Now Playing: ONSLAUGHT, BY ANY MEANS, FALL 2: DEADPOINT

The Venice International Film Festival began this past Wednesday, and the Telluride Film Festival begins today.

That is probably why the North American theatrical release scheduled is crowded with non-festival fare, combined with national holidays on Monday.

So what will you watch over this long weekend? First, consider the wide releases.

Adria Arjona and Dan Stevens star in an action thriller directed by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett, who previously teamed up on The Guest, among others.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg as an FBI agent and a mobster in a preposterous Civil Rights-busting movie, set in 1966.

The Sperig Brothers (Undead, Daybreakers, Predestination, Jigsaw, Winchester) direct a sequel to a thriller that is was not for people with acrophobia; this time, the action moves to Thailand.

In limited release, the choices are no less varied, led by an odd-looking, quite intriguing indie film that I am not quite sure how else to describe; an animated film from Japan that looks to upend expectations; another very dark fable -- we can't get enough of those; and a very popular Chinese drama that is hitting our North American shores.

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Onslaught
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via A24 Films.

Our review by J Hurtado: "Adria Arjona does her best, but after a while, her interminable brooding loses its meaning, and her character starts to feel just as empty as the murderous ciphers on her trail. With an almost non-existent plot held together by a web of extreme violence and meanness, and unimportant and/or underutilized characters, Onslaught left me cold."

Official synopsis: "When a rogue squad of genetically engineered super soldiers break loose in the desert, a badass Army sniper must unleash hell to protect her young daughter."

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By Any Means
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Paramount Pictures. Visit the official site for locations and showtimes.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as an FBI agent who has recently returned to his native Mississippi, along with Mark Wahlberg as a mobster from Brooklyn. Nicole Bahairie, David Straithern, and Giancarlo Esposito lend their talents in supporting roles. Elegance Bratton (The Inspection, 2022) directs.

Official synopsis: "Inspired by a true story, a young Black FBI agent (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is sent into 1960s Mississippi to investigate a wave of brutal killings targeting civil rights leaders. Forced to work alongside notorious mafia hitman Greg Scarpa (Mark Wahlberg), he finds himself pulled into a deadly hunt where justice and vengeance begin to blur.

"When the system is broken, two men divided by everything agree on one thing: the law has limits. They don't."

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Fall 2: Deadpoint
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Lionsgate. Visit the official site for locations and showtimes.

Our review by Olga Artemyeva: "If you're here for complex, smart storytelling, you are probably in the wrong theater hall. Fall 2 can be enjoyed infinitely better when one stops trying to make sense of everything that, in fact, refuses to make it, and takes pleasure in the ride itself."

Official synopsis: "After losing her fearless sister Hunter, a deeply damaged Jax sets out on a dangerous climb with Hunter's old friend to honor her memory. As they tightrope walk the perilous planks of Mount Kwan, a terrifying rockslide leaves them stranded 5,000 feet above ground. In the face of vertigo-inducing sequences, dark truths, and cruel twists, Jax must confront her deepest fears head-on to fight for survival and closure."

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Chronovisor
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Grasshopper Film.

Our review by Dustin Chang: "The grainy, pixelated, borderline abstract images of figures and faces of Chronovisor doesn't have the creepy effects of Ring or some found-footage horror, but are nevertheless unnerving. As Chronovisor charts a horror film territory at the end, we are left with the feeling that the film is not about what Chronovisor can show us after all, but more about the burning desire to uncover the knowledge that has been denied to us."

Official synopsis: "While writing a monograph on historical theories of memory, Béatrice (Anne-Laure Sellier), a respected academic, becomes beguiled by the allegedly true story of the Chronovisor, an occult device said to reproduce visuals from any point in history on a TV screen. Her obsession with the mysterious machine drags her from her Upper East Side apartment through the depths of New York City's hidden libraries, to the edge of a breakthrough."

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Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via GKids Films.

The trailer looks fabulous. I'm firmly in the 'can't wait to see it' camp.

Official synopsis: "San and Mayu attend an all-girls school on a warm and tranquil island. When war reaches their shores, they are ordered to help nurse the wounded in a military hospital hidden away in a cave. Amidst escalating death and brutality, the friends struggle to find solace in their fragile lives.

"Based on the manga by Machiko Kyo, cocoon - One Summer of Girlhood is the debut feature from Yukimitsu Ina and animation studio SASAYURI, founded by former Studio Ghibli animator Hitomi Tateno. The project brings together legendary veteran animators like Akihiko Yamashita and Shinji Otsuka, known for their work on Princess Mononoke and The Boy and the Heron, with a new, young generation of animating talent. Featuring a stirring score from kensuke ushio (A Silent Voice, Chainsaw Man), the film is a devastating yet beautiful plea for peace."

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Ever After
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Level 33 Entertainment.

Michael Berryman, Kane Hodder, and Malcolm McDowell star in a horror thriller with a lotta masks and a lotta blood.

Official synopsis: "When a group of girlfriends head to a remote forest lodge for a bachelorette party, the fun quickly turns into terror as they discover the forest is home to bloodthirsty lunatics who perceive themselves to be characters from classic fairy tales. As the lines between fantasy and reality blur, survival becomes the girls' only goal."

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Dear You
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Well Go USA.

Directed by Lan Hongchun, the film stars Li Sitong, Wang Yantong, Wu Shaoqing, Zheng Runqi, Wang Xiaohui, and Fang Peisong.

Official synopsis: "A debt-ridden grandson travels to Thailand to find the grandfather he believes abandoned their family, hoping the man behind years of qiaopi letters and remittances can help pay his debts. Instead, he uncovers a lifelong act of love and sacrifice. Inspired by overseas Chinese traditions, Dear You has become a breakout success, touching global audiences with its story of family and devotion."

Now Playing celebrates the cinematic experience, in movie theaters and at home.