In the wild, wonderful world of genre fare, we have a great selection of films heading to movie theaters this week.
We've already seen several of them at film festivals, so our reviews are linked below. Plan ahead, loyal readers who are not bound for Cannes.
Obsession
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Focus Features. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Our review by Kurt Halfyard: "Obsession has got game, it brings something to the table, and can easily hold its own with the best of them. I think Rod Serling would have loved this one; so might have Shakespeare."
Is God Is
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Amazon MGM Studios. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Two sisters looking for revenge? Yes, please! Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "Redemption. Revenge. Rage. ... Two sisters embark on an epic quest for revenge, confronting a charged family history that will push them to extraordinary lengths. The film is Aleshea Harris' directorial debut and is based on Harris' adaptation of her award-winning play of the same name."
In the Grey
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Black Bear. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Guy Ritchie directed; Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill, and Eiza González star. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "In The Grey follows a covert team of elite operatives who live in the global shadows, as comfortable wielding power and influence as they are automatic weapons and high explosives. When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission. What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiraling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival."
Decorado
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via GKids Films. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Official synopsis: "Something is wrong in the city of Anywhere. Arnold, an unemployed middle-aged mouse, confides to his wife Maria that he suspects his entire world is nothing more than a set, and his life a scripted performance. When his best friend Ramiro dies under mysterious circumstances, he traces the conspiracy to a monolithic corporation whose influence reaches every corner of their daily lives.
"Adapted from the acclaimed 2016 short film by director Alberto Vázquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, Unicorn Wars), Decorado blends biting humor with haunting beauty in a darkly comedic odyssey through our era of social control, manufactured realities, and the quest for authentic human connection."
Life Hack
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Iconic Events Releasing. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Our review by yours truly: "The raw humanity of the four leads is what drew me in. That, and its incessant energy, as opposed to overkill. ... motions are never lost in the blizzard of imagery, especially as tensions rise to an unfair level. It feels like Lifehack begins to attack the nervous system, so that my blood pressure started rising and a palpable sense of excitement surrounded me.
"Maybe that's just me. ... Or maybe it was Lifehack, disabling my defenses and leaving me open to a nerve-jangling experience."
Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Bandai. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Our review by yours truly: "It's a very busy narrative, with its various threads sprawling wildly, yet it remains vastly entertaining, ensuring that thoughtful action predominates, leading to an intense battle and a startling final shot. (But stay through the credits.)"
Been Here Stay Here
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Grasshopper Film. Visit the film's official site for more information.
Something about the trailer, embedded below, truly speaks to us. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "In a world teetering on the brink of environmental catastrophe, Been Here Stay Here emerges as a profound reflection on our collective crossroads. For nearly 250 years, a small crabbing community in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay has weathered relentless change. Since 1850, two-thirds of their island has succumbed to rising sea levels, and experts predict that within two decades, the islanders may be forced to abandon their ancestral home. Tangier Island stands as a canary in the coal mine, foreshadowing the fate of countless other coastal communities facing similar threats.
"Though the narrative is undeniably sobering, the film illuminates a beacon of hope, showcasing the enduring power of faith, resilience, and community in the face of adversity. Tangier Island's story is not just its own but a cautionary tale for many coastal communities around the world."
The Wizard of the Kremlin
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Vertical Entertainment.
Our review by Kurt Halfyard: "Played by Paul Dano, an actor who frequently takes parts in which his characters have the crap kicked out of them, his slick demeanour, with a measured understatement here, is a different kind of flavour. It is a welcome one. He is a cool customer. You might want to punch him in the face, as an audience member, but the The Wizard of The Kremlin is his story (itself a rough analog of the real-life Vladislav Surkov) as told, by him, to an American political writer Rowland (Jeffrey Wright) at a snowy rural country estate, where Baranov has retired early."
Magic Hour
The film opens Friday, May 15, only in movie theaters, via Greenwich Entertainment. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.
Actress Katie Aselton has carved out an impressive career as a director, from The Freebie to Black Rock to Mack & Rita to this year's SXSW-debuting Their Town. Last year's SXSW saw the debut of her previous film, which is now receiving a theatrical release. Hooray!
Official synopsis: "Charlie and Erin escape to the desert to navigate an unexpected and challenging new phase of their relationship. A Duplass Brothers Production starring Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) and Katie Aselton (The League)."
Opening This Week celebrates the cinematic experience, in movie theaters and at home.