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“You know what he feeds on? Fear.”

Generic dialogue and lack of character depth kills the sometimes promising “ Sunrise ,” which works best when it has a grit that reminds one of the best vampire flicks of all time, “Near Dark,” but that doesn't happen nearly enough. Once again, we’re in a dark corner of the world, a place where hate is allowed to grow, and not all of the monsters are supernatural. The best elements of “Sunrise” play with that latter idea, arguing that racism and violence are more terrifying than bloodsuckers, but the film too often feels like the story of a MAGA monster and the brutality he inflicts on an immigrant family onto which a vampire story was unsuccessfully grafted. It tries to pull at various threads about outsiders being pushed out of a place that used to welcome them, but it’s blunt when it needs to be nuanced and opaque when it could stand to spell a few things out. This is an extremely self-serious dirge of a movie with a sharp performance from Guy Pearce , but no idea what to do with him or the decent ideas it has under its surface.

Pearce is so consistently good in any genre, and he sinks his teeth (get it?) into the role of Reynolds, a character introduced with a string of racial slurs. In his best scene, he gives an impassioned speech about how men used to work the soil and defend the country. Pearce nails a certain kind of miserable villain, a woe-is-me type who blames everyone else for his problems and takes with force anything he thinks some sort of higher power has granted him as a white male. He’s not just racist and violent, he’s kind of pathetic, and Pearce really gets at that aspect of Reynolds, someone who wants to “make America great again” mostly because he knows that the current one has no use for men like him.

Of course, men like Reynolds are threatened by the very existence of an immigrant family in town named Loi, and the first scene centers this conflict between his family and the Lois as the villain spews hatred at the patriarch ( Chike Chan ). His son Edward ( William Gao ) is bullied in school and Edward’s mother Yan ( Crystal Yu ) fights for survival. They end up guardians of the most brooding stranger in cinema in ages named Fallon ( Alex Pettyfer ), who turns out to be a creature of the night with an old grudge against Reynolds. Pettyfer mopes his way through “Sunrise” with an underwritten character who consists mostly of foreboding glares into the distance and pregnant pauses designed to create tension but really just draw attention to themselves.

“Sunrise” is a film that fails so thoroughly at building momentum that I was startled to realize it was nearing its end. There’s one strong performance here but nothing else to hold onto in a film that never comes together thematically or narratively. (It doesn’t help that the whole thing looks way too great with over-done lighting and a notable lack of the kind of tactile depth this genre flick needs for it to work). It’s a film that has so many ideas that feel half-baked, and so regularly feels like it’s a short script being stretched out into feature length. It’s a movie that literally vamps to get to the closing credits.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film Credits

Sunrise (2024)

Guy Pearce as Reynolds

Alex Pettyfer as Fallon

Olwen Fouéré as Ma Reynolds

Crystal Yu as Yan Loi

William Gao as Edward

Kurt Yaeger as Gillespie

Richard Pettyfer as Sam Johnson

Forrest Bothwell as Petrie

Riley Chung as Emily

Chike Chan as Mr. Loi

• Andrew Baird
• Ronan Blaney

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Instead, she's coaching her husband Art Donaldson, remarkably played by Faist, who scored onstage in "Dear Evan Hansen" and on screen as Riff in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story."

Art is on a losing streak, which prompts Tashi to set up a Challengers match with Patrick (a standout O'Connor, an Emmy winner as Prince Charles in "The Crown"), who was once Art's best friend and Tashi's lover.

Complications ensue, but not in the straight ahead way you think.

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For instance, the film begins and ends with a tennis match that pits Art and Patrick against each other while Tashi watches and the camera (kudos to the stunningly kinetic artistry of cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and editor Marco Costa) practically does somersaults to catch every point of view, including that of a tennis ball with a life all its own.

Guadagnino and gifted newbie screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, driven by a dazzling score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, prefer mad jumble as their default mode.

The whiplash is worth it, especially for a flashback to Tashi invading a hotel room shared by the boys and sparking a puppyish threeway that ends with Art and Patrick making out and Tashi smiling wickedly.

As Tashi teasingly says, "I'm taking such good care of my little white boys."

The scene is pure Guadagnino, R-rated carnality that is less graphic than bursting with teasing sexual tension done for frisky laughs and drama-fueled insights into the trio's dynamics 13 years into the present. The action carries over onto the courts where relationships are delineated through every smash and volley.

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In no way does "Challengers" take the conventional route. There are things to like and loathe about all three of the manipulative main characters. And yet, Guadagnino draws us to them, letting us see how they only feel in the game when they're gaming each other.

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The actors nail every nuance in their roles. Faist finds glints of genuine vulnerability in Art's futile attempts to pin down the quicksilver diva that is Tashi. And O'Connor, juggling Patrick's attraction to both Tashi and Art, makes his struggle the life of the film.

You won't be able to take your eyes off Zendaya. After supporting roles in epic special-effects franchises from "Spider-Man" to "Dune," Zendaya -- now 27 -- seizes her leading role and rides it to glory like the true movie star she is.

It's this director and these actors who make this routine romantic fluff feel thrillingly fresh and exuberantly young and alive, like something out the French New Wave that breezed in last century. The odds are that "Challengers" is going to leave you breathless. Game on.

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Entertainment, entertainment | zendaya tennis movie ‘challengers’ scores at weekend box office.

Zendaya, a cast member in “Challengers,” poses at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

From left, Josh O’Connor, Zendaya and Mike Faist, cast members in “Challengers,” pose together at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

American actress Zendaya poses for photographers during a photo call for the film ‘Challengers’, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Zendaya attends a photo call for the film ‘Challengers’ at the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole).

Zendaya poses for photographers photo call for the film ‘Challengers’ on Thursday, April 11, 2024 in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Zendaya poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Challengers’ on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in London. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O’Connor in a scene from “Challengers.” (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures via AP)

This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Zendaya in a scene from “Challengers.” (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures via AP)

The sexy tennis drama “ Challengers ” won the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

“We’re obviously very, very happy with the number,” said Kevin Wilson, who heads theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. “Looking at the audience who showed up, it’s really encouraging. It’s not the easiest audience to get to theaters.”

Women made up 58% of ticket buyers, who also skewed younger overall: 41% were between the ages of 18 and 24.

Ticket sales from large format screens, including IMAX, made up about 40% of the opening weekend grosses. According to PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of audiences said they went to see the film because of Zendaya. In fact, this weekend, Zendaya movies accounted for around 26% of the overall box office with the re-release of “ Dune: Part Two ” in IMAX, which made nearly $2 million.

The 27-year-old actor has been part of some of the most successful franchises of the last few years, including the “Spider-Man” and “Dune” movies. In both cases those were supporting roles in massive brand-name properties, but her eye-catching red carpet looks also often make headlines. “Challengers” would be the first real test of her ability to “open” a film on her own star and MGM and Amazon were not going to risk doing it without her.

The studio had originally planned to release “Challengers” in the fall of 2023, with a picturesque launch at the Venice Film Festival. But when the actors went on strike last July, the studio made the decision to scuttle the festival premiere and move the film to this weekend when they could safely assume the strike would be resolved. Zendaya sported many tennis-themed looks, styled by Law Roach, for her appearances.

“It would be hard to argue that we should have released this movie when she wasn’t able to support,” Wilson said.

He gave special credit to the studio’s publicity and marketing teams for orchestrating a world tour that resulted in several viral fashion moments.

Reviews have been largely positive for the R-rated movie, which teases a steamy and competitive love triangle between the tennis players. It currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and got a B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences.

Guadagnino’s last film “ Bones and All ,” starring Zendaya’s “Dune” co-star Timothée Chalamet made $15.2 million in its entire run. By mid-week, “Challengers” expected to surpass “Call Me By Your Name” ($18 million) to become Guadagnino’s highest grossing film.

For Amazon MGM Studios, the value also extends beyond the box office driving a “downstream value” for Amazon, including when “Challengers” eventually makes its way to Prime Video.

“I’ve always believed that theatrical is the best way to launch some of these films,” Wilson said. “When this thing gets to Prime Video, it’s obviously going to perform at a level that would be much greater than had it just gone directly to the platform. Theatrical is only a piece of it.”

Second place went to the faith-based film “Unsung Hero,” which made an estimated $7.8 million from 2,832 locations. It’s based on the true story of the Smallbone family, and the rise of their children Rebecca St. James, and sons Joel and David (for KING + COUNTRY) in the country music scene. Joel Smallbone directed, co-wrote and portrays his father David.

The Lionsgate film, which was made for only $6 million, scored a rare A+ CinemaScore and has a 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critic’s score is a much more tempered 58%. Audiences were overwhelmingly female (69%) and over 25 (91%).

Third place went to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” with $7.2 million in its fifth weekend. In fourth place, A24’s “Civil War” also added $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $56.2 million. And rounding out the top five was the horror movie “Abigail” with $5.3 million.

“April of 2024 provided an opportunity for interesting, innovative and critically acclaimed films to be at the top of the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “It was a great month for moviegoers looking for something beyond the typical summer blockbusters.”

The box office might not compare to last year when “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was still dominating, but Dergarabedian said establishing audience goodwill is important as well.

Next weekend the summer movie season kicks off with the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy “ The Fall Guy .”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Challengers,” $15 million.

2. “Unsung Hero,” $7.8 million.

3. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $7.2 million.

4. “Civil War,” 7 million.

5. “Abigail,” $5.3 million.

6. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” $3.9 million

7. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $3.6 million.

8. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $3.3 million.

9. “Dune: Part Two,” $2 million.

10. “Boy Kills World,” $1.7 million.

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What to Watch This Weekend: An Experiment from Comedy Weirdos

Perhaps you would enjoy “Knuckles,” a Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff that outpaces its origin story.

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By Esther Zuckerman

What if I told you that midway through “Knuckles,” the new Paramount+ limited series based on the character from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, there’s a mini rock opera featuring vocals from Michael Bolton? If that piques your interest, then you will find many things to enjoy in this show, which frequently feels less like an exercise in I.P. expansion and more like an experiment from comedy weirdos. There’s some strange sauce at work in “Knuckles,” which makes it overcome its crassly commercial origins to feel like a worthwhile watch for those in need of a quick and zany distraction.

At its core, “Knuckles” is a spinoff of the two “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies about a blue alien who can go fast. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (2022) introduced Knuckles, a bright red echidna, sometimes called a spiny anteater, voiced by Idris Elba, who starts out as Sonic’s foe but turns out to be an ally. You don’t actually really need to know much of anything about the “Sonic” movies or Sega video games to enjoy “Knuckles,” however. There’s occasionally mention of Sonic lore, but it just serves as a backdrop to a bizarre buddy comedy.

“Knuckles” finds the titular character teaming up with Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), a lowly deputy sheriff of the town where Sonic and his pals reside. Wade wants to win a bowling tournament. The deadpan Knuckles believes his quest worthy and promises to turn Wade into a “warrior.” (The theme song is Scandal’s very catchy “The Warrior” from 1984.)

So, yes, “Knuckles” is mostly about a man and an animated egg-laying mammal with super strength venturing from Montana to Reno in order to bowl. Along the way they are pursued by some bad guys (Scott Mescudi, a.k.a. the rapper Kid Cudi, and Ellie Taylor) who want to trap Knuckles, but they also stop to have Shabbat dinner at Wade’s childhood home. There, Wade’s mother, played by Stockard Channing, teaches Knuckles about Judaism and the filmography of Julia Roberts.

And then there’s the “low-budget rock opera,” directed by Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone, in which Wade enters a musical dream sequence dressed as Knuckles in a fuzzy mascot suit. He is accompanied by a chorus of dancing owls led by Julian Barratt of the British comedy group the Mighty Boosh. It’s a deeply absurd episode that feels right in line with the rest of Taccone’s work, especially the underrated film “Hot Rod” (2007).

Created by John Whittington and Toby Ascher, “Knuckles” has a shockingly deep well of comedic talent. It features Edi Patterson, who is just as funny here as she is on “The Righteous Gemstones,” as Wade’s ornery sister, as well as Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel as a pair of sports announcers. Cary Elwes eventually shows up as a smug, tea-sipping bowling champ.

Pally, however, is the wry anchor of the show. Elba gives all of his line readings hilarious gravitas, while Pally seems to wink at just how silly it all is. It’s a ridiculous combination that shockingly does the trick.

Side quests

If you’re taken with Pally, I highly recommend checking out his work in the beloved but canceled-too-soon sitcom “Happy Endings,” streaming on Hulu. Also, if you can find clips of it, seek out the time he guest hosted “The Late Late Show” in 2015 with Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic, during a snowstorm . It’s chaos at its finest.

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‘Sunrise’ Review: A Bland Horror Story With A Chilling Atmosphere

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To be successful, a movie must captivate its audience on some level. When I watched Andrew Baird’s  Sunrise , I kept waiting for that to happen. I waited. And waited. But the film never reaches the point of being compelling. A rough screenplay, glacially paced narrative progression, and the lack of any captivating characters make this picture a chore to endure.  

The proceedings follow Yan Loi ( Crystal Yu ) and her two children, Edward (William Gao) and Emily (Riley Chung). They left their homeland for a rural town in the Pacific Northwest and have endured nothing but persecution since their arrival. When an injured drifter called Fallon (Alex Pettyfer) shows up at their home, Yan Loi takes him in. As he convalesces, the family begins to wonder if the man may be a mythical forest demon called The Red Coat. 

As I previously mentioned, the film never pulled me in. Some of that likely has to do with the absence of a dynamic protagonist. Deep into the picture’s runtime, I couldn’t conclusively say who the main character was supposed to be. Ronan Blaney’s screenplay splits the focus between numerous characters. The narrative bounces around between Yan Loi and her children, Fallon (in both the past and present), a racist demagog called Reynolds (Guy Pearce), Reynolds’ ailing mother (Olwen Fouéré), a couple of Edward’s classmates, and a few additional tertiary characters that don’t add much to the proceedings. 

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Those issues are made worse by the edit. Just as one piece of the story becomes the least bit captivating, the narrative pivots to another character. Had the various storylines been presented in larger blocks of time, the audience may have had a better chance to warm to them. 

As a function of the ever-shifting focus and frenetic editing, the characters come across as severely underdeveloped. We learn very little about Yan Loi and her children and aren’t told much more about Fallon. In fact, I don’t think I knew his name until around the one-hour mark. 

On the performance side of things, I can safely say that none of the showings are terrible. Guy Pearce is fully committed and even reaches the point of being compelling on occasion. But that cannot be said of the entire cast.

One scene in particular stood out to me as a missed opportunity. When Yan Loi discovers the family dog has been killed, her reaction feels out of step with the horror she is enduring. I know her character is quite familiar with loss. We are made very aware of that. But it’s not about appearing jaded by grief and numb to the pain. It’s that her performance isn’t convincing enough to make the ordeal feel real. She wears a pained expression and makes muffled crying noises but that’s not enough to make her pain palpable to the viewer. And that’s a shame because this is a film where I already felt a disconnect from the characters. So, to deprive us of the chance to relate to one of them on a visceral level seems like a missed opportunity. 

Also Read: ‘Your Monster’ Sundance 2024 Review: A Monstrously Good Time

I finally felt a connection to Yan Loi as she recounted losing her mother and the hardships she and her family have endured since coming to the States. Her grief is more believable at that point. But that transpires well into the second act. That’s too late in the game for a primary character to feel accessible for the first time. 

Shifting gears a bit, I have to give credit to Baird for effectively establishing a cold and foreboding atmosphere. That pairs well with the thematic elements related to the horrors of being othered. We see bits of that with the way Yan Loi and her family are treated as scourges by the locals. But that piece, like many other aspects, feels a bit underdeveloped. 

If I’d felt a stronger connection to the core characters, I may not have come away feeling like that bit was lacking. But it’s tough to fully connect with the messaging when you don’t connect with the characters. 

All things considered, I would say that  Sunrise  isn’t a terrible film. It does some things reasonably well. We get a good showing from Guy Pearce and the atmosphere is effectively rendered. But the narrative is too scattered and I never felt like I could truly relate to any of the leads. 

If you’re interested in checking  Sunrise  out for yourself, you can find the film in theaters and on digital today. 

The absence of any compelling characters hinders ‘Sunrise’ throughout its brief runtime.

Categorized: Reviews

Provocative ‘Civil War’ prevails at the box office in its second weekend

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Alex Garland’s “Civil War” fended off incursions from new movies to retain its box office title for the second weekend in a row.

The provocative film, from independent A24, is expected to generate about $11.1 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada through Sunday, bringing its total domestic box gross to $44.9 million, according to Comscore.

The R-rated dystopian thriller, also written by Garland, stars Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny and Wagner Moura as journalists in a near-future time struggling to cover deadly urban warfare on U.S. soil, as California and Texas unite to take down a president who has given himself an unconstitutional third term.

Universal Pictures’ “Abigail,” the R-rated horror tale about a monstrous 12-year-old ballerina battling her captors, made a splash as it came in a close second to “Civil War” with an estimated $10.2 million at the box office, according to Comscore. It opened in 3,384 locations.

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Starring Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny as journalists chronicling a war at home, writer-director Alex Garland’s action film provokes a shudder of recognition.

April 11, 2024

Comscore estimated the overall total box office haul for the three-day window would reach $65.4 million. Year-to-date, the box office slump continues with an estimated $1.98 billion in domestic ticket sales, down 19% compared with 2023.

Last weekend, “Civil War” opened with an estimated $25.7 million in ticket sales from the U.S. and Canada, which exceeded industry expectations. The strong showing marked the biggest domestic opening weekend for an A24 movie since the company’s founding 12 years ago. With a reported $50 million budget, “Civil War” is A24’s most expensive movie ever. The movie played in 3,929 theaters.

A24’s movies include best-picture Oscar winners “Moonlight” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and other standouts including, “Hereditary,” “Lady Bird” and “Uncut Gems.”

Last weekend, “Civil War” toppled Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong,” which had held the top spot for two weekends. This weekend, “Godzilla x Kong,” is expected to come in third place with $9.5 million in ticket sales for a domestic total of $171.6 million through four weekends.

Two other new releases planted their flags. Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” from Lionsgate, was projected to finish the weekend in fourth place with an estimated $9 million. Sony Pictures/Crunchyroll’s “Spy x Family Code: White” should generate about $4.9 million, placing fifth for the weekend.

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Meg James is a senior entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times. She was the lead reporter for The Times’ coverage of the deadly “Rust” shooting on a New Mexico film set in 2021, work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize board as a finalist in breaking news. A member of the Company Town team for two decades, James specializes in covering television, corporate media and investigative projects. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University.

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Zendaya dominates box office with ‘challengers’ and ‘dune: part 2’.

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Zendaya dominates this weekend box office with her new film Challengers and a resurgence in Dune: Part Two on an otherwise quiet weekend at the box office — which comes before the May kickoff of the summer movie season next week.

Josh O'Connor and Zendeya star in "Challengers"

Challengers offers an adult entry into a marketplace dominated lately by franchises and blockbusters, and it also serves as splendid date-night material for young-adult couples who could help it land at the higher end of estimates. Factor in the Zendaya fanbase, and Challengers should finish somewhere between $12-17 million domestic.

International is harder to call, but with most major markets opening this week and weekend, Challengers should see somewhere around $25-30 million global this weekend, which isn’t bad against a budget in $50 million territory. Additional territories including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Ukraine are just around the corner when May gets underway.

Challengers-Dune Team-Up?

The Zendaya fanbase also has another chance to catch Dune: Part Two in IMAX before it leaves theaters. The sci-fi sequel pairing Zendaya with Timothée Chalamet gets a revival on the premium format this weekend, taking over 200 IMAX screens even as its overall theatrical footprint continues to recede. Dune: Part Two is eyeing somewhere around $1.5 million this weekend.

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I’m surprised that there hasn’t been some cross-promotional push around Zendaya in the marketing, frankly, since Warner Bros. Discovery is distributing Challengers internationally and is a partner with Legendary Pictures on the Dune franchise. Ads promoting this as the weekend for fans to catch both Zendaya films together at the end of spring, and leaning into date-night framing, might’ve provided an extra box office boost.

That’s the sort of pairing I wrote about recently as helping the first quarter of 2024 overperform, and setting the stage for a summer movie season kicked off with a pairing of The Fall Guy on May 3 and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on May 10.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and The Fall Guy are second- and third-tier franchises, respectively, so they admittedly don’t pack the top-tier punch of the usual Marvel releases we’ve grown accustomed to seeing as the first blockbusters of summer. However, they can combine to provide enough steady traffic to theaters while strong holdovers — especially with proper cross-promotion, hint-hint — also help do added duty to stem some of the box office bleed this year.

Which is also the sort of opportunity currently available when you’ve got some nice counterprogramming like Challengers — an adult drama with a bit of an almost-thriller feel, sexy and boundaries-testing, headed by a popular star who also has a blockbuster still in theaters.

Regardless, Challengers isn’t going to be another blockbuster, but it also probably won’t be another disappointment either. It should do well enough that secondary markets make it plenty profitable enough.

Likewise, Dune: Part Two won’t be soaring all the way to the top of the weekend box office charts even with its return to IMAX, but the film is about to top $700 million worldwide and still in the domestic weekly top-10 after two months of release due to remarkably small weekly declines (less than a 1/3 drop last weekend).

Notable Holdovers

Elsewhere, Civil War should ease to about $5-6 million stateside this weekend, but could wind up beat by horror Abigail . The two were neck and neck last weekend, finishing with Civil War the victory by less than $1 million.

Both of those films could be bested by the MonsterVerse team-up Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , if this other Legendary-WBD collaboration falls less than 40% again. This weekend should see the kaiju sequel stomping toward $510 million.

Somewhere in that mix, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare will stake out perhaps $5 million, after a soft $11 million domestic bow but potentially aided by an A- audience grade via Cinemascore, which puts it ahead of both Civil War (B-) and Abigail (B). I wouldn’t be surprised to see it hold better at $6 million or so, but the overall disinterest from audiences suggests it won’t linger long.

Most interesting of these holdovers is Kung Fu Panda 4 . Last weekend — the film’s seventh in release — the animated sequel enjoyed a fantastic 85% North American hold and 68% international hold, grossing $20 million in total receipts.

Those sorts of holds have carried Kung Fu Panda 4 to $485 million heading into weekend #8, so it could pass the $500 million mark this weekend. I fully expect it to celebrate that victory by close of business Sunday.

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3 underrated Netflix movies you should watch this weekend (April 26-28)

Does sex still sell at the multiplex? We’ll find out this weekend when Challengers , a steamy new drama starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, premieres in theaters nationwide. The movie’s proven to be a hit with critics so far, so maybe some moviegoers will be in the mood to watch a love triangle set on the tennis courts in New Rochelle, New York.

Scoop (2024)

Apollo 13 (1995), first knight (1995).

For those who prefer to stay at home for their entertainment, Netflix is usually the go-to option for almost every genre imaginable. This weekend, we’ve queued up three movies worthy of your time and attention. One is a new 2024 thriller about an interview gone wrong, and the others are two 1995 movies that still hold up after nearly three decades.

Need more recommendations? Read our guides to the best movies on Hulu , the best movies on Amazon Prime Video , and the best movies on HBO . 

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How can a movie about an hour-long BBC interview possibly be thrilling? That’s the question I asked as I started to watch Scoop , and within the first five minutes, it was answered in the affirmative. Scoop is a dynamic, compulsively watchable movie  that probes issues of wealth, power, and privilege, and is told through the lens of a media industry in need of the next big story to stay alive in an increasingly cutthroat environment.

Scoop depicts the events leading up to and the aftermath of a disastrous interview Prince Andrew gave to BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, who asked the British royal about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had just killed himself in jail before the interview took place. Why would the notoriously press-shy Andrew be willing to talk? The movie lays out the answer in deliberate, exacting detail, and the thumping score and energetic, sassy lead performance by Billie Piper keep you hooked until the very end.

Scoop is streaming on Netflix .

April 26 is officially known as “Alien Day,” which celebrates the sci-fi franchise that typically features Sigourney Weaver and a bunch of slimy aliens. The first movie’s famous tagline, “In space no one can hear you scream,” has been lampooned countless times, but it could’ve also been used to market Apollo 13 , the excellent Ron Howard-directed drama that depicts the all-too-real terror of the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission that nearly killed astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise.

Tom Hanks , Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton play Lovell, Swigert, and Haise, respectively, and half the movie naturally takes place in outer space, which is connivingly replicated with mid-1990s special effects that still hold up. But it’s the other half of the movie, which depicts the events leading up to the space flight and how Mission Control helped bring the shuttle home, that makes Apollo 13 truly remarkable. Kathleen Quinlan, as Lovell’s wife, Marilyn, and Ed Harris, as NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz, were Oscar-nominated for their great supporting performances, and they keep the movie grounded (pardon the pun) even when it’s focused on the drama unfolding in the stars above.

Apollo 13 is streaming on Netflix .

Less heralded, but still worth a watch, is another 1995 movie, First Knight . When it was released, the Jerry Zucker-directed movie had to combat snickers over the casting of Richard Gere as Lancelot as well as the long shadow cast by John Boorman’s superb 1981 movie, Excalibur , which also tackled the King Arthur legend. Time has been kind to First Knight , and that’s due in part to the many subpar adaptations that have since been made of the infamous love triangle involving King Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere.

It helps that Sean Connery (famously known as James Bond , of course) plays Arthur with a characteristic blend of charisma and bluster that defines many of his late-career performances. He doesn’t have much chemistry with Julia Ormond’s winsome, fidgety Guinevere, but her attraction to Gere’s Lancelot is believable, and the movie is directed with a steady, invisible hand that lets you enjoy the simple yet effective plot. The late Ben Cross, as the villainous Malagant, sneers magnificently, and the score by Jerry Goldsmith sweeps you along like one of Lancelot’s embraces.

First Knight is streaming on Netflix .

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Things are admittedly slow on Amazon Prime Video during the final weekend of April. Fortunately, the martial arts action comedy Polite Society should be able to bring you some excitement this weekend. Romantic comedy fans can also check out How to Date Billy Walsh, a film that has entered the list of the top 10 most popular movies on Prime Video.

If neither of these films are for you, don't worry. This roundup of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video has something for just about everyone. And on May 1, a whole new batch of movies will arrive, with even more to come as we inch closer to summer.

The days are running out for April, and if you're a Hulu subscriber, that means some of the streamer's best movies are on their way out the door. And because many of the movies leaving Hulu in April are from outside studios, there's no guarantee that they'll be back in the future.

Since there's less than a week left in April, there's really only one solution: Make time for the movies that you want to see. To help you make you're plans, we're sharing our list of the five great movies leaving Hulu in April that you have to watch before the end of the month. Stand by Me (1986)

May 1 is less than a week away, meaning Netflix will be removing numerous movies from its library. Notable titles leaving at the end of April include Joker, Todd Phillips' Oscar-winning origin story for DC's most notorious villain; Apollo 13, Ron Howard's terrific drama about the failed moon mission; and Whiplash, Damien Chazelle's sensational thriller about a jazz drummer's pursuit of excellence.

And there are even more great movies leaving Netflix in April. Our selections include a revolutionary sci-fi action film from the 1990s, a hilarious comedy featuring a terrific duo, and a musical biopic about an icon. Carve out some time to watch these three movies by May 1. Jurassic Park (1993)

7 best movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video, and more

Watch movies like ‘Monkey Man’, ‘Anyone but You’, and ‘M3GAN’ this weekend

The weekend has come around fast again, and that means more movies to watch on some of the best streaming services , including Netflix, Prime Video, and more.

There are so many great movies out there, which makes it harder to decide what to watch next. However, if you’re looking for something to enjoy while snacking on your favorite treats on the couch, we’ve gathered the top picks. Some of these include romantic comedies and fun horror thrillers that will put you on edge and make you laugh at the same time. 

One of the leading movies on our list is “Anyone but You”, which is currently No.1 on Netflix as of April 25. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, this romantic comedy has all the feels you need for a good time. Prime Video also tops the charts when it comes to the best movies, such as “Monkey Man” which came out in theaters last month. 

You can also check out the top new movies of the week as well as the best Netflix movies in 2024 . Now, here are the top movies you should stream this weekend.

‘Miller’s Girl’ (Netflix) 

“Miller’s Girl” has recently been added to Netflix, and if you’re looking for a spicy thriller, don’t hesitate to give it a watch. This movie focuses on Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega), an 18-year-old student who takes a creative writing class in her senior year of high school. Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman) teaches that class and finds Cairo fascinating due to her extensive knowledge of literature. However, their relationship dynamic changes when Cairo seduces him for inspiration on her upcoming assignment, and it leads to plenty more complications that neither of them can handle.

Watch on Netflix

'Monkey Man' (PVOD)

For those wanting something a little darker, “Monkey Man” could be your next movie to watch this weekend. A young man named Kid (Dev Patel) spends most of his days in an underground fighting club getting beaten continuously for money. He eventually gets sick of this life and plans revenge to take down a powerful force that caused him immense childhood trauma. Wearing a monkey mask and gathering up his strength, Kid prepares himself to avenge someone he loves by going deep into the corrupted fighting temple. 

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Rent/buy on Amazon now  

'Anyone but You' (Netflix)

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star in the current No.1 hit on Netflix , "Anyone but You", and it’s one of the best romantic comedies you can find on streaming. Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell) meet each other in a coffee shop and end up going on a first date, but that quickly turns sour. Months later, they discover they’re going to the same wedding, as Bea’s sister is engaged to one of Ben’s friends. By faking a relationship, they hope to keep the arguments to a minimum to make the wedding trip as smooth as possible, but that doesn’t go to plan when their feelings get in the way. 

'M3GAN' (Peacock)

Anyone who loves a fun horror will enjoy “M3GAN”, and after watching it, I can safely say that it won’t be a waste of your weekend. This movie centers around an artificial intelligence called Megan, which is a lifelike doll that aims to be a child’s greatest companion and protector. Intelligent roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams) created this doll and gave the prototype to her niece Cady after she was suddenly thrown into her care. Gemma thought Megan could help Cady get through some unexpected trauma, but that decision led to some horrific and dangerous consequences. “M3GAN” has recently moved back to Peacock, along with an unrated version that includes more violence and action. 

Watch on Peacock

'Arthur the King' (PVOD)

“Arthur the King” is an adventure movie that makes you experience every single emotion possible, and it’s based on a true story. Mark Wahlberg plays Michael Light, a runner who has abandoned his career after accidentally failing his adventure racing team three years prior. After realizing he’s no longer satisfied, he decides to do one more race, determined to win this time. He gathers a team to complete a 5-day race consisting of biking, hiking, and kayaking through mountainous jungle terrain. During the race, Michael meets a stray dog in need of medical attention who ends up following the team and saving their lives. This movie tells the real-life story of Mikeal Lindford, a Swedish runner who actually befriended a local stray dog and stopped at nothing to make sure he could bring his new companion home. 

Buy or rent on Amazon now  

‘Housekeeping for Beginners’ (PVOD)

An award-winning drama from writer/director Goran Stolevski, “Housekeeping for Beginners” made a significant splash at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2023. The movie focuses on an unconventional family. The matriarch, Dita (Anamaria Marinca), never wanted to be a mother but finds herself raising her girlfriend’s two daughters after she passes away. Her support system comprises a fake husband and his young lover, and while each member of the odd family unit has their own individual wants and needs, they come together to develop a tight bond that proves to be stronger than the outside forces trying to break them apart. 

Buy on  Amazon  now

'Love Lies Bleeding' (PVOD) 

Director Rose Glass made one heck of an impression with her directorial debut, “Saint Maud," in 2019. Now, the British filmmaker returns with her eagerly-anticipated follow-up, “Love Lies Bleeding” which hit theaters in March and is now limbering up for its streaming debut. Swapping the psychological horror of her first feature, for a more pulpy thriller with a romantic heart, this over-the-top flick is no less impressive. Glass has assembled a strong cast with Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Jena Malone, Anna Baryshnikov, Dave Franco, and Ed Harris all involved.  

The movie focuses on the relationship between a reclusive gym manager named Lou (Stewart) and an up-and-coming bodybuilder, Jackie (O’Brian). On her way to Las Vegas to achieve her dreams, Jackie was supposed to be just passing through. But also feeling an attraction, she gets a little sidetracked. While Lou and Jackie grow closer, their romance brings unexpected violence, as the web of Lou’s criminal family threatens to consume them both.  

Buy or rent on  Amazon

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Alix is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer for Screen Rant and Bough Digital, both of which sparked her interest in the entertainment industry. When she’s not writing about the latest movies and TV shows, she’s either playing horror video games on her PC or working on her first novel.

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StarTribune

Review: hip-hop star nicki minaj turns target center pink in overdue return to minnesota.

Good context for how overdue Nicki Minaj's concert was Saturday night at Target Center: The last time the hip-hop queen performed in the Twin Cities was 13 years ago as the opening act for Britney Spears.

While Spears has endured well-publicized ups and downs since that poorly attended Xcel Energy Center show in 2011, Minaj has mostly had only ups in her career.

She has been one of the top-selling artists in pop music of the past decade, racking up three No. 1 albums (the most ever by a female rapper) and 23 top-10 singles (same). Her success — and her feminine and LGBTQ icon status, too — rocketed further last year via her smash-hit "Barbie World" single with Ice Spice from the "Barbie" movie soundtrack.

Saturday's nearly sold-out crowd of about 16,000 fans came dressed for the occasion in a sea of pink outfits, including many men. It wasn't because of Barbie, though. Minaj has been pinkifying the world since her 2010 breakout album, "Pink Friday," a success she flashed back to in the title of her tour and latest album "Pink Friday 2."

Some of those fans — especially the ones who hired babysitters — may have been seeing red by the time Minaj finally took the stage. She didn't go on until 10:10 p.m., more than two hours after the advertised start time with only a DJ filling the gap.

Her scheduled opener, "The Boy Is Mine" co-vocalist Monica actually performed in a 15-minute break that abruptly came three-quarters of the way through Minaj's set. Along with a couple of long video interludes, Monica's montage made the concert feel unusually disjointed. Her songs, including "Before You Walk Out of My Life," also felt mellow and a tad outdated amid Minaj's recent, fiery hits.

In between those preshow and midshow lulls, though, Minaj was fully and fiercely present. The Trinidad-born rapper, 41, took the stage in a silvery space-queen outfit to the tune of "I'm the Best," and she seemed intent on living up to that title.

The second in an unprecedented run of three Target Center concerts in six months headlined by female hip-hop stars — after Doja Cat's and Ice Spice's December date , and before Megan Thee Stallion's May 14 booking — Minaj's performance boasted a big, bright visual production on par with Doja's show.

Neon lights were decked out all over the stage (yes, often tinted pink). Dancers and pyro were constantly blowing across the stage. Minaj's numerous outfits were quite a spectacle, too, from a bejeweled purple bodysuit with matching thigh-high boots near the start to an elegant, flowing red dress donned later for the mellower love songs "Save Me" and the new one "Fallin' 4 U."

Minaj wasn't as tied in with the choreography or as physically hyperactive as Doja was. Her most-cheered dance move may have been a stage-hump in "Pink Birthday," which rivaled the one Prince offered across the street at First Avenue for movie cameras in 1983. She genuinely seemed to be pouring most of her energy into her vocals instead, and her talent as a rapper and bawdy, tongue-tying lyricist never got lost in the grand visual scheme.

She came on fast and furious on the microphone right away during "Barbie Dangerous" and "Beep Beep." Kudos to the crowd for keeping up with her rapid delivery and making the latter tune a big sing-along. A lot of today's hot young male rappers, including Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert, should take note on how Minaj spit forcefully into her mic all night and did not let her backing tracks do any heavy-lifting for her.

Other impressive runs came later when she ripped through "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" and "Chun-Li" back-to-back under a backdrop of Chinese imagery, and again near show's end in abbreviated versions of "Super Freaky Girl" and "Anaconda."

After all the glitz and glamor displayed throughout her show, Minaj made a simpler choice of ripped jeans, white cotton tank top and a (pink) do-rag on her head when she returned after Monica's mini-set for a run of hits, including "Starships" and "Everybody." She came off more down-to-earth, but her finale look also seemed to emphasize there's a lot more to her stardom than the glitz and glamor.

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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