Last week we sawMoana 2take first place at the box office, bumpingWickedandGladiator IIto second and third place. The stunning sequel raked in over $139 million in its first weekend, almost surpassingWicked’s total gross since its release two weeks ago. However,Wickedhasn’t finished singing yet. In addition to the new movies coming out this week, select theaters will also be re-releasing exclusive viewings ofInterstellarand A24’sThe Green Knightin IMAX format over the weekend, along with a theatrical re-release ofMy Neighbor Totoroas a continuation of the 2024 Studio Ghibli Fest. Without further ado, this week’s lineup of cinematic releases will have something for everybody to enjoy, whether you’re looking for action, comedy, drama, or plain absurdity to distract you from the stress of the holiday season. Read on to find out what your next favorite new movie will be!
‘Lake George’
Carrie Coon(His Three Daughters) co-stars withShea Whigham(American Hustle) in the neo-noir thriller,Lake George, reuniting after their time spent together during thethird season of Fargo. Don (Whigham) is tasked to carry out a hit by a crime boss he is indebted to, Armen (Glenn Fleshler). His target is a woman named Phyllis (Coon), who previously worked with Armen, helping him secure stash houses where he keeps his cash. When Don realizes he can’t complete his mission, Phyllis seizes the opportunity and convinces him to go on the run with her, but not before stealing Armen’s money. The two of them embark on a road trip filled with murder, heists, and deception. Close on their trail is Armen’s right-hand man, Harout (Max Casella), determined to take them both out and stay in good favor with Armen.Lake Georgeis written and directed byJeffrey Reiner(High Fidelity) and showcases his ability to balance dark humor within the crime thriller genre.
Lake George
The Endis a musical film set over two decades after an apocalyptic event that brought about the fall of society. It takes place in the spacious underground bunker of a wealthy family, who have been living in relative isolation during this time. Mother, who is played byTilda Swinton(Suspiria), and Father, played byMichael Shannon(Take Shelter), are alarmed when a woman (Moses Ingram) shows up from the outside world. Referred to as “Girl,” Mother and Father become increasingly concerned as Son (George MacKay), who has only known life inside the bunker, develops an infatuation with Girl. In addition to the immediate family and the newcomer, the other people who reside in the bunker are “Doctor” (Lennie James), “Friend” (Bronagh Gallagher), “Butler” (Tim McInnerny), and Mary (Danielle Ryan).
Son is curious about life before the apocalyptic event and how his parents reacted to it, as he was a young child at the time. He also begins to express a desire to leave the bunker with Girl, furthering Mother and Father’s distrust of her. Co-written byRasmus Heisterberg(The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) andJoshua Oppenheimer(The Act of Killing) and directed by Oppenheimer,The Endis a darkly whimsical musical that tackles the increasing fear and dread regarding “the end of the world” scenarios. This film, distributed by NEON, will have a limited theatrical release, so be sure to check ticket availability at your local cinemas.
The End follows a wealthy family living in seclusion within a salt mine, whose isolated existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger, leading to unforeseen consequences.
‘Nightbitch’
Yet another film that has main characters simply named by their familial titles,NightbitchstarsAmy Adams(Arrival) as “Mother,”Scoot McNairy(Speak No Evil) as “Father,” and toddler twinsEmmett SnowdenandArleigh Snowdenas “Son.” After pausing her career as an artist to become a stay-at-home mom, Mother begins to feel stress and anxiety about her new role.Father is dismissive of her concerns, ignorant of the amount of internal and external turmoil that Mother is dealing with while he is away at work during the day. Things get even more twisted when Mother realizes she is slowly developing more feral traits and characteristics, eventually transforming into a dog at night, running the streets with a pack of other strays. This dark comedy delves into thepressures of motherhoodand societal expectations while exploring the more primitive instincts that can emerge after becoming a parent.
Nightbitch
A stay-at-home mother starts experiencing bizarre changes, suspecting she is transforming into a dog. As her reality blurs between the mundane and the monstrous, she grapples with her identity, her role in the family, and the primal instincts awakening within her.
A24 has created yet anotherimmersive coming-of-age story, similar toEighth Grade, but with a horror-comedy twist.Y2Kwill, of course, take place on New Year’s Eve in 1999, depicting an imaginative alternate version of the events. Teenage friends Eli and Danny crash a high school party, but after midnight strikes, an electronic bug causes all existing technology to come to life and turn against humanity. If you’ve ever seen theTerminatormovies or enjoyed the “Customer Service” episode ofLove, Death, + Robots, add this movie to your watchlist. Filled with dark comedy, science-fiction, and an element of horror,Y2Kwill be a twisted trip down memory lane for those who lived through the turn of the millennium.Jaeden Martell(IT) will star as Eli, with his best friend Danny portrayed byJulian Dennison(Deadpool 2). Joining them will beRachel Zegler, who starred inWest Side Story,The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and will be starring in the upcoming live-action rendition ofSnow Whiteas Laura, the love interest of Eli. Produced byJonah Hill, who also created the A24 coming-of-age drama,Mid90s, this film is also packed with appearances byFred Durst,Alicia Silverstone,Stranger Things’Eduardo Franco, andSNLalumnus,Kyle Mooney, whoalso directed the film.
Two high school nobodies make the decision to crash the last major celebration before the new millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999. The night becomes even crazier than they could have ever dreamed when the clock strikes midnight.
‘The Order’
The Orderis a Canadian film based on a true story that occurred in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States in the 1980s. Drawing inspiration from the 1989 book about the same events,The Silent Brotherhood, written byKevin FlynnandGary Gerhardt, the film follows FBI Agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) who is drawn to a pattern of recent bank robberies, counterfeiting operations, and armored truck heists that have been troubling PNW communities in 1983. While investigating the strange patterns of criminal behavior, he realizes that the culprits are not from a traditional organized crime unit with financial motivations, but that of the radical white supremacist cult leader and domestic terrorist, Bob Matthews, played byNicholas Hoult(Juror #2). The film also includesTye Sheridan(Ready Player One) as Jamie Bowen, a young police officer,Jurnee Smollett(Lovecraft Country) as another FBI agent who assists Husk during his investigation, andMarc Maron(To Leslie) as Alan Berg, a Jewish radio host who was heavily involved in the events that took place during the investigation.
The Orderis a historical crime thriller directed by Justin Kurzel. Set in 1983, the film follows FBI agent Terry Husk, who investigates a series of violent crimes in the Pacific Northwest. He suspects these are not the actions of a regular criminal gang but rather a white supremacist group led by the charismatic Bob Mathews. As he digs deeper, the investigation uncovers a radical underground network.
‘Oh, Canada’
This fictional drama follows terminally ill writer and filmmaker, Leonard “Leo” Fife, who is played by bothRichard Gere(Pretty Woman) in contemporary times andJacob Elordi(Euphoria) as ayounger version of himself. Fife, who is struggling with his ailments and a form of dementia, agrees to be interviewed for a documentary about his life, directed by his former student, Malcolm (Michael Imperioli), and his partner, Diana (Victoria Hill). With his current wife, Emma (Uma Thurman) at his side, the predominant portions of his story revolve around his decision to dodge the draft for the Vietnam War in the 1960s, seeking asylum in Canada in protest of the war. In doing so, he abandons his first wife and child, but continues to recount other stories and relationships that he has experienced since that decision. His stories are touching and real, with moments of comedy as well as moments of devastation, but it quickly becomes apparent to Malcolm and Diana that he is an unreliable narrator, due to his failing and distorted memory.
Oh, Canada
Leonard Fife has lived a significant life. After being one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, he gained praise for becoming an acclaimed documentary filmmaker. Now, with the camera turned on him for a film about his life and career as he finds himself on his deathbed, he shares all his secrets to de-mythologize his mythologized life.
‘The Return’
For those who enjoy epic retellings of Greek mythology,The Returnis sure to catch your eye. Based on Homer’sThe Odyssey, which has been reimagined in various forms throughout the years, in the form of multiple literary adaptations and motion picture adaptations such as the 1997 television miniseries of the same name, as well as the Coen Brothers’ 2000 crime comedyO’ Brother Where Art Thou?. This version of Homer’s epic poem will showcase a more gritty approach, focusing not on the adventures of protagonist King Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) during the 20 years he is away from home fighting in the Trojan War, but as the title implies, his return to his home in Ithaca. He is physically and emotionally scarred by his experiences, rendering him unrecognizable by his family and kingdom. During his absence, his wife, Penelope (Juliette Binoche), and their son, Telemachus (Charlie Plummer), have been besieged by suitors who have traveled to Ithaca, vying to marry Penelope, kill Telemachus, and become the next King.
The Return
Make sure to check back in soon to see what new releases will be coming to theaters next week!
