New Releases for the week of Jan. 23 - 29
Moffie
Forced into the mandatory conscription to fight for the South African Defence Force during the apartheid in the early 1980s, white teenager Nicholas van der Swart (Brummer) is required to endure brutal training despite his shy and quiet demeanour. Forced to conform to the SADF way of life and training, Nicholas is abused and tormented, all the while building a forbidden connection with fellow recruit Dylan Stassen (de Villiers) that could be punishable by extreme torture or death.
Director: Oliver Hermanus. Stars: Kai Luke Brummer, Barbara-Marié Immelman, Michael Kirch, Remano De Beer, Wynand Ferreira, Rikus Terblanche, Ryan de Villiers, Stefan Vermaak. 2019. 104 mins. Drama.
Titane
After being involved in a car accident as a child that left her with a titanium plate embedded into her head, Alexia (Rousselle), now an adult, has embraced a dangerous and thrilling lifestyle. While working at a car show, a man follows her and attempts to assault her, leading to her killing him with her metal hair pin. Following the murder, Alexia embarks on a wild journey — though she may not make it out alive.
Director: Julia Ducournau. Stars: Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh, Mara Cisse, Marin Judas, Diong-Kéba Tacu. 2020. 108 mins. Drama.
Halloween Kills
Immediately following the events of 2018's "Halloween" and the 40th anniversary of the villain's killing spree on Halloween night in 1978, Michael Myers (Courtney) is released from Laurie Strode's (Curtis) burning house by unwitting first responders. As Laurie is taken to the hospital for her injuries, her daughter Karen (Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Matichak) learn of Michael's survival but choose to withhold that information from Laurie so she can recover in peace. As the town becomes aware of Michael's murderous rampage, however, the residents of Haddonfield band together and form a mob to track down and kill the murderous Michael Myers once and for all. "Halloween Kills" is a sequel to 2018's "Halloween" and the 12th film in the Halloween franchise.
Director: David Gordon Green. Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Airon Armstrong, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, Jim Cummings, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, Anthony Michael Hall. 2021. 105 mins. Horror.
'Alex vs' Alex: Guarnaschelli thrives on competition
Alex Guarnaschelli hosts "Alex Vs America"
After 15 years of being both a contestant and a judge on several Food Network shows, it's clear Alex Guarnaschelli relishes a good food challenge.
New Releases for the week of January 16 - 22
Last Night in Soho
After moving to London, aspiring fashion designer Eloise (McKenzie) begins having vivid dreams that transport her to the 1960s, where she encounters a lively singer named Sandie (Taylor-Joy). In her waking hours, Eloise takes inspiration from Sandie's wardrobe to create designs, even changing her appearance to model that of the vibrant young woman. But as the dreams slowly twist into nightmares that bleed into her woken reality, Eloise begins to realize how dark and close to home Sandie's story really is.
Director: Edgar Wright. Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, Michael Ajao, Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham, Synnove Karlsen, Jessie Mei Li. 2021. 116 mins. Horror.
The Addams Family 2
Morticia (Theron) and Gomez (Isaac) are constantly lamenting how distant their children are becoming as they grow from little terrors to slightly bigger ones. To remedy the situation, the couple decides to stuff Wednesday (Grace Moretz), Pugsley (Walton) and Uncle Fester (Kroll) into their haunted camper and set out on a road trip across the country. Out in the wild, they encounter all sorts of new characters and situations, but Morticia and Gomez are determined to not let these distract them from forced family bonding time.
Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon, Laura Brousseau. Stars: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Javon Walton, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, Bill Hader, Conrad Vernon, Wallace Shawn. 2021. 93 mins. Animated.
The Dry
Federal Agent Aaron Falk (Bana) returns to his drought-stricken hometown of Kiewarra after a near 20-year absence to attend the funeral of a childhood friend alleged to have killed his wife and son before killing himself. Stopped from leaving town by the deceased man's parents, Falk reluctantly agrees to stay and investigate the crime. As he follows a trail of clues, Falk faces the town's disdain for his connection to an unsolved murder from many years earlier, which he learns may be connected to the death of his friend.
Director: Robert Connolly. Stars: Eric Bana, Genevieve O'Reilly, Keir O'Donnell, John Polson, Bebe Bettencourt, Martin Dingle-Wall, Julia Blake, Bruce Spence, William Zappa, Matt Nable. 2020. 117 mins. Drama.
Saturday Night Live, on NBC/Global
Hilarious skits and wild guest hosts return in a new episode of this live, late-night sketch-comedy staple. Lasting laughs and memorable moments have been made on this show, which began in 1975. Current stars include Cecily Strong and Pete Davidson.
Q: Is the poem that Sean Connery quotes at the end of "The Hunt for Red October" real?
"And the sea will grant each man new hope, as sleep brings dreams of home" is a beautiful line that sums the film up quite nicely — entirely too nicely to be real.
Undercover Boss, on CBS
Andrew Simon, CEO and president of Fremont Street Experience, goes undercover within his own corporation in this new episode of the popular reality series. Currently working in Los Vegas, Simon wants to learn why the company is short on labourers.
Call Me Kat, on Fox
Fans of "The Big Bang Theory" star and "Jeopardy!" host Mayim Bialiak can catch up on the life of Kat (Bialik) in this new episode of the sitcom's second season. Determined to prove to her mom she can make it as a single 39-year-old, Kat opens a cat café.
The Amazing Race, on CBS
Phil Keoghan returns to host the next leg of this popular long-running reality series. Teams of globe-trotting adventure seekers take off on a massive planet-wide scavenger hunt, each hoping to win the million-dollar prize and the winning title.
Q: I just watched "The Wolf of Snow Hollow," which starred Robert Forster, but the credits also say it was dedicated to Forster's memory. How does that work?
It works through film great Robert Forster's dedication, combined with the slow process of releasing an indie film. Forster died of brain cancer on Oct. 11, 2019, at age 78, not long after wrapping work on "The Wolf of Snow Hollow" (2020).
Though every director in the world will tell you that there's plenty of production work to do after they say, "That's a wrap," it's especially true for indie films.
Judge Steve Harvey, on ABC
Now in its second week on the air, comedian and TV personality Steve Harvey gets serious about the law … well, sort of. Dealing with everything from small claims to huge disputes, Harvey hears out plaintiffs and defendants before deciding how to proceed.
