Cinemaholics

Now available to stream on Hulu, Plan B is a new teen comedy from director Natalie Morales with a screenplay by Prathi Srinivasan and Joshua Levy. It stars Victoria Moroles and Kuhoo Verma as a best friend duo trying to get the "Plan B" pill in rural South Dakota. Special guests Mae Abdulbaki and Shea Vassar join the show for this bonus review.

Now available on VOD and in select theaters, The Dry is an Australian mystery thriller starring Eric Bana as a federal agent who returns home to help solve a dark conspiracy plaguing the community. The film was directed by Robert Connolly, who co-wrote the screenplay with Harry Cripps. The cast includes Genevieve O'Reilly, Keir O'Donnell, and John Polson. And it's based on the eponymous 2016 novel by Jane Harper.

After a year of silence, the delayed "Part II" of the 2018 surprise hit A Quiet Place just landed in theaters via Paramount. John Krasinski returns as writer and director in this fraught post-apocalyptic horror film about a family trying to survive in a world where monsters hunt by sound. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe return for the sequel with the additions of Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou to the cast.

Relax, darling, we’re working overtime this holiday weekend to bring you our in-depth thoughts of Cruella, the latest Disney live-action reimagining, this time focusing on the delirious origins of Cruella de Vil, portrayed here by Emma Stone in a sprawling crime comedy directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara. We also discuss Amazon’s acquisition of MGM and what that might mean for the future of the movie industry, plus some extra thoughts on the other films we saw this past week.

Now in limited release from Neon, The Killing of Two Lovers is an indie drama from writer/director Robert Machoian, who also produced and edited the film. It stars Clayne Crawford as a father on the brink of divorce, as he struggles to make sense of what his options are going forward. The film premiered last year at Sundance and the cast also includes Sepideh Moafi, Chris Coy, Avery Pizzuto, Arri Graham and Ezra Graham.

Now available on VOD, Riders of Justice is a Danish revenge/action dramedy from writer/director Anders Thomas Jensen. It stars Mads Mikkelsen in a surprisingly heartfelt and unconventional ensemble film about found families during times of grief and crisis.

Not sure if this one will get a director’s cut, but whatever the case, Army of the Dead is the latest film from Zack Snyder, harkening back to his undead roots in a subversive “zombie heist” action film starring Dave Bautista and now streaming on Netflix. We also discuss Riders of Justice, an action, revenge dramedy (seriously) from acclaimed Danish screenwriter and director Anders Thomas Jensen, which stars Mads Mikkelsen. And we finish out the show with a gushing review of Neon’s latest indie drama, The Killing of Two Lovers, which is from first-time director Robert Machoian and stars Clayne Crawford.

Now available on Netflix, Oxygen is an American-French sci-fi thriller from director Alexandre Aja with Christie LeBlanc as screenwriter. It stars Mélanie Laurent as a woman who mysteriously wakes up inside a futuristic, medical cryogenic chamber with no obvious means of escape. The cast also includes Mathieu Amalric and Malik Zidi.

Now available on Netflix, The Woman in the Window is a new psychological thriller starring Amy Adams as an agoraphobic loner in Manhattan who witnesses some strange occurrences happening with her new neighbors. This is based on the 2018 novel, and it's being adapted by director Joe Wright from a screenplay by Tracy Letts. The film's cast includes Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, Brian Tyree Henry, Wyatt Russell, Anthony Mackie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Fred Hechinger.

Be careful what you wish for. And that doesn’t just apply to our mini review of The Djinn from IFC Midnight. Nope, our main review this week is Those Who Wish Me Dead from Taylor Sheridan and starring Angelina Jolie, which just hit theaters and HBO Max. We also briefly discuss the “screen life” or “screen share” movie Profile, the latest Amy Adams Netflix movie The Woman in the Window, and a French sci-fi on Netflix called Oxygen, which stars Mélanie Laurent.

Recently released by MTV Films, Pink Skies Ahead is a new dramedy from Kelly Oxford in her directorial debut. It stars Jessica Barden as a young writer in the 90s trying to navigate her changing mental health as she ages into adulthood. The film also stars Rosa Salazar, Odeya Rush, Marcia Gay Harden, Henry Winkler, and Mary J. Blige.

Now available on Netflix, Monster is a legal drama starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. as a kid who faces trial for a crime he says he never committed. Anthony Mandler directed this film from a screenplay by Radha Blank, Cole Wiley, and Janece Shaffer. It's based on the eponymous novel by Walter Dean Myers. The cast also includes Jennifer Ehle, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson, Rakim "A$AP Rocky" Mayers, Tim Blake Nelson, and John David Washington.

Even if Cinemaholics isn’t your main stream, we hope you join us for our review of Mainstream, a new indie satire from IFC Films starring Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, Nat Wolff, and Jason Schwartzman. Also on the show, we’re covering a few mini reviews, including “Jupiter’s Legacy” on Netflix and David Oyelowo’s feature directorial debut, The Water Man. And we finish things up with some discussion of the new Netflix drama Monster starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. and coming-of-age 90s dramedy Pink Skies Ahead from first-time director Kelly Oxford.

Special guest Isaac Feldberg joins the show for a review of the new action crime thriller Wrath of Man, directed and co-written by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham as a cash truck driver out for revenge. This is a remake of the 2004 French film Cash Truck from Nicolas Boukhrief, and the cast includes Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonso, and Scott Eastwood.

Now available on Netflix, The Disciple is a new Indian drama written, directed, and edited by Chaitanya Tamhane. It stars Aditya Modak as a young man trying to find success with classical music, but over the years begins to wonder if he has what it takes. The film also stars Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave, Deepika Bhide Bhagwat, and Kiran Yadnyopavit. Alfonso Cuarón serves as executive producer.