What to watch in theaters and at home this weekend April 19-21, 2024
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — It’s one of those topsy-turvy weeks where I’m certain that my favorite film was among the movies that I didn’t get to see. “The Beast” starring Léa Seydoux just checks off so many of my boxes. Future romance with different incarnations of the same two people entwined? Yes, please.
I did have the opportunity to watch “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” the new film by director Guy Richie. It’s based on real events but feels more like an action film than a historical drama. It’s perfectly enjoyable (albeit a little bloody). I would like to see a more traditional documentary if one exists.
I also spent some quality time with “Abigail,” a horror film with a twist completely revealed and ruined by its trailer. The performances are strong, there are some striking visuals, and some really good ideas that are undermined by the movie’s inability to decide if it wants to be campy or scary. You can do both. It’s difficult (and sometimes completely accidental). But “Abigail” feels like two versions of itself engaged in a tug of war that neither side has the energy or will to win. Sadly, there’s also nothing particularly original about the story. Not even the dancing. Still, fans of horror have sat through much worse.
Speaking of worse There seems to be a love/hate split for “Sasquatch Sunset.” I saw the film at the Sundance Film Festival because it was recommended by Festival Director Eugene Hernandez. I found it tedious. Unbearably tedious. There are many, like Hernandez, who enjoyed the film. I wish I found it as magical as others do.
Horror fans who have Shudder will want to give “Late Night with the Devil” a watch. It’s fantastic to see David Dastmalchian do something that feels out of his wheelhouse and pull it off with ease.
History buffs will want to watch Max’s “An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th.” I don’t think I’m up for it right now, I’ve hit my gloom quota for the month with “Civil War.” I’ll get to it.
I think I’ll also get to Netflix’s anime series “The Grimm Variations.” I love old fairytales. The way they are written with little restraint. Fear is a powerful thing. Younger audiences will likely prefer “Migration” as it makes its way to Peacock.
Here are trailers for those options and quite a few more. Have a pleasant weekend.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
Abigail (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.
The Beast (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely “erase” their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent “retribution.” Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates? Visually audacious director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent, Nocturama) fashions his most accomplished film to date: a sci-fi epic, inspired by Henry James' turn-of-the-century novella, suffused with mounting dread and a haunting sense of mystery. Punctuated by a career-defining, three-role performance by Seydoux, The Beast poignantly conveys humanity’s struggle against dissociative identity and emotionless existence.
Hard Miles (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: A strong-willed social worker at a youth prison assembles a cycling team of teenage convicts and takes them on a transformative 1000-mile ride. Inspired by the life of Greg Townsend and the Ridgeview Academy Cycling Team. This is the story of how these troubled young men found another gear.
Housekeeping for Beginners (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: Housekeeping for Beginners explores the universal truths of family, encompassing both the bonds we inherit and those we create. The narrative revolves around Dita, who, despite never aspiring to be a mother, finds herself compelled to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters—Mia, a tiny troublemaker, and Vanesa, a rebellious teenager. As their individual wills clash, a heartwarming story unfolds about an unlikely family's struggle to stay together.
Sasquatch Sunset (Theaters)
Studio Synopsis: In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches—possibly the last of their enigmatic kind— embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them. Starring Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg, acclaimed directors David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter) bring you the greatest Bigfoot story ever told.
Late Night with the Devil (Shudder)
Studio Synopsis: It’s October 31, 1977, and Johnny Carson's rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated late-night talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack’s wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware that he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America. Starring David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer) and Laura Gordon (Reckoning).
An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th (Max)
Studio Synopsis: The film looks at the surge in political violence through the story of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, showing the roots of anti-government sentiment and its reverberations today, along with the emotionally charged warnings of those who suffered tragic losses in the deadliest homegrown attack in U.S. history.
Conan O'Brien Must Go (Max)
Studio Synopsis: The series features the Emmy-winning host visiting new friends he’s met through his podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan,” where he dives deep with listeners from around the world. Making stops in Norway, Thailand, Argentina, and Ireland, O’Brien surprises some of his most memorable fans while also taking in local culture, cuisine, and sights.
CTRL+ALT+DESIRE (Paramount+)
Studio Synopsis: Terror grips a small Florida town when a mother, father and son are found gunned down in their home. The mystery deepens when 29-year-old Grant Amato, son and brother of the deceased, is named prime suspect.
The Grimm Variations (Netflix)
Studio Synopsis: Once upon a time, brothers Jacob and Wilhelm collected fairy tales from across the land and made them into a book. But there's more to the story. They also had a much younger sister, the innocent and curious Charlotte, whom they loved very much. One day, while the brothers were telling Charlotte a fairy tale as usual, they saw that she had a somewhat melancholic expression on her face. "Do you suppose they really lived happily ever after?" she asked.
The Jinx - Part Two (Max)
Studio Synopsis: THE JINX - PART TWO, a new six-episode continuation of the groundbreaking Emmy-winning documentary series "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst," from Andrew Jarecki, premieres April 21. In Part Two, the filmmakers continue their investigation for the next eight years, uncovering hidden material, Durst's prison calls, and interviews with witnesses who had not come forward until now. Available: April 21, 2024, followed by new episodes debuting weekly
Migration (Peacock)
Studio Synopsis: Illumination creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invite you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed original comedy, Migration. The Mallard family is in a bit of a rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids--teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen--the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica. As the Mallards make their way South for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry.
Orlando Bloom To The Edge, Season 1 (Peacock)
Studio Synopsis: Actor and adventure enthusiast Orlando Bloom embarks on a physical, mental and spiritual journey of self-discovery as he undertakes three extreme sports -- wingsuiting, free diving and rock climbing -- to push himself to the edge of what is possible. With family, friends and his spiritual Buddhist practice guiding the way, Orlando is trained by experts who help him overcome obstacles, face his fears and discover valuable lessons about himself.
Our Living World (Netflix)
Studio Synopsis: From the Emmy Award-winning team behind Our Great National Parks comes a revealing look at the secret network of connections that unites us all and sustains our planet’s most magical phenomenon: life itself. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett, this docuseries spans the globe to showcase the extraordinary creatures and ecosystems, great and small, that work together to help restore and sustain Our Living World.
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (Netflix)
Studio Synopsis: Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver continues the epic saga of Kora and the surviving warriors as they prepare to sacrifice everything, fighting alongside the brave people of Veldt, to defend a once peaceful village, a newfound homeland for those who have lost their own in the fight against the Motherworld. On the eve of their battle, the warriors must face the truths of their pasts, each revealing why they fight. As the full force of the Realm bears down on the burgeoning rebellion, unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge, and legends are made.
Tommy Guns (Kino Film Collection)
Studio Synopsis: Angolan-Portuguese director Carlos Conceição’s audacious and enigmatic Tommy Guns invokes the ghosts of Angola’s colonial past while embracing the symbolic power of genre filmmaking. The story begins in 1974, just one year before the country’s independence from decades of Portuguese rule. Wealthy colonists are fleeing the country as Angolan revolutionaries gradually claim their land back. A tribal girl discovers love and danger when her path crosses that of a Portuguese soldier. Another group of soldiers, completely cut off from the outside world, blindly follow the brutal orders of their commander in the name of serving their country. But nothing stays fixed in this genre-shifting cinematic puzzle, which playfully swerves from art house drama to war film to zombie flick to escape thriller with exhilarating control. Winner of Best European Film and the Youth Jury Award at the Locarno Film Festival, Tommy Guns has elicited comparisons to the work of Claire Denis, Miguel Gomes, and even M. Night Shyamalan, and announces a bold and exciting new voice in Portuguese and Angolan filmmaking.
The Upshaws: Part 5 (Netflix)
Studio Synopsis: Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps), the head of a Black working-class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family — wife Regina (Kim Fields), their two young daughters (Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine) and firstborn son (Jermelle Simon), the teenage son (Diamond Lyons) he fathered with another woman (Gabrielle Dennis) -- and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law (Wanda Sykes), all without a blueprint for success. But the Upshaws are determined to make it work, and make it to the next level, together. In this upcoming part, the Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family.