Awesome Movies

(PG-13: Language) Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong lit up the comedy scene in the 1970s with their rock-and-roll approach to humor. This documentary/road movie dives into the pothead duo’s history, from their days in standup through their movie career and the end of their partnership. In theaters, it is 4.25.2025, with a special early showing on 4.20, naturally.

(PG-13) Each December, editor Sleepy Skunk creates an epic compilation of trailers to celebrate the year’s films. The 2024 edition includes moments from blockbusters like Deadpool vs. Wolverine, offbeat indie flicks like Hundreds of Beavers, creepy horrors like Late Night with the Devil. It also includes its share of big-budget flops like Argylle.

Neither a sequel nor a CGI-dominated superhero flick, the R-rated action-thriller Kraven The Hunter is the brutal standalone backstory of another Marvel villain. Kraven’s (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) ruthless gangster father (Russell Crowe) starts him down a path of vengeance, leading him to become one of the most feared hunters and anti-heroes. Drops 12.13.24.

From acclaimed animator and director Naoko Yamada (K-On!, The Silent Voice) comes a coming-of-age story told in music and colors. The Colors Within is about Totsuko, a high school student who sees colors around other people. Emotions rise and fall when she forms a band with new friends. Premieres 01.24.25.

A24 has become synonymous with hits, but The Brutalist looks like it’s going to be on another level. It stars Adrien Brody as an architect who survives the Holocaust and finds his way to America. Spanning decades of the protagonist’s life, the epic film clocks in at 4 hours. To which /Film effuses, ” I actually found myself wishing the film was even longer.”

(PG-13) “Everything dies.” Longlegs writer and director Osgood Perkins looks like he’s going for a more straightforward but no less horrifying film. The Monkey is a film adaptation of Stephen King’s eponymous award-winning short story from 1980, about a cursed toy monkey that causes everyone around whoever finds it to die. Premieres 02.21.25.

“…2+2, that’s it.” Sabrina. The Seven-Year Itch. Some Like It Hot. The Apartment. Writer and director Billy Wilder is behind some of the greatest American films. Much like the man himself, Every Frame a Painting forgoes fancy editing and dramatic narration to give us a snappy overview of what made Wilder’s films a joy to watch and think about.

(PG-13) “Hurt me? I think I have power over you.” Nicole Kidman stars as a CEO who discovers an unexpected side of herself when she gets into a steamy affair with her company’s new – and young – intern. We’re starting to think A24 doesn’t know what a Holiday movie is. And we’re all for it. Premieres, well, 12.25.24.

(PG-13: Language) Many houses seen in movies and TV shows are actual homes that normal people still live in. The upcoming series The House From… sees the homeowners of some of the most iconic residences talk about their touching, frustrating, and overall chaotic encounters with fans. Premieres 10.27.24 on the Maximum Effort channel.

(PG-13) “They loomed threateningly.” “Protesters?” “That’s what I thought too at first.” In this star-studded surreal comedy film, the members of the G7 bicker and flounder after getting lost in the woods in the middle of an unspecified global crisis. Starring Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, Takehiro Hira, and Alicia Vikander. Premieres 10.18.24.

“…there are bad guys, and there are worse guys.” Thunderbolts* sees Yelena, Bucky, and several other “villains” from previous Marvel movies and TV shows forced to work as a CIA team. If you absolutely don’t want spoilers, stay away from the internet until this drops on May 2025. Because one of these anti-heroes is way different from their peers.

Anna Kendrick stars and makes her directorial debut in this intriguing Netflix thriller. Woman of the Hour is loosely based on one of the exploits of convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala. In 1978, Alcala met aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw on a dating show. Unfortunately for her, he convinced her to go on an actual date with him. Premieres 10.18.24.

At first glance, you might think 2073 is just another science fiction movie about a post-apocalyptic future. But filmmaker Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna) created it as a speculative warning of what might happen to our world if we remain on our accelerating trajectory of hate, separatism, fascism, and wasteful behavior.

(PG-13: Language) “I’m never going to be smart, happy, or thin ever again.” Amy Adams stars as an artist turned housewife in this comedy drama. Based on Rachel Yoder’s eponymous novel, Nightbitch sees our heroine beaten down and disillusioned at her new life. As her mental state worsens, she becomes convinced that she’s turning into a dog. Premieres 12.2024.

From director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) comes an animated film based on Rohan’s legendary king Helm Hammerhand and his house’s clashes with the Dunlendings, almost 200 years before the original trilogy. Starring Brian Cox as Helm, Gaia Wise as Hera, and Luke Pasqualino as Wulf. Premieres 12.25.24.

Every Frame a Painting is back. The world is healing. Or not; they’re doing only a limited series, after all. But we’ll take it. Without much fanfare, YouTube’s OG film essay channel launches straight into the history, strengths, and weaknesses of the sustained two-shot – a film perspective where two characters stay in a single scene for a long time.