Our guide to genre fare opening this week in movie theaters is very slim indeed, so I've bulked it up with a couple of notable releases that you can watch in the comfort of home, on digital and/or streaming platforms.
To make it more useful, I've listed the films in the order of their release below. Where available, I've linked to our reviews.
The Ugly
The film opens Tuesday, March 10, only On Digital, via Well Go USA.
Official synopsis: "From director Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Peninsula) comes a story of generational grief and guilt. One day while overseeing a documentary crew filming his blind father at work, Im Dong-hwan gets a phone call that his missing mother's remains have been found after forty years. Determined to find the truth of her disappearance, Dong-hwan embarks on a twisted odyssey through his family's traumatic past, uncovering dark secrets along the way."
Our review by George and Josh Bate: "Ultimately, due to the nature of the reveals surrounding murder mystery and the thought-provoking themes that follow, The Ugly is the antithesis of a feel-good movie. But that doesn't mean it lacks anything important to say. Yeon Sang-ho crafts an intimate, emotionally charged, and eventually gut-wrenching film here that will have viewers look inward and evaluate their values long after the credits roll."
Undertone
The film opens Friday, March 13, only in movie theaters, via A24 Films.
Official synopsis: "The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way."
From our review by Andrew Mack, originally published in July 2025, when the film was known under a slightly longer title: "Of all the films that have depended on audio-instigated thrills and chills, The Undertone may be the best to have ever done it now. The sound design alone in this film is worth the price of admission. Flawless in execution and detail, right now, The Undertone is one of the best horror thrillers you will ever listen to."
Slanted
The film opens Friday, March 13, only in movie theaters, via Bleecker Street Media. Visit the official site for more information.
Official synopsis: "Joan Huang idolizes the popular girls and dreams of being prom queen, but fears the only way to win is to look like all the past queens whose portraits line her high school halls. Enter Ethnos: a shady cosmetic surgery clinic that makes people of color appear white. Joan undergoes the procedure and wakes up a beautiful blonde destined for the crown, but at what cost? Blending sharp satire, sci-fi, and body horror, starring Shirley Chen (Dìdi), Mckenna Grace (Regretting You), and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) proves that identity is never only skin-deep."
Our own Blake Simons talked with director Amy Wang during last year's SXSW: "It's an uneasy logline, but Slanted captures an under-discussed diasporic feeling that Chinese-Australian debut director Amy Wang wants to confront head-on. "
Bodycam
The film premieres Friday, March 13, only on Shudder.
Official synopsis: "Two police officers investigate a domestic dispute and there is an accidental shooting. Not wanting to be crucified by the public, the officers attempt to cover it up, only to uncover that the cameras aren't the only things watching them."
Look for our review later this week.
Opening This Week celebrates the cinematic experience, in movie theaters and at home.