Admit One 8/20/21
Reminiscence (Theaters and HBO Max)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Clif Curtis, Marina De Tavira, Daniel Wu
Directed by: Lisa Joy
Plot: Nick Bannister, a private investigator of the mind, navigates the alluring world of the past when his life is changed by new client Mae. A simple case becomes an obsession after she disappears and he fights to learn the truth about her.
Rotten Tomatoes Freshness: 45%
Critic Consensus: “Although Reminiscence isn’t lacking narrative ambition, its uncertain blend of sci-fi action and noir thriller mostly provokes memories of better films”
The Night House (Theaters)
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis Hall, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin, David Abeles
Directed by: David Bruckner
Plot: Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together — but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband’s belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing — a mystery she’s determined to unravel.
RT Freshness: 87%
Critic Consensus: “Led by Rebecca Hall’s gripping central performance, The Night House offers atmospheric horror that engages intellectually as well as emotionally”
Paw Patrol: The Movie (Theaters and Paramount+)
Starring: Iain Armitage, Marsai Martin, Ron Pardo, Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian-West, Randall Park, Tyler Perry
Directed by: Cal Bruckner
Plot: Ryder and the pups are called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos.
RT Freshness: 90%
Critic Consensus: N/A
Demonic (Theaters and Digital/VOD)
Starring: Carly Pope, Chris Martin, Michael J. Rogers, Nathalie Boltt, Kandyse McClure, Terry Chen
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Plot: A young woman unleashes terrifying demons when supernatural forces at the root of a decades-old rift between mother and daughter are revealed.
RT Freshness: 12%
Critic Consensus: “Neill Blomkamp’s return to low-budget, high-concept filmmaking bungles some interesting ideas, adding up to another Demonic waste of the writer-director’s once-promising talent”
The Protege (Theaters)
Starring: Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, David Rintoul, Patrick Malahide, Ray Fearon, Robert Patrick, Ori Pfeffer
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Plot: Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody and trained in the family business, Anna is the world’s most skilled contract killer. But when Moody — the man who was like a father to her and taught her everything she needs to know about trust and survival — is brutally killed, Anna vows revenge. As she becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer whose attraction to her goes way beyond cat and mouse, their confrontation turns deadly and the loose ends of a life spent killing will weave themselves ever tighter.
RT Freshness: N/A
Critic Consensus: N/A
Rare Beasts (Theater and VOD/Digital)
Starring: Billie Piper, Lily James, David Thewlis, Leo Bill, Kerry Fox, Toby Woolf
Directed by: Billie Piper
Plot: Mandy, a nihilistic young writer and mother who, while navigating her dysfunctional family and misogynistic workplace, falls for Pete, a traditionalist searching for restored male identity.
RT Freshness: 67%
Critic Consensus: “Billie Piper’s admirably bold directorial vision isn’t quite enough to counter Rare Beasts‘ frustratingly shallow treatment of its weightier themes”
Sweet Girl (Netflix)
Starring: Jason Momoa, Isabela Merced, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Raza Jaffrey, Amy Brenneman, Adria Arjona, Justin Bartha, Michael Raymond-James, Lex Scott Davis
Directed by: Brian Andrew Mendoza
Plot: Devoted family man Ray Cooper, vows justice against the pharmaceutical company responsible for pulling a potentially life-saving drug from the market just before his wife dies from cancer. But when his search for the truth leads to a deadly encounter that puts Ray and his daughter Rachel in harm’s way, Ray’s mission turns into a quest for vengeance in order to protect the only family he has left.
RT Freshness: N/A
Critic Consensus: N/A
Flag Day (Theaters)
Starring: Dylan Penn, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Norbert Leo Butz, Dale Dickey, Eddie Marsan, Bailey Noble, Hopper Penn, Kathryn Winnick
Directed by: Sean Penn
Plot: Jennifer Vogel’s father John was larger than life. As a child, Jennifer marveled at his magnetizing energy and ability to make life feel like a grand adventure. He taught her so much about love and joy, but he also happened to be the most notorious counterfeiter in US history.
RT Freshness: 45%
Critic Consensus: “Flag Day benefits from powerful performances and a moving fact-based story, but it’s largely lost in the movie’s melodramatic din”