Opening This Week: HOKUM Nonstop Frights, ODYSSEY Gripping Thrills, OUR LAND Tragic Truth

We know your week has barely begun, but what better time to plan ahead to see the good stuff, optimally in a movie theater?

Here's our guide to what's opening, at movie theaters or at home, in the wild, wonderful world of genre fare. (Plus one fashion-forward pick from the ranks of mainstream Hollywood.) We've seen a couple of these films already, and the others have definitely grabbed our advance attention.

Hokum
The film opens Friday, May 1, only in movie theaters, via Neon Releasing. In Canada, visit the official site for locations and showtimes. Or, in the U.S., visit the official site for locations and showtimes.

Our SXSW 2026 review by J Hurtado: "Whatever it was that was missing from Oddity for me is here in spades with Hokum, a nonstop fright factory that immediately bumps McCarthy into the upper echelon of contemporary horror filmmakers alongside people like Ari Aster and Oz Perkins."

His review is also pull-quoted on the poster: "Scary as hell. ... A near perfect horror film."

Odyssey
The film releases Tuesday, April 28, to rent and/or buy on various Video On Demand platforms, via Cineverse.

Our review from SXSW 2025 by J Hurtado: "A coke-fueled ambition monster who owes a lot of money to some very scary people, Natasha is about to discover the lengths to which she'll go to maintain the illusion of success in Gerard Johnson's gripping thriller. ...

"Johnson's third feature thriller since 2009, Odyssey's intense, propulsive energy reflects lessons learned in the years since he debuted with Tony."

Our Land (Nuestra Tierra)
The film opens Friday, May 1, only in movie theaters, via Strand Releasing.

Lucrecia Martel always has our attention. Look for our review later this week.

Official synopsis: "Acclaimed Argentinean filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (Zama, The Headless Woman) takes a sweeping approach to this tragic true story, triangulating the murder trial of three men, the lives of activist Chocobar and his fellow Chuchagasta people, and the centuries-old, colonialist legacy of land and property theft across Latin America."

The Devil Wears Prada 2
The film opens Friday, May 1, only in movie theaters, via 20th Century Studios. Visit Fandango for locations and showtimes.

This Hollywood studio sequel is extremely mainstream and not genre at all. But, dang, the original was so much fun! And actually had some things to say about the obsession with fashion that drives (some of) the world at large. So, please look for our review later this week.

Official synopsis: "Almost 20 years after making their iconic turn as Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel--Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable streets of New York City and the sleek offices of Runway Magazine in the eagerly awaited sequel to the 2006 phenomenon that defined a generation.

"The film reunites the original main cast with director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna, and introduces an all-new runway of characters including Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Pauline Chalamet, B.J. Novak and Conrad Ricamora. Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman also reprise their roles as 'Lily' and 'Irv' from the first film."

Also heading for release this week are a trio of fascinating flicks.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea
The film opens May 1, only in movie theaters, via Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures Releasing. Visit Fandango for locations and showtimes.

I sampled two or three episodes of the first season of the series, and enjoyed the cute sense of humor on abundant display. The series is ongoing, and is now in its fifth season. A feature-length movie premiered in 2022, and this is the second movie, which looks like to be a wild adventure. And how can you not love that title?

Official synopsis: "Corporate worker Mikami Satoru is stabbed by a random killer, and is reborn to an alternate world. But he turns out to be reborn a slime! Thrown into this new world with the name Rimuru, he begins his quest to create a world that's welcoming to all races."

The Million Dollar Bet
The film opens May 1, only in movie theaters, via Persimmon.

With an offbeat sense of humor and an off-kilter use of its setting, this indie comedy-drama looks promising.

Official synopsis: "Inspired by true events, The Million Dollar Bet follows Hank, a Las Vegas gambler who wagers one million dollars that he can run three marathons in 24 hours. As exhaustion, injury, and doubt close in, his body begins to fail and his closest friendship is pushed to the limit. With the city watching and everything on the line, Hank must decide whether winning is worth losing himself. A gripping, high-stakes story of obsession, loyalty, and the price of never walking away."

Salt Along the Tongue
The film opens May 1, only in movie theaters, via Yellow Veil Pictures.

This Australian lo-fi horror looks very off the track. Just from watching the trailer, I can't quite categorize it, but, again, it appears to be curious and intriguing. Reading the synopsis moves the movie up to definitely oddball.

Official synopsis: "After her mother dies, Mattia moves in with her estranged aunt, her mother's identical twin. From beyond the grave, Mattia's mother possesses her daughter to protect her from a malevolent spirit, using food as a gateway."

Opening This Week celebrates the cinematic experience, in movie theaters and at home.