It used to be the case that Hollwyood studios kept all big tentpole titles for either the summer months or the Holidays. But this is no longer true--you are as likely to see a massive superhero movie arrive in March as in June, and an August release slot is no guarantee of a hit. Venom, which arrives this week, is a case in point. It's a $100 million movie designed to kickstart Sony's universe of connected heroes and villains taken from Spider-Man comic books, but with nothing superhero-related on the calendar until Aquaman in late November, it's a perfect time to launch it. Of course it doesn't hurt, with Halloween around the corner, that it also focuses on a fanged, man-eating alien symbiote.
In a classic case of counter-programming, the only competition this week comes from the highly acclaimed musical drama A Star is Born, which stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga and will appeal to a very different audience to Venom. There's also the digital debut of the Marvel sequel Ant-Man And The Wasp, while Sicario: Day of the Soldado and The First Purge are now available to rent.
The landscape for consuming movies has really changed over the past few years. The biggest films still debut in the old fashioned-way--in theaters, with home releases still a few months off. But with the rise of streaming and Video on Demand, we are increasingly seeing simultaneous releases for smaller movies, with films getting a limited theatrical release on the same day that they are available to buy and rent digitally.
The rise of Netflix and Amazon as major players in film production has also disrupted standard release patterns. Netflix in particular has attracted some major directors, and their movies will bypass theaters entirely and premiere worldwide on the streaming platform. And of course, movies that did get a theatrical release continue to move to digital platforms after a few months. This is a great way to catch up on movies you might have missed on the big screen--or are keen to rewatch. So here's our look at the best and most interesting new movies in theaters and available to watch at home this week.
Venom
Watch it in theaters from October 5
Although the deal between Disney and Sony has ensured that Spider-Man is currently part of the former's Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movie rights to the character ultimately remain with Sony. As a result, the studio has launched its own interconnected universe of characters from the canon of Spidey comic-books. Venom is first up, and it hits theaters this week. Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock, a photographer who ends up with superpowers after he is taken over by the alien parasite of title. It's directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer, and the supporting cast includes Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson, and Riz Ahmed. The reviews haven't exactly been overflowing with praise, but box office predictions are high, so expect Venom to do well.
A Star is Born
Watch it in theaters from October 5
The classic 1937 movie about a rising star who is coached by a fading veteran has been already been remade twice--most famously as a rock musical with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in the 1970s--and this week, a fourth version arrives. This time, we have Bradley Cooper as a hard-living musician who discovers a talented unknown, played by Lady Gaga, and helps put her on her way to stardom. A Star is Born also marks Cooper's directorial debut, and the buzz for this one very high, with reviewers singling out the songs, the chemistry between the leads, and Gaga's performance. Expect big box office and many awards.
Ant-Man And The Wasp
Buy it digitally from October 2
Ant-Man might not have had the immediate audience recognition of Captain America or Spider-Man, but the character's first standalone Marvel movie was a hugely entertaining hit, and the sequel followed this year. This time, Paul Rudd's criminal-turned-superhero teams up with Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) for another adventure in which they must save Hope's mom from the Quantum Realm. In his review for Gamespot, Michael Rougeau said that Ant-Man And The Wasp is "hilarious, fun, silly, self aware, and creative. Filled with pseudo-science gobbledigook, crazy action, and multiple villains all vying for screen time, it's one of the most comic-booky MCU movies yet. The fates of all our favorite heroes after Avengers: Infinity War may still be up in the air, but in the meantime, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a welcome distraction."
Await Further Instructions
Buy it digitally from October 5
October is the month of horror movies, and this creepy British movie should deliver enough chills to keep fans happy for a couple of hours. It's actually set at Christmas but has a great low-budget premise--a dysfunctional family (including Game of Thrones/Doctor Who star David Bradley) wake up on Christmas morning to discover that they cannot leave their house. Barriers surround the building, their phones don't work, and they are receiving strange messages through the TV. Await Further Instructions got strong reviews at genre festivals this year, and anyone who has been trapped with their family over the Holidays will appreciate just how horrifying this situation can be.
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot
Buy it digitally from October 5
Gus Van Sant has made some of the most acclaimed dramas over the past 20 years, including Good Will Hunting, Elephant, and Milk. His latest movie is produced by Amazon and hits VoD this week. Don't Worry He Won't Get Far On Foot stars Joaquin Phoenix (to be seen next year as the Joker) as John Callahan, a real-life man who was both an alcoholic and paraplegic, but found redemption and hope through both therapy and drawing. The movie also stars Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, and Jack Black, and reviews suggest that Van Sant has once more found that balance between a dark subject matter and uplifting human drama that he is so skilled at.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Rent it digitally from October 2
The drug cartel thriller Sicario was one of the most gripping movies of recent years, and this sequel continues to deliver the brutal goods. This time the movie focuses on attempts by the CIA to incite an all-out war between rival drug gangs in Mexico, and Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro reprise their roles as a shady CIA operative Graver and vengeful Mexican mercenary Gillick respectively. In his review for GameSpot, Michael Rougeau said that Day of the Soldado is "well written, well acted, tense, topical, and complex, and in every way a worthy follow-up to Sicario--even if it wasn't needed to begin with."
The First Purge
Rent it digitally from October 2
The Purge series has become one of the most successful horror franchises of recent years--there have been four movies since 2015, and the TV show is currently airing weekly. The First Purge is the latest film and it hits digital formats this week. It's a prequel that looks at the creation of the single night of legalised crime known as The Purge. While reviews weren't as good for this one as previous entries (GameSpot's review said that "Whatever thin veil of subtlety this series ever possessed is gone from this movie"), the series goes from strength to strength commercially and fans will want to check this out.
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