Here are some reviews of films coming out at the theater this week as well as others that may be in theaters or newly on home video.
Opening: Dec. 13, 2024
Wide (United States)
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Limited (United States)
The Last Showgirl
- Excerpt: The Last Showgirl – Pamela Anderson is Beautiful That Way
2024 Films In Theaters Now In Select Areas
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Blitz
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Conclave
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Cuckoo
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Inside Out 2
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Memoir of a Snail
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Moana 2
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Nightbitch
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
The Outrun
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
A Real Pain
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Rebel Ridge
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Small Things Like These
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Wicked, Part I
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
100 Yards
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
Agni
Kathy Gibson @ Access Bollywood
Armand
Sebastian Zavala @ Cinencuentro.com [Spanish]
- Excerpt: An experience that invites the viewer to reflect—on the nature of truth, on the way we perceive people (both children and adults), and on how education at school complements that at home.
Armor
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
Bleeding
C.H. Newell @ Father Son Holy Gore
- Excerpt: The allegory of vampirism as addiction isn’t new, but Bell uses it in his film to tell an important, haunting, ugly story about the deep darkness of addiction.
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: The script is a damning indictment of Christian nationalism, of the intertwining of religion and politics, of accepting a politician as a savior. While this is sure to outrage a portion of the religious right, the film’s rationalization for political violence, specifically assassination, is equally likely to appall the religious left.
The Children’s Train
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is less a feature-length story than a collection of vignettes, all compiled to create a deep sense of nostalgia.
A Complete Unknown
Shelagh Rowan-Legg @ ScreenAnarchy
Dahomey
- Excerpt: Dahomey is not merely a film about what to make of this particular example of restitution but also one about the impossibly diffuse legacy of colonialism writ large.
Day of the Fight
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Writer/director Jack Huston’s directorial debut may tip its hand at the outset, the down and out boxer trying for one more shot at the brass ring a well worn cliche, but the film is so well acted, has so much heart and has such a stylized look that it throws a knock out punch.
Elevation
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
The End
Shelagh Rowan-Legg @ ScreenAnarchy
Nadine Whitney @ The Curb
- Excerpt: The End – A World in Microcosm
Falling Stars
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
He Never Left
C.H. Newell @ Father Son Holy Gore
- Excerpt: Morris’s film really could’ve been a solid addition to the slasher canon had it been tighter and kept its focus in the right(/bloody) places.
Here
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: What makes the film distinctive is the format in which the stories are told. The only term I can come up with is a “collage montage”.
Hitpig!
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: This isn’t one of those classic animated films that will enchant parents. It’s made for kids who won’t notice the plot holes, charm deficit, or Jason Sudeikis’ inability to give Hitpig some heart.
Hot Frosty
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: Plot hole after plot hole crop up during this film: in fact, there are so many holes in this tale you could play mini-golf with the script.
It’s Not Me
Sebastian Zavala @ Loud and Clear Reviews [Spanish]
- Excerpt: Some will perceive It’s Not Me as pretentious. Some will get bored by it, others will find it fascinating and thought-provoking. Me? I’m pretty much in the middle, although I did enjoy it overall.
Joy
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: Joy combines two of my favorite movie types – “issue” films and historical productions. It’s an excellent example of both and will appeal to mature viewers who want a movie that will make them think and then cheer out loud.
Lake George
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
Lost on a Mountain in Maine
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: This is a story about courage, persistence, and grit. It’s a reminder of the incredible power of family bonds; of how those relationships can be a source of strength even when we are separated from those we love.
Loveable
Dennis Schwartz @ dennisschwartzreviews
- Excerpt: A compelling emotional drama about the angst over a marriage separation and the problems that arise from a second marriage coming apart.
Maria
Allen Almachar @ The MacGuffin
- Excerpt: The glossiness and shine of its surfaces cannot be denied, it is a sight to behold. But for some reason, I couldn’t connect with its heart.
Mary
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: This isn’t a movie that will fill you with peace and joy; it’s more likely to leave you with feelings of dread and doom.
Nocturnes
The Order
Jared Mobarak @ Hey, have you seen …?
- Excerpt: Their story unfolds linearly and without much flourish, but that’s to its drama’s benefit by keeping things lean while still ramping up the stakes. I was invested from the opening prologue of backwoods murder straight through to its fiery finale.
Out of My Mind
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: One of the greatest benefits of books and movies is that they allow us to see the world from someone else’s perspective. And letting kids see things through Melody’s eyes will always be a win.
Saturn Return
- Excerpt: Saturn Return – imagining Los Planetas
The Six Triple Eight
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: I heartily recommend this film for families with teens, but I’d wait for its streaming date. The movie is fascinating but flawed: the acting is a bit stiff at the beginning, some of the dialogue feels a bit off, and the battlefield special effects are more suited to TV than a big screen.
Nadine Whitney @ InSession Film
- Excerpt: The Six Triple Eight – an object lesson in how not to make a prestige war drama
The Snow Sister
Kirsten Hawkes @ Parent Previews
- Excerpt: This isn’t a typical Hollywood Christmas film; it comes from Norway and those Scandinavians know how to go dark.
Unstoppable
- Excerpt: Anthony is as good at upending expectations as he is at upending opponents on the mat. If this movie would rather meet our expectations, it does so with sincerity that makes it a slim win on points.
You Are Not Me
- Excerpt: Going willingly into You Are Not Me is to jump straight into a basket of tension that never empties.
2023 Films
BlackBerry
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Flamin’ Hot
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The Wait
Sebastian Zavala @ Ventana Indiscreta [Spanish]
- Excerpt: On the one hand, I admire Gutierrez’s efforts and like that he has focused on a context and characters rarely seen in commercial Western cinema. But on the other hand, I can’t help but feel that this film could have been more.
