𝓧 WEEKLY FILM RUNDOWN: 9/22-9/28

The Pamphleteer -

MUST-SEE TABLOID TRAIN WRECK

Don’t Worry Darling The hullabaloo about actor-turned-director Olivia Wilde’s sophomore film has remained headline news since Ted Lasso served her custody papers during a promo panel for the project last spring. Yet, after Wilde’s affair with co-star Harry Styles, a feud with leading lady Florence Pugh, a spat with almost-star Shia LaBeouf that saw her owned in full view of the public, and that amazing Chris Pine meme, word from the fall film festivals is that this The Stepford Wives ripoff is a laughable disaster. When her first film flopped at the box-office, Wilde took to Twitter to warn that its failure could be the end for women directors. Who knew someone sporting a “The Future is Female Ejaculation” T-shirt on set would make incels look reasonable? May as well see what the fuss is about.

Now playing in theaters.

MOST NECESSARY RERELEASE

Avatar The highest-grossing film in history no one can quote a line from returns to theatres in glorious IMAX.  See James Cameron’s visually stunning Pocahontas riff before its next sequel dominates the holiday season or finally gives the King of the World his comeuppance.

Now playing in theaters.

BARELY PREFERABLE TO THE BLACK DEATH

Catherine Called Birdy Just when it seemed Lena Dunham had assumed her rightful spot in the pop-culture landfill, the girl who ruined a generation follows up last spring’s Sundance dud of a sex farce, Sharp Stick, with this adaptation of Karen Cushman’s now-classic 1994 children’s book about a medieval preteen. Remember when the idea of Dunham around children seemed more dangerous than Olivia Wilde with a camera? Me too.

Now playing at The Belcourt

SOMEHOW THE WEEKEND’S BEST BET

On the Come Up A 16-year-old girl  (Jamila C. Gray) hustles her way to the top of the rap battle game in this YA adaptation with appearances by Lil Yachty and Method Man that has an 85% on Rotten Tonatoes.

Now playing in theaters.

LOWER THIRD OF A YA TRIPLE FEATURE

The Railway Children Return Edith Nesbit’s 1905 classic children’s novel about some ragamuffins living near a train station in an English village during the Russo-Japanese War gets a second remake. Even with a handful of okay reviews and no promotional push, it has to be better than a Lena Dunham movie.