We celebrate May Day by recapping our reviews for films opening in theaters (and at home) this week.
Hokum
The film is now playing, 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 review by J Hurtado is pull-quoted on the poster, which is pretty cool: "Scary as hell. ... A near perfect horror film."
Here's a little more from the review that helps set it up: "A nonstop fright factory that immediately bumps McCarthy into the upper echelon of contemporary horror filmmakers alongside people like Ari Aster and Oz Perkins.
"Ohm Baumann (Scott) is an author with issues. While struggling through his latest manuscript, he decides to deliver his parents ashes to a remote Irish hotel where they stayed once upon a time. Ohm has complicated memories of them both as a childhood tragedy took his mother from him and his father never quite looked at him the same.
"This trip is meant to be something of a catharsis, an exorcising of personal demons, and perhaps a way to put an end to the trauma and guilt that have followed him in the wake of the loss of his mother. What he doesn't know is that the hotel and its staff have other ideas of what to do with him, and perhaps the trauma is just beginning."
Odyssey
The film is now available to rent and/or buy on various Video On Demand platforms, via Cineverse.
Our review 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 is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Strand Releasing.
Our review by Dustin Chang: "Known for her visually and aurally, densely layered films, taking on Argentina's society of haves and have nots, esteemed filmmaker Lucrecia Martel's foray into the documentary form culminates in Our Land. ... [which] resonates because we see it happening everywhere in the world now. ...
"As with her narrative films, which show the satiric lives of the Argentine upper-class and the state's ugly colonial history, Martel shines a light on the daily struggles of her country's indigenous population with Our Land. The film is a meticulously researched, and tactfully shot and presented, comfortably fitting into her impressive filmography."
The Devil Wears Prada 2
The film is now playing, 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."
Two Pianos
The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Kino Lorber. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Our capsule review by Dustin Chang: "Mathias (François Civil), a one time piano protégé, is summoned back from Japan to Lyon to accompany his mentor/teacher Elena (Charlotte Rampling) in Bartok's two piano concertos. There he runs into an old flame. ... Once again, [director Arnaud] Desplechin weaves the lives of these characters with beautifully nuanced script about regrets, ambition, art and love, with great performances by both Civil and Rampling."
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea
The film is now playing, 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 is now playing, 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 is now playing, 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."
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