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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Abigail, The Beast, Hard Miles, Sasquatch Sunset and more
Abigail **
You can’t entirely blame filmmakers for the choices made by a studio marketing department, but at a certain point you have to ask, “Well, how else would they market it?” The Radio Silence team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (the recent Scream reboots) bring us the story of a group of kidnappers—including medic Joey (Melissa Barrera) and leader Frank (Dan Stevens)—whose target is 12-year-old Abigail (Alisha Weir). But the team soon realizes that Alisha’s father is a dangerous crime boss, and that they might be in far greater danger than Abigail.
Das Energi Festival headliners, Ogden Twilight lineup
Das Energi headliners announced
Das Energi welcomes Above & Beyond as headliners for their first Das Energi performance since 2019, while REZZ makes a much-anticipated return to Utah, her first since 2021.
Madame Web, Bob Marley: One Love, The Taste of Things, Oscar-nominated shorts and more
Adam the First **
There’s an important distinction between “what is this movie about” from a synopsis standpoint and “what is this movie about” from a thematic standpoint—and while I can certainly explain to you the former, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the latter. It’s the tale of Adam (Oakes Fegley), a 14-year-old raised off the grid in a remote forest, who—after the death of the man who raised him (David Duchovny)—sets out with a list of three names to find out which one of them is his biological father.
Lisa Frankenstein, Out of Darkness, The Teachers' Lounge, Suncoast, Driving Madeleine
Driving Madeleine **1/2
At the outset, co-writer/director Christian Carion’s drama feels like one of those low-key character studies—and it’s definitely a bit of a surprise when it takes a different turn. In the present day, Parisian taxi driver Charles (Danny Boon) is a tightly-wound guy dealing with financial troubles, who picks up 92-year-old Madeleine Keller (Line Renaud) as she leaves her home to move, reluctantly, into an assisted-living facility.
Argylle, The Promised Land, Origin, Scrambled, Farewell Mr. Haffmann
Argylle **1/2
Much of Matthew Vaughn’s directing career—particularly Kick-Ass and the three Kingsman features—has been about exercises in laddish outrageousness, where the absurdity of the action set-pieces and copious exposition are considered features rather than bugs. His latest, in collaboration with screenwriter Jason Fuchs, is a convoluted espionage yarn so packed with plot twists and pivots that it kind of distracts from the enjoyable visual nonsense.
Popscene Coming to SLC
Salt Lake City music fans are in for a treat as the esteemed San Francisco indie hotspot
Popscene sets its sights on Utah, with an anticipated expansion slated for 2024.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Poor Things, Ferrari, The Color Purple, Migration and more
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ***
It’s more than slightly ironic that in the closing moments of this likely-final entry in the current incarnation of the DC Comics extended universe, it calls back to the first entry in the Marvel Comics extended universe—and provides a pleasantly surprising reminder of why the latter worked. Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is now trying to balance life as the new monarch of Atlantis with being a new father, just as his old revenge-minded nemesis Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) re-emerges with a powerful new weapon.
Wonka, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, The Disappearance of Shere Hite, Fallen Leaves, The Family Plan
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget ***
It’s not a ground-breaking piece of work, but Aardman’s 20-years-in-coming sequel manages to combine engaging filmmaking with a thoughtful central premise. After the events of the original Chicken Run involving an escape from a chicken farm, Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi) are living with the rest of their fowl friends on an isolated island, raising their chick Molly (Bella Ramsey).
Godzilla Minus One, Silent Night, Candy Cane Lane, The Shift
Candy Cane Lane **1/2
Few holiday traditions are as enduring as the high-concept “What Really Matters” fantasy movie, from Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life through Jingle All the Way and Elf; it’s all about whether the plot shenanigans provide ample distraction from the heart-warming but predictable platitudes about the true meaning of Christmas. This one casts Eddie Murphy as Chris Carver, a recently-laid-off dad determined to salvage Christmas by winning the big prize available for a neighborhood holiday decorations contest—which unfortunately means agreeing to a tricky deal with a banished renegade elf (Jillian Bell).
