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Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'The Fantastic Four' in theaters, rent 'Materialists,' stream 'Happy Gilmore 2' on Netflix and more
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" shows that "Superman" was the start of a new trend. Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Brett Arnold, film critic and longtime Yahoo editor, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. This week, there are a handful of movies coming to streaming services you're likely already paying for, including Wes Anderson's latest, an indie gem about baseball and a fun self-aware horror flick. The biggest new release is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest attempt at making the Marvel characters pop onscreen with a buzzy new A-list cast, including Pedro Pascal. If you're looking for more Pascal, make it a double feature: His rom-dram Materialists is available to rent. Read on for more, because there's something here for everyone! What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have 🎥What to watch in theaters My recommendation: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Why you should watch it: The Fantastic Four: First Steps proves that James Gunn's Superman wasn't a one-off and instead was the start of an emerging trend of superhero movies. Both are comic book flicks that are meant to be introduction films, as well as reboots featuring iconic characters we've already seen onscreen before. They both purposefully avoid harping much on a character's origin story. The Fantastic Four: First Steps depicts it very quickly up top, whereas Superman throws you right into the action. Both rely on the audience knowing who these people are and what they do without getting bogged down by lore. That being said, each movie is meant to emulate the experience of reading a comic book, picking up an issue and getting caught up in that one arc without having to worry about its place in the larger universe. The best thing about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it doesn't adhere to the Marvel house style and has a unique look that's decidedly its own: a retro-futuristic take on the 1960s that feels as indebted to The Jetsons as it does the comic books its based on. Superman opened with Clark Kent having already been Superman for three years, and First Steps similarly opens with our heroes celebrating four years as America's superhero protectors. The public knows who they are and appreciates their efforts to keep them safe. But Marvel's First Family is soon forced to balance their roles as heroes and the strength of their family bond while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is pregnant with the child of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), and the movie explores how Reed tries to 'babyproof the world,' as a character in the film puts it, and protect their kid from real and specific dangers — in this case, Galactus. The film is at its best when its leaning into either the silliness or the scale of the sci-fi comic book world these characters inhabit, like when we get a glimpse of villain Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser, a highlight) and his underground world of Subterranea, or when the plot turns to the idea of teleporting entire planets in order to save lives. The foreboding Galactus, who is the size of a skyscraper and more menacing than any villain I can think of in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is an undeniable selling point. Maybe it's just my love for science fiction showing, but a bad guy that's just the Death Star incarnate, destroying planets as if they were nothing, is scary, strong stuff. If I have a major complaint, it's that the Fantastic Four's powers are never really utilized in a way that feels specific to each character. It's all just generic superhero zipping around and shooting forceful beams out of their hands. The wildly specific skillsets all feel incidental here, rather than expertly written and woven into the narrative or the action. The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bacharach is terrific as the voice of the Thing, but the character feels like he has little to do here, and the entirely CGI creation of his being pales in comparison to the onscreen depiction 20 years ago, when Michael Chiklis was transformed into the character with extensive makeup. Joseph Quinn is fun as Johnny Storm, but he too just flies around while on fire. The Fantastic Four: First Steps may be the third attempt at bringing these classic comic book characters (the fourth, actually, if you count the hastily-made-to-keep-the-rights unreleased 1994 version) but it's undeniably the most successful of that very cursed bunch. The speed-run character development is a barrier at first, but by the end, I was worn down and accepted that this is what comic book movies are now, nearly 20 years after Iron Man changed everything for the genre. On paper, I love the idea of skipping the origin story, but after Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, I just think more work needs to be done setting up these worlds if I'm expected to buy in. For those unfamiliar with the characters, who have never seen a Fantastic Four movie or read one of their comic books, I do wonder if the experience is meaningfully different. What other critics are saying: Most agree that Marvel finally got it right this time. William Bibbiani at The Wrap says it's first-rate, writing, "whatever its drawbacks, feels like a real Fantastic Four movie, and that's no small achievement." The Associated Press's Jake Coyle agrees that the villains steal the show and calls it "a very solid comic book movie." How to watch: The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters nationwide July 25. Get tickets 🤔 But that's not all! This ridiculously bonkers horror movie starring Pete Davidson and directed by The Purge mastermind James DeMonaco was shot in early 2022 and is only now sneaking into theaters. Davidson plays a troubled man who starts working at a retirement home and realizes its residents and caretakers harbor sinister secrets. It's unpredictable in a fun way, even if it feels like you're watching a different movie in the final 10 minutes. Get tickets. : A derivative found-footage horror vehicle for Kris Collins, aka KallMeKris, a Canadian TikToker who has a massive following on the social media platform. It's ripping off The Blair Witch Project for most of the runtime, until it gets to the third act and imitates a different popular horror movie. It doesn't amount to much, sadly. Get tickets. 💸Movies newly available to rent or buy My recommendation: Why you should watch it: You can get a double helping of Pedro Pascal this weekend, if you're into that sort of thing, as the controversial Materialists is now watchable from your couch. As I wrote when it debuted in theaters, it disappoints in comparison to Past Lives, writer-director Celine Song's debut film, and the script ultimately lets down the actors, even if the performances are all very good. What other critics are saying: There are strong opinions on both sides here. Stephanie Zacharek at Time writes that it's "more bittersweet than sweet, which is what makes it so wonderful, in a wistful, elusive way." The Daily Beast's Nick Schager dubs it a disappointing letdown, calling it "the cinematic equivalent of a sugary soda gone terribly flat." How to watch: Materialists is now available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. Rent or buy 'Materialists' ➕ Bonus recommendation Why you should watch it: The always-great Danielle Deadwyler stars in this postapocalyptic thriller about a Black family of Canadian farmers descended from American Civil War migrants defending their homestead against cannibals trying to seize their resources. Its specific approach to the apocalypse, that it's about food scarcity and the importance of farms in that future, makes it stand out from plenty of similar fare, as does the terrific and dynamic gunplay that unexpectedly takes up the latter half. The focus on family is also very effective. Much better than you'd expect from this sort of low-budget affair. What other critics are saying: Most agree it's worth your time! Rolling Stone's David Fear writes, "She's not better than the movie. Deadwyler just makes the movie better by every choice she's making as an actor." Amy Nicholson at the Los Angeles Times agrees, writing that "there's not one false beat in Deadwyler's performance." How to watch: 40 Acres is now available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. Rent or buy '40 Acres' 🤔 But that's not all! : This is a horror movie about a serial killer whose method of killing is feeding his victims to sharks. I wish I didn't have to tell you that because the opening scene is such a shocking introduction, but the trailer gives it away immediately. It's still absolutely worth watching, if that sounds like your kind of thing. Rent or buy. Disney's live-action remake became the first and only movie to gross $1 billion this year, and now you can help it make more money by paying to rent it! As per usual with these things, it's not as nice to look at as the animated original, but it gets the job done. Rent or buy. 📺Movies newly available on streaming services you may have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: My colleague Kelsey Weekman was lucky enough to catch it early, and her review is below! What I at first thought was a depressingly obvious cash grab involving one of Adam Sandler's most beloved characters turned out to be a shockingly sweet (and still very funny) follow-up about the lengths even the biggest weirdos will go to for family. Nearly 30 years after the original came out, I wasn't sure how many more times they could turn hitting a golf ball so hard it makes rocket launcher noises into an effective gag, but thanks to some new characters who kept it true to the Sandler ethos (loud, ridiculous, playfully violent), it felt like a truly fresh franchise installment rather than a ham-handed appeal to nostalgia. But trust me, there are still plenty of nods to the original. Bad Bunny, aka Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, steals the show. What other critics are saying: There aren't any other reviews as of publication time. You'll have to trust Kelsey on this one! How to watch: Happy Gilmore 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Stream 'Happy Gilmore 2' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Sometimes, all you need is a cheap but satisfying B-movie about a creature on an island killing people in increasingly gory ways. Bonus points if the creature just so happens to be a guy in a suit. This World War II-set throwback is as inspired by the films of Jack Arnold (specifically Creature From the Black Lagoon) as it is Predator, and it delivers on the promise. The story about two guys from opposite sides of the war forced to band together against a greater threat works quite well! What other critics are saying: There aren't many reviews for this one yet, so you'll have to take my word for it. If you're into low-budget stuff buoyed by great practical FX work and better-than-average performances, check it out. How to watch: Monster Island is now streaming on Shudder. Stream 'Monster Island' 🤔 But that's not all! The latest film from Wes Anderson is a decidedly silly one. Imagine the usual Andersonian look and feel, now with cartoonish violence, and a terrific performance from Benicio Del Toro at its center. I wrote more about it here. Now streaming on Peacock. This quietly profound indie about a baseball team playing their last-ever game functions as a metaphor about life and the eventual bitter end of the things we love. How can you not be romantic about baseball?! I wrote more here. Now streaming on Mubi. This horror flick based on a popular video game leans more Cabin in the Woods send-up than earnest horror, and fans of the genre will enjoy the way it plays with conventions. Now streaming on Netflix. Steve Coogan is sensational in this cute movie inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976 and how his life is transformed when he befriends a penguin. Streaming on Netflix July 26. This A24 movie starring Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd is a high-concept fantastical comedy that eventually turns into goofy horror. I found it insufferable, but, hey, it's on HBO Max now, so you're not paying for streaming on HBO Max. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Eddington,' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' 'M3GAN 2.0' and more: Your guide to this weekend's top movies to watch in theaters and at home
I haven't been able to get 'Eddington,' starring Pedro Pascal Joaquin Phoenix, out of my head. Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Brett Arnold, film critic and longtime Yahoo editor, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. This weekend, two wildly different wide releases are debuting in theaters: Eddington, a pandemic-set Western that's hard to categorize but falls somewhere between satire and thriller, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, a legacy sequel/reboot of the iconic franchise. Are they both worth the cost of a movie ticket (plus popcorn and a soda)? Eddington is one of those movies that sticks with you, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head. As for the other, well, keep reading. A few recent releases come home, too. There's the smash-hit How to Train Your Dragon remake and the absolute bomb that was M3GAN 2.0. Over on streaming services you may already be paying for, there's I Love You Forever, an indie comedy starring Cazzie David, daughter of comedy legend Larry David, on HBO Max, and The Assessment, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Alicia Vikander, on Hulu. Read on because there's something here for everyone! What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have 🎥 What to watch in theaters My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Most people go to the movies for escapism, to get away from the problems of the real world and the stresses of your personal life for just a couple of hours and watch some beautiful people on a huge screen. Eddington definitely delivers on the beautiful people part — it boasts an A-list cast featuring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler that makes it feel higher profile than Ari Aster's previous films (Hereditary, Midsommar) — but it's about as far from escapism as movies get. It's a politically-charged modern Western that takes the form of a violent confrontation for both its characters and the audience, forcing us to reckon with the collective mindf*** that was the summer of 2020, when COVID-19 entered our lexicon and lockdowns changed everything about our lives. Eddington depicts a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) that sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in the small town of Eddington, New Mexico. Phoenix's character doesn't want to wear a mask — he has asthma, and he says he can't breathe while wearing one — and decides to run for mayor to fight against local pandemic-era regulations that he finds overly burdensome. The plot is a cavalcade of culture war talking points from the era: mask mandates, ineffectual and hypocritical political leadership, shifting goalposts, opportunist conspiracy theorist grifters, "fake news," social justice warriors that are well-meaning but whose actions may be performative and influenced by ulterior motives and so much more. It's a satire that clocks the pandemic as the moment that we as a society lost all sense of community in the internet age as we're all siloed off in our own personalized little bubble worlds, stuck in echo chambers of our own choosing, thanks to social media algorithms and conspiracies pushed by people in the highest levels of power. It demonstrates how people now live in alternate realities within the same town, or even the same house, and how that can be corrosive, and how it's all getting worse and exacerbated by A.I., as data centers proliferate across the country, including the fictional Eddington, gobbling up human resources and further closing the gap between our real world and the digital one we inhabit. Despite the satirical bent — it's laugh-out-loud funny throughout, even when hitting easy targets — Eddington is quite earnest in its depiction of that time period and how it broke all of our brains, and how we're still very much living in the aftermath of it. Aster isn't offering any solutions here, and, more than anything else, it winds up being a deeply disturbing and upsetting character study about the type of person who might become radicalized by the state of the world and the insidiousness of the modern internet. He's an anxious person who has now repeatedly used his tableaus to explore those specific anxieties. As such, Eddington is ultimately a very paranoid and depressing movie, one that posits there may not be a way back, and that 2020 was the beginning of the end of an era, a point of no return, and that screens and technology will forever infiltrate and sow chaos in our lives. It all builds to a pulse-pounding and thrilling third act that sees the filmmaker trying out yet another genre. It's sure to be the most polarizing film of the year and should inspire intense reactions on both sides. Personally, I haven't stopped thinking about it, and despite my utter disinterest in films about the pandemic, it makes a great case that maybe we should all set aside some time to process what the hell happened. It's the feel-bad movie of the summer, but a must-see all the same! What other critics are saying: Polarizing is right! For every instance of praise, there's also a pan. Lindsay Bahr at the Associated Press wrote that the film "somehow seems both too late and too soon" and that it "feels like the last thing any of us need." Esther Zuckerman in the Daily Beast praised Phoenix's performance, adding, "While Eddington has a very starry cast, Phoenix is his anchor." How to watch: Eddington is now playing in theaters nationwide. Get tickets ➕ Bonus not-quite-a-recommendation: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) Why you should skip it: It's fitting that the legacy sequel for I Know What You Did Last Summer, a movie that is and always was a Scream knockoff that should always be mentioned in the same breath as that film, plays like a parody of the recent spate of horror legacy sequels, or remakequels, that we've endured in recent years. You likely already know the drill: a fresh-faced cast of young people are now facing off against a fisherman murdered in a rain slicker, and the circumstances basically mirror the original film with minor changes. To help stop the murders, the teens must team up with … you guessed it: Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. from the original movies. Madelyn Cline of Outer Banks fame is a rising star worth watching, but the returning older cast members all prove that maybe there's a reason they don't top-line movies anymore. I Know What You Did Last Summer is full of references to modern memes and pop culture staples — is this the first movie to reference Nicole Kidman's AMC ads? — in such a way that it feels even more like a Scream clone than it ever did. It also somehow already feels dated; Halloween (2018) did the true-crime podcaster thing, and it's not the only example. Worst of all, though, is it's poorly directed and awkwardly assembled, edited in such a jumpy way that the killer often seems to appear out of nowhere, with no coherence or any build-up whatsoever. It's truly amateur hour, so much so that a major climactic moment is absolutely botched and comes off incomprehensible. If you do see it, though, do stick around for the mid-credits scene, which features a Marvel-style character introduction and table setting for any future films that is definitely meant to be laughed at, but also reveals how utterly ridiculous and unserious this whole affair is, which would be fine if the movie were any fun or were competently made. What other critics are saying: It's no surprise that it's getting slaughtered. Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press wrote that "a relaunch makes sense but it's pretty vapid stuff until the OGs arrive." Though Jordan Hoffman, writing for Entertainment Weekly, argued that "clever moments" and "a sensational performance from Madelyn Cline" keep it afloat. How to watch: I Know What You Did Last Summer is now playing in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 💸 Movies newly available to rent or buy My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The live-action remake of the 2010 computer-animated film doesn't change a thing, to its benefit and its detriment. The original film's story is heartfelt and a crowd-pleaser, so it makes sense that the remake would also be heartfelt and a crowd-pleaser. Its problems are inherent to the animated-to-live-action-adaptation pipeline, in that it never really justifies its existence beyond "a new generation of children will want to see this and their parents will pay to do so." Place any sequence from the original side-by-side next to its live-action counterpart, and the animated sequence is more appealing every time. There's an expressive energy to the proceedings that's lost in translation, no matter how good the performances. The dragon-based action is so specifically ill-suited for live-action that they opt to make all the CGI-heavy action dark and indistinguishable! This likely won't bother your kids, though I do recommend starting with the animated versions if they're new to the franchise. It's a completely safe endeavor with no real creative risks taken, but "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a colloquialism for a reason. Though I do think it's time we get a congressional committee to investigate how all these "real" redos of animated movies are always somehow both exactly the same movie, yet also a half hour longer. What other critics are saying: I'm a curmudgeon, it turns out, as many critics were impressed with it. David Sims of The Atlantic wrote that he liked the new version about as much as its ancestor. "Both, to me, are above-average bits of children's entertainment that struggle with the same problems," he said/ The Hollywood Reporter's Lovia Gyarkye said it "honors the charm of the original. It's not an essential remake, but at least it's not an offensive one." How to watch: How to Train Your Dragon is now available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. Rent or buy ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: M3GAN 2.0 bombed so badly at the box office, Jason Blum, the CEO of Blumhouse, the company that made the movie, spent his Monday morning following its first weekend flop doing interviews and taking ownership for the movie's failure. The original grossed a surprisingly healthy $30 million opening weekend; the sequel barely cracked $10 million! 'We all thought M3gan was like Superman — we could do anything to her. We could change genres, we could put her in the summer, we could make her look different, we could turn her from a bad guy into a good guy. And we kind of classically overthought how powerful people's engagement was, really, with her,' he admitted. However, if you're aware that the movie is more of a comedic sci-fi spy adventure that's riffing on everything from Terminator 2 to Mission: Impossible and not a horror film at all like the original, you may have fun with it. It's certainly dumb, but it knows it. Had the movie not been an unreasonably lengthy two hours long, all the silliness would be easier to forgive What other critics are saying: It's a mixed bag! Mashable's Kristy Puchko declares that appealing to a broader audience killed the fun, calling it "a horrendous mishmash of ideas and influences" that's mostly "derivative, bewildering and bland." The Telegraph's Robbie Collins, however, had a great time with it, calling it "uproarious, if not especially scary" and that it leans into silliness "with infectious glee." How to watch: M3GAN 2.0 is now available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. Rent or buy 📺 Movies newly available on streaming services you may have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: I Love You Forever is a subversive romantic comedy gone wrong that follows a young woman into and out of an emotionally abusive relationship. It's an impressive debut from Cazzie David, daughter of Larry David, that feels honest, and the characters feel like real people, which is no easy feat when writing comedy. Given how funny the banter here is, it may feel like a wasted opportunity that it doesn't always lean into the comedy, but it's noble to depict a type of abusive relationship you don't often see in movies, and do so in a way that makes you understand and empathize with the lead's point-of-view. It's an indie gem, and Cazzie, who co-directed, co-wrote and co-stars in the film, stands out as particularly funny here. It also features fellow nepo baby Ray Nicholson, Jack Nicholson's son. What other critics are saying: They love it forever! Indiewire's Samantha Bergeson praised lead actress Sofia Black-D'Elia, writing that she's "ushering in a next generation of sarcastic, relatable, lovable stars. Black-D'Elia has an Emma Stone in Easy A vibe." Stephen Saito at Variety said that it's a "nifty" millennial rewrite of a rom-com, "finding a fresh take on a toxic relationship." How to watch: I Love You Forever is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream "I Love You Forever" ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: In a climate change-ravaged world, a utopian society optimizes life, including parenthood assessments. A successful couple, played by Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel faces scrutiny by an evaluator (Alicia Vikander) over seven days to determine their fitness for childbearing. It's bizarre, delightfully stupid and goes off the rails in ways I didn't see coming, frankly. The reasons why are best left unspoiled, but I'll say that Vikander's character takes a ... turn that is rather exciting and shocking, coming from an esteemed actress of her caliber. It's ultimately a bleakly funny satire about parenting. What other critics are saying: There are far more positive reviews out there than negative ones. Variety's Stephen Saito wrote that "the film may depict a society losing touch with humanity, but is unusually affecting when it shows no lack of it of its own." Robert Abele at the Los Angeles Times liked it, but said "it falters in bringing everything to the reverberating conclusion its discomfiting first two-thirds merits." How to watch: The Assessment is now streaming on Hulu. Stream "The Assessment" on Hulu 🤔 But that's not all! : Rami Malek stars in this film based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell, which was already adapted into a film in 1981. It's a simple revenge story you've seen a million times before, in which a boring and nebbish CIA analyst takes justice into his own hands to get revenge on those who killed his loved ones. There are moments here you'd confuse for a Saw movie, but it's not as exciting as that sounds, and is never as compelling as it should be. Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
11 new movies to watch this week: See 'Jurassic World Rebirth' in theaters, rent 'Thunderbolts*,' stream 'Sinners' on HBO Max and more
Hello, Yahoo readers! Film critic Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. With the holiday weekend approaching, it's a big week for movies, and I watched them all so you can plan your screen time wisely because the sun is calling! If you're looking to escape the summer heat by heading to the local cineplex where the air-conditioning is always on blast, consider catching Jurassic World Rebirth (F1, which I previously recommended and is dominating the global box office, is a great option too). For the homebodies, or those needing a flick to help drown out the sound of fireworks, there's plenty to choose from, including streaming debuts like Heads of State with John Cena and Idris Elba on Prime Video and The Old Guard 2 with Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman. Exciting recent releases like Marvel's Thunderbolts* and From the World of John Wick: Ballerina become available to rent or buy and vampire drama Sinners premieres on HBO Max. Phew, that's a lot — and I'm just getting started. Read on because there's something here for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Jurassic World Rebirth is a fresh start for the franchise, ditching the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard characters and swapping in Scarlett Johansson and a slew of other fresh faces, including Wicked's Jonathan Bailey, Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali and Rupert Friend. Johansson plays a mercenary hired by a pharmaceutical company to infiltrate an island full of prehistoric creatures and obtain DNA that could lead to medical breakthroughs. Sound familiar? David Koepp, the screenwriter of the original Jurassic Park film and its best and first sequel, The Lost World, returns to scripting duties here, and the movie harkens back to the adventure movie energy of the original trilogy. It also sneaks in some meta-commentary about how audiences may be tiring of these movies: there's a whole thread here about society moving on from dinosaurs, once a special thing that became less and less exciting the more prevalent they became in the world. As the characters traverse the island, the movie cycles through set pieces as fast as it does its obvious influences: a little Jaws here, some King Kong Skull Island antics there, sprinkle in some Temple of Doom for good measure. Director Gareth Edwards (2014's Godzilla, Rogue One) is known for his visual effects, and they look great here, even if you do ultimately feel the lack of the practical element that even the lame last movie, Jurassic World: Dominion, made sure to include. It's good fun, though, even if it never really makes a case for returning to this world other than "these movies all make a billion dollars each, easy." There's something nice about the fact that it has no grander ambitions than delivering a summer blockbuster that features exciting and tense sequences where humans must outrun and outsmart huge, monstrous dinosaurs, some of which are genetically modified to be even scarier! In short, Jurassic World Rebirth provides what you came for. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's an even split! Mark Kennedy from the Associated Press praises it as "superb," writing that the filmmakers, like the film's mercenaries, have the same mission: "Going back to the source code to recapture the magic of Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster original. They've thrillingly succeeded." Amy Nicholson at the Los Angeles Times, however, was not a fan, writing "the series itself has gotten so bored with the beasties that it continues to invent new ugly mutants." 👀 How to watch: Jurassic World Rebirth is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets Why you should watch it: If you've managed to avoid the meaning of the asterisk until now, congratulations, I won't ruin it for you here. I previously recommended Thunderbolts* when it hit theaters, writing at the time that "I couldn't believe the level of ambition I was seeing in a Marvel movie in 2025." 🍿 What critics are saying: With a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences love it, calling it a return to form for Marvel and the best film from the studio in a while. 👀 How to watch: Thunderbolts* is now available to rent or buy and will likely hit Disney+ in late August or early September. Rent or buy 🤔 But that's not all! I previously wrote of Ballerina, "whenever the movie is in hyper-violent action mode, it's a lot of fun. The problem is, that awesome action is almost entirely relegated to the final 45 minutes, which leaves about an hour and 15 minutes of laborious setup." It's still worth a watch for fans of John Wick, and the man himself does appear in the film, courtesy of pretty obvious reshoots. Rent or buy. This sequel to a straight-to-Netflix Liam Neeson vehicle from 2021 is not on Netflix but is available to rent or buy at home after a brief theatrical run. It's better than the average late-period Liam Neeson action flick yet very strange as a sequel to The Ice Road; it may as well be any old Neeson flick, the connection is so tenuous. Rent or buy. The filmmakers behind A24's hit horror film Talk to Me are back with another unsettling genre flick about a foster mother with a terrifying secret. The Philippou brothers again prove their ability to craft genuinely shocking moments, but this is pretty familiar or buy. This Scottish samurai-western, which I recommended when it was in theaters, is riveting and efficient. Actress Kōki stars as Tornado, a Japanese puppeteer's daughter who gets caught up with criminals when their traveling circus show crosses paths with an infamous gang of criminals. Rent or buy. Why you should watch it: With Sinners, Ryan Coogler took a huge swing — and knocked it out of the park, with a $364.5 million worldwide box office haul so far, making it one of the top-performing films of the year. Based on an original idea and starring Michael B. Jordan as twins, which he believably portrays as two distinct people, the movie is a period-piece gangster movie that patiently sets up the stakes of its story. The stakes, as I previously pointed out, just so happen to be that this is really a vampire movie, but disguised as a metaphor about the director's feelings on making art as a Black man in an industry that's eager to exploit his perspective. 🍿 What critics are saying: Sinners is one of the most popular films of the year, according to Rotten Tomatoes, scoring high with critics and audiences alike. As Michael Phillips at the Chicago Tribune said, this isn't your average vampire movie. 👀 How to watch: Sinners starts streaming on HBO Max on July 4th. Stream 'Sinners' Why you should watch it: Thank you, Amazon Prime, for keeping the big-budget comedy alive. Last month we had Deep Cover, which was unexpectedly funny and entertaining, and now we have Heads of State, another action-comedy with a super fun premise and A-list talent attached. Idris Elba plays the U.K. prime minister and John Cena plays the action-star-turned-U.S.-president, and the two men have a public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' "special relationship." But when they become targets of a ruthless foreign adversary, they must set aside their differences and begrudgingly rely on each other. It's typical mismatched buddy action-comedy fare elevated by the high-concept nature of its premise and the commitment to the bit by its leads, as well as co-star Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and a cavalcade of others including Paddy Considine, Jack Quaid and Carla Gugino. Director Ilya Naishuller (Nobody) does a great job with the action, usually a low point of movies like this, and the set-pieces are all exciting and inventive and laced with comedy in that Jackie Chan-esque way we all love, for lack of a better term. It's a shame we have to settle for watching this at home, as it would surely be a riot in a theater with a packed house, but it'll have to do! 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are more split than I am. Deadline's Pete Hammond laments that the movie lets "the explosions and gunplay take center stage in a movie where action-to-the-max is our filmmaker's mantra." The Hollywood Reporter's Caryn James calls it "sporadically diverting." 👀 How to watch: Heads of State starts streaming on Amazon Prime Video on July 4th. Stream 'Heads of State' 🤔 But that's not all! Charlize Theron returns in this sequel to Netflix's 2020 movie The Old Guard, and Uma Thurman joins the fun this time, though you may be surprised by how little she's actually in the movie despite being the main villain. Now streaming on Netflix. "Wannabe Coen Brothers" is its own thriving subgenre, and this is a perfectly OK one! A retired hitman's life is turned upside down when his ex-wife and son arrive unannounced during the holidays because they are on the run from his former mob associates. It's impressive that newcomer Miles J. Harvey stands out most among the A-list cast, which is absolutely stacked: Bill Murray, Pete Davidson, Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union and Lewis Pullman. Starts streaming on Hulu on July 4th. A dramatization of the real-life 1984 Press Your Luck game show scandal, in which a man went on a hot streak on the show but may not have been playing fairly. The movie is at its best before it reveals how he did it, frankly, and it runs out of steam from there. Paul Walter Hauser is great in the streaming on AMC+ on July 4th. That's all for now — we'll see you next week at the movies.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. As a film critic who hosts a podcast called Roger (Ebert) & Me, I watch it all so I can bring you recommendations you can trust, and this week there are tons of movies to put on your radar. 28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to 2003's 28 Days Later (which, hot tip, is available to stream on Pluto TV) arrives in theaters alongside Elio, the latest from Disney-Pixar in the kiddie sci-fi adventure genre. At home, recent hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and A24's Friendship are now available to rent. On streaming, A Minecraft Movie comes to HBO Max, and a couple of indie flicks worth your time land on Shudder and Paramount+ with Showtime. Read on because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: First things first: 28 Years Later is the start of a planned trilogy, a fact you'd never know unless you're extremely plugged into reading about movies online. The sequel is already shot and has a January 2026 release date. The third film has not yet been produced. The movie, disappointingly, is very much part one of three, feeling like an act one more than a cohesive and fully satisfying whole. An out-of-the-blue tonal shift button at the end is the only real indicator that there's more on the way, as the story of this movie pretty much ends, and there's an extra scene that teases something entirely different to come. There's plenty to praise here, though, despite that inherent disappointment in expecting a finished product and getting merely the start of one. The creative team behind the original film returns, with Danny Boyle in the director's chair, Alex Garland penning the script and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle doing incredible work and keeping up with the digital aesthetic that became synonymous with 28 Days Later by shooting the movie on modified iPhone 15s. The film takes place, well, 28 years after the rage virus began, and in that time the infected have evolved, but I won't spoil the sheer fun and horror of discovering these new variants. Like all good zombie flicks, it reflects on the era in which it was made, and there are obvious parallels here to real-world events like Brexit. It's hard to not think of the film as a response to the mass death we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a more thoughtful and somber film than some may be expecting, lighter on zombie action than its predecessors and more focused on domestic drama and acceptance of circumstances. It's surprisingly emotionally affecting by the third act, once Ralph Fiennes, the film's MVP, enters. Protagonist Alfie Williams, a child actor making his debut, is terrific too. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both feel more like plot conveniences than characters. It's a shame that the movie is undercut by the 'this is the start of a trilogy' of it all, because when it works, it's damned good, and Boyle is really back in top form. It's a terrific showcase for his heightened, damn-near experimental style. In short, it's still good but may not be the movie audiences are expecting. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are big fans of it. AP's Jake Coyle writes, "Buried in here are some tender reflections on mortality and misguided exceptionalism, and even the hint of those ideas make 28 Years Later a more thoughtful movie than you're likely to find at the multiplex this time of year." William Bibbiani at TheWrap agrees, writing that "the filmmakers haven't redefined the zombie genre, but they've refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead." 👀 How to watch: 28 Years Later is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... : The latest from Disney-Pixar arrives after a yearlong delay and a new creative team taking over the project, and the movie does show signs of tinkering. It's a story about a boy with dead parents who doesn't feel like he belongs on Earth, so he hopes to be abducted by aliens, which then happens. They mistake him for the leader of Earth, which he runs with. Despite the messiness that rears its head, mostly in the form of too many characters and subplots, it's imaginative and sweet in the way we've come to expect from Pixar, and it's fun to see the storied animation studio trafficking in sci-fi tropes that adults will recognize as references to classic films and kids will find new and exciting. It's a solid effort, but definitely not up there with the best of them. — Get tickets. :Another week, another Die Hard variant, this time it's a comedy-focused spin on the material starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and recent Oscar winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph. The premise here is 'Die Hard meets Bridesmaids,' with the action scenario unfolding at a wedding and the maid of honor being a secret agent, much to the surprise of the rest of the wedding party. It's not without a few laughs, but it's largely uninspired, and your mileage will vary depending on how funny you find Wilson. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Final Destination: Bloodlines was a box office success, making more than $273 million worldwide. Now that it's available to rent or buy at home, I hope even more people tune in. This movie is an absolute blast and finds a clever and fun way to retool the concept of the series. As I previously wrote, the bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly emotional send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes clear that the scene was written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' 🤔 If those aren't for you... I first recommended this movie when it hit theaters and now that it's available to watch at home, I stand by what I previously wrote: It's a silly movie that knows it, and it has a lot of fun getting as bloody as possible. — Rent or buy. A good old-fashioned horror flick — no irony to be found here, just pure commitment to its own spooky aesthetic — that mashes up A Nightmare on Elm Street with a more generic supernatural 'urban legend' flick. It's a cheap indie, but it has a great creature design, the backstory they've come up with is compelling, and there are several unsettling images throughout. It's solid!— Rent or buy. The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those who do appreciate his sense of humor rabidly anticipate his work. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him. It's funny throughout — if you find Robinson's antics amusing — and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time. — Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: This documentary about astronaut Sally Ride delves into an aspect of her life that was once hidden from public view. It's about her life with Tam O'Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years whose existence was only made known after Ride's death from cancer in 2012. The dramatizations of their relationship that occur in the film feel a bit off, but once you realize they're doing it because there's no documented evidence of their relationship, the tactic hits home. It's an enlightening doc about a fascinating subject. 🍿 What critics are saying: Lisa Kennedy at Variety notes that O'Shaughnessy's "candor here marries a spectacular professional saga with the personal love story convincingly." Caryn James at the Hollywood Reporter sums it up well: "Sally stands perfectly well without any fussy touches, as an important addition to the record of what we know about a pioneering cultural figure — in all her complexity, ambition and guardedness." .👀 How to watch: Sally is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'Sally' My recommendation: Why you should maybe watch it: I previously recommended A Minecraft Movie and what I thought then still stands: I am not the target demographic so I did not enjoy it but the movie is a huge hit and kids are going absolutely feral for it. Helmed by director Jared Hess, the man behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, it feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic about the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics gave it a 48%, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is 85%. The Atlantic's David Sims wrote that it's "the first genuine smash hit of the floundering 2025 movie season, and I exult in anything that's bringing young people to cineplexes, even if the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil." Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. .👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'A Minecraft Movie' 🤔 If that's not for you... Musician turned filmmaker Flying Lotus directed this derivative sci-fi horror flick that's all style over substance. If you've seen genre classics like The Thing, Alien or Solaris, or even something like Event Horizon, you've seen this movie, which plays like a mash-up of all of those films and more. It never transcends the fact that it's a love letter to other films to become its own movie, even if it has some striking visuals. Starring Eiza Gonzáles and Aaron Paul. — Now streaming on Shudder. Love Me couldn't be stranger: It's a love story set in a post-apocalyptic, human-free future, between a buoy and a satellite. The story spans billions of years as they learn what life was like on Earth, and the two sentient beings discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. It's easier to watch than it is to explain, and it stars Kirsten Stewart and Steven Yuen. — Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Stephen King's 'The Life of Chuck' in theaters, rent 'The Amateur,' stream 'Cleaner' on HBO Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. This week I was on vacation and still managed to see a bunch of movies — that's real dedication to this service I provide. I liked a lot of what I watched and think you will too, including The Life of Chuck, a new Stephen King flick with Oscar ambitions hitting theaters nationwide and the action flick Diablo, which is available to rent or buy at home. There's also not just one but two new movies worth watching that are debuting on streaming services you may already have: Echo Valley on Apple TV+ and Deep Cover on Amazon Prime Video. But that's not all — keep reading for more recommendations because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Life of Chuck isn't your average Stephen King adaptation. Based on a short story in the 2020 collection If It Bleeds, the film is a perfect match of filmmaker and material. and Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously adapted King's Gerald's Game and Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, his work — notably Netflix's popular The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor — often gets dinged for his saccharine approach and flowery dialogue. However, they feel like an asset here, honed to great effect. The gimmick of the story is that it follows an ordinary man's life but in reverse order, from act three to act one. In the process, we learn about his life, as well as the life he didn't live but might have enjoyed more. It may sound corny, but by the time act two hits, I was fully in the palm of the movie's hand and openly weeping, both in a sad way and in a revelatory, beautiful, life-affirming way. Saying any more would be a disservice to this very special and quietly powerful film, which is equally inspiring as it is deeply sad and depressing. It features Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan and Jacob Tremblay. 🍿 What critics are saying: They (mostly) love it! Shirley Li at The Atlantic wrote, "I fell for the film's earnest insistence that each of us has access to an inner world no one else can ever fully know; that message, as trite as it may be, is particularly touching because of its pointed delivery." Even a detractor like Time's Stephanie Zacharek said of the film's best scene that when in motion, The Life of Chuck "really is transcendent." 👀 How to watch: The Life of Chuck is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... Celine Song, in her sophomore effort following the critically acclaimed Past Lives, ups the star power with Dakota Johnson in a love triangle, of sorts, with Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. The movie doesn't live up to the emotional highs of her debut film and the message sticks to standard rom-com platitudes. After a wild tonal shift in the second act, the movie never recovers. Also, I expected a subversive element or a twist, but it never came. However, the cast makes the cost of a movie ticket worth it. I enjoyed seeing Evans act in a real movie again after years of Marvel and streaming fare and Johnson turned in one of her best performances. Pascal, as per usual, is effortlessly good. Ultimately, the script lets the actors down. — Get tickets. The trend of live-action remakes of animated classics continues, this time with Dreamworks's 15-year-old computer-animated How to Train Your Dragon, a franchise that is so successful it's spawned multiple sequels, a TV series and a section at Universal's new theme park. The main issue with this movie is that there's no real reason to do this particular story in live-action, save for the fact that it will make a boatload of money. It lacks the color and visual imagination on display in the animated version and looks way darker and murkier than it should. It's otherwise totally serviceable redux that's identical to the original storywise, yet somehow a full 30 minutes longer. Kids will love it. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: If the names Scott Adkins or Marko Zaror mean anything to you, you're well-versed in direct-to-video action and martial arts movies, in which case I don't need to sell you on this. If you're not: keep reading. Diablo has brutal hand-to-hand combat in which you feel every blow, exciting camerawork, kick-ass fight choreography and just enough of an engaging (but generic) story upon which the action can hang its hat. This doesn't seem like it's going to be the kind of movie that features a guy with a giant metal fist that's also a knife, and yet, there he is, killing a ton of people. It's insanely violent and over-the-top in the best way, a throwback to '80s action flicks, though it may go too far for some. 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews are pretty split. Travis Hopson agrees that "it does what it promises to do and that's deliver intense martial arts action from two of the best in the game." Robert Brian Taylor over at Collider pointed out that "it's surprisingly dark undertones stop it from rising much above" the baseline of fun you get from the fight scenes. 👀 How to watch: Diablo is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... : French filmmaker François Ozon, the man behind several notable films including 2003's Swimming Pool, directed this engrossing and darkly comedic thriller. It's quiet until it's not, packing quite a few surprises and sneaking up on you in the best way. — Rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video. Bonjour Tristesse: This new adaptation of playwright and novelist Françoise Sagan's iconic 1954 novel, which was previously adapted in 1958, stars Lily McInerny and Chloë Sevigny. What else do you need to know?! — Rent or buy on Apple TV+. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney elevate a script that, shockingly enough, isn't based on a mass-market paperback. The actresses play mother and daughter, with Moore's character exploring how far she'll go to protect her drug-addicted child. Their acting is quite emotionally affecting and tragic and the relationship dynamics on display are potent. The movie prioritizes lurid thrills over the stellar performances, including Domhnall Gleeson playing against type, yet it's still entertaining enough to recommend, even though it really fizzles out in the third act when it becomes a much dumber and different movie than what preceded it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's an even split. Variety's Peter Debruge wrote, "In the well-cast if frequently illogical offering from Apple TV+, Moore slyly elevates what could have been a routine protective-mama drama." William Bibbiani at The Wrap said that "it adds up to a potpourri of general genre genericness, never making enough noise to rattle, or even produce an echo." 👀 How to watch: Echo Valley is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream on Apple TV+ ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The premise of Deep Cover is "what if the CIA recruited comedians who specialize in improv instead of actual secret agents due to their unique set of skills?" It's a great set-up that provides plenty of fodder for comedy and the movie takes advantage of it, even if it lacks the energy and actual improvisational comedy you might expect from a movie about improv comedy. Orlando Bloom is hilarious here and absolutely steals the show playing a method actor whose overzealousness gets him into deeper and deeper trouble. Bryce Dallas Howard and Ted Lasso's Nick Mohammed score their fair share of laughs, too. The action is less interesting than the comedy, which is often true of these types of flicks, but thankfully, it's funny enough not to be a problem at all. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a rare unanimous 100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of publication time. Guy Lodge of Variety correctly noted that it's "shakiest, however, when it dips into straight-up action territory, often with a degree of violence that sits uneasily with the cheery comedy elsewhere." Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian said that "there are some laughs and it's always likable." 👀 How to watch: Deep Cover is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Stream on Prime Video My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Cleaner is another great example of the Die Hard but on a ... phenomenon, which I pontificated in a past entry. It's, hilariously, just "Die Hard in a high-rise building, but from the perspective of somebody cleaning the windows outside." As dumb as it sounds, the movie justifies these very silly circumstances well enough. Daisy Ridley in the lead really helps, as does Clive Owen in the Hans Gruber role. The stakes feel particularly high due to the bad guys' motivations, a group of environmental extremists taking matters into their own hands and there are some clever tricks deployed to maintain tension. Veteran action filmmaker Martin Campbell, whose credits include Pierce Brosnan's Goldeneye and Daniel Craig's first foray as James Bond in Casino Royale, directs with workmanlike efficiency. It's a sturdy and entertaining action that uses the familiarity of its story to its advantage. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a mixed bag. Tomris Laffly at Variety said that "the main attraction is Ridley, whose vigor and charisma are unmissable on a screen of any size. The force is strong with her." William Bibbiani at The Wrap gives it to us straight: "The long and short of it is, Cleaner is just OK. It's a three-star trip down 'Been There, Done That' lane, and it's reasonably entertaining." 👀 How to watch: Cleaner is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream on HBO Max 🤔 If that's not for you... There's some infectious energy and charm here, almost entirely thanks to star Rachel Zegler, who appears alongside many very ugly CGI creatures, hideous backgrounds and all the usual stuff you see in modern blockbusters. She does a ton to elevate the material and it's cute in its best moments. The CGI dwarves sounded like a bad idea on paper but work well in context and their lengthier rendition of 'Heigh-Ho' is a highlight. —Now streaming on Disney+. Liam Neeson has been on autopilot as of late, churning out old-guy action flicks at the same frequent pace that he has since Taken changed his career trajectory, but on a smaller scale, with lower budgets. They're easy to formulate: Liam Neeson is an aging [insert CRIMINAL or COP here] dealing with [debilitating and terminal memory-based illness]. That descriptor absolutely describes Neeson's 2022 flick Memory and it also fits perfectly here. It's pretty forgettable stuff. —Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
