Artsies:
Never Too Late — retirement-home comedy-drama — virtual cinema, SLFS@Home — not screened
When a middle-aged woman unexpectedly discovers that she is pregnant, she must deal with the shocked reactions of her family and neighbors. This comedy pays particular attention to the reactions of the woman’s husband, who is unready for another child, and her daughter, who wants to become pregnant herself. Read More
Director: Mark Lamprell
Starring: James Cromwell, Jacki Weaver, Dennis Waterman
No Small Matter — doc on early education — virtual cinema, SLFS@Home — TBD
No Small Matter is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families, and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country. Read More
Director: Danny Alpert
Starring: Michael Brunlieb, Ron E. Rains, David Rudman
First Cow — Gold Rush-era drama — VOD rental, most platforms — 3 1/2 stars
Kelly Reichardt once again trains her perceptive and patient eye on the Pacific Northwest, this time evoking an authentically hardscrabble early nineteenth century way of life. A taciturn loner and skilled cook (John Magaro) has traveled west and joined a group of fur trappers in Oregon Territory, though he only finds true connection with a Chinese immigrant (Orion Lee) also seeking his fortune; soon the two collaborate on a successful business, although its longevity is reliant upon the clandestine participation of a nearby wealthy landowner’s prized milking cow. Read More
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Starring: John Magaro, Orion Lee, Rene Auberjonois
Fartsies:
The Old Guard — Charlize Theron superhero thriller — Netflix — not screened
Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (Kiki Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Read More
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts
Greyhound — Tom Hanks WWII naval battle — AppleTV+ — not screened
In the early days of WWII, an international convoy of 37 Allied ships, led by captain Ernest Krause (Hanks) in his first command of a U.S. destroyer, crosses the treacherous North Atlantic while hotly pursued by wolf packs of Nazi U-boats. Read More
Director: Aaron Schneider
Starring: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue
Relic — Dementia-themed horror thriller — VOD rental, most platforms — 3 1/2 stars
When Edna, the elderly and widowed matriarch of the family, goes missing, her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam travel to their remote family home to find her. Soon after her return, they start to discover a sinister presence haunting the house and taking control of Edna. Read More
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring:
Palm Springs — Andy Samburg comedy — Hulu, VOD — 3 1/2 stars
When carefree Nyles (Andy Samberg) and reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other. Read More
Director: Max Barbakow
Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons
