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From LAist 89.3

FilmWeek on AirTalk, hosted by Larry Mantle, is a one-hour weekly segment offering reviews of the week's new movies, interviews with filmmakers, and discussion.

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Most Recent Episodes

May 17, 2024, feature: remembering roger corman, storied filmmaker, who passed away at 98.

May 17, 2024 • Roger Corman, the "King of the Bs" who helped turn out such low-budget classics as "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Attack of the Crab Monsters" and gave many of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors early breaks, has died. He was 98. Corman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, California, according to a statement released Saturday by his wife and daughters. This follows a life that started with many B-horror movies, such as the 1960 film "Little Shop of Horrors," and helping kickstart the careers of Martin Scorsese and Jack Nicholson. Some of Corman's work, including interviews with these film legends associated with Corman, was displayed in the 2011 documentary "Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel." For this week's FilmWeek feature, we talk to filmmaker Alex Stapleton, director of "Corman's World" and LAist film critic Wade Major, about Corman's legacy and why his loss meant so much to the film community.

FilmWeek: 'Back To Black ' 'Gasoline Rainbow,' 'Thelma The Unicorn,' And More

May 17, 2024 • Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Christy Lemire review this weekend's new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms. "If" Wide Release "Babes" Wide Release "Back To Black" Wide Release "Gasoline Rainbow" Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] | Streaming on MUBI May 31 "Thelma the Unicorn" Streaming on Netflix "The Tuba Thieves" Premieres on PBS May 20th "The Blue Angels" In IMAX | Streaming on Amazon Prime May 23

May 13, 2024

Htla presents: revival house: part 8 - movies under — and among — the stars at hollywood forever.

May 13, 2024 • Go back to the movies with us! It's heating up in the city, so Revival House continues with a classic of spring and summertime in L.A. — a film at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Run by Cinespia, you can picnic and catch a revival film on the iconic grassy knoll. What keeps people coming back year after year? What's the history of it all? Listen along to find out. Learn more about the cemetery tour here: https://www.cemeterytour.com/ Find more about Cinespia here: https://cinespia.org/ Guests: Cemetery tour guide Karie Bible, Cinespia founder John Wyatt.

May 10, 2024

Filmweek: 'kingdom of the planet of the apes' 'the last stop in yuma country,' 'the roundu....

May 10, 2024 • Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Andy Klein review this weekend's new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" Wide Release "Poolman" In Select Theaters "Summer Qamp" Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] "Power" Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]| Streaming On Netflix May 17 "The Last Stop in Yuma County" In Select Theaters "Living With Leopards" Streaming On Netflix "The Roundup Punishment" Wide Release "Force Of Nature: The Dry 2" In Select Theaters "The Image of You" VOD "Lazareth" VOD "Mother of the Bride" Streaming on Netflix

Feature: 'The Blues Brothers' Book Brings Together What Made The 1980 Film A Classic

May 10, 2024 • Saturday Night Live over the decades has served as a building block for comedians, using that platform as a way to get your name out there and eventually spin their popularity into other ventures. One of the earliest, and most iconic cases, being the American Classic that SNL alums Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi created with "The Blues Brothers." A new book, by writer and journalist Daniel de Visé, gets into how Aykroyd and Belushi's kinetic, comedic energy was spun into a just as entertaining production process. Along with the film's influence on pop culture humor, it also shares how the film's appreciate of blues music is best encapsulated by its soundtrack and appearances by Aretha Franklin and James Brown. For this week's FilmWeek feature, we talk to Daniel de Visé, author of "The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the making of an American Film Classic" about what he was able to uncover from revisiting this film the captured a special moment in American film and comedy.

May 3, 2024

Feature: larry talks to 'i saw the tv glow' director jane schoenbrun & actor justice smith.

May 3, 2024 • "I Saw The TV Glow," the new film by second-time director Jane Schoenbrun, is a story they consider their most personal. The story follows the character Owen, over multiple decades of their own life, re-visiting their identity through the help of an old friend named Maddy. The film brings together elements of childhood nostalgia and horror in this fictional story of one kid who feels different from everyone else in this small town. Today on FilmWeek, Larry sits down with the film's lead actor, Justice Smith, and its director Jane Schoenbrun, getting into the film's exploration of identity and dysphoria. 'I Saw The TV Glow' is now in theaters, check your local listings.

Feature: Larry Talks To 'I Saw The TV Glow' Director Jane Schoenbrun & Actor Justice Smith

Filmweek: 'i saw the tv glow' 'the idea of you,' 'evil does not exist,' and more.

May 3, 2024 • Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Peter Rainer review this weekend's new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms. "The Fall Guy" Wide Release "Unfrosted" Streaming on Netflix "I Saw The TV Glow" Wide Release "Wildcat" AMC Century City 15 [Century City] | Vidiots [Eagle Rock] May 4th "Blood in Blood Out (1993)" Streaming on Hulu "Nowhere Special" Landmark Pasadena Playhouse [Pasadena] | Laemmle Royal [Sawtelle] | Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] | Regency Agoura Hills Stadium [Agoura Hills] | Laemmle Claremont [Claremont] "The Idea of You" Streaming on Amazon Prime Video "Evil Does Not Exist" Wide Release "Who is Stan Smith?" Landmark Nuart Theater [Sawtelle] | Expands to Laemmle Town Center [Encino] | Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] | Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] May 10

April 26, 2024

Filmweek: 'challengers,' 'bad faith,' 'humane,' and more.

April 26, 2024 • Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Andy Klein review this weekend's new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms: "Challengers" Wide Release "Boy Kills World" Wide Release "Egoist" Wide Release "Bad Faith" VOD "Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story" Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] April 26th | Streaming on PBS May 13 "Uncropped" Laemmle Royal [Sawtelle] on April "Little Empty Boxes" Laemmle Monica [Santa Monica] April 26 | Laemmle Royal [Sawtelle] April 28 "Humane" The Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA] April 26th "ALAM" VOD "Infested" Streaming on Shudder

FilmWeek Feature: Seven Samurai 70 Years Later: Looking Back At Kurosawa's Masterpiece & Legacy

April 26, 2024 • One of the most prolific and exceptional filmmakers who ever lived, Akira Kurosawa has an anniversary for his best works. His 1954 film "Seven Samurai" has now hit its 70th anniversary, released on April 26. It's a film that was voted the 20th best film of all time by prominent members of the film industry who took part in BFI's Top 225 list back in 2022. 'Seven Samurai' followed hits in Kurosawa's filmography like "Rashomon" and "Yojimbo'... but what's led to that common sentiment? For this week's FilmWeek Feature, we talk to LAist film critics Peter Rainer, Tim Cogshell, and Andy Klein about why Seven Samurai is essential viewing for cinephiles and all moviegoers.

FilmWeek Feature: Seven Samurai 70 Years Later: Looking Back At Kurosawa's Masterpiece & Legacy

April 22, 2024, htla presents: revival house: part 7 - the long road from silent films to brain dead studios.

April 22, 2024 • Go back to the movies with us! We're still profiling LA's repertory theaters in Revival House cause there are SO MANY to check out! In this episode, we explore a cool space with some deep, messy history. Fashion label Brain Dead has taken over a site that some would consider....a little cursed. Originally opened in the 1940s as The Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax, the venue was home to premieres and parties. Until a theft and murder shut the theater down. In the 2000s, it was taken over by Cinefamily, which programmed in that space until allegations of abuse came to light in 2017. But today, Brain Dead Studios is keeping the lights on for nerds, artists, and skate punks in Los Angeles — aiming to create an eclectic community space to inspire creatives and show good movies. Take a listen as we explain the history and present of this theater. Guests: Professor and historian Ross Melnick, Brain Dead founder Kyle Ng

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Weekend Box Office

Weekend box office results: top gun: maverick soars to memorial day weekend record, tom cruise's pandemic-delayed sequel earned not only the best reviews of any wide release so far in 2022, but set a memorial day weekend record with a $156 million debut..

TAGGED AS: Box Office , Film , films , movie , movies

It took 34 years plus an additional two due to a global pandemic, but Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is flying high again at the box office. For all the (rightful) talk of the original Top Gun being a militaristic recruiting tool glossed up with a killer soundtrack, critics have more than let down their guard on the sequel and have been singing its praises since its first showing at CinemaCon last month. One of the most positively-reviewed movies of the year could not even be slowed down by the Cruise ceiling, which he crashed through like Chuck Yeager with ten times the mach.

King of the Crop: Top Gun: Maverick Soars to Memorial Day Weekend Record

(Photo by ©Paramount Pictures)

Despite being labeled as one of the last true movie stars, Tom Cruise has nevertheless had a ceiling at the box office. In fairness, that ceiling is connected with the new normal of franchises attracting bigger and better records, and we are still talking about a five-decade headliner whose string of distinctly non-franchise $100 million grossers is only comparable to Tom Hanks at the time and, later, Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler. Now there’s a list. Yet Cruise has only had six movies open higher than $40 million and five of them are Mission: Impossible films. Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds has remained his best opening ($64.8 million) and highest grossing film ($234.2 million) since 2005. One of those changed this weekend and the other will fall soon.

All of those films (including five of the six M:I films ) are Cruise’s top grossing titles. Right below them is 1986’s Top Gun at $176.7 million (not counting re-releases), which, adjusted for inflation, is the star’s best ticket seller at over $466 million. Top Gun: Maverick – launched in the most theaters ever at 4,735 – pulled in $51.8 million just on Thursday and Friday and is projected over the holiday weekend for a 3-day gross of $126.7 million and a 4-day of $156 million. Not only did that double-up-and-then-some Cruise’s top opener, but the sequel now ranks as the best Memorial Day opener of all time, besting Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ s $139.8 million from 2007 ($153 million, adding in its Thursday previews.) The end of the Verbinski trilogy also ended up the lowest-grossing May release (not named X-Men: The Last Stand ) to open with $100 million, finishing with $309 million. Cruise had a ceiling; now he is hoping that is his floor with this one.

Top Gun: Maverick also joins a select list of sequels that appeared 10 years after the last series entry to open with over $100 million. Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($247.9 million), Jurassic World ($208.8 million), Incredibles 2 ($182.6 million), Finding Dory ($135 million), Top Gun: Maverick ($126.7 million), Toy Story 3 ($110.3 million), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($100.1 million) all now have company at the top. Only 14 films that soared to higher than $110 million have achieved three times their opening. Now the 64th film to reach $100 million in its opening weekend, Top Gun: Maverick , is likely to remain in the top five through July 4, when Paramount can re-rah-rah the film all over again as America celebrates its Declaration of Independence from a named adversary (unlike the film, which no doubt helps to make its $275 million internationally.) Critics are also doing that by collectively giving the film a 96%, which is the best Tomatometer score among all live-action wide releases in 2022.

The Top Ten and Beyond:  Doctor Strange Surpasses  The Batman

(Photo by Marvel Entertainment)

Last week the needle shifted back towards Marvel’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness achieving its goal of $400 million, and it continues to tick that way. With another $16.4 million this weekend and $20.5 million through the holiday, the film has upped its total to over $374.9 million after 24 days. That puts the film right in line with both Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3 , and if it can manage anywhere over $9 million next weekend it should be headed for somewhere over $415 million. Given there is nothing likely to challenge the perch of this and Top Gun from the 1-2 slots, that seems very achievable. As of this weekend, the film also passed The Batman’ s $369 million to become the highest-grossing title of 2022 to date. Unless Jurassic World: Dominion or Thor: Love and Thunder are able to challenge it this summer, its final total could keep it on top until possibly Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Avatar: The Way of Water are released near the end of the yar.

One of the other final pandemic holdovers, 20th Century Studios’ The Bob’s Burgers Movie , finally got its time in theaters and it opened to $12.6 million and $14.8 million estimated through Monday. There were certainly no expectations this was going to rise to The Simpsons Movie’ s $74 million start. Compared to other animated TV shows that skewed a little older with a “PG-13” rating or higher, this was not as strong as Beavis and Butt-Head Do America’ s $20.1 million start in 1996 and just a little better than South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut’ s $11.3 million opening from 1999 (or $37 million and $19.6 million with inflation). Those films finished with $63 million and $52 million, respectively ($116 million and $90 million with inflation.) Bob is going to need a 4.12 multiple from this weekend to best South Park , a number achieved just once this year to films opening higher than $10 million, and that was Dog .

(Photo by Focus Features)

As for the other television-to-big-screen-adaptation, Downton Abbey: A New Era fell to just $5.9 million over the weekend and $7.5 million for the holiday. That puts the film at about $28.5 million through 10 days. Among the May releases to earn between $27.5-$29.5 million in that timeframe, Downton’ s $5.9 million is the lowest second weekend among them. None of those films released since 2009 reached $47 million either, so its finishing point seems likely to end up somewhere between $40-45 million. Meanwhile, families continue to line the pockets of The Bad Guys . $6.2 million through the holiday brings its total to nearly $83 million. Last week it appeared that $90 million was in the cards for the animated film; now it looks as if it will be closer to $95 million with another two weekends all to itself before Lightyear opens on June 17.

Paramount is clearly riding high with those Top Gun numbers, but those are part of an even more substantial achievement for the studio. First up, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 just dropped out of the top five after seven weeks and has brought its total up to over $185 million domestic and $380 million worldwide. Next, this is the weekend that The Lost City finally got itself over the $100 million mark after 64 days and 10 weeks in the top 10. Combined with Top Gun , this is the first time since 2018 that Paramount has had three $100 million grossers in a calendar year. It is also the first time since 2013 that they completed the hat trick with three releases in a row (as they previously did with Star Trek Into Darkness , World War Z , Bad Grandpa ). That is likely as far as the streak will go unless Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank turns out to be a surprise family hit in July.

Speaking of streaks, A24 continues to watch the success story that is Everything Everywhere All At Once . Now in its ninth straight week in the top 10 (including a week when it was only in 38 theaters), the Daniels’ film has only dropped more than 20% once during that time, including this weekend, when it pulled in another $3.2 million for a total over $57 million. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Alex Garland’s Men , which is poised to become their first film launched in over 2,000 theaters not to reach $10 million. Garland’s previous film for A24, Ex Machina , grossed $25.4 million, and his last film for Paramount, Annihilation , grossed $32.7 million. Seems people have just had enough of Men .

On the Vine: David Cronenberg Will Show Us  Crimes of the Future

(Photo by ©Neon)

Either sensing the impending draw for Top Gun: Maverick or the Hollywood brass still tying to fill the gaps in the theatrical schedule, the biggest release next week was only recently put into play. David Cronenberg’s first film in eight years and first body-themed tale since 1999’s eXistenZ  is opening in theaters only. Neon is releasing Crimes of the Future with Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. The indie studio has not had a film reach $10 million since their Oscar-winning Parasite . Will there be enough Cronenberg fans buying tickets next week? Also in limited release look for Terence Davies’ new film Benediction , the golf drama The Phantom of the Open with Mark Rylance, and Chloe Okuno’s stalker thriller Watcher with Maika Monroe believing she is being followed again.

Full List of Box Office Results: May 27-30, 2022

• $156 million ($156 million total)

• $20.5 million ($374.9 million total)
• $14.8 million ($14.8 million total)
• $7.2 million ($29.8 million total)
• $5.6 million ($82.3 million total)
• $3.2 million ($57.5 million total)
• $2.98 million ($185.6 million total)
• $2.3 million ($102.2 million total)
• $1.53 million ($6.3 million total)

F3: Fun and Frustration

• $1.2 million ($1.2 million total)

Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on  Business First AM  with Angela Miles and his  Movie Madness Podcast .

[box office figures via  Box Office Mojo ]

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News .

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New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 

It’s not always easy to find out which movies hit theaters each week, especially after the Hollywood strikes led to many release date changes. With the WGA and actors strikes resolved and summer blockbusters starting to roll in, May is filled with both big budget flicks and new indie releases.

Popular on Variety

Wednesday, May 15

“Return to Reason: Four Films by Man Ray” Janus Films (Limited)

Friday, May 1 7

“IF” Paramount Pictures (Wide)

“Back to Black” Focus Features (Wide)

“The Strangers: Chapter 1″ Lionsgate Films (Wide)

“Babes” Neon (Limited)

“Taking Venice” Kino Lorber (Limited)

“The American” Vertical Entertainment (Limited)

“The Blue Angels” IMAX (Limited)

“Coma” Film Movement (Limited)

“Faceless After Dark” Dark Sky Films (Limited)

“Fresh Kills” Quiver Distribution (Limited)

“In Our Day” Cinema Guild (Limited)

“Laugh Proud” AAM.tv (Limited)

“You Can’t Run Forever” Lionsgate Films (Limited)

Sunday, May 19

“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind “ Fathom Events (Limited)

“N orth by Northwest “ Fathom Events (Limited)

Monday, May 20

“Castle in the Sky” Fathom Events (Limited)

“Multiplied” Fathom Events (Limited)

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” Sony (Limited)

Tuesday, May 21

“The Beach Boys” Dinsy (Limited)

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Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more

The summer blockbuster season is almost here, but you don’t have to wait to catch some of the best recent releases thanks to our list of the best movies to stream on Netflix , Hulu, Prime Video , Max (HBO), and other services. Whenever something new that’s worth your time hits the major streamers, we’re on top of it, so you don’t miss a beat.

This week’s a big one as 2024’s most exciting film to date,  Dune: Part Two , hits Max on May 21. Netflix also adds Marvel dud  Madame Web , while Hulu and Shudder add the intriguing indies He Went That Way and  Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever , respectively.

We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix , the best movies on Hulu , the best movies on Amazon Prime Video , and the best movies on HBO .

Max (formerly HBO and HBO Max)

Dune: part two (2024).

• The best new shows to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Max (HBO), and more
• Best streaming devices for 2024: Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and more
• Best streaming deals: Sling TV, Hulu, Peacock, and more

The Iron Claw (2023)

Stop making sense (1984), the zone of interest (2023), dream scenario (2023), madame web (2024), the book of clarence (2024), rather (2023), unfrosted (2024), everything everywhere all at once (2022), he went that way (2024), eileen (2023), anatomy of a fall (2023), the stones and brian jones (2023), poor things (2023), nightwatch: demons are forever (2023), humane (2024), the american society of magical negroes (2024), migration (2023), drive-away dolls (2024), amazon prime video, the idea of you (2024), música (2024), road house (2024), frida (2024), ricky stanicky (2024), bob marley: one love (2024), mean girls (2024), argylle (2024), girls state (2024), wish (2023), the marvels (2023), indiana jones and the dial of destiny (2023), editors' recommendations.

• The best movies on Hulu right now (May 2024)
• The 50 best movies on Netflix right now (May 2024)
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Nick Perry is a freelance writer who bounced from Hollywood to Silicon Beach to pajama pants. His work has been featured on Digital Trends, Good Morning America, Entrepreneur, Mashable, and more media outlets.

When it comes to a good rom-com, it needs to have a few elements. It has to make you both laugh and cry. It has to be aspirational or touching in some way, whisking you off into a magical place in your mind as you watch. But it also needs to be predictable, because a rom-com with an unexpected twist ending might not leave you feeling satisfied.

Looking for something that fits the bill? We have curated this list of the best rom-coms on Amazon Prime Video right now. There are classics as well as new movies, and a fabulous selection of Amazon Originals like the new movie starring Anne Hathaway, The Idea of You. Grab your pint of ice cream and a warm blanket, and cozy up to one of these great films.

Max is a go-to platform for streaming the best movies thanks to its accessibility and its countless hours' worth of content. Beyond quantity, the streamer's greatest strength is the diversity of the films in its catalog.

Every kind of fan will find their niches catered to, with Max's library spanning fantasy, sci-fi, comedies, dramas, and more. Still, the sheer amount of content available can intimidate new subscribers. Thankfully, this monthly-updated guide combs through the service's selection to highlight some of the best movies to watch on Max right now.

From classic sitcoms to exciting new TV shows, Max (formerly HBO Max), has quite a bit of content from which to choose. Maybe you're ready to finally watch The Sopranos or you're anxious for season two of The Last of Us and want to rewatch the first season. Perhaps you're eager to to dive into something new, like the series The Sympathizer. Well, the good news id that all of the best HBO vault content, as well as new Max originals, are available to stream on Max.

In fact, there's so much choice that you might find it difficult to narrow things down. What if you're in the mood for a comedy one night, but want to start up a thrilling drama the next? We have you covered with this carefully curated list of the best shows on Max (formerly HBO Max) right now so you can have a few shows in the hopper to watch whenever you're in the mood.

What to do this weekend: Watch 'IF,' stream 'Bridgerton,' listen to new Billie Eilish

Loverboy had it right: Everybody is working for the weekend. And this one, you'll need to catch a breath because "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" and "The Garfield Movie" roll into theaters next week for the long Memorial Day weekend and the summer movie season really gets revved up.

But don't sleep on a slew of fresh entertainment options before that ball gets rolling, from watching the family film "IF" and the decidedly more adult "Bridgerton" to jamming to new Billie Eilish tracks. There's a lot to experience in films, TV, books and music, and that's what we specialize in: telling fans what's good and what's worth their time.

Here's what you need to put your Big Entertainment Energy toward this weekend:

See 'IF,' 'I Saw the TV Glow' and 'Back in Black' in theaters

After scaring the bejeezus out of us with two "A Quiet Place" movies, writer/director John Krasinski went a more PG route with his fantasy comedy "IF," a movie about imaginary friends starring Ryan Reynolds. Krasinski told my colleague Patrick Ryan that he was inspired by his kids. During the pandemic, “all the imaginary games that my girls were playing became fewer and fewer,” he says. “I genuinely saw their lights starting to go out, and they started asking big questions like, ‘Are we going to be OK?’ ” But the movie definitely leans thematically more for grown-ups than little ones, as I point out in my ★★½ review .

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Also in theaters: I dug the horror movie/trans allegory/pop-culture deconstruction "I Saw the TV Glow," which blows your mind (in a good way!), while my pal Marco della Cava interviewed Marisa Abela , who plays famed songstress Amy Winehouse in the biopic "Back to Black," even though she didn't sing beforehand. “Amy had one of the most distinctive voices ever, so I had to listen hard to her influences and patterns in order to get close," she says.

Stream the first half of a saucy Season 3 of Netflix's 'Bridgerton'

The "Bridgerton" hive is excited about a third season of the historical romance show arriving on Netflix , and it sounds like you're going to need a feather fan to cool yourself down from all the spiciness. The new season focuses on the star-crossed love affair between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), and TV critic Kelly Lawler writes that the first four episodes (with four more coming June 13) are funnier and feature more sex than Season 2, plus make Coughlan "a bona fide star." That said, Kelly concludes that the new season "will never re-create the magic" of the show's debut four years ago, "which had all the right amounts of love, sex, intrigue, duels, honor and shirtless men to create a phenomenon."

Never seen "Bridgerton"? Well, we have a catch-up guide for that!

Listen to Billie Eilish's latest album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'

This spring has been a boon for music lovers, with new albums from Taylor Swift , Beyoncé and Dua Lipa, among others. Now it's Billie Eilish's turn for a high-profile reappearance: Fresh off an Oscar win for "What Was I Made For?" the mistress of breathy, moody pop releases her third album "Hit Me Hard and Soft" as a " female-centric journey  through friendship, love, sex and anguish," writes music critic Melissa Ruggieri in her ★★★ review . The effort finds Eilish continuing "to navigate young adulthood while embracing  her recently disclosed sexuality " with songs like the quirky “L'Amour De Ma Vie," dreamily introspective "The Greatest" and intoxicating anthem “Lunch."

Melissa's fave track? “Birds of a Feather,” a bop that she says is "a classic take on the 'I’ll love you until I die' trope."

Even more goodness to check out:

• Is it too early to get psyched for the upcoming holiday movie musical "Wicked"? By the looks of the wondrously cool new trailer , nah.
• Jimmy Fallon celebrated his 10th year hosting "The Tonight Show" this week. Can he make it another decade?
• Fun fact: Willow Smith wrote a fantasy novel – and it's not bad!
• It's graduation season! And Noah Kahan's "You’re Gonna Go Far" is the new anthem making people ugly cry at commencement ceremonies.

7 best movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, Max, Hulu and more

'Abigail,' 'Mother of the Bride,' 'Eileen,' and more movie night hits just landed on streaming

Spring is in the air, the flowers are blooming and a bouquet of fresh new movies just landed on  the best streaming services . But with so many new offerings on  Netflix ,  Max , and the like, figuring out  what to watch  is no easy task. 

With that in mind, we've rounded up all of the hits and none of the duds to make your next movie night one to remember. Leading the pack this weekend is Netflix's rom-com "Mother of the Bride," where Brooke Shields gets a second chance at love when her daughter's surprise engagement brings the one that got away back into her life. 

Also on Netflix is "The Book of Clarence," a biblical comedy with a stacked cast about a fake messiah capitalizing on the rise of Jesus Christ to carve his own path to fame and fortune. Elsewhere, Anne Hathaway’s Sundance thriller "Eileen" makes its debut on Hulu this week and a horror-comedy about a murderous vampire ballerina, "Abigail," lands on video-on-demand services. 

So without further ado, here are the best movies new to streaming to watch this weekend. For even more streaming recommendations, check out our round-up of the best Paramount Plus miniseries to binge this weekend .

‘Mother of the Bride’ (Netflix)

"Mother of the Bride" packs in just about every rom-com trope there is, from second chances to forced proximity to being stuck together on vacation. It's comfort food for the hopeless romantic in all of us — which explains why it's already in the running for the No.1 spot on Netflix only a few days after its release. 

Brooke Shields stars as Lana, a middle-aged mother who's stunned when her daughter Emma (Miranda Cosgrove) returns from a year studying abroad with news that she's getting married in a month at a resort in Thailand. The situation spirals further when she learns that Emma's fiancé is the son of the man who broke Lana's heart many years earlier (Benjamin Bratt). The two exes must decide whether to ignore their emotions for the sake of the wedding or find their way back to each other. What follows is a load of awkward encounters and slapstick situations, but also a second chance at finding love in a beautiful seaside setting.  

Watch it now on  Netflix

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'Abigail' (PVOD)

Critics are raving about this thrilling horror comedy from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who helmed the equally entertaining “Ready or Not” and the most recent “Scream” movies. With a critics score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Abigail" has earned comparisons to 2022's " M3gan " for its blood-drenched mayhem and dark humor.

The story follows a ragtag group of criminals led by Giancarlo Esposito who kidnap the 12-year-old daughter (Alisha Weir) of a powerful underground figure to extort a $50 million ransom. What starts as a cut-and-dry kidnapping job turns into a gorefest when the captors start being hunted down one by one by an animal-like creature. They soon discover that the supposedly innocent little girl they’ve taken hostage is anything but sweet. While its lack of scares may disappoint some horror fans, if you're looking for a thrill ride that's equal parts spooky and chaotic, “Abigail” offers plenty to sink your teeth into. 

Buy or rent on  Amazon  

‘Eileen’ (Hulu)

Based on Ottessa Moshfegh's debut novel of the same name, "Eileen" stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eileen Dunlop, a young woman working at a correctional facility in a dreary New England town. Her mundane, often bleak day-to-day life with her abusive, alcoholic father (Shea Whigham) takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of the facility's new psychologist, Rebecca (Anne Hathaway). 

Eileen is instantly taken with the glamorous Rebecca, and a friendship blossoms between the pair. That is, until Rebecca shares a dark secret that puts Eileen in a dangerous situation. What unfolds is a 1960s-period drama that gives audiences a front-row seat to what happens when desperate people reach their breaking point. Critics have raved about the charged but disturbing duo that is McKenzie and Hathaway. Brace yourself for a riveting psychological thriller packed with outstanding performances.

Watch it now on  Hulu

'The Book of Clarence' (Netflix)

Mix together “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” and "White Men Can't Jump," and you've got "The Book of Clarence." Written and directed by Jeymes Samuel ("The Harder They Fall"), this biblical comedy-drama follows the misadventures of a self-proclaimed messiah in ancient Jerusalem attempting to capitalize on the emergence of Jesus Christ. 

LaKeith Stanfield ("Sorry to Bother You," Knives Out") plays the titular Clarence, who cooks up the scheme to escape his debts and start a life of glory. His plan works initially, and he and his friends travel the land performing "miracles" to packed audiences that shower them with coin. However, it’s not long before the trials and tribulations of his divine con start to weigh on him. "The Book of Clarence" also boasts an excellent supporting cast with top talents such as Omar Sy, David Oyelowo, Anna Diop and RJ Cyler.

Watch it now on Netflix

'The Lighthouse' (Max)

Robert Eggers ("The Witch") proves his directing chops yet again with "The Lighthouse," a haunting movie that mixes drama, horror, comedy, surrealism and more to push you as close to the edge of sanity as its two main characters. Set on a remote, fog-covered, New England island in the late 19th century, it follows an unlikely pair of lighthouse keepers: newbie assistant Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and grizzled veteran Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe). 

Day in and day out, the two suffer through back-breaking labor, miserable conditions, and the mental strains of prolonged isolation. Compounding their challenges are each other's annoying habits, idiosyncrasies, and a growing suspicion that the other might be losing their grip on reality. Even if "The Lighthouse's" strange character-driven storyline doesn't hook you, the stunning cinematography will. Shot in black-and-white, it’s remarkably vibrant even without color. 

Watch it now on  Max

'The Iron Claw' (Max)

Based on the tragic true story of the Von Erich brothers, “The Iron Claw” sees Zac Efron lose himself in the leading role of Kevin Von Erich, the second oldest son born into a family of professional wrestlers. Pushed by their domineering father, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), Kevin and his brothers look to make history and create an untouchable family legacy in the world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. 

Also starring Jeremy Allen White, Lily James, Harris Dickinson and Maura Tierney, “The Iron Claw” is a biographical sports drama that doesn’t require a love of  WWE  to enjoy. However, you will need a strong resolve, as this movie goes to some very dark places, and the events on screen can be downright harrowing. The fact it’s all based on real events serves only to make it even more emotionally devastating. However, don’t let its bleak subject matter put you off, “The Iron Claw” is a remarkable movie with heavyweight performances throughout. 

Watch it now on  Max  

'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' (PVOD)

It’s been a busy few months for British filmmaker Guy Ritchie. His Netflix show “The Gentlemen” was well-received and stormed up the streamer’s chart and his latest movie is now heading to premium video-on-demand platforms just a few short weeks after its theatrical bow. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” has all the hallmarks of a Guy Ritchie movie, with over-the-top characters, slickly produced action and bombastic set pieces aplenty. 

Inspired by the true story of a secret group of British soldiers during World War II, this (heavily fictionalized) take on the clandestine Special Operations Executive sees Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear) bring together a ragtag group of operatives to change the course of the global conflict using less conventional means. Starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Henry Golding and Alex Pettyfer, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is a pulpy war movie that is full of entertaining action, but it’s a little light on story. Nevertheless, it's perfectly watchable fun.

More from Tom's Guide

• Max subscription prices are about to go up again — yup, streaming is becoming cable
• 3 best Paramount Plus miniseries to watch this weekend
• 'Mother of the Bride' is the new No. 1 movie on Netflix — and critics and viewers have very strong opinions

Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming and entertainment. Prior to joining Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk, where she covered breaking tech news — everything from the latest spec rumors and gadget launches to social media policy and cybersecurity threats.  She has also written game reviews and features as a freelance reporter for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and miniature painting.

• Rory Mellon Entertainment Editor (UK)

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John Krasinski’s ‘IF’ hits a box office nerve with $35 million debut

Cailey Fleming, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character “Blue” at the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “IF” at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Ryan Reynolds poses with the character “Blue” at the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “IF” at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

John Krasinski, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “IF” at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Emily Blunt, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character “Blue” at the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “IF” at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Ryan Reynolds, from left, Cailey Fleming, the character Blue, voiced by Steve Carell, and the Blossom, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, in a scene from “IF.” (Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Cailey Fleming, left, and Ryan Reynolds in a scene from “IF.” (Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

Actor Marisa Abela attends the premiere of Focus Features’ “Back to Black” at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Amazon Prime shows a scene from the documentary “The Blue Angels.” (Amazon Prime via AP)

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John Krasinski’s imaginary friends movie “IF” claimed the top spot at the box office this weekend according to studio estimates Sunday. Its $35 million North American debut was also a bit lower than some projections.

Is that a disappointment? An ominous sign of the box office times? Or is the final story on “ IF " yet to be written? It’s not just your imagination: In these bumpy early weeks of the 2024 summer box office season, in which nothing has been a runaway hit and every new movie has more and more pressure to succeed, “IF” hit a nerve.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and an army of A-list voices including Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Maya Rudolph, “IF” was an original idea from Krasinski, who wrote, directed and co-stars.

“IF” leads the box office

• Read our review: ‘IF,’ imperfect but charming, may have us all checking under beds for our old friends
• Read more: This summer, John Krasinski makes one for the kids with the imaginary friend fantasy ‘IF’
• AP’s summer movie guide: Virtually all the movies coming to theaters and streaming from May to Labor Day

Paramount debuted the film, which cost a reported $110 million to produce, in 4,041 locations in North America. Internationally, it earned an estimated $20 million from 56 markets, adding up to a $55 million global debut.

“Families came out in force and they loved the film,” said Chris Aronson, who heads Paramount’s domestic distribution.

There are several somewhat contradictory narratives swirling around its performance as well. With its PG-rating, “IF” was the first major family friendly film to open in theaters in weeks. And unlike a front-loaded superhero or horror movie, family pics are often running a marathon not a sprint. Last June, Pixar’s “Elemental” was assumed to be dead on arrival when it opened with $29.5 million domestically. But it continued earning throughout the summer and ultimately made nearly $500 million globally.

“IF” got middling reviews from critics (it’s currently sitting at a “rotten” 49% on Rotten Tomatoes), but, as with “Elemental,” audiences gave it a solid A CinemaScore this weekend. The studio considers it a successful debut and is optimistic about its longevity as summer actually begins for school age children.

“I think it bodes well for moviegoing in general as we move into the summer movie season,” Aronson said. “Kids are out of school starting this coming week and I couldn’t think of a better film to be in the marketplace than this one: It’s new, it’s fresh, its original, and it’s such a heartwarming film.”

“ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ” continues to be a bright spot . In just 10 days, it surpassed $100 million domestically and $237 million globally. It came in second place in its second weekend with $26 million (down 55%).

But there also hasn’t been a major movie moment akin to last year’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” in quite some time. Last year on this weekend “Fast X” opened to over $60 million.

“This is a very unusual summer. It got off to an unusual start without a Marvel movie,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “The box office has been in a holding pattern 20% down from last year.”

“IF” wasn’t the only new film to open this weekend either. Lionsgate’s horror “The Strangers—Chapter 1” overperformed with a $12 million debut from 2,856 locations. The innovative marketing campaign staged some viral moments by bringing the “strangers” to major events, from the Trump trial to Coachella.

The Amy Winehouse biopic “ Back to Black " opened in North America to an estimated $2.9 million from 2,010 screens.

The filmed-for-IMAX documentary “ The Blue Angels ” also made $1.3 million this weekend from 227 screens. It’s playing on the premium large format screens through May 22 before flying to Prime Video on May 23.

The summer, which for Hollywood begins the first weekend in May , is still getting started and could rev up next weekend with the infusion of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Garfield Movie.”

Dergarabedian noted that Memorial Day weekend is a time when moviegoers play can play catch up with films they’ve missed and heard about. For a film like “IF,” which picked up over the weekend with word of mouth buzz, that could bode well. Still, there is no sugar-coating the reality that the 2024 box office is not going to build on 2023.

“On almost every level this is a non-traditional summer in the lineup of films and the trajectory of the box office,” Dergarbedian said. “But collectively these films should have a solid Memorial weekend.”

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

1. “IF,” $35 million.

2. “Kingdom of hte Planet of the Apes,” $26 million.

3. “The Strangers—Chapter 1,” $12 million.

4. “The Fall Guy,” $8.5 million.

5. “Challengers,” $2.9 million.

6. “Back to Black,” $2.9 million.

7. “Tarot,” 2 million.

8. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $1.7 million.

9. “The Blue Angels,” $1.3 million.

10. “Unsung Hero,” $1.1 million.

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IF Wins The Weekend Box Office, But It Doesn't Quite Hit Expectations

T here were some high hopes set for John Krasinski's IF this weekend, with box office prognosticators thinking the film could draw younger audiences to theaters for some early summer big screen fun... but the imagination-fueled new feature didn't quite live up to expectations. It's the new number one movie domestically, pushing Wes Ball's Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes to second place following the franchise title's strong debut last weekend, but ticket sales didn't end up hitting the bar that experts predicted it would clear.

Check out the full Top 10 in the chart below and join me after for analysis.

IF Falls Short Of Hitting Box Office Goals In Its Opening Weekend

In the middle of last week, trades like Variety published estimations that IF would earn something in the realm of $40 million in its first three days in theaters (potentially as much as $45 million)... but it didn't take long for those numbers to reveal themselves as overly optimistic. By Saturday morning, following a slower-than-expected Friday, predictions dropped down to $30.5 million , and while the film has bounced back from that pessimism to make an estimated $35 million (per The Numbers ), the title is not instantly shaping up as a box office success story.

As you may have predicted, the bugaboo is a big budget. Following the success of the Quiet Place movies (low/mid-cost features that made blockbuster money), Paramount Pictures placed a substantial bet on John Krasinski by giving him a $110 million budget to execute his vision for IF , and its not immediately on pace to be considered one of 2024's box office wins. Factoring in marketing and publicity costs, the new release has a long road to travel before its going to be considered profitable, and the studio didn't exactly pick an opening weekend that is well-suited for releases that are hoping to grow long legs.

So what went wrong? One could say that pre-release buzz didn't do any favors here. John Krasinski earned near universal acclaim for both A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II , but the filmmaker's latest has gotten a considerably more divisive response . CinemaBlend's Riley Utley gave IF a positive review , but she also concedes that the in-world rules that drive the plot don't quite work. 

It can be noted that results from CinemaScore have revealed audiences as being much more forgiving. Surveys have returned an "A" grade for the family friendly film with an all-star cast including Ryan Reynolds, Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Emily Blunt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Hader, Fiona Shaw, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell.

Presently, things don't look great for IF , but there is a path for success based on precedent from last year. A lot of people wrote off Peter Sohn's Elemental as a new box office disappointment from Pixar after the animated release debuted in second place and only made $29.6 million... but it stuck around. By the end of its 15 week domestic run, the film made $154.4 million, and that paired quite nicely with $330.4 million made overseas.

The big problem for IF is the competition that is set to arrive in theaters this Friday. George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is going to steal away the attention of adults who might be drawn to see it, and Mark Dindal's The Garfield Movie is set to be the big screen attraction for kids during Memorial Day weekend. If the film drops to fourth or fifth place next Sunday, it might be in real trouble.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Has A Solid Second Weekend, Crosses $100 Million Domestically

With three new wide releases hitting theaters this past Friday (more on the other two in a bit), there was question about how Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes would weather the storm... and it turns out that the answer is "pretty well." Landing in second place behind IF , the film added another $26 million to its domestic ticket sales, which calculates as a 55 percent drop from last weekend . That number also pushes the blockbuster into nine figure territory, as it's now made $101.2 million in the United States and Canada.

The business that it has been doing is right in line with the performance of Matt Reeves' War For The Planet Of The Apes from back in 2017, which is encouraging for the future of the Planet Of The Apes franchise. By the end of its big screen run globally, the finale of the Caesar Trilogy made $489.6 million worldwide. To date, Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes has made $237.5 million

The movie is quickly climbing up the ranks of 2024's biggest blockbusters. It has now earned more domestically than Reinaldo Marcus Green' Bob Marley: One Love ($96.9 million), which means it is now the fifth biggest movie of the year in the region (it only needs to make $11 million more to surpass Gil Kenan's Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire for fourth place). On the worldwide chart, it has already outgrossed the most recent Ghostbusters movie and is sitting in eighth place.

We haven't gotten official word yet if Wes Ball will have the opportunity to execute his new Planet Of The Apes trilogy , but there are reasons to be hopeful at this juncture that the franchise will continue.

The Strangers: Part 1 And Back To Black Don't Put On Much Of A Show In Their Respective Debuts

Part of the reason why Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes was able to do as much business as it did since Friday is because there wasn't a whole lot of demonstrated interest in the weekend's two new wide releases not titled IF : Renny Harlin's The Strangers: Chapter 1 and Sam Taylor-Johnson's Back To Black .

The former is called "Chapter 1" because it is part of a full Strangers trilogy that has already been shot, but we'll now wait and see if distribution plans are adjusted for the sequels, because the launch title didn't exactly manage to impress. The Strangers: Chapter 1 was the recipient of a critical drubbing this past Thursday, and a "C" grade from CinemaScore surveys suggest that average movie-goers didn't love it any more than the professionals. It managed to make $12 million in its opening weekend, but don't be surprised when its ticket sales plummet during the Memorial Day weekend.

As bad as things were for 2024's latest horror release in the last three days, things went even worse for the new Amy Winehouse biopic. Back To Black got an early release internationally, which allowed bad buzz to circulate for more than a month , and the end result is the movie flopping domestically. Playing in 2,010 locations this past weekend, the movie made only $2.9 million and debuted in sixth place.

Next weekend should feature a number of interesting box office developments given the holiday and arrival of aforementioned new titles, so be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday to see what kind of shakeup the Top 10 experiences. And for a look ahead at all of the films set to arrive in theaters in the coming weeks and months, check out our 2024 Movie Release Calendar .

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, sex is easy. loving is hard..

Now streaming on:

Remember the one about the dying actor's final words? "Dying is easy. Comedy is hard." The British independent film "Weekend" suggests another truth: "Sex is easy. Love is hard." The movie involves two gay men, who meet in a bar, wake up in bed the next morning and begin a conversation that unexpectedly grows very deep. Some aspects involve homosexuality, but this isn't a "gay film." Most people can identify with Russell and Glen.

That's because some of us are more open and some of us are more guarded. Some of us trust easily, and others more slowly. Some of us have sexual feelings that are not open for discussion. Some of us pretend to be who we think we "ought" to be, and do it so well that even close friends don't know who we really are.

Russell ( Tom Cullen ) is a lifeguard for a swimming pool in Nottingham. This is a job on the way to other things. He's gay, and his friends, who are mostly straight, understand that in a general way. He goes to a straight party, relates well and later goes cruising in a gay bar. We gather his sex life is conducted out of view of his friends. He ends up taking Glen ( Chris New ) home with him.

The next morning, Glen pulls out a recorder and begins to quiz him on sexual and personal topics. This is part of a vaguely explained "project." Glen, we learn, works in the art world. Their conversation is skillfully composed by the writer-director, Andrew Haigh , whose dialogue is never facile and moves sideways into more serious areas, such as whether Russell is completely comfortable with his sexuality, and with specific practices. This conversation isn't forced, but friendly, and we sense that Russell is slowly opening up more than he usually does.

Time passes, Russell texts Glen, they meet up again, and an intimacy begins to develop that neither one was perhaps expecting. They like each other. Maybe very much. Maybe they're one of those rare couples "meant" for each other. Sometimes you meet someone, are intense for a while, never see them again, and years later, find yourself wondering if that time you missed the boat.

In some ways, "Weekend" resembles the two Richard Linklater landmarks, " Before Sunrise " and " Before Sunset ." Years passed in the lives of the characters between those two films, but when they started talking again, the connection was still there. "Weekend" unveils its own sunset, or sunrise, as Glen reveals personal plans that suggest he and Russell may not have an indefinite future ahead of them.

The possibility of a deadline doesn't make them urgent or desperate, but more willing to reveal themselves — Russell in particular. Their meeting and brief relationship now take on a poignancy, a bittersweet value that makes it more special. This is a smart, sensitive, perceptive film, with actors well suited to the dialogue. It underlines the difficulty of making connections outside our individual boxes of time and space.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Box office: john krasinski’s ryan reynolds starrer ‘if’ improves to $35m opening for no. 1 finish.

The movie scored one of the top starts ever for an original live-action PG film even if it couldn't crack $40 million. 'Strangers: Chapter 1' overperforms with $12 million, while Amy Winehouse biopic 'Back to Black' fades quickly.

By Pamela McClintock

Pamela McClintock

Senior Film Writer

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Paramount and writer-director John Krasinski are breathing a sigh of relief after IF ‘s domestic opening improved to an estimated $35 million thanks to a strong family turnout on Saturday.

Still, the live-action/CGI hybrid film — starring Ryan Reynolds and featuring an A-list voice cast — came in behind tracking’s projected $40 million domestic opening amid an overall tough early summer at the box office . But it could have been worse. Based on Friday’s traffic, the forecast was a bleak $30 million to $31 million.

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Animated family film The Garfield Movie opens next weekend and is expected to play younger.

Overseas, IF earned a somewhat subdued $20 million from 52 markets for an early foreign total of $24 million (it opened in France and Belgium last weekend) and a global tally of $59 million.

Outside of Pixar titles — which are animated — it’s hard to find original live-action PG fare that’s done gangbusters. Even if many reviewers found flaws with IF , they still commended Krasinski for trying to crack the code, much as he did with horror when creating The Quiet Place movie franchise.

The fantasy pic explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl (Cailey Fleming) and her neighbor (Reynolds) try to reunite the IFs with their previous human pals.

The impressive voice cast features Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Christopher Meloni, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, George Clooney, Matthew Rhys, Bradley Cooper, Amy Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key. The live-action cast is rounded out by Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas and Bobby Moynihan.

Lionsgate’s latest horror offering, The Strangers: Chapter 1 , placed third with a notably better-than-expected $12 million. That’s a promising start for a small-budgeted movie that had been tracking to open in the $7 million to $9 million range.

Universal’s The Fall Guy — which kicked off the summer box office in muted fashion despite good reviews and a cast led by Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt — came in fourth with $8.1 million for a domestic total of $63 million through its third Sunday. Its foreign weekend haul was $7.2 million for an overseas cume of $64.6 million and a muted $127.6 million globally.

Another new title on the marquee this weekend is Studio Canal and Focus Features’ Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black , which is launching nationwide in just over 2,000 cinemas. The movie sang out of tune with just $2.85 million, putting it in a close race with Amazon MGM Studios’ Challengers for fifth place. Right now, Comscore shows the latter narrowly ahead with $1.9 million. The final order will be decided Monday.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Back to Black is far less commercial in scope than a biopic such as Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody , and the film has been skewered by a majority of critics. (Its Rotten Tomatoes score was 36 percent as of Sunday.) Focus/Universal acquired domestic and certain international rights for under $20 million from Studio Canal, which produced the movie and worked with the Winehouse estate.

Amazon MGM Studios opened The Blue Angels in 227 locations to a weekend debut of $1.3 million for a per location average of $5,774. The documentary follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron.

This story was originally published on May 18 at 9:22 a.m.

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‘Saturday Night Live’ Signs Off for the Season

Jake Gyllenhaal hosted the final episode of the show’s 49th season. Sabrina Carpenter was the musical guest.

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By Dave Itzkoff

In its final episode of the season, just before its cast members pack up their fright wigs and false teeth to head out on their summer vacations, “Saturday Night Live” gave its viewers what they presumably wanted: an opening sketch featuring James Austin Johnson as former President Donald J. Trump.

This weekend’s broadcast, which was hosted by Jake Gyllenhaal and featured the musical guest Sabrina Carpenter, began with Johnson recreating one of the many public statements that Trump has made during his criminal hush-money trial.

“I don’t like being in court because they say very mean things about me while I am trying to sleep,” Johnson said. “But I love being out here, in the hallway outside court, daring judge to imprison me. He gave me a gag order. I said, ‘That sounds like a challenge on RuPaul.’”

Describing the trial as “very eye-closening,” Johnson said it would likely end with him “being sent to a horrible place I do not want to go to — the White House.”

He added, “For me, much better to not win and say it was rigged and then get very rich raising money to stop the steal, and you never have to do president again. I like that a lot.”

With closing statements likely to come next week, Johnson said, “I’m not afraid to testify at all. I’m just not going to, out of fear. You see, they do a terrible thing when you testify, which is they write it down and we don’t like that.”

He then introduced a few of the candidates he said he was considering for his vice president on the 2024 Republican ticket, including Devon Walker as Senator Tim Scott. “I’m here to help Trump win the Black vote,” Walker said. “Specifically, my vote.”

His next potential running mate was Heidi Gardner, who came out as Governor Kristi Noem, holding a gun to a stuffed toy dog.

“I’m kidding,” Gardner said. “It’s a fake dog, but it’s a real gun.”

Johnson also brought out Michael Longfellow, who was dressed as the “Silence of the Lambs” character Hannibal Lecter, who Trump often references in his speeches. Johnson then asked for him to be taken away, saying, “He’s giving me Pence vibes.”

In closing, Johnson promised “the summer of Trump,” saying, “I’m going to be doing another Jan. 6, this time in July. It’s going to be fun to see all those guys back at the Capitol but this time in shorts.”

Jake Gyllenhaal’s got pipes of the week

Can Jake Gyllenhaal sing? Have you already forgotten his lead performance in the 2017 Broadway revival of “Sunday in the Park With George” ? We’re just going to assume it’s what “S.N.L.” had in mind when they cast him in this offbeat update of another Sondheim musical, “Follies,” playing the compère of a club who starts off singing what sounds like “Beautiful Girls,” but turns into a musical tribute to the most average, khaki-clad men this side of a J. Crew outlet store.

If you’re more into slow jams than Sondheim, you’ll appreciate Gyllenhaal’s vocal efforts in his opening monologue , where he was joined by Walker, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson and Punkie Johnson in a sendup of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road.” In their sweater vests (and whatever the heck Gyllenhaal was wearing) they bid farewell to “S.N.L.” Season 49 and reminded Gyllenhaal that, no, this episode does not actually count as the start of Season 50.

Meddling kids of the week

We’ll give “S.N.L.” credit for this much: When they want to parody “Scooby-Doo,” they go all-out.

They got the colorful costumes and the set design of the classic cartoon crime caper just right; they brought in Carpenter, their popular musical guest, to play Daphne; and they whipped up a pretty credible animated Scooby in a matter of days. Did they do it all in the service of one extremely gross and lengthy punchline? Yes, they did that too. Don’t watch this one on a full stomach of Scooby Snacks.

Weekend Update jokes of the week

Over at the Weekend Update desk, the anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che riffed on President Biden and former President Trump’s agreement to hold debates in June and September.

Jost began:

President Biden and President Trump have agreed to two debates this summer. For a preview of the debates, take a bottle of Ambien and Adderall at the same time. Biden posted a video challenging Trump to the debate, saying, “Make my day, pal.” To which Trump responded, “Let’s get ready to rumble.” Two phrases that are guaranteed to lock up the youth vote.

Che continued:

Donald Trump said that at the debates, he wants both of them to stand instead of sit. So that’s the status of our presidency: Standing is a feat of strength. I think we could learn a lot more watching them both try to get out of a bean bag chair.

Public service announcement of the week

When the actor Steve Buscemi was punched in the face in Manhattan earlier this month, he became the most visible recent victim of a random crime that has also happened to his fellow performers Michael Stuhlbarg and Rick Moranis . So it fell to “S.N.L.”, in a sketch presented as a would-be N.Y.P.D. news conference, to state the obvious: Stop punching character actors in the face.

Despite its good intentions (and its shout outs of versatile That Guy types like Stephen Root and Stephen Tobolowsky), the conference soon broke down into a debate over what constitutes a character actor. Because it’s the “S.N.L.” season finale, Jon Hamm was there to play himself — but only to make sure that he wasn’t personally at any risk.

“I can’t get punched,” Hamm said, “Without this beautiful face, I’m just a tall guy with a perfect body.” Relatable!

Dave Itzkoff is a former Times culture reporter. More about Dave Itzkoff

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