After several weeks that were relatively sparse in new films releasing in movie theaters and/or Video On Demand platforms, a slew of new titles are opening this week.
Among them, we have a couple that we have already seen and can recommend: It Ends, a "nihilistic metaphysical thriller," and Franz, which "addresses the multiple dimensions of a figure who has long been absorbed into myth."
For more thrills, but of a sci-fi nature, Hot Spot looks and sounds great. If you're looking for ghostly thrillers, then Insidious: Out of the Further may fit the bill.
What about Jason Statham fighting ghosts in a sci-fi setting? We can dream, but until that comes true, the reliable action star returns in an action movie from the director of Plane. Or perhaps a foodie movie will be more to your taste? Try Tony, from Canadian director Matt Johnson.
Below we have details on those movies, plus a family-friendly fantasy, a horror thriller that skews religious, a family drama from a well-known director, and a coming-of-age story. The choice is yours.
It Ends
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Neon Releasing.
See this movie.
Our review by J Hurtado: "A quartet of twenty-something friends out for a drive find themselves on a road to nowhere in first time feature director Alexander Ullom's meditative sci-fi thriller. ...
"Relying entirely on the performances of our four lead characters, It Ends is a hangout horror that turns into a nihilistic metaphysical thriller that can run with the best of them on a fraction of the budget that one might expect for a film with such grand ideas."
Official synopsis: "A group of recent grads head out on a late night drive for grub, hoping to enjoy one final hangout before their paths diverge. Instead, they accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding."
Hot Spot
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Focus Features. Visit the official site for locations and showtimes..
Andrzej Konopka, Noomi Rapace, and Reika Kirishima star in director Agnieszka Smoczyńska's sci-fi thriller. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "In Hot Spot, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown."
Insidious: Out of the Further
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Blumhouse.
The Insidious horror franchise expands. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "A trio of stalkers infiltrate a quiet suburb and force a new family into the astral plane, where they uncover a terrifying truth: the Further is bleeding into the real world."
Mutiny
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Lionsgate. Visit the official site for locations and showtimes.
Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, who most recently made Plane, but also counts the Mesrine films on his resume. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "In Mutiny, after witnessing his billionaire boss's murder and being framed for the crime, Cole Reed (Jason Statham) boards a cargo ship on a one-man crusade to avenge his boss' death only to discover an international conspiracy."
Franz
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Cohen Media Group.
Our review by Martin Kudlac: "By balancing elements of irony, vulnerability, and inevitability, Franz addresses the multiple dimensions of a figure who has long been absorbed into myth."
Official synopsis: "Her most ambitious work to date, acclaimed writer-director Agnieszka Holland's fevered and funny biopic gets thrillingly close to understanding Franz Kafka by refusing to pin him down to any one interpretation."
Tony
The film expands nationwide Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via A24 Films.
Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, and Antonio Banderas star. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life."
The Magic Faraway Tree
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Vertical Entertainment.
Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, and Nicola Coughlan star in the family-friendly fantasy. Look for our review later this week.
Official synopsis: "Based on the worldwide best-selling novel, The Magic Faraway Tree follows Polly, Tim, and their three children as they begin a new life in the remote countryside. When the kids discover a magical tree hidden near their home, they are welcomed by its extraordinary residents and swept into spectacular, fantastical lands beyond their wildest imagination. With every adventure, the family discovers the magic that helps them reconnect with what matters most - each other."
Blood Shine
The film opens Friday, August 21, in movie theaters and on Video On Demand platforms, via Dark Sky Films.
Directed by Emily Bennett & Justin Brooks, the horror film stars Emily Bennett, Bendan Sexton III, David Call, and Larry Fessenden.
Official synopsis: "In upstate New York, Clara is a religious zealot who worships light in lonely, sacred rituals. Brighton West is a horror filmmaker trying to work on his script when a chance encounter with Clara leads him into an hallucinatory web of faith, flesh, and the sublime."
How to Divorce During the War
The film opens Friday, August 21, only in movie theaters, via Zeitgeist Films.
Official synopsis: "Vilnius, 2022. High-flying executive Marija (Zygimante Elena Jakstaite) chooses the worst possible moment to inform her husband Vytas (Marius Repsys) she wants a divorce: just one day before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly the couple must navigate the process of separation as it collides with a refugee and mid-life crisis.
"A struggling film director, Vytas is put into a tight spot by having to move in with his Russophile parents, while Marija struggles to find her footing as the war affects both her business and home life. As the reason for the divorce gradually becomes clear, the dissolution of Marija and Vytas' marriage creates conflicts and opportunities for both of them, while also affecting their ever-observant young daughter Dovile.
"Packed with surprises along with much heartache and soul searching, Andrius Blaževičius' nuanced and timely family drama skillfully depicts the fallout of a marriage against the backdrop of extraordinary events with humor and compassion."
The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo
The film opens Thursday, August 20, on various digital platforms, via Persimmon.
Official synopsis: "You're either born with it or you're not. The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo is coming soon. Starring Alexandro Byrd (Descendants), Anna Mirodin (Priscilla) and Hannah Kepple (Cobra Kai).
"Set in suburban NY in 1984. Julie Gornick hosts a charismatic, larger than life Spanish exchange student. As he starts hooking up with the girls in her class, Julie falls in love with him. Or what she thinks is love."
Opening This Week celebrates the cinematic experience, in movie theaters and at home.