred Hechinger), stealing her hard earned money. Not willing to accept this loss, Thelma is determined to track down the thieves with the help of her friend (Richard Roundtree), much to the horror of her daughter (Parker Posey) and son-in-law (Clark Gregg).
"JANET PLANET"
Release date: June 28, 2024
"Janet Planet" is a coming-of-age drama about the arduous relationship between Janet (Julianne Nicholson), a free-spirited, single mother and Lacy (Zoe Ziegler), her clingy, pre-teen daughter. Over the summer, Janet invites three important people in her life; her boyfriend (Will Patton), her best friend (Sophie Okonedo) and a theater group leader (Elias Koteas), to spend time with her at her home in rural Massachusetts. Lacy, however, is not at all happy about this arrangement. Annie Baker, a playwright who won a Pulitzer for her drama, “The Flick”, makes her cinematic debut as a writer and director.
"MAXXXINE"
Release date: July 5, 2024
In the final film of his horror trilogy, Ti West will deliver "MaXXXine". We follow Maxine (Mia Goth), now living in 1980's Los Angeles and still determined to become a star. Hollywood is not particularly interested in her talents so she settles for a career in adult films. Her fame brings her the unwanted attention of a serial killer known as "the Night Stalker". Elizabeth Debicki, Bobby Cannavale, Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon also star.
"DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE"
Release date: July 26, 2024
This summer's Marvel Comics movie is "Deadpool and Wolverine", the third in the series of the wisecracking superhuman, this time directed by Shawn Levy. Leaving his life behind as Deadpool, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is pulled back into a mission by the Time Variance Authority to stop an existential threat to his home universe. And he's teamed up with an even more reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackson, first time back in costume since 2013) to help fight in this battle.
"BORDERLANDS"
Release date: August 9, 2024
I do not play video games and have not been much of a fan of film adaptations of them. But I have to admit I'm intrigued by "Borderlands", the latest venture in trying to develop a narrative around a software program. Based on the space-western game, Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is an ruthless outlaw who is hired by Atlas (Edgar Ramírez) to track down his missing daughter. She assembles a gang of oddball misfits (which includes Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and the voice of Jack Black) to help find the girl, encountering alien monsters and deranged bandits along the way. The cast is certainly inspired and Eli Roth, a filmmaker best known for his horror thrillers, "Cabin Fever", "Hostel" and "Thanksgiving", is an adventurous choice for director.
"BLINK TWICE"
Release date: August 23, 2024
The actress Zoë Kravitz has moved behind the camera to direct and co-write her first feature film, the psychological comedy-thriller, "Blink Twice". A waitress (Naomi Ackie) is lured by a charming tech mogul (Channing Tatum) to go off to his private island for sun, fun and adventure. She brings along a friend (Alia Shawkat) to keep her company and for safety but odd and disturbing things begin to happen on the isle that prevents them from helping each other. Kravitz has assembled a great supporting cast for her film that includes Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan and Geena Davis.
Cinema has always been subjective. For every movie that I love, there will be viewers of that same movie who will only not like it but could absolutely loathe the idea of it's very existence. And of course, the films that I was unable to find much pleasure, there are folks out there who love these movies. With that in mind, here is a list of my least favorite films I watched last year:
"ANT MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA"
Last year was not so great for the super-hero franchises as most of them failed to generate much excitement or interest. But one of the least engaging (and biggest disappointment) that I saw was "Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", the second sequel of the reluctant hero who can shrink to the size of the powerful, tiny insect. Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang, the former thief who has become the crime-fighting, Ant Man. After his time fighting with the Avengers to defeat Thanos, he has gone on to living quietly and enjoying his life with girlfriend, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and his teenage daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton). During a visit with Hope's parents, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), who were the original Ant-Man and the Wasp, Cassie announces that she has a device that can make contact with the Quantum Realm, a universe that exists outside of space and time. Terrified after being trapped there for thirty years, Janet tries to shut it down but it's too late; the message was received and all five are forced through a portal to the realm. Once there, they must work together to stop the Quantum Realm's new ruler, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). There's a lot more involved in this convoluted plot but the script by Jeff Loveness is confusing and monotonous. With the focus of the film on multiverses, alien beings (the less said about M.O.D.O.K., the better) and a mystical, end-of-the-world crisis, director Peyton Reed struggles to find an engaging human element that made his previous "Ant Man" films so successful. But the real problem with "Quantumania" is that it lacks a genuine sense of spirited fun and inspired adventure.
"ASTEROID CITY"
I have a complicated relationship with the cinema of Wes Anderson. While I admire his whimsical style and the dry, offbeat humor, I have difficulty connecting to most of his films on an emotional level. Of Anderson's films, there is one that I absolutely love ("The Royal Tenenbaums"), a few that I really enjoyed ("Rushmore", "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Isle of Dogs") but the rest I am left feeling indifferent towards. With Anderson's latest, the beautifully rendered, "Asteroid City", I really struggled to find a way into Anderson's singular world, but I just couldn't get past the artificial construct. Set in the 1950's, we are introduced to a television host (Bryan Cranston) who introduces a documentary about the making of a play by famed playwright, Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). The plot of the play involves a youth astronomy convention held in the desert town of Asteroid City with war photographer, Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) heading there with his son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan) who won a Junior Stargazer prize. Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), a famous yet weary actress arrives with her daughter, Dinah (Grace Edwards) who also won the award. A romance develops between these parents and their children then a UFO appears with an alien to reclaim a fallen meteorite. "Asteroid City" is another film with an overly complicated plot filled with random thoughts that ultimately doesn't add anything meaningful to the narrative. The film is bursting to the seams with a starry, celebrated cast (Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright, Margot Robbie to name just a few) yet they all feel wasted with the actors forced to deliver their lines in the same deadpan, monotone style. I have to add that I far more enjoyed Anderson's short film collection, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" also released last year and based on the work by Roald Dahl. But I do think it's largely because each film was not much more than twenty minutes long, making it the ideal length for me to appreciate Anderson's distinctive cinema.
"NO HARD FEELINGS"
I grew up during the time when teen sex comedies were all the rage in the 1970's and 1980's. These movies were filled with raunchy gags and almost always about horny teenage boys who were desperately trying to have sex or, at the very least, see a live naked woman. These films have largely fallen out of favor but "No Hard Feelings" has attempted to bring back the wild spirit of the classic sex comedy. But this movie fails to deliver the laughs, just coming across awkward and cringy, while the sex to be found is just sad. Jennifer Lawrence plays Maddie, a financially strapped young woman who had her car repossessed and on the verge of losing the house she inherited from her mother. Looking for some quick, extra cash, she answers an ad from concerned parents (Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti) seeking a woman to "seduce" their shy teenage son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he heads off to college. With the payment being a used car, Maddie accepts this offer and tries to sexually entice (and have sex with) the unwilling Percy. Even by teen comedy standards, this plot is completely bonkers and the script by director Gene Stupnitsky and John Phillips is unable to make it remotely plausible or humorous. Lawrence gives it her all, displaying her expert timing and gift for physical comedy, yet there is only so much she can do to try and salvage this painfully odd comedy. While there may be a sweet center, with these characters trying to help each other make a true connection, "No Hard Feelings" is just too weird and muddled to work as a timeless coming-of-age comedy.
"WONKA"
"Wonka" is the rare, original contemporary movie musical that became an unexpected worldwide box-office smash. But this origin story based on the classic character created by Roald Dahl never manages to feel necessary and the film's charms are minimal at best. Timothée Chalamet plays Willy Wonka who at this point of time is just a young, aspiring chocolatier who arrives to a nondescript European city to try his luck at opening a shop at the famed Galéries Gourmet. After his meager funds quickly run out, Wonka is misled into signing a contract to stay at the boarding house of Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Colman) despite a warning from Noodle (Calah Lane), the orphan who lives there. Now because of hidden fees, Wonka is forced to work in Scrubitt's launderette alongside other captives. His only hope to escape is to find success selling his chocolates but a trio of corrupt, rival chocolatiers (Matt Lucas, Paterson Joseph, Mathew Baynton) who work together to stop Wonka from opening a store. This version of "Wonka" is far removed from Dahl's eccentric tale with director Paul King delivering a safe, feel-good yet banal take of this character. The original songs by composer, Neil Hannon of the band, the Divine Comedy and written by King and co-writer of the screenplay, Simon Farnaby are serviceable yet unmemorable. As the third actor to play Wonka on the big screen, Chalamet presents him as innocent and sweet-natured, making him relatively bland compared to the kind yet eccentric interpretation played by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp's darker, more oddball creation. And the actor is certainly able to carry a tune, but I wouldn't call him a "singer". "Wonka" is a CGI heavy fantasia that just doesn't have enough magic to make it a truly tasty treat.
After last year's lackluster and downsized season, the slate of the upcoming summer movies appears to be far more potent and energized. We have a large number of sequels and remakes on hand ("Fast X", "The Little Mermaid", "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning") that are poised to reliably get folks back in theaters and to make some serious cash. But there are even a few intriguing original titles, indies and adult dramas on the way that will hopefully convince adults that it's safe to return to the cinema. Here is my annual spotlight on a few of the summer films that have caught my attention and anticipating their arrival.
All release dates are subject to change:
"YOU HURT MY FEELINGS"
Release date: May 26, 2023
The writer/director, Nicole Holofcener and Julia Louis-Dreyfus have finally reunited with "You Hurt My Feelings" which follows their delightful romantic-comedy for mature adults, "Enough Said" ten years ago. Louis-Dreyfus plays Beth, a successful yet insecure writer who is happily married to Don (Tobias Menzies), a well liked teacher. After discovering that her husband has not been completely honest about his thoughts on the draft of the novel she's been struggling with, Beth spirals out of control, questioning her life and long marriage.
"PAST LIVES"
Release date: June 2, 2023
In this directorial feature film debut by playwright, Celine Song, "Past Lives" looks at close childhood friends in South Korea, Nora (Grace Lee) and Hae Song (Teo Yoo) but are separated once Nora's family relocates to the US. Twenty years later, the two are reunited for one week and while each has moved on to other relationships, their reconnection has rekindled their feelings from the past.
"SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE"
Release date: June 2, 2023
Taking place a year after the events in "Into the Spider-Verse", the animated sequel, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" has Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) being approached by Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) about completing a mission to save all the various Spider-People in the different universes from the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a dangerous villain whose body is covered in interdimentional portals that allows him to travel through space and time.
"THE FLASH"
Release date: June 16, 2023
Following multiple delays caused by production setbacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and several scandals involving the lead actor, "The Flash" is finally ready to reach theaters. Ezra Miller returns as Barry Allen who as The Flash, uses his ability to move at superhuman speed to travel back in time to prevent the death of his mother (Maribel Verdú). But this act traps him in this now altered reality where he gets help from his younger self, an older Batman (Michael Keaton) and the Kryptonian, Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle) to save this world from the regenerated General Zod (Michael Shannon) and then attempt to get him back to his proper place in time.
"NO HARD FEELINGS"
Release date: June 23, 2023
Jennifer Lawrence returns in the raunchy comedy, "No Hard Feelings" playing Maddie, a young woman suffering from some financial troubles. When her car gets repossessed, this creates a major problem for her as she was only making ends meet as an Uber driver. Desperate for work, Maddie answers an ad by parents (Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti) that want to hire a woman to "date" their teenage son (Andrew Barth Feldman) who shows no interest in dating or sex. I laughed out loud a couple of time just watching this trailer so I think this should be fun. This is director, Gene Stupnitsky's follow-up to his teen coming-of-age comedy, "Good Boys" from 2019.
"BARBIE"
Release date: July 21, 2023
Based on the most famous doll in the world, "Barbie" is the first live-action movie of this iconic toy. Margot Robbie brings this plastic fashion doll to life and Ryan Gosling play Barbie's boyfriend, Ken. Not too much has been revealed about the story but it's set in Barbieland with Barbie setting off to the real world after being told she's less than perfect. Greta Gerwig has co-written (with her partner, filmmaker Noah Baumbach) and directed this comedy-fantasy and has attracted an impressive cast. Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Hari Nef and pop-singer, Dua Lipa play various Barbies; Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir as different Kens; Will Ferrell as a toy company CEO and Helen Mirren as the narrator.
"STRAYS"
Release date: August 23, 2023
"Strays" may feature cute, live animals animated with CGI but this crude comedy is strictly for adults. After a Border Terrier named Reggie (Will Ferrell) discovers from a group of stray dogs lead by Bug (Jamie Foxx) that he was actually abandoned by his hateful owner, Doug (Will Forte) and not lost, he plots revenge against him. And the film features the additional voices of Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Josh Gad and Sofia Vergara. Josh Greenbaum ("Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar") directs.
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