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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. We made it to 2024! I hope you had a wonderful New Year and were able to catch some new films over the holidays. I took the family to see Migration last week and took in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes earlier this week. We only have one new wide release this weekend, but more coming in the weeks ahead. Let me know what you’re heading to the movies to see.  Night Swim
This title is banking on some name recognition by throwing out producers of The Nun and M3GAN, but the first week of the year is often a place to dump movies that don’t have high expectations. Of course, that was what many people were saying about M3GAN last year at this time, so who knows what sort of legs this might have, especially being the first big movie released in almost two weeks. The film stars Wyatt Russell (son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn) and Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin).
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After Fast X delivered an ok outing at the box office last weekend, it's time to bring a whole new slate of wide releases to theaters this weekend. It looks like there will be something for everyone, whether you're bringing the family, looking for a date night, or want something a little more crazy.
About My Father
I feel like the last time Robert De Niro was in a fun comedy like this one was when he appeared in the Meet the Parents films with Ben Stiller. This time he's the father of the man in the relationship, played by Sebastian Maniscalco. The film follows the father/son pair as they take a visit to the wealthy family of the son's girlfriend and find a variety of ways to cause mischief. Maniscalco is perhaps best known for his stand up comedy routines which have been featured on Netflix and DVD, but he has been branching out into films a bit recently, including a role in the hit movie Super Mario Bros. from earlier this spring. 
Kandahar
For some reason, when I was writing this up for my video below this week, I thought I had already written a script for it, but then remembered a similar story in Guy Ritchie's The Covenant earlier this year. This time around, the American character isn't returning to Afghanistan to save a translator, but stuck in enemy territory with his translator. Gerard Butler stars in the lead role as the CIA operative who must get to a safe extraction point after his mission is compromised. 
The Little Mermaid
It's been several years since the last major Disney live action remake (The Lion King) but this one looks to take on the mantle of those remakes with a splash, literally. If you've seen the original 1989 animated classic, you already know the story of the mermaid princess Ariel and her quest to meet the human Prince Eric that she falls in love with after saving his life when his ship sinks. This version promises to deliver a new voice in lead Halle Bailey along with a new version of Ursula, portrayed here by Melissa McCarthy. The release of this film also coincides nicely with the release of the book Part of My World, a memoir written by the original voice of Ariel, Jodi Benson. 
The Machine
Going from the very family friendly to the complete opposite end of the spectrum, The Machine is the brainchild of comedian Bert Kreischer, known for performing his act shirtless. The film is an adaptation of a story he told as part of his act and Kreischer plays a fictionalized version of himself. In response to some actions he took while on a college trip to Russia, the adult Kreischer and his father, played by Mark Hamill, are kidnapped by Russian mobsters and they must 
You Hurt My Feelings
Last up comedy drama starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a novelist who is dealing with her husband's frustration at something she wrote about him in one of her books. This looks like it could be very funny in parts, but also has potential to be quite thoughtful and introspective in parts. Louis-Dreyfus is on a producer of the film which is directed by Nicole Holofcener. Limited Releases
There isn't a huge list of limited releases hitting theaters this weekend, but a few alternative options if the movies mentioned above aren't your cup of tea.
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After the new releases last week not making a huge dent in the overall box office last weekend, I have a feeling that is about to change with the big film hitting theaters this weekend.
Fast X
This is the only thing that most people will be talking about this weekend related to movies, unless you happen to be at Cannes, enjoying the premieres of films like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny or Martin Scorsese's newest film, Killers of the Flower Moon. Now, if you check out the poster featured here, there are a LOT of good looking people on it. On top of that, many of them are true A-list talent that can drive box office results on their own. Put them all together and this film is a sure fire box office hit, regardless of the actual story on display. The previous installment (F9: The Fast Saga) hit theaters in the dampened Covid-19 environment of June 2021 so I would expect to see a bigger box office haul from this outing, but it's tough to say how it will stack up against some of the biggest films in the franchise. Limited Releases
There were some issues with the video posted above, so some of the limited releases below are missing from the video.
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It's Mother's Day weekend so I hope you have something special planned for your mom. If the movies are your thing with Mom, here are the films you can look for in theaters this weekend.
Book Club: The Next Chapter
It's Jane Fonda's second big movie of the year (after 80 for Brady back in February) and the sequel to the 2018 film Book Club. This time around the ladies are heading off to Italy where one of their foursome is getting married. Fonda returns for this sequel along with Diane Lane, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. On the gentlemen's side, look for Don Johnson, Andy Garcia, and Craig T. Nelson to star in this romantic comedy. 
Fool's Paradise
If you only know Charlie Day from his meme appearances, it may be time to give him a chance on the big screen. Not only does Day star in this film, but he is making his directorial debut. This film is about a man who has recently been released from a mental health facility and bears a striking resemblance to a famous movie star. Unfortunately, the star refuses to leave his trailer to the mental health patient is hired to be his stand-in for public appearances. The film co-star Ken Jeong, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, Jason Bateman, Common, John Malkovich, and the late Ray Liotta. Hopefully this will get as good a reception as the previous Liotta film Cocaine Bear did a few months back. 
Hypnotic
With his previous film AIR hitting Amazon Prime today, you can get a double helping of Ben Affleck this weekend as his new thriller Hypnotic hits theaters today as well. This film centers around Affleck's investigator who is trying to find his missing daughter. As he learns more it becomes clear that her disappearance is somehow connected with a string of high-profile bank robberies. The film co-stars Alice Braga and William Fichtner. 
Knights of the Zodiac
This is likely the biggest action film of the weekend and while Mackenyu's name might not be familiar to you, there are some names you will recognize in this film. Mackenyu stars as an orphan who discovers he is the only person alive who can protect a reincarnated goddess who was sent to watch over humanity. Madison Iseman (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) co-stars with Famke Janssen (X-Men) and Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones). 
Rally Road Racers
Last up in wide release this weekend is the animated film Rally Road Racers. This film features a cast of animated animals racing across the silk road for glory. The voice cast includes Chloe Bennet, J. K. Simmons, and John Cleese. Limited Releases
It's been a busy last two months and the theaters will remain full of new releases throughout the summer, but if you're looking for something a little different, check out these limited releases this weekend:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy.
It's another big blockbuster weekend with the latest Guardians of the Galaxy film hitting theaters.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Other than popping up for a brief stint in Thor: Love and Thunder last summer, the Guardians have been absent from the MCU in general since they attended Tony Stark's funeral at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Technically they did get a little Christmas special last holiday season, but that doesn't quite count for a full movie, but it's time to bring them back into the fold. Plenty of commentary has been generated about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, initially focused around the firing and eventual re-hiring of James Gunn as the film's director. From what I've read, Disney made the right choice (at least in terms of the story in the film) by bringing him back. What I am curious about is which of the Guardians will ultimately survive this film. There has been a good deal of chatter online when the logo image initially released that people expected a certain raccoon to meet his demise, but these Marvel films are nothing if not unpredictable at times. I hope everyone makes it through, because these characters are fantastic, but we may see the Guardians split up once and for all. 
Love Again
I didn't initially expect to see any other big releases hitting theaters this weekend, but Sony has decided to release the romantic comedy Love Again opposite Disney's mammoth film. They may be looking to pick up on larger than usual audiences who are already at theaters and might need an alternate title, but the late marketing campaign hasn't done much to help gin up buzz for this film. There are two big names connected with this movie. First is Priyanka Chopra Jonas, hot on the heels of the debut of her new action thriller series on Amazon Prime, Citadel. This time around she plays a woman grieving the death of her fiancé, who ends up sending text messages to a random man who now has her late fiancé's phone number. The other big name here is superstar singer Celine Dion who brings some new music to the film, along with popping up in a supporting role in the film itself. While I doubt any new songs will bring the heat of some of Dion's classics, her involvement with the film will surely put at least a few butts in seats this weekend. Limited Releases
It looks like most other studios are avoiding this weekend in favor of letting Guardians of the Galaxy reign supreme, but there are still a few limited release films that you might find near you.
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It's the end of April and before we heat things up in May with a bunch of big blockbusters, it's time to get a few more releases out of the way. There aren't any huge films on the slate this weekend, but the ones that are releasing give some variety to a box office that has seemed choked with horror titles for the last few weeks.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
If you've ever been in late elementary school, there's a good chance you've read some books by the acclaimed children's author Judy Blume. She has written such favorites as Superfudge, Fudge-a-Mania, and Freckle Juice, but it's one of her other books that hits theaters as a movie adaptation this weekend. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret adapts the book of the same name and stars Abby Ryder Fortson, who you may know as young Cassie Lang from the first two Ant-Man films. She was great in that role and now that she's a little older, I am looking forward to seeing her tackle young Margaret who is struggling to figure out her religious identity while also dealing with just being a sixth grade girl. Rachal McAdams appears as Margaret's mother alongside Kathy Bates as her grandmother. 
Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World
In possibly the film with the longest title in some time, this is our second major boxing picture of the year (after Creed III). The film is a biopic focusing on the life of boxing legend George Foreman. Khris Davis takes on the mantle of the multi-time heavyweight champion of the world in a story that takes him from the ring, to a life as minister and preacher, before returning to the ring to reclaim his title. And based on the trailer, we might even get a little insight into the marketing of Foreman's famous countertop grill. 
Polite Society
This film just came onto my radar this week and it's already generating quite a bit of buzz. Krit was already able to see the film and dropped a review video for the film. The film is a story of two sisters, one of whom is training to be a stuntwoman, while the other is recently engaged. The film comes to us from the UK, and focuses on Pakistani culture as the sisters plot a "wedding heist." 
Sisu
It's not very usual to see a Finnish film getting a wide release in the United States, but this is an exception to that rule. The trailer for this film cites the creators of the John Wick films, so you know there will be some good action and violence in this film. The story is that of a gold prospector in the Lapland area of Scandinavia in the latter stages of WWII. The prospector is accosted by a group of Nazis while trying to bring out a load of gold and must use his elite fighting skills to save himself and his haul. Limited Releases
I keep saying it every week, but there have been so many movies coming out in the last two months, it's hard to keep up with what's still playing. This isn't going to change in the coming months and there are plenty of limited releases hitting theaters as well this weekend.
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There is another big batch of wide releases coming out this weekend, with a wide variety of genres for you to pick from. It's hard to keep up with all these new releases, but hopefully this can help you narrow down your movie going plans.
Chevalier
If you're like me, you've probably never heard of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. I'm a bit upset that I'd never heard of him, since I price myself in knowing about some more obscure musical figures of the past, but this looks like an interesting piece and hopefully will provide some background on a historical figure not known to the masses. Kelvin Harrison, Jr. stars in the title role in the film after appearing in last year's film Elvis (as B.B. King) and in Cyrano back in 2021. He appears to be a star on the rise and I will be interested to see his work in the coming years. 
Evil Dead Rise
The latest in a horror franchise spanning 40+ years arrives in theaters this weekend. We are fresh on the heels of films like Nefarious, The Pope's Exorcist, and Renfield last week, and Scream VI back in early March, giving audiences plenty of horror films on offer at the moment. I know this franchise is a beloved one and the last installment was ten years ago, but believe it or not, I've never seen a single one. I honestly could not recall a single frame of any of the previous films, so I may need to go back and check some of them out in due time. 
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant
It seems like Ritchie has never been much for releasing films on a regular schedule, but he has been incredibly prolific over the last four years with five films releasing in that time (Aladdin, The Gentlemen, Wrath of Man, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, and now The Covenant). Operation Fortune and this film have both been released in the last month. You might ask how he could possibly make two movies at once, but given the long post-production schedules of many films, it's fair to shoot two films back to back and hand off post-production on one while prepping and shooting the next, which is the case with Operation Fortune and The Covenant. This looks like a bit of a departure from his previous several films noted above, but I'm interested to see how Ritchie tackles the story and setting his violent action in a true war zone rather than more urban centers like many of his films. 
Beau is Afraid
Everyone is raving about this film and praising the work of Ari Aster over the last half decade or so. If you don't know the name, you've probably at least heard of his first two films, Hereditary and Midsommar, both considered modern horror standards. Beau is Afraid takes his work in a new direction but looks like it still feels like an Aster film. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Beau Wasserman who is on a journey to get home to his mother and explores the surreal path he takes to get there. Limited Releases
With that strong slate of wide releases, not to mention everything still in theaters from last week, it's hard to see where there will be room for anything else, but there are still new limited releases hitting theaters. Check your local listings for these movies:
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I honestly cannot remember a weekend where we had six movies opening in wide release and while not all of these will be successful, especially considering expected holdover from Mario's release last week, the fact that there is this variety at the box office right now is a welcome sign that distributors are continuing to push movies into theaters.
Mafia Mamma
I'm not sure who I'm more excited to see in this film, Toni Collette as the American suburban mom trying to be an Italian mafioso don, or Monica Bellucci who I haven't seen in anything big since her appearance in the Matrix sequels two decades ago. I loved Collette (and everyone else) in Knives Out several years ago, and this is certainly a departure from films like Hereditary or The Sixth Sense. The early reviews for this film are not very favorable, but hopefully it can find a niche as a fun little comedy. 
Nefarious
I haven't heard or seen much publicity about this film so it's a little surprising that it's getting a wide release, but the premise sounds interesting. The film is about a death row inmate who claims to be a demon on the eve of his execution. What's more, he predicts that the man performing his psych evaluation will also commit several murders. That said, this is probably the lowest performing release this weekend out of several horror releases. 
The Pope's Exorcist
I'm not sure which is more fascinating to me, the fact that the Pope has (or had?) a chief exorcist (implying that he has or had many), that this particular one wrote down his experiences in several books, or that this is NOT the first film to be made about this particular person. What's more, Father Gabriele Amorth, the exorcist in question, only passed away in 2016. He claimed to have performed over 60,000 exorcisms in his life which means that he would have had to perform an average of 3 exorcisms every day for the 62 years from his ordination until his death. I assume Russell Crowe's version of the man will not be quite so busy as the film seems to focus on one main possession case, but there is certainly a good amount of buzz about this film's release. 
Renfield
I'm not normally crazy about horror films, but this one has been near the top of my list since the trailer released several months back. I always love Nicolas Cage and this looks like a role he was really able to sink his teeth into. Nicholas Hoult has been a rising star for a while and seeing him in a big film like this is going to be a treat as well. Plus, to top it all off, I get to see one of my new favorite actors, Brandon Scott Jones, taking a break from playing Isaac Higgintoot on the CBS series Ghosts. There is no shortage of Dracula adaptations, but I appreciate the attempt here to look at the story from the perspective of the servant rather than the master. 
Suzume
As with horror, I'm not normally a fan of the anime style of animation, but this particular film looks like something I could make an exception for. Just based on the trailer and images like the poster here, it looks absolutely beautiful. The story seems simple enough, a young girl and a man travel through a mysterious door and attempt to stop some force that is threatening to destroy the world. 
Sweetwater
The poster says "The man who changed the game" at the top and while some people would assume that refers to someone like Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, or Magic Johnson, this film is about Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, one of the first African Americans to play in the NBA. Just a few years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball's major league, the NBA crossed the same threshold, pulling Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters to play for the New York Knicks and this film is the story of that transition. Limited Releases
While there are a ton of new wide releases this week, there are also a fair share of smaller films hitting theaters around the country. Check out your local theaters to see if they are showing the following films.
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After a bit of a disappointing weekend for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, another franchise film is hoping to keep things rolling at the box office this weekend
John Wick: Chapter 4
That's right, one of our favorite actors is back in cinemas this weekend with the fourth installment of this action franchise. I have to say it's sad that Lance Reddick, one of the stalwarts of the franchise, isn't around to see the release of this latest film after he sadly passed away just last week. This time around, Wick (Reeves) is running from an ever increasing bounty on his head, while fighting against the High Table on a global scale, seeking out powerful players from New York and Paris to Berlin and Japan. The cast continues to shine with names like Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Halle Berry, and Anjelica Houston attached to this iteration. Limited Releases
John Wick isn't the only thing you'll find at theaters this weekend. There are several limited releases along with at least one special event this week.
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The Oscars are over, and the movie world can take a little bit of a breather, but there are still a few big releases yet to come in the month of March, including this weekend's wide release 
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Following up on the first film from 2019, Zachary Levi is back as the adult version of Shazam, aka Billy Batson. This time around, Billy and his friends face off against three daughters of Atlas played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler. Djimon Hounsou returns as well as the Shazam franchise tries to pick up the pieces after a lackluster performance from Black Adam last fall. Limited Releases
While there are still a bunch of big movies in theaters from the last month (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Creed III, Scream VI, and Cocaine Bear), there is still space in some multiplexes to screen smaller titles like these below:
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