NEW MOVIES: Feb. 22-28, 2024, “Dune: Part Two,” “Ordinary Angels,” “Drive Away Dolls,” “Golden Years”

DUNE: PART TWO

DUNE: PART TWO

Dune: Part Two is an upcoming American epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spaihts. The sequel to Dune (2021), it is the second of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert, and follows Paul Atreides as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem reprise their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux joining the ensemble cast.

Premise

Paul Atreides continues his journey, united with Chani and the Fremen, as he seeks revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family and endeavors to prevent a terrible future that only he can predict.[3]

Cast

Additionally, Tim Blake Nelson and Anya Taylor-Joy have been cast in undisclosed roles.

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ORDINARY ANGELS

ORDINARY ANGELS

Ordinary Angels is an upcoming American drama film directed by Jon Gunn and written by Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig. It stars Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Nancy Travis, and Tamala Jones.

The film is scheduled to be released by Lionsgate on February 23, 2024.[2]

Premise

Inspired by a true story, in 1994 Louisville, Kentucky, a hairdresser rallies the community to help a widowed father save the life of his critically ill young daughter after Louisville is hit by a major snowstorm from the 1994 North American cold wave.[3]

Cast

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DRIVE AWAY DOLLS

DRIVE AWAY DOLLS

Drive-Away Dolls is an upcoming American comedy road film directed by Ethan Coen. Coen wrote the screenplay and edited the film with his wife Tricia Cooke; they also produced the film with Robert Graf and Working Title Films’ Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. It stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, and Matt Damon.

Drive-Away Dolls is set to be released in the United States by Focus Features on February 23, 2024.

Premise

This comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

— Focus Features[3]

Cast

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GOLDEN YEARS

GOLDEN YEARS

Plot: What’s the story about?

Alice and Peter are celebrating their retirement – and, with it, a new phase in their lives. However, shortly after the couple’s retirement party, a sudden tragedy befalls Alice’s best friend, Magalie. Peter, sympathetic to the suffering of Magalie’s widower, Heinz, invites him on the retirement cruise their children gave them. Alice had hoped this trip would infuse fresh life into their marriage, but instead of enjoying their time together, they are drifting further apart. Disappointed and hurt, Alice doesn’t reboard the cruise ship during a shore excursion and instead embarks on a journey of self-discovery, taking her across Southern Europe and bringing her into a community of older people finding joy outside traditional notions of gender, marriage, and the later years of one’s life.

Who stars in  Golden Years: Cast List

Esther Gemsch

Stefan Kurt

Ueli Jäggi

Elvira Plüss

Who’s making Golden Years: Crew List

A look at the Golden Years behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

Director

Barbara Kulcsar

Screenwriters

—

Company

Music Box Films

Production Companies

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2/20/2024#”Dune: Part Two,” “Ordinary Angels,” “Drive Away Dolls,” “Golden Years”

NEW MOVIES: Feb. 15-21, 2024, “2024 Oscar Shorts,” “Bleeding Love,” “Land of Bad,” “Out of Darkness”

2024 OSCAR SHORTS

2024 OSCAR SHORTS

Animated Shorts:

Not for children under 13, verging on R. This isn’t a family-friendly program – topics include the Holocaust, inferred child sexual abuse, and violent battle scenes.

Animated Shorts:

Our Uniform – Yegane Moghaddam, 7 min., Iran (in Farsi)
Letter to a Pig – Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter, 17 min., France/Israel (in Hebrew)
Pachyderm – Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius, 11 min., USA (in English)
Ninety-Five Senses – Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess, 13 min., USA (in English)
War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko – Dave Mullins and Brad Booker, 11 min., USA

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Live Action Shorts:

Rated R. Topics include murder, abortion, sexual abuse, and suicide.

Live Action Shorts:

The After – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham, 18 min., UK (in English)
Red, White and Blue – Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane, 23 min., USA (in English)
Knight of Fortune – Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk, 25 min., Denmark (in Swedish/Danish)
Invincible – Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron, 29 min., Canada (in French)
The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar – Wes Anderson and Steven Rales, 37 min., US/UK (in English)

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Documentary Shorts:

Rated PG/PG-13. Topics include aging, friendship, economic inequality, Taiwanese independence, and book bans.

Documentary Shorts:

Island In Between – S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien, 20 min., Taiwan (in English/Mandarin)
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó – Sean Wang and Sam Davis, 17 min., USA (in Mandarin)
The ABC’s of Book Banning – Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic, 27 min., USA (in English)
The Last Repair Shop – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers, 39 min., USA (in English)
The Barber of Little Rock – John Hoffman and Christine Turner, 35 min., USA (in English)

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BLEEDING LOVE

BLEEDING LOVE

Bleeding Love is a 2023 American drama film starring real-life father and daughter Ewan McGregor and Clara McGregor. Directed by Emma Westenberg in her feature-length debut, it was written by Ruby Caster from an original story by Caster, Clara McGregor, and Vera Bulder. It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023, under the title You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder, and is scheduled to be released by Vertical Entertainment on February 16, 2024.

Cast

Premise

A father secretly drives his estranged daughter to rehab after she overdoses, aware that she has inherited his addiction problems, and after he has started a new family elsewhere.[2]

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LAND OF BAD

LAND OF BAD

Land of Bad is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by William Eubank, who co-wrote the script with David Frigerio. The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, and Milo Ventimiglia.

Land of Bad will be released theatrically on February 16, 2024.

Premise

Captain Eddie “Reaper” Grimm, a US Air Force drone pilot, provides air support from a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper to a US Army Delta Force team on the ground in the Philippines. After a mishap, Sergeant JJ “Playboy” Kinney, a young Air Force TACP officer attached to the drone team as its JTAC, finds himself part of an extraction team relying only on Reaper’s remote air support.

Cast

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OUT OF DARKNESS

OUT OF DARKNESS

Out of Darkness (previously titled The Origin) is a 2022 British adventure horror thriller film directed by Andrew Cumming in his feature-length debut and starring Safia Oakley-Green and Chuku Modu. The film was nominated for five awards at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards, winning Best Breakthrough Performance for Oakley-Green. The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 6 October 2022.

Synopsis

A starving, ragtag group of six prehistoric humans has reached the shores of a new world, searching for food and a new place to live. Adem is the group leader, joined by his pregnant mate, Ave, and his 11-year-old son, Heron. Geirr is a younger male in the group who has befriended Beyah, a young female ‘stray’ with a low ranking in the group. Odal is an elder who was allowed to accompany the group because of his wisdom. Heron asks Beyah for a story, but after her refusal, Odal relates how the boy’s father has taken them on an adventure based on childhood stories to find a new life.

As they journey towards the mountains to find a new cave, the group is ambushed at night, and Heron disappears. The group is forced to wait until morning to track the young boy, although they are reluctant to enter the woods where the trail leads. Adem hears mysterious noises in the woods as darkness falls and runs in pursuit while the others hold back. Adem is later attacked and brought back to the group’s camp, his face damaged and a partially ripped-out jaw.

Cast

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1/14/2024#”2024 Oscar Shorts,” “Bleeding Love,” “Land of Bad,” “Out of Darkness”

 

NEW MOVIES: Feb. 8-14, 2024, “Lisa Frankenstein,” “The Taste of things,” “Bob Marley: One Love,” “Madame Web”

LISA FRANKENSTEIN

LISA FRANKENSTEIN

Lisa Frankenstein is an upcoming American horror comedy film directed by Zelda Williams in her feature-length directorial debut, written by Diablo Cody, and starring Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, and Carla Gugino.

The film is inspired by Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, and tells the story of a misunderstood teenage goth girl who reanimates a Victorian-era corpse and works to make him into the man of her dreams. The film is scheduled to be released on February 9, 2024 in the horror-comedy genre.[4]

Cast

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THE TASTE OF THINGS

THE TASTE OF THINGS

The Taste of Things (French: La Passion de Dodin Bouffant, lit. ‘The Passion of Dodin Bouffant’), previously titled The Pot-au-Feu,[3] is a 2023 French historical romantic drama film written and directed by Trần Anh Hùng starring Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel.

Set in 1885, it depicts a romance between a cook and the gourmet she works for.[4] The character of the gourmet is based on Dodin-Bouffant, created by Swiss author Marcel Rouff in his novel La Vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant, gourmet (The Passionate Epicure).[5]

The film premiered on 24 May 2023 at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, and was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or in its main competition section, where Tran Anh Hung won the Best Director award. It was released in France on 8 November 2023. The film was chosen as the French entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[6][7]

Synopsis

France in 1885:[8] Eugénie worked as a chef for the famous restaurant owner Dodin for 20 years and is considered excellent in her field. Because Eugénie and Dodin spent years in the kitchen together, feelings arose between them. Their shared love of food has created unique, delicious and exquisite dishes that are second to none and attract diners from all over the world. However, freedom-loving Eugénie never wanted to marry Dodin. Then Dodin decides to cook for his beloved for the first time.[9]

Juliette Binoche, 2022
Benoit Magimel, 2015
Juliette Binoche, 2022 (left) and Benoit Magimel, 2015 (right)

Cast

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BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE

BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE

Bob Marley: One Love is an upcoming American biographical musical drama film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Green, Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, and Zach Baylin, from a story by Winter and Flowers. It is based on the life of reggae singer and songwriter Bob Marley, from his rise to fame up until his death in 1981. The film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley, alongside Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley, and James Norton as Chris Blackwell.

The film is scheduled to be released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on February 14, 2024.

Cast

Additionally, Jesse Cilio, Michael Gandolfini, Nadine Marshall and Anthony Welsh were cast in undisclosed roles.[2]

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MADAME WEB

MADAME WEB

Madame Web is an upcoming American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name, produced by Columbia Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures in association with Marvel Entertainment. Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is intended to be the fourth film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). The film is directed by S. J. Clarkson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Claire Parker and the writing team of Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. It stars Dakota Johnson in the title role, alongside Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, and Tahar Rahim. In the film, Cassie Webb (Johnson) confronts her past while trying to save three young women and their futures from a deadly adversary.

Premise

Cassandra “Cassie” Webb is forced to confront her past while trying to survive with three young women with powerful futures who are being hunted by a deadly adversary.[1][2]

Cast

  • Dakota Johnson as Cassandra “Cassie” Webb / Madame Web:
    A paramedic in Manhattan and a clairvoyant who, after an accident, develops psychic abilities which allow her to see future events within the “spider world”.[1][3][4] In the film, Cassie is depicted as an inexperienced clairvoyant in her 30s learning her new powers, compared to the comic book version which is a blind and paralyzed elderly woman connected to a life support system and a “fully fledged” clairvoyant. Johnson and director S. J. Clarkson sought to differentiate the film’s portrayal from this version while embracing the character traits from the comics.[3][5] Johnson felt Cassie’s wit, humor, and abrasiveness were balanced with her compassion, particularly through her forming a “sort of family” with the three young women after not getting along through the film’s events.[5] She was interested in playing a female character whose superpowers stem from her mind, and by the prospect of seeing into the future while understanding the character’s past and present, while Clarkson was inspired by the psychological and cerebral aspects of the character, with Cassie questioning her sanity which she battles within herself and attempts to understand.[3] Clarkson called Webb a loner and described her as somewhat abrasive, quirky, and “on the outer edges of things”, which she compared to the title character of the Marvel Television series Jessica Jones (2015–2019).[6]
  • Sydney Sweeney as Julia Cornwall / Spider-Woman[3][7]
  • Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin / Spider-Woman[3][8]
  • Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon / Araña[3][8]
  • Tahar Rahim as Ezekiel Sims:
    An explorer who, while accompanying Cassie’s mother during her research on spiders before her death, is searching for a secret tribe in the Amazon rainforest in Peru.[9][10] He gained their enhanced strength and health abilities through a powerful spider, as well as clairvoyance which allows him to see the future and his death, making him obsessively search for his killers.[9] This leads him to hunt three young women who have the potential to become Spider-Women in the future.[9][10] Clarkson said the character was not afraid to be intense and had a “level of ambiguity” with multiple layers.[5] He also wears a black Spider-Man-styled suit.[10]

Additionally, Mike Epps,[11] Emma Roberts,[12] Adam Scott,[13] and Zosia Mamet have been cast in undisclosed roles.[14]

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2/6/2024#”Lisa Frankenstein,” “The Taste of things,” “Bob Marley: One Love,” “Madame Web”

NEW MOVIES: Feb. 1-7, 2024, “The Monk and the Gun,” “The Jungle Bunch: Operation Meltdown,” “Driving Madeleine (2022),” “Skin Deep”

THE MONK AND THE GUN

THE MONK AND THE GUN

The Monk and the Gun is a 2023 drama film directed, written and co-produced by Pawo Choyning Dorji.[4] Starring Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa, Tandin Sonam, Harry Einhorn, Choeying Jatsho, Tandin Phubz, Yuphel Lhendup Selden and Kelsang Choejay.[5] It is a co-production between Bhutan, France, United States and Taiwan.[6]

It was selected as the Bhutanese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards,[7] and was one of the 15 finalist films in the December shortlist.[8]

Synopsis

Set in 2006, the Kingdom of Bhutan is looking to become a democracy, so looking to hold an election, government officials organize a mock election as a training exercise. In the town of Ura, an old lama orders a monk to get a pair of weapons to face the imminent change in the kingdom. Meanwhile, an American antique weapons collector lands in Bhutan in search of a valuable rifle that falls into the monk’s hands.[9][10]

Cast

  • Harry Einhorn as Ron Colman
  • Tandin Wangchuk as Tashi
  • Deki Lhamo as Tshomo
  • Pema Zangmo Sherpa as Tshering Yangden
  • Tandin Sonam as Benji
  • Choeying Jatsho as Choephel
  • Tandin Phubz as Phurba
  • Yuphel Lhendup Selden
  • Kelsang Choejay

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THE JUNGLE BUNCH: OPERATION MELTDOWN

THE JUNGLE BUNCH: OPERATION MELTDOWN

When a mysterious toxic foam starts spreading in the jungle, there’s only one team brave enough to stop it. The Jungle Bunch. With no time to spare, it’s time to start sailing boats on their journey across the world to find the antidote.

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DRIVING MADELEINE (2022)

DRIVING MADELEINE (2022)

Driving Madeleine (French: Une belle course) is a 2022 French-Belgian drama film directed by Christian Carion.[2]

Premise

The film stars Line Renaud as Madeleine, a very old lady in Paris who is moving into a nursing home; en route, she asks taxi driver Charles (Dany Boon) to detour to various locations around the city that have meant something to her in her life.

Cast

  • Line Renaud as Madeleine
  • Dany Boon as Charles
  • Alice Isaaz as Young Madeleine
  • Jérémie Laheurte as Ray
  • Gwendoline Hamon as Denise
  • Julie Delarme as Karine
  • Thomas Alden as Mathieu
  • Hadriel Roure as Young Mathieu

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SKIN DEEP

SKIN DEEP

Plot: What’s the story about?

Seeking a retreat where they can salvage their struggling relationship, young couple Leyla (Mala Emde) and Tristan (Jonas Dassler) travel to a remote island at the invitation of Leyla’s childhood friend Stella, where it soon becomes clear that what the island offers is more mysterious than a simple vacation. Leyla and Tristan join another couple in a ritual to exchange bodies and see the world through the eyes of someone else – a chance to find themselves or, for some of them, a chance at escape. Free from the constraints of her former body, Leyla quickly finds she has never been happier, with a fresh outlook on life and a new sense of release and fulfillment. But when she refuses to return to her old self, the situation threatens to spiral out of control. Subverting genre and gender as it toggles from body swap thriller to intimate relationship drama, Skin Deep tells a story that transcends bodies, embracing the endless fluid possibilities in the question of what it means to truly love someone.

Who stars in Skin Deep: Cast List

Mala Emde

Jonas Dassler

Bonhoeffer, Berlin Nobody

Dimitrij Schaad

Maryam Zaree

Undine, Transit

Who’s making Skin Deep: Crew List

A look at the Skin Deep behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

Director/Screenwriter

Alex Schaad

Production Company

Kino Lorber

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1/30/2024#”The Monk and the Gun,” “The Jungle Bunch: Operation Meltdown,” “Driving Madeleine (2022),” “Skin Deep”

NEW MOVIES: Jan. 25-31, 2024, “Argylle,” “Miller’s Girl,” “The Promised Land (2023),” “American Star”

ARGYLLE

ARGYLLE

Argylle is an upcoming spy action comedy film directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn, and written by Jason Fuchs. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Premise

Elly Conway, an introverted spy novelist who seldom leaves her home, is drawn into the real world of espionage when the plots of her books get a little too close to the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. When Aidan, an undercover spy, shows up to save her from being kidnapped or killed, Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing, and no one, is what it seems.[3]

Cast

Sequels

In July 2021, it was stated that Argylle is intended to serve as the start of a franchise consisting of at least a trilogy of films.[4] In March 2022, it was confirmed that the first film would be followed by two sequels to complete a film trilogy.[24] In October 2023, Vaughn confirmed plans to create additional movies, while stating that the second movie will be based on the first Argylle novel.[25] Vaughn later confirmed that the second film will be based on the first novel,[25] with the plot exploring the origins of Argylle becoming a spy; while the third movie will follow additional installments of the book series.[26]

 

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MILLER’S GIRL

MILLER’S GIRL

Miller’s Girl is a 2024 American thriller drama film written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett. The film stars Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman as a student and teacher who enter into a complicated relationship after a creative writing assignment.

Premise

A creative writing assignment yields complex results between a teacher and his talented student.[2]

Cast

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THE PROMISED LAND (2023)

THE PROMISED LAND (2023)

The Promised Land (Danish: Bastarden, lit. ’The Bastard’) is a 2023 epic historical drama film directed by Nikolaj Arcel from a screenplay by Arcel & Anders Thomas Jensen.[3] Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, and Simon Bennebjerg, and with Kristine Kujath Thorp, Gustav Lindh, Jakob Lohmann, Morten Hee Andersen, Magnus Krepper and Felix Kramer in supporting roles,[4] the film is based on the book The Captain and Ann Barbara by Ida Jessen,[5] and is a joint Danish-German-Swedish co-production.[6]

Synopsis

In 1755, Captain Ludvig Kahlen, an impoverished Danish officer of humble birth, retires after 25 years of service from the German Army with a measly pension to his native Denmark and obtains permission from the Royal Danish Court to build a property on the barren Jutland moorland for land cultivation. He hopes to establish a settlement on that property, and in return for that, he requests from the Court a privilege of a noble title with an associated manor. Soon after arriving at the site of his prospective homestead, he comes into conflict with Frederik de Schinkel, a local magistrate at the nearby Hald Manor and a merciless landowner who has been trying to monopolize ownership of the moorland.[1

De Schinkel does his utmost to make the workforce unavailable to Kahlen, who covertly employs and harbors Johannes Eriksen and his wife Ann Barbara, two of de Schinkel’s indentured serf farmers serfs who broke their contract and fled Frederik’s mistreatment. He also hires the “Tatere” Romani Travellers as workers, though that practice is illegal. In the meantime, de Schinkel’s cousin and betrothed Edel Helene, is not interested in marrying him, but her father insists on the marriage due to de Schinkel’s substantial wealth, unless she can come up with an alternative suitor within a year. She meets Kahlen secretly and the two share an understanding that if Kahlen can acquire a noble title within the year, they will marry, offering her an escape from the unwanted union with her cousin.

Cast

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AMERICAN STAR

AMERICAN STAR

American Star is an upcoming thriller film directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego,[2] written by Nacho Faerna,[3] and produced by Ian McShane and Michael Elliott.[4] The film stars McShane,[5] Thomas Kretschmann, Nora Arnezeder, Adam Nagaitis, Fanny Ardant, and Oscar Coleman.[6]

Premise

Wilson, an assassin, goes to the island of Fuerteventura to kill a man he has never seen before. Upon going to the island, Wilson decides to stay at the island until his target arrives. When his target arrives, Wilson must figure out who he is.

Cast

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1/23/2024#”Argylle,” “Miller’s Girl,” “The Promised Land,” “American Star”

 

NEW MOVIES: Jan. 18-24, 2024, “I.S.S.,” “Origin,” “Freud’s Last Session,” “Which Brings Me to You”

I.S.S.

I.S.S.

I.S.S. is a 2023 American science fiction thriller film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Nick Shafir. The film stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Maria Mashkova, Costa Ronin, and Pilou Asbæk.

Premise

The film centers on a group of astronauts and cosmonauts living aboard the International Space Station.[2][3] Tensions flare as a worldwide conflict breaks out on Earth.[3] Reeling from this, the astronauts receive orders from the ground: take control of the station by any means necessary.[3]

Cast

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ORIGIN

ORIGIN

Origin is a 2023 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ava DuVernay. It is based on the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, which describes racism in the United States as an aspect of a caste system.

The film stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Wilkerson, alongside Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, and Blair Underwood.

Premise

Grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, writer Isabel Wilkerson sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery as she writes Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

Cast

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FREUD’S LAST SESSION

FREUD’S LAST SESSION

Freud’s Last Session is a 2023 drama film starring Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, Liv Lisa Fries, Jodi Balfour, Jeremy Northam, and Orla Brady. It is based on the stage play of the same name by Mark St. Germain, which itself is based on the book The Question of God by Armand Nicholi. The film was directed by Matthew Brown and written by St. Germain.

Plot

A fictional meeting occurs between C. S. Lewis, nicknamed “Jack”, and Sigmund Freud, two days after the start of World War II, and a debate on God and other matters follows. The two men discuss issues such as Lewis’ trauma as a World War I soldier, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Inklings, and the nature of Freud’s and Lewis’ relationships with other people, such as Freud’s daughter Anna, who is pathologically dependent on her father. However, she eventually breaks free and introduces her lesbian partner, Dorothy Burlingham, to him.

Freud dies by suicide several weeks after the start of the war due to the intense pain from his oral cancer. C.S. Lewis goes on to become a famous author, and the children he takes in as refugees during the war serve as inspiration for his Narnia series. Anna and Dorothy live together for decades, and Anna becomes known as the founder of child psychology. The film notes that Freud met with an unidentified Oxford don in the last days of Freud’s life, who could possibly have been Lewis.[3]

Cast

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WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU (2023)

WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU (2023)

Two romantic burnouts meet at a wedding and almost hook up in the coatroom before putting the brakes on. They agree to exchange candid confessions about their pasts on the off chance that this might be the real thing.

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1/16/2024#”I.S.S.,” “Origin,” “Freud’s Last Session,” “Which Brings Me to You”

NEW MOVIES: Jan. 11-17, 2024, “Mean Girls” (2024), “All of Us Strangers,” “Memory” (2023), “The Book of Clarence”

MEAN GIRLS (2024)

MEAN GIRLS (2024)

Mean Girls is a 2024 American musical teen comedy film directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. in their feature film directorial debut, from a screenplay by Tina Fey. It is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on Mark Waters‘s 2004 comedy film, both written by Fey and based on Rosalind Wiseman‘s 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes. It features an ensemble cast that includes Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, and Christopher Briney, while Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles from the original film.

Cast

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ALL OF US STRANGERS

ALL OF US STRANGERS

All of Us Strangers is a 2023 British romantic fantasy film written and directed by Andrew Haigh and based on the 1987 novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. It is the second feature adaptation of the novel after the Japanese film The Discarnates (1988). The film stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy.

Plot

Lonely London screenwriter Adam is flirted with by his drunk neighbor Harry, whom he rebuffs. He visits his unoccupied childhood home and finds his parents, who died in a car accident when he was twelve. Returning to his apartment, he reciprocates Harry’s interest, and they have sex. Adam comes out as gay to his mother, who accepts him but reacts with concern. He has sex with Harry again, and then Harry describes his own feelings of distance from his family.

Cast

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MEMORY (2024)

MEMORY (2023)

Memory is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Michel Franco. It stars Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Merritt Wever, Brooke Timber, Elsie Fisher, Josh Charles and Jessica Harper. The film is a Mexican-American production.[4]

Plot

Sylvia, a single mother, social worker, and recovering alcoholic, reluctantly attends a high school reunion with her younger sister, Olivia. Sylvia is perturbed by a man who sits next to and smiles at her. She leaves the event and is followed home by the man, who waits outside in the rain.

In the morning, Sylvia finds him sleeping outside, wet and barely responsive. She finds out his name is Saul and phones his brother, Isaac, to retrieve him. At Saul and Isaac’s home, she is offered an apology: Saul suffers from early onset dementia, causing him to get disoriented and confused and hindering his ability to recall or create memories.

Cast

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THE BOOK OF CLARENCE

THE BOOK OF CLARENCE

The Book of Clarence is a 2023 American biblical comedy-drama film written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, and produced by Samuel, Jay-Z, James Lassiter, and Tendo Nagenda. It stars LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Premise

A struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence living in A.D. 33 Jerusalem looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.

Cast

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1/10/2024#”Mean Girls” (2024), “All of Us Strangers,” “Memory” (2023), “The Book of Clarence”

 

NEW MOVIES: Jan. 4-10, 2024, “Night Swim,” “The Beekeeper,” “Society of the Snow,” “Menus Plaisir Les Troisgros”

NIGHT SWIM

NIGHT SWIM

Night Swim is an upcoming American supernatural horror film written and directed by Bryce McGuire (in his feature directorial debut), and based on the 2014 short film of the same name by McGuire and Rod Blackhurst. The film stars Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amélie Hoeferle and Gavin Warren, as a family whose backyard swimming pool is haunted.

Premise

After the Waller family moves into a new house, they find an unknown supernatural presence that haunts the backyard swimming pool.[3]

Cast

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THE BEEKEEPER

THE BEEKEEPER

The Beekeeper is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by David Ayer and written by Kurt Wimmer. It stars Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad and Jeremy Irons.

Synopsis

Mr. Clay is a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”. After his friend and neighbor dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Mr. Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.[3]

Cast

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SOCIETY OF THE SNOW

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW

Society of the Snow (Spanish: La sociedad de la nieve) is a 2023 survival thriller film directed by J. A. Bayona about the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster.[4] It is an adaptation of Pablo Vierci‘s book of the same name,[5] which documents accounts of all 16 survivors of the crash, many of whom Vierci knew from childhood.[6] The cast is composed of Uruguayan and Argentine actors, most of whom are newcomers.

It received critical acclaim, with several critics calling it Bayona’s best work ever. The film was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards,[13] and was one of the 15 finalist films in the December shortlist.[14]

Cast

The cast is as follows:[15][16][17][18]

  • Enzo Vogrincic Roldán as Numa Turcatti
  • Matías Recalt as Roberto Canessa
  • Agustín Pardella as Nando Parrado
  • Tomas Wolf as Gustavo Zerbino
  • Diego Vegezzi as Marcelo Pérez del Castillo
  • Esteban Kukuriczka as Adolfo “Fito” Strauch
  • Francisco Romero as Daniel Fernández Strauch
  • Rafael Federman as Eduardo Strauch
  • Felipe González Otaño as Carlitos Páez
  • Agustín Della Corte as Antonio “Tintín” Vizintín
  • Valentino Alonso as Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado
  • Simón Hempe as José Luis “Coche” Inciarte
  • Fernando Contigiani García as Arturo Nogueira
  • Benjamín Segura as Rafael “el Vasco” Echavarren
  • Rocco Posca as Ramón “Moncho” Sabella
  • Luciano Chatton as Pedro Algorta
  • Agustín Berruti as Bobby François
  • Juan Caruso as Álvaro Mangino
  • Andy Pruss as Roy Harley
  • Santiago Vaca Narvaja as Daniel Maspons
  • Esteban Bigliardi as Javier Methol
  • Paula Baldini as Liliana Methol
  • Federico Aznarez as Enrique Platero
  • Alfonsina Carrocio as Susana Parrado
  • Silvia Giselle Pereyra as Eugenia Parrado
  • Virginia Kaufmann as Esther Nicola
  • Felipe Ramusio as Diego Storm
  • Blas Polidori as Gustavo Nicolich
  • Emanuel Parga as Carlos Roque
  • Iair Said as Julio César Ferradas
  • Louta as Gastón Costemalle
  • Carlos “Carlitos” Páez as his father, Carlos Páez Vilaró[19]
  • Maximiliano de la Cruz as Lt Col Dante Lagurara

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MENUS PLAISIR LES TROISGROS

Founded in 1930 in central France, the Troisgros family restaurant has been holding 3 Michelin stars for 55 years over four generations. Michel Troisgros, the third generation to head the restaurant, has turned over the responsibility for the cuisine to his son César, the 4th generation of Troisgros chefs. From the market to pick fresh vegetables, to a cheese processing plant, a vineyard, an organic cattle ranch to the backyard garden supplying the restaurant, Wiseman embarks us on a mouthwatering and sense-pleasing journey into the family’s three restaurant kitchens. An immersive experience, showing the great artistry, ingenuity, imagination, and hard work of the restaurant staff in creating, preparing, and presenting meals of the highest quality.

  • GENRE:  Documentary
Directed by Frederick Wiseman
Produced by Olivier Giel · Karen Konicek

MENUS PLAISIR LES TROISGROS

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1/2/2024#”Night Swim,” “The Beekeeper,” “Society of the Snow,” “Menus Plaisir Les Troisgros”

NEW MOVIES: Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2024, “The Boys in the Boat,” “The Teacher’s Lounge,” “Ferrari,” “The Iron Claw”

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

Background

The Boys in the Boat is a true story based on the struggles and sacrifices made by the University of Washington rowing team to compete at the highest possible level, rowing at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men’s eight.[1] Joseph Sutton-Holcomb from The Seattle Times mentions that Brown got the idea to write this book when his neighbor Judy Willman walked into his home in Redmond, Washington. She said that her father on hospice, Joe Rantz, was a fan of his works and wanted to have a conversation with the author.[2] That encounter with Judy ignited a conversation with Joe Rantz about life during the Great Depression, which led to an in-depth chat about his time as a rower at the University of Washington.[2] Growing up, Joe felt ostracized by his father and stepmother and was seen as disposable, which correlates to how many people during that time felt.[2] The Depression brought about so much uncertainty, and people felt as if they did not have any control over their own lives.[1]

In an interview with Joseph Sutton-Holcomb from The Seattle Times, Brown emphasized that the reason he spent so much time on the build-up to the race was because he thought “it’s much more meaningful if you know the nine guys involved on some kind of personal level, and if you knew what the German boys wearing swastikas on their chests represented, that they weren’t just another bunch of kids in a boat.”[2]

Plot

The Boys in the Boat is about the University of Washington eight-oared rowing crew that represented the United States in rowing at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men’s eight in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The main character is Joe Rantz. Rantz had a tough time growing up and was abandoned by his family for several years to fend for himself.

There are two backstories. One illustrates how all nine members of the Washington team came from lower-middle-class families and had to struggle to earn their way through school during the depths of the Depression. Along with the chronicle of their victories and defeats in domestic competition, the reader learns the importance of the synchronization of the eight rowers as they respond to the commands of the coxswain and his communications with the stroke, consistent pacing, and sprint to the finish.

The second backstory begins with a depiction of Hitler decreeing construction of the spectacular German venues at which the Games would take place. Along the way, the book also describes how the Nazis successfully covered up the evidence of their harsh and inhumane treatment of the Jews and other minorities so as to win worldwide applause for the Games, duping the United States Olympic Committee, among others.

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THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE

THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE

The Teachers’ Lounge (German: Das Lehrerzimmer) is a 2023 German drama film directed by İlker Çatak, who co-wrote it with Johannes Duncker.[1][2] It was nominated to compete for the Panorama Audience Award at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on February 18, 2023.[3]

The National Board of Review named the film one of the top five international films of 2023.[4] It was selected as the German entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[5]

Plot

An idealistic teacher, Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch), tries to solve a series of thefts at her school.

Cast

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FERRARI

FERRARI

Ferrari is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Michael Mann and written by Troy Kennedy Martin. Based on the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by motorsport journalist Brock Yates, the film follows the personal and professional struggles of Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari S.p.A., during the summer of 1957. Adam Driver portrays the titular subject, and co-stars Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell, and Patrick Dempsey.

Plot

In the summer of 1957, Enzo Ferrari, reeling from the death of his son Dino, the deteriorating marriage with his wife Laura, his struggled acknowledgement of his second son Piero with his mistress Lina, and his company‘s impending bankruptcy, enters his racing team to the 1957 Mille Miglia.

Cast

Adam Driver (left) plays Enzo Ferrari (right)

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THE IRON CLAW

THE IRON CLAW

The Iron Claw is a 2023 biographical sports drama film written and directed by Sean Durkin. Based on the life of professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich and the Von Erich family, the film stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, and Lily James.

Plot

In 1979, Texas NWA heavyweight champion Kevin Von Erich worries that his father, WCCW owner Jack “Fritz” Von Erich, is pushing his youngest brother Mike away from his musical ambitions. Their brother David makes his wrestling debut with Kevin in a tag-team match against Bruiser Brody and Gino Hernandez, where Kevin meets and starts a relationship with a woman named Pam. He tells her about the “Von Erich curse” that killed his oldest brother Jack Jr., supposedly brought on by Fritz changing his last name from Adkisson to his mother’s, whose family had suffered constant tragedy.

Kevin fights world champion Harley Race to put himself in the lead for the championship contender, but he is brutally beaten and only wins when Race attacks the referee and is disqualified. A disappointed Fritz is delighted when David displays a natural talent for showmanship while trashing Race. The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott dashes Von Erich brother Kerry’s hopes of competition, so he moves back home. Fritz presses him to fight alongside Kevin and David, while Pam helps the boys sneak Mike out to play a gig against his parents’ wishes.

Cast

Zac Efron stars as…
Kevin Von Erich
Jeremy Allen White stars as…
Kerry Von Erich
Harris Dickinson stars as…
David Von Erich

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12/26/2023#”The Boys in the Boat,” “The Teacher’s Lounge,” “Ferrari,” “The Iron Claw”

NEW MOVIES: Dec. 21-27, 2023, “The Color Purple (2023),” “Migration,” “Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom,” “Poor Things”

THE COLOR PURPLE (2023)

THE COLOR PURPLE (2023)

The Color Purple is a 2023 American musical coming-of-age period drama film directed by Blitz Bazawule from a screenplay by Marcus Gardley, based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker. It is the second film adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Spielberg and Quincy Jones. Spielberg and Jones return as producers for the 2023 film along with the stage musical’s producers Scott Sanders and Oprah Winfrey, the latter of whom also starred in the 1985 film. The film stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, and Fantasia Barrino in her film debut as Celie. Brooks and the latter reprise their roles from the productions of the stage musical.

Premise

A story of the life-long struggles of an African-American woman living in the South during the early 1900s.

Cast[edit]

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MIGRATION

MIGRATION

Migration is a 2023 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film is directed by Benjamin Renner, co-directed by Guylo Homsy, produced by Chris Meledandri, and written by Mike White, based on a story conceived by White and Renner. It stars the voices of Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, and Danny DeVito. The story follows a family of mallards who try to convince their overprotective father to go on a vacation of a lifetime and attempt to migrate from New England, through New York City, to Jamaica.

Premise

The Mallard family is in a bit of rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica.

As the Mallards make their way south for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.

Voice cast

  • Kumail Nanjiani as Mack Mallard, the anxious father of Dax and Gwen and husband of Pam
  • Elizabeth Banks as Pam Mallard, the daring and quick-witted mother of Dax and Gwen and wife of Mack
  • Awkwafina as Chump, the leader of a New York City pigeon gang
  • Keegan-Michael Key as Delroy, a homesick Jamaican-accented parrot locked away in a Manhattan restaurant
  • David Mitchell as Googoo, the yogic leader of a duck farm
  • Carol Kane as Erin, a heron whom the Mallards befriend on their journey
  • Caspar Jennings as Dax Mallard, Mack and Pam’s confident and restless son
  • Tresi Gazal as Gwen Mallard, Mack and Pam’s innocent and lovable daughter
  • Danny DeVito as Dan, Mack’s curmudgeonly and adventure-averse uncle and Dax and Gwen’s granduncle[5]

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AQUAMAN & THE LOST KINGDOM

AQUAMAN & THE LOST KINGDOM

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC character Aquaman. Produced by DC Studios, Atomic Monster, and The Safran Company, and set for distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the sequel to Aquaman (2018), and the 15th and final installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is directed by James Wan from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on a story conceived by Wan, Johnson-McGoldrick, Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, and Jason Momoa. It stars Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman alongside Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman.

Premise

Several years after the events of the first film, Arthur Curry / Aquaman is forced to protect Atlantis and his loved ones from devastation after an ancient power is unleashed by David Kane / Black Manta obtaining the cursed Black Trident. In order to achieve this, he will have to seek help from an unlikely ally, his half-brother Orm.[3]

Cast

  • Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman:
    The half-Atlantean/half-human king of Atlantis who can swim at supersonic speeds and summon and command the aquatic life.[4]
  • Patrick Wilson as Orm Marius / Ocean Master:
    Arthur’s Atlantean half-brother and the former king of Atlantis who is imprisoned following his crimes against Atlantis. He’s recruited by Arthur to fight against Manta.[5]
  • Amber Heard as Mera:
    The Queen of Atlantis, wife of Arthur, mother of Arthur Jr and daughter of King Nereus who can control water.[6][7][8]
  • Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Kane / Black Manta:
    A ruthless pirate and high-seas mercenary who uses an Atlantean armored suit and wields the powerful Black Trident, seeking to kill Arthur as revenge for the death of his father.[9][10][11] Director James Wan had planned since the first film to have Kane become the main villain of its sequel, hence why he opted to set up his conflictive relationship with Arthur in the previous film with Kane as a “glorified side character” before bringing him back in an even “much bigger role”, involving him coming across something “bigger” to get back at Arthur.[12]
  • Nicole Kidman as Atlanna: Arthur and Orm’s mother and the former queen of Atlantis.[13]

Reprising their roles from Aquaman (2018) are Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, the king of Xebel and Mera’s father;[14] Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, a marine biologist obsessed with finding Atlantis;[15] and Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Arthur’s father who works as a lighthouse keeper.[16] Also appearing are Vincent Regan as Atlan, the first king of Atlantis; Jani Zhao as Stingray; Indya Moore as Karshon;[15] and Pilou Asbæk in an undisclosed role.[17]

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POOR THINGS

POOR THINGS

Poor Things is a 2023 romantic science fantasy black comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Tony McNamara.[6] It is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray. The film stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, and Jerrod Carmichael. Its plot focuses on Bella Baxter, a young Victorian woman who, after being crudely resurrected by a scientist following her suicide, runs off with a debauched lawyer to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation.

Plot

In Victorian London, medical student Max McCandles becomes an assistant to surgeon Dr. Godwin Baxter. He begins working at the Baxter townhouse, where he meets and falls in love with Godwin’s ward, a childlike young woman named Bella. Godwin reveals that the woman, who was pregnant, had committed suicide by leaping off a bridge. After recovering her corpse, he resurrected her by swapping her brain for that of her still living baby, resulting in her having an infant’s mind. With Godwin’s permission, Max asks for Bella’s hand in marriage. Bella accepts but desiring freedom as she matures, runs off with foppish lawyer Duncan Wedderburn. Deciding to let Bella go, Godwin starts a new experiment with a young woman named Felicity.

Cast

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12/19/2023#”The Color Purple (2023),” “Migration,” “Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom,” “Poor Things”

 

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