Author Archives: Carol Edwards

Can you feel that? Like the tremor that runs through the earth when a T-Rex tromps about, the oncoming summer is shaking us up!

Summer movie season means all kind of things: Pulse-pounding thrills! Heart-racing romance! Blood-curdling horror! Brain-melting plot twists! And summer 2024 is full of films that are sure to excite and entertain. Whether you’re looking for epic action sequences (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), superhero mayhem (Deadpool & Wolverine), bombastic buddy comedy (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), tender true stories (Jim Henson Idea Man), enthralling animation (Inside Out 2), or ruthlessly scary horror (A Quiet Place: One Day), we’ve got you covered.

But hey, the best thing about summer can be the surprises along the way. So be sure to check out our full guide for the indie treasures and hidden gems that’ll be hitting amid the could-be blockbusters.

Everything you need to know about summer movies 2024 is below: What films are coming? When? Why should you care? And where can you to watch ’em?

The Idea of You

Anne Hathaway and One Direction make for one of this summer’s most winning combinations in the rom-com The Idea of You.

Directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) and based on Robinne Lee’s 2017 novel (which in turn draws inspiration from Harry Styles), this swoon-worthy flick follows the romance between 40-year-old mother Solène (Hathaway) and 24-year-old boy band star Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine, Mary & George). Their chance meeting at Coachella swiftly spirals into something more — but can their relationship withstand heightened scrutiny and judgment from the general public? Tune in for the surreal One Direction similarities, stay for Hathaway and Galitzine’s sparkling chemistry, then get way too invested in the many bops from fictional band August Moon. (Stream “Dance Before We Walk” for clear skin.) — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, and Reid Scott

How to watch: The Idea of You premieres on Prime Video on May 2.

Turtles All the Way Down

YA fans, get pumped! Author John Green’s work returns to the screen in the upcoming Turtles All the Way Down, directed by Hannah Marks.

As with many Green works, Turtles All the Way Down takes us inside the mind of a teenager navigating life’s countless wonders and woes. This time around, that teenager is Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced, Madame Web), a young woman with OCD who is constantly navigating a stream of intrusive thoughts. As she and her best friend Daisy (Cree, And Just Like That…) embark on an adventure to claim a reward for a missing billionaire, she’ll reconnect with her childhood crush (Felix Mallard, Ginny & Georgia), find solace in a professor’s (J. Smith-Cameron, Succession) lectures on consciousness, and re-evaluate her own potential for love, friendship, and happiness. — B.E.

Starring: Isabela Merced, Cree, Felix Mallard, Judy Reyes, Maliq Johnson, J. Smith-Cameron, Poorna Jagannathan

How to watch: Turtles All the Way Down premieres on Max May 2.

The Fall Guy

Stunt man turned director David Leitch is campaigning hard for stunts to finally get their rightful due at the Academy Awards with this love letter to movie magic and madcap stunt work. Inspired by the 1980s TV show about a stunt performer who moonlighted as a bounty hunter, The Fall Guy is an action-packed romantic comedy that stars Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers, the eponymous hero, and Emily Blunt as the movie director he’s fallen for. When her directorial debut is put in jeopardy by an MIA movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), it’s up to Colt to hunt him down, save the day, and not get killed along the way. 

In Mashable’s review out of SXSW, I wrote of this romp, “Together, Gosling and Blunt create a could-be couple that’s alluring not only for their looks but also their awkwardness. Dumb jokes and fumbling flirtations shrewdly undercut what could be a glossy, unnatural rom-com to make a movie that’s endearing and entertaining.” — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, and Stephanie Hsu

How to watch: The Fall Guy opens in theaters May 3. 

I Saw the TV Glow

In 2021, director Jane Schoenbrun earned critical praise for their trippy thriller We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Earlier this year, their follow-up, the mind-bending I Saw The TV Glow, got radiant reviews out of Sundance. In Mashable’s review, Siddhant Adlakha declared the eerie thriller “a new queer and transgender classic.” But what’s it all about?

Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine star as a pair of misfit teens who bond over their love for a fictional TV show called The Pink Opaque. Playing as a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, the YA series gives them space to connect and imagine a world beyond their depressing lives in the cage that is suburbia. But could there be more to this show than meets the eye? Find out when I Saw the TV Glow plays on the big screen. — K.P.

Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Danielle Deadwyler, Lindsey Jordan, and Fred Durst

How to watch: I Saw the TV Glow opens in theaters May 3. 

Lost Soulz

Having premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last year, Lost Soulz is finally hitting cinemas. The film follows aspiring Texas rapper Sol (Sauve Sidle), who joins up with a collective of hip-hop artists touring America — a journey penned by director/writer Katherine Propper from Sidle’s own experiences. Even watching the trailer, with dreamy cinematography from Donald Monroe and lo-fi SoundCloud rap running through every scene, makes you want to join this crew on the road. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Sauve Sidle, Siyanda Stillwell, Aaron “Seven” Melloul, Krystall Poppin, Alexander Brackney, Micro TDH, Malachi Mabson, Tauran Ambroise

How to watch: Lost Soulz is in cinemas May 3.

Evil Does Not Exist

Drive My Car director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s latest film was a critical standout and Grand Jury Prize of last year’s Venice International Film Festival, the tale of a man trying to protect his alpine home outside Tokyo from thoughtless development. Reviewing for Mashable, Lex Briscuso wrote, “Evil Does Not Exist is a sobering folk tale of the power of the natural order — and what humans must do to heed it, lest we pay the price. Hamaguchi is undoubtedly back with a strong, well-earned precision in this work, unafraid to show us what we stand to lose.” 

In Evil Does Not Exist, Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) finds his village life with his daughter, Hana (Ryo Nishikawa), disrupted by the arrival of a glamping company, which has little time to care about the environmental impact it will have on the community and the surrounding ecosystem. — S.C.

Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, Hazuki Kikuchi, and Hiroyuki Miura

How to watch: Evil Does Not Exist opens May 3.

Prom Dates

Best friends making pacts about prom is a bit of a trope, but Kim O. Nguyen’s film promises to breathe new life into it. Prom Dates sees the Never Have I Ever/Survival of the Thickest director bringing best friends Jess (Ginny & Georgia‘s Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series‘ Julia Lester) up to the day before their finale high school hurrah, when they both break up with their dates. Is prom ruined, or will they figure out it’s not the worst thing in the world? — S.C.

Starring: Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Zión Moreno, Terry Hu, John Michael Higgins, Chelsea Handler

How to watch: Prom Dates premieres on Hulu May 3.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

If Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire whetted your appetite for ape action, you’ll want to mark your calendar for the fourth installment of the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise. Set generations after 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes, this sequel sets up after the age of Caesar to a time of feral decline. Here, a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague) calls into question the ways of this planet. With a human sidekick known as Mae (Freya Allan), this brave hero will go on a journey that changes the future of ape and mankind forever.

The Maze Runner trilogy director Wes Ball takes the helm, promising rousing action and serious drama.* — K.P.

Starring: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy

How to watch: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes opens May 10.

Poolman

Not every movie on this list will be a winner, but sometimes you’ve gotta see for yourself what the fuss is all about.. The directorial debut of Chris Pine, Poolman failed to make a splash out of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall. The noir-comedy about a pool cleaner who stumbles onto a conspiracy in Los Angeles earned only a wave of bad buzz. 

From Mashable’s review: “That the plot barely makes sense might’ve been forgivable if Pine could elicit from his performers the kind of exhilarating energy and distinctive wackiness we’ve seen in the works of the Coens and Anderson. Instead, his cast, while charismatic, dances between a blurry line of broad comedy and nuanced parody that can’t find its footing. Theirs is a world vaguely interesting but never sharply realized. And as such, we, the audience, are always treated as outsiders.” — K.P.

Starring: Chris Pine, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Jennifer Jason Leigh 

How to watch: Poolman opens in theaters May 10.

Gasoline Rainbow

A coming-of-age road trip movie drenched in youth, promise, and freedom, Gasoline Rainbow created quite a buzz out of its premieres at Venice International Film Festival and SXSW last year. It’s from the directorial duo behind the lauded documentary Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, the Ross Brothers, who wrote the screenplay, handled cinematography, and edited the film, too. Having finished school and with their whole lives ahead of them, five Oregon teens hit the road in a van to drive along the Pacific Coast, chatting shit the whole way through the vacillating landscapes of America’s West. — S.C.

Starring: Tony Aburto, Micah Bunch, Nichole Dukes, Nathaly Garcia, and Makai Garza.

How to watch: Gasoline Rainbow opens in cinemas May 10.

Babes

Pamela Adlon (Better Things) makes her feature directorial debut with Babes, a comedy about female friendship fronted by Survival of the Thickest‘s Michelle Buteau. Broad City‘s Ilana Glazer co-stars and co-wrote the script with Josh Rabinowitz. Playing besties since childhood, these fiercely funny queens of comedy explore some complicated and comical issues of being a grown-up in New York City. This includes everything from the (literal) shit show of homeownership to the excruciating awkwardness of small chat with your gynecologist, not to mention the whole wild ride of pregnancy and parenting toddlers. And it does all this with the outlandish humor we’ve come to expect from all three of these badass babes.

In our review out of SXSW, I cheered, “Babes is a comedy that is unabashedly outrageous and rambunctiously heartfelt. While you may howl with laughter and gasp at a gross-out gag, you’ll also walk away with a big smile — and maybe a bit more appreciation for your own quirks.” — K.P.

Starring: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, Hasan Minhaj, Stephan James, and Oliver Platt

How to watch: Babes opens in theaters May 17.

Back to Black

Amy Winehouse’s songs “Back to Black,” “You Know I’m No Good,” and “Rehab” demanded the world sing along, but do you know of the real-life pain behind them? Director Sam Taylor-Johnson reunited with screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh, who penned the script for her John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, for this take on the Camden icon. Industry‘s Marisa Abela stars as the beehived Brit who rocketed to fame with jazzy, endlessly catchy songs and an unforgettable style before dying tragically young in 2011.

Back to Black offers a look at the behind-the-scenes drama in Amy’s life as she goes from struggling chanteuse to global sensation caught in a tumultuous relationship. This biopic is made with the support of The Amy Winehouse Estate and Sony Music Publishing.* — K.P.

Starring: Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville

How to watch: Back to Black opens in theaters May 17.

IF

Having handed off the reigns to A Quiet Place, writer/director John Krasinski has turned his sights to monsters who are less menacing and more whimsical. Krasinski offers a family-friendly adventure about a little girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers she can see everyone‘s imaginary friends (IFs for short). See, when we grow up, we can’t see our Imaginary Friends any more. But far from the horror scenario of Imaginary, IF offers a story of reclamation, as this little girl could help these lost friends find new buddies. 

Steve Carell, Krasinski’s co-star from The Office, is just part of a star-stuffed ensemble lending their voices to a variety of wacky imaginary besties, while Ryan Reynolds plays the IFs’ (imaginary friends) ally. — K.P.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Christopher Meloni, Richard Jenkins, Awkwafina, and Steve Carell

How to watch: IF hits theaters May 17.

The Strangers: Chapter 1

They’re baaaaaack. The three masked killers who first terrorized Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman in 2008’s The Strangers have gotten a remake for the kickoff to a new trilogy. Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez star as a road-tripping couple who hope a rustic cabin will be a great setting for romance. Instead, a home invasion with some very familiar elements turns their night-in into a nightmare.

Renny Harlin, who directed such ’90s action romps as Cliffhanger, Cutthroat Island, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and the shark-infested Deep Blue Sea, is set to helm all three chapters of this horror relaunch. So, expect some expanded lore from what little we know about the titular intruders. — K.P.

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Gabriel Basso, Rachel Shenton, Ella Bruccoleri, Ema Horvath, and Richard Brake

How to watch: The Strangers: Chapter 1 hits theaters May 17.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Thanks to the rip-roaring success of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, breakout badass Furiosa is getting her very own spinoff prequel. Fury Road director George Miller is back in the fray for what’s sure to be a summer blockbuster, and he’s brought along Anya Taylor-Joy to slap on the greasepaint for the starring role. Chris Hemsworth is also on board as the warlord Dementus, bearded and nearly unrecognizable. This saga focuses on Furiosa’s early life, after she’s kidnapped from the Green Place of Many Mothers but before the events in Fury Road.

It’s hard to imagine how Miller might top his last Mad Max epic. But from the trailer, it looks like Furiosa will have action fans feeling very shiny and chrome, indeed.* — K.P.

Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Alyla Browne, and Tom Burke

How to watch: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga opens in theaters only nationwide on May 24.

The Garfield Movie

Our favorite feline from the Sunday funnies is returning to the big screen with a new computer-animated adventure from Mark Dindal, of Chicken Little and The Emperor’s New Groove acclaim. Chris Pratt makes the leap from The LEGO Movie and The Super Mario. Bros Movie to The Garfield Movie, continuing his tireless campaign at voice-acting domination.

Pratt voices the titular cat as he goes on a wild outdoor adventure with his long-lost dad, Vic (Samuel L. Jackson), a street cat who is even bigger and stripier than our lasagna-loving hero. We also learn about his origin story, which involves a fiasco at an Italian restaurant. Along with riling his owner Jon (Nicholas Hoult) and pestering poor pup Odie (Harvey Guillén), Garfield sets forth on an adventure with Vic that gets him way outside of his comfort zone. We assume hijinks ensue. — K.P.

Starring: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, and Bowen Yang

How to watch: The Garfield Movie opens May 24.

Hit Man

If you loved watching Glen Powell deploy his rom-com chops in Anyone But You (or in 2018’s delightful Set It Up), brace yourselves for the charm bomb that is his performance in Hit Man.

Powell co-wrote Hit Man with director Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, Boyhood) in their fourth collaboration. He also stars as Gary Johnson: mild-mannered psychology teacher by day, fake assassin-for-hire by night. Gary takes on these fake hit man personas for sting operations, but when he finds himself catching feelings for Madison (Adria Arjona, Andor), a woman who wants him to kill her husband, he’ll have to work overtime to keep his many secret identities in check. What follows is, as Siddhant Adlakha wrote in his Mashable review, “nothing short of a perfect crowd-pleaser.” — B.E.

Starring: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Reo, Molly Bernard, and Evan Holtzman

How to watch: Hit Man opens in theaters May 24 and hits Netflix on June 7.

The Dead Don’t Hurt

Viggo Mortensen clearly loves Deadwood, because when it came time to cast his Western, The Dead Don’t Hurt, he peopled the ensemble cast with the show’s stars, including Garret Dillahunt, W. Earl Brown, and Ray McKinnon. However, this Wild West set tale of romance and revenge doesn’t play like the HBO epic. Mortensen, who also wrote the script, headlines as Danish carpenter Holger Olsen, who finds love with Vivienne Le Coudy, a spirited French immigrant who makes her life on the American plains in the 1860s. But harsh terrain and the lure of war aren’t the couple’s biggest trouble. That would be a spoiled gunslinger with an eye for Vivienne. 

Following its festival run, The Dead Don’t Hurt will come to theaters to offer a character-driven Western that’s moving — but not best suited to a date night. — K.P. 

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Vicky Krieps, Garret Dillahunt, W. Earl Brown, Ray McKinnon, Solly McLeod, and Danny Huston

How to watch: The Dead Don’t Hurt opens in theaters May 31.

Flipside

On its surface, Flipside is about a record store, once important but now quietly dying in relevance and solvency. But on the flipside, this daring documentary is about that jarring time in middle-age when you look back at your life and wonder what happened to you — and those youthful ambitions. 

Documentarian Christopher Wilcha takes a personal approach to art and getting older — or maybe the art of getting older. Tying together a bunch of his abandoned past projects and interviews with luminaries like comedy master Judd Apatow, Deadwood creator David Milch, and fan favorite podcaster Starlee Kine, Wilcha offers a story that is surprising, funny, and thought-provoking. As I wrote in my review out of TIFF, which is quoted in the above trailer, “It’s beautiful and inspiring, and it might just spur you into some mind-fucking self-reflection.” — K.P. 

Starring: Judd Apatow, David Milch, Starlee Kine, Christopher Wilcha, Ira Glass, Herman Leonard, and Uncle Floyd

How to watch: Flipside opens in theaters May 31.

Jim Henson Idea Man

Who was the man behind the Muppets? Director Ron Howard explores the genius and humanity of Jim Henson in this documentary, which will feature interviews with some of the puppeteer’s closest friends and family. Looking back on a legacy that includes The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and much, much more, Jim Henson Idea Man will undoubtedly be a must-see for every Muppet lover. — K.P.

Starring: Jim Henson

How to watch: Jim Henson Idea Man debuts on Disney+ on May 31.

Robot Dreams

Pablo Berger’s animated film Robot Dreams promises a heartfelt ride through the power of loneliness and the giddy highs of a new friendship. Even if it’s a DIY one. Based on Sara Varon’s graphic novel, the dialogue-free film follows Dog, a New Yorker who decides to order a buddy to build — that’s Robot. Set in ’80s Manhattan, the film weaves the tale of inseparable bond between canine and robot over the summer of a lifetime, through Central Park, the subway, and those unmistakeable streets. — S.C.

Starring: Ivan Labanda, Albert Trifol Segarra, and Rafa Calvo

How to watch: Robot Dreams hits cinemas May 31.

Backspot 

Bring It On, but raise the stakes. The intense world of professional cheerleading lies at the heart of Backspot, the new sports drama from debut director D.W. Waterson, who co-wrote the film with Joanne Sarazen. Reservation Dogs‘ Devery Jacobs plays Riley, a talented cheerleader who is picked for the all-star squad known as the Thunderhawks along with her girlfriend. Leading the squad is formidable coach Eileen McNamara (Evan Rachel Wood), whose need for perfection clashes with Riley’s anxiety. — S.C.

Starring: Devery Jacobs, Evan Rachel Wood, Noa DiBerto, Kudakwashe Rutendo, Thomas Antony Olajide, Oluniké Adeliyi, Wendy Crewson, Shannyn Sossamon, Adrianna Di Liello, and Marlee Sansom.

How to watch: Backspot opens in cinemas May 31.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence first thrilled audiences with their buddy cop action-comedy Bad Boys way back in 1995. This hit and its sequel Bad Boys II were helmed by Michael Bay, and brought with them the action auteur’s signature explosive style. In 2020, however, Bay handed over directing duties for Bad Boys for Life to emerging directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. They turned in a threequel that made over $426.5 million at the box office.

Often billed as Adil & Bilall, the pair were set for a super-powered follow-up with a Batgirl movie. But Warner Bros./Max infamously canceled the movie despite it being in post-production, leaving its final cut never to be seen. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is Adil & Bilall’s return to theaters, and a backhanded chance to prove to Warner Bros. just what they’re missing out on. This go-round, Miami PD detectives Mike and Marcus are out to clear the name of their trusted captain (Joe Pantoliano) when he’s posthumously accused of corruption. Naturally, there will be much action and punchlines, hitting hard and hilariously. — K.P.

Starring: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Joe Pantoliano, Tiffany Haddish, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, and Eric Dane

How to watch: Bad Boys: Ride or Die opens in theater June 7.

Cora Bora

One of our faves out of SXSW 2023, Cora Bora stars Hacks scene-stealer Megan Stalter as an aspiring musician whose long-distance relationship is fizzling out. To revive it, she goes back to her hometown to reconnect with her girlfriend (Jojo T. Gibbs). But once there, she must confront some stressful complications, including a new girl in her partner’s life.

In our review out of SXSW, I wrote, “On this quest of self-love and reclamation, Cora will fumble into group sex, accidental dognapping, and wonky flirtations with a suspiciously kind while hot stranger (The Good Place‘s Manny Jacinto). The circumstances are absurd yet familiar, because we all have that friend who can turn a simple errand into major drama. (If you don’t have that friend, I regret to inform you that you may be that friend!) Whatever her wobbles, the film roots for her, even as we may cringe at her catastrophic social interactions.” — K.P.

Starring: Megan Stalter, Thomas Mann, Chelsea Peretti, Manny Jacinto, Margaret Cho, and Jojo T. Gibbs

How to watch: Cora Bora opens in theater June 14.

Inside Out 2

In the 2015 hit Inside Out, much Joy and Sadness was explored inside the head of a young girl named Riley who was trying to cope with moving across the country — and the terrible pizza she finds there. Now, the feelings crew is back as Riley hits puberty, and so comes a new array of emotions!

The first teaser introduced Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke (Stranger Things). Then the second trailer (seen above) revealed Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. As Riley attends a hockey camp and confronts some tough decisions about friends, the old emotions and the new get into a power struggle. And as you might predict, that conflict expresses itself through some emotional meltdowns on Riley’s part.

It’s OK, girl. We’ve all been there! And good luck, Riley. As Turning Red showed with its Red Panda plotline, growing up can be a wild ride. — K.P.

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and June Squibb

How to watch: Inside Out 2 opens in theaters June 14.

The Watchers

Summer 2024 means family fun — specifically Shyamalan family fun. The Watchers is not only the latest film produced by mind-bending moviemaker M. Night Shyamalan, it’s also directed by his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan, who wrote the screenplay, adapted from the A.M. Shine novel. So, we’re expecting this horror thriller to get twisted. 

Dakota Fanning stars as Mina, a young woman whose life is derailed when she is stranded in a forest in Ireland. There, she is taken in by a band of humans who live to perform for unseen creatures, the watchers. What they are — even what they look like — is unknown by their captive players. But if Mina wants to escape, she’ll need to disrupt this gnarly nightly ritual of voyeurism and torment. — K.P. 

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouéré

How to watch: The Watchers opens in theaters June 14.

The Bikeriders

If Dune: Part 2 has you yearning for more Austin Butler as a badass fighter, you won’t want to miss The Bikeriders. For his latest, writer/director Jeff Nichols — who has delivered such riveting character-focused dramas as Take Shelter, Mud, and Midnight Special — found inspiration in the Danny Lyon photo book The Bikeriders, which captured portraits of a 1960s Chicago-based motorcycle gang.

In the film, Butler stars as a biker named Benny who runs with a gang led by the surly Johnny (Tom Hardy). As teased in the trailer, much of the story’s insights come from Benny’s best girl, Kathy, played by Killing Eve‘s Jodie Comer, conquering another tricky accent with aplomb. Together, this ensemble ignites onscreen, bringing to life a time of machismo, rebellion, and fatally impulsive decisions. — K.P.

Starring: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Norman Reedus, Tom Hardy, Mike Faist, and Michael Shannon

How to watch: The Bikeriders opens in theaters June 21.

Fancy Dance

Isabel Deroy-Olson and Lily Gladstone star in “Fancy Dance.”
Credit: Apple TV+

Following an Oscar-nominated turn in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone stars in Fancy Dance, the directorial debut of Native American filmmaker Erica Tremblay. 

The drama, set on the Seneca–Cayuga Nation Reservation, follows Jax (Gladstone), a woman desperately trying to hold her family together once her sister goes missing. While helping her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) prepare for an upcoming powwow, Jax also seeks to discover what happened to the girl’s missing mom. And when Roki’s dad (Shea Whigham) threatens to take custody of her, auntie and niece hit the road in search of their missing family member. With rave reviews out of film festivals, Fancy Dance seems sure to be treasured this summer. — K.P. 

Starring: Lily Gladstone, Isabel Deroy-Olson, and Shea Whigham

How to watch: Fancy Dance opens in theaters June 21; premieres on Apple TV+ June 28.

Janet Planet

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker makes her directorial debut with Janet Planet, a remarkable mother-daughter story.

In the summer of 1991, 11-year-old Lacy (newcomer Zoe Ziegler) observes her mother Janet (Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown) as she connects with boyfriends and old friends. This simple slice of life set-up allows Baker to explore the layers of Lacy and Janet’s very close relationship, one that can seem sweet one moment, cloying the next. Boasting Baker’s trademark silences and standout performances from Nicholson and Ziegler, Janet Planet‘s quiet thoughtfulness makes for a nice bit of counterprogramming to summer blockbuster fare. — B.E.

Starring: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, and Sophie Okonedo

How to watch: Janet Planet hits theaters June 21.

Kinds of Kindness

Hot off their much acclaimed and Oscar-winning collaboration on Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone have reteamed for Kinds of Kindness. Honestly, that alone is enough for the Mashable team to be stoked about this one. The cast list (seen below) is just gravy.

But if you want some sense of a plot, here’s the official log line:

Kinds of Kindness is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.

— K.P.

Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer

How to watch: Kinds of Kindness opens in theaters June 21.

Thelma

Imagine if Mission: Impossible were about a nonagenarian retiree determined to get her stolen money back from a batch of scammers in Los Angeles. The delightful and daffy result is Thelma, in which June Squibb and the late Richard Roundtree dodge concerned family members and aid workers to pursue their destiny! 

In Mashable’s review out of Sundance, I wrote, “Following in the footsteps of action-comedies like the sports spoof Shaolin Soccer and the student heist flick Bad Genius, Thelma treats its low stakes with a tongue-in-cheek intensity. Action sequences — like a mobility scooter chase around a retirement home — are less nerve-rattling and more rib-tickling. Remarkably, the joke is never on the old folks at the movie’s heart.” — K.P.

Starring: June Squibb, Richard Roundtree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, and Clark Gregg

How to watch: Thelma opens in theaters June 21.

The Devil’s Bath

Austrian filmmaking team Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala first knocked horror fans out with their unforgettably chilling tale of twin terror, 2014’s Goodnight Mommy. (Not to be confused with its underwhelming English-language remake!) Afterward, they delved into anthology horror with a vignette in The Field Guide to Evil, then delivered icy frights with The Lodge. Now, well, they have us hooked by the title alone: The Devil’s Bath. 

But hey, if you need a plot to get pumped, here goes: A young bride is initially pleased to wed her beloved. But when the reality of the duties of being a rural wife sink in, she feels trapped. Could an act of horrid violence be her only way out? — K.P. 

Starring: Anja Plaschg, Maria Hofstätter, David Scheid, and Natalija Baranova

How to watch: The Devil’s Bath hits Shudder June 28.

A Quiet Place: Day One

After the success of A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II, the frightening franchise is expanding with this prequel. While director/star of the first two, John Krasinski, has a “story by” writing credit, Day One centers around new characters and has a new writer/director in Michael Sarnoski, who brought us the tense and unique culinary thriller Pig in 2021. 

Bringing together stars from Stranger Things, Hereditary, and Us, this prequel is set in New York City, where the noise-chasing creatures arrival brings absolute havoc. How can anyone survive in this city that never sleeps? We’ll find out this summer. — K.P.

Starring: Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, and Lupita Nyong’o

How to watch: A Quiet Place: Day One opens in theaters June 28.

Gassed Up

The Hard Stop director George Amponsah teams up with writers Archie Maddocks and Taz Skylar for Gassed Up, a London-set crime drama about a group of teens who find themselves turning to robbery. The film hinges on Ash (Boiling Point‘s Stephen Odubola), who finds his way into a gang run by Dubz (Skylar). It’s a means to provide for his younger sister Jas (Rawdat Quadri) as his mother struggles with addiction. But things quickly get more hectic than they began — first stealing smartphones on mopeds but quickly moving up to bigger things. — S.C.

Starring: Stephen Odubola, Taz Skylar, Craige Middleburg, Rawdat Quadri, Mohammed Mansaray, and Tobias Jowett

How to watch: Gassed Up opens in cinemas and VOD June 28.

Horizon: An American Saga

Fresh from the immensely popular Yellowstone series, Kevin Costner’s back in the director’s chair. Following 2003’s Open Range and 1990’s Dances with Wolves, Costner’s about to launch a two-part Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga. Co-written with Jon Baird, the films are set during a 15-year period that includes pre-and post-Civil War expansion and the settlement of the American West. Notably, this includes the war’s impact on Indigenous nations, communities, and families. — S.C.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt, Tim Guinee, Danny Huston, Colin Cunningham, Scott Haze, Tom Payne, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Will Patton, Georgia MacPhail, Douglas Smith, Luke Wilson, and Isabelle Fuhrman

How to watch: Horizon: An American Saga will be released as two films, the first of which is in cinemas June 28, the second out Aug. 16.

Despicable Me 4

You can’t stop the Minions or their extended family. Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage have been part of this franchise in one way or another since the beginning, and now they’re co-directors on this fourth installment.

Despicable Me 4 brings the audience back into Gru’s house, where he (Steve Carell), his partner Lucy (Kristen Wiig), his adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Skyy Polan), and their lovable Minions are joined by a bouncing baby boy named Gru Jr. But their idyllic life is thrown into chaos when an old enemy resurfaces. Naturally, this will lead to a heist and much hijinks, as well as the age-old battle of baby versus badger. — K.P.

Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Skyy Polan, Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara, and Steve Coogan

How to watch: Despicable Me 4 opens in theaters July 3.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley returns for the fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, paired with new partner Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). With Axel’s daughter in trouble in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the detective calls on some old friends — Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) — for assistance. Directed by Mark Molloy, the film was written by Zack Snyder’s Justice League/Aquaman scribe Will Beall with Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, who wrote The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (which Gormican directed). — S.C.

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, and Kevin Bacon.

How to watch: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F hits Netflix July 3.

MaXXXine

First Ti West and Mia Goth brought us the sexed-up slasher X. Then came their campy prequel, Pearl. Now, the final entry in the X trilogy is going to make summer hotter than ever.

Goth reprises her role as the first movie’s sole survivor, Maxine Minx. This time, far away from the blood-soaked Texas farm, this porn starlet is chasing her dreams of fame in Los Angeles. But with the notorious serial killer known as the Night Stalker on the prowl, her brush with brutality is far from over. What fresh hell does West have in store? We can’t wait to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon

How to watch: MaXXXine opens in theaters July 5.

Fly Me to the Moon

Talk about star power! Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum reteam up for Fly Me to the Moon, a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race. Directed by Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon), this movie boasts a stellar premise. He’s the hard-nosed director of NASA, prepping for the much anticipated launch of Apollo 11. She’s a sassy marketing specialist, looking to give the government agency a glow-up — which includes plotting a fake moon landing in case the launch goes sideways. 

With a wonderfully wacky premise, A-list movie stars, and plenty of ’60s flare and fashion, Fly Me to the Moon seems to harken back to the winsome rom-coms of Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, and Doris Day. Tatum and Johansson have shown their appreciation for classic Hollywood before in the Coen Bros comedy Hail, Caesar! So, we’re confident this romantic reunion will be out of this world. — K.P. 

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Donald Elise Watkins, Ray Romano, and Woody Harrelson

How to watch: Fly Me to the Moon opens in theaters July 12.

Longlegs

Director Osgood Perkins has brought horror fans such wicked treats as The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel. Next up, he offers Longlegs, a cryptic tale of a serial killer. 

It Follows star Maika Monroe headlines as FBI agent Lee Harker, investigating an unsolved homicide case in 1974. Is the occult involved? Does her past give her a clue to the undiscovered killer? And what role does Nicolas Cage play in all this? We can’t wait to find out! — K.P. 

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, and Blair Underwood

How to watch: Longlegs opens in theaters July 12.

National Anthem

Charlie Plummer and Eve Lindley fall in love in “National Anthem.”
Credit: TIFF

Directed and co-written by Luke Gilford, National Anthem is a tale of queerness in a rural setting. Drawing from his own experiences, Gilford spins a story of a young cowpoke (Charlie Plummer) who is working tirelessly to support his little brother and single mom. But when he comes across a ranch where a chosen family of LGBTQ+ folk aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving, his eyes are opened to a life-changing romance with a beguiling cowgirl named Sky (Bros‘ Eve Lindley).

In Mashable’s review out of TIFF, I wrote, “Grounded by vulnerable yet effervescent performances, National Anthem is a celebration of rural queerness. It’s not a rallying cry, but instead a firm declaration of existence and the pursuit of happiness. Wrapped in the sunny hues of the New Mexican desert and floating on the charisma of a sexy and vulnerable ensemble, this drama charts its own path with clear eyes and queer hearts.” — K.P.

Starring: Charlie Plummer, Eve Lindley, Mason Alexander Park, Rene Rosado, and Robyn Lively

How to watch: National Anthem opens in theaters July 12. 

Sing Sing

Hot off his Oscar-nomination for Rustin, Colman Domingo returns with Sing Sing, a moving drama based on a true story of men who are incarcerated and found a new lease on life through an in-prison theater program. Director Greg Kwedar explores identity and the healing power of creation with a cast led by Domingo and people who were formerly incarcerated. 

Out of film festivals, Sing Sing has been gathering rave reviews. Siddhant Adlakha wrote for Mashable out of SXSW that the film had a boldly documentary feel and a humane approach, concluding, “Kwedar, through his gentle visual approach, affords each imprisoned character (and formerly imprisoned actor) the room — and just as importantly, the time — to tell their own stories, in ways that cinema seldom does. The result is a heartrending, visually enrapturing balm for the soul.” — K.P. 

Starring: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José, and Paul Raci

How to watch: Sing Sing opens in select theaters July 12, with a nationwide debut to follow.

Touch

Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur has got serious range. Not only does he helm gripping action movies like the heist hit Contraband and the buddy action-comedy 2 Guns, but also he’s brought to the big screen the stranger-than-fiction true story of survival that was Adrift. So, following the Idris Elba-fronted man-versus-lion thriller Beast, it’s hard to guess what he might have coming next. But would you have wagered a tender tale of romance and regret?

Based on Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson’s best-selling novel of the same name, Touch centers on Kristofer, an Icelandic man who once found love with a Japanese woman named Miko in 1960s London. Decades later, he looks to reconnect with this lost love, setting forth on a new adventure while reflecting on his past. As some in the trailer asks bluntly: What if he can’t find her? Oh. But what if he can?! — K.P.

Starring: Egill Ólafsson, Kōki, Pálmi Kormákur, Masahiro Motoki, Yoko Narahashi, Meg Kubota, Tatsuya Tagawa, Charles Nishikawa, Sigurður Ingvarsson, Benedikt Erlingsson, Kieran Buckeridge, Ruth Sheen, María Ellingsen, and Masatoshi Nakamura

How to watch: Touch opens in theaters July 12.

Twisters

Back in 1996, audiences went wild for the cow-flinging disaster movie Twister. Now, 28 years later, Warner Bros. is stirring up a franchise with this standalone sequel helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, who won critical praise and an Oscar nod for his semi-autobiographical family drama Minari.

As a powerful tornado threatens to touch down, a squad of storm chasers ready for action. The first trailer teases a look at the weather-centered drama, a windstorm romance, and a star-studded cast led by Normal People‘s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Hit Man‘s Glen Powell. But that’s not all. As the title teases, this isn’t just one twister. As one excitable adventurer cries in the above trailer, “We’ve got twins! TWINS!” — K.P.

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, Brandon Perea, Daryl McCormack, Sasha Lane, Kiernan Shipka, and Nik Dodani

How to watch: Twisters opens in theaters July 19.

Deadpool & Wolverine

Who would have ever thunk watching the detested X-Men Origins: Wolverine that Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds would once more reprise these roles together? After a pair of successful R-rated Deadpool movies, Marvel is risking this gambit for a team-up that’s sure to be absolutely outrageous.

The teaser for this new adventure shows Wade surrounded by loved ones (and familiar faces) when trouble comes literally knocking at his door. Now officially a Disney character, Deadpool has come to be — uh — “Marvel Jesus” and save us from superhero fatigue. How does that connect to Wolverine? Hard to say at this point! But Reynolds has been having a blast online sharing cheeky “leaked” photos from set. Sure, they’re fake, but they suggest that the irreverent fun of previous Deadpool movies is going strong in this one too. — K.P.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand, Karan Soni, Emma Corrin, and Jennifer Garner

How to watch: Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters July 26.

Kneecap

Credit: Obscured Pictures

Winner of the NEXT audience award out of Sundance 2024, Kneecap is a raucous comedy that unfurls the stranger-than-fiction origins of the Irish hip-hop band for which it’s named. 

Big picture: the Belfast band Kneecap was coming up as the debate around their mother tongue was becoming a hot topic. Their rap lyrics, which integrated English and Irish with a flurry of curse words and references to sex and hard drugs, became an unexpected point of pride for the “ceasefire babies.” But don’t let the political element of this movie fool you. In his directorial debut, writer/helmer Richard Peppiatt brings early Guy Ritchie energy (think Lock, Stock, and Two Smokin’ Barrels) to his high-energy romp. Even more compelling, band members Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí play themselves in the film, and do a bang-up job — even when appearing opposite a sneering Michael Fassbender as a tough-as-nails dad. Trust us: this one rocks.* — K.P. 

Starring: Naoise Ó Cairealláin (“Móglaí Bap”), Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (“Mo Chara”), JJ Ó Dochartaigh (“DJ Provaí”), Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, Simone Kirby, and Michael Fassbender

How to watch: Kneecap opens in theaters Aug. 2.

Borderlands

For those who love the action role-playing video game, which has gained fans for its addictive loot-and-shoot missions, the Borderlands movie promises to be a giddy celebration of violence and spectacle. For those who are new to this world of alien monsters, eccentric bandits, and unchecked mayhem, it seems the stuff of a Hollywood Mad Libs.

Two-time Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett teams up with 13-time Teen Choice Award nominee Jack Black and gory horror director Eli Roth for this riotous video game adaptation. In the film, Blanchett stars as a flame-haired bounty hunter named Lilith whose latest gig is finding the daughter of an infamous outlaw. Unfortunately, this requires her to return to Pandora, “the most chaotic planet in the galaxy.” Jack Black voices Claptrap, an absurd robot sidekick from the game. And it just gets weirder from there.

With a trailer full of color, attitude, and Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, Borderlands is looking to deliver a bombastic popcorn movie this summer. — K.P.

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Olivier Richters, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis, Gina Gershon, Ariana Greenblatt, Edgar Ramirez, Bobby Lee, and Cheyenne Jackson

How to watch: Borderlands opens in theaters Aug. 9. 

Cuckoo

Body horror, an isolated mountain resort, and Euphoria‘s Hunter Schafer in full scream queen mode? Say no more, Cuckoo. I’m hooked.

Director Tilman Singer’s upcoming horror film stars Schafer as Gretchen, a moody teenager on a family trip to a mysterious resort in the German Alps. The strange owner (Dan Stevens, Abigail) hooks her up with a receptionist job to pass the time, but it’s not long before strange things begin to go bump in the night. Chilling screeches erupt from the nearby forest, and a red-eyed woman chases Gretchen — what sinister secrets could this resort be hiding? — B.E.

Starring: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick

How to watch: Cuckoo opens in theaters Aug. 9.

Trap

M. Night Shyamalan, who brought us such dark thrills as The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Knock at the Cabin, returns with Trap. And he’s bringing terror to a frenzied space. With Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, parents around the world scrounged up big bucks to treat their daughters to a show-stopping concert they’d never forget.

This is what one devoted dad (Josh Hartnett) is looking to do when he brings his rosy-cheeked daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to see her fave performer, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan — M. Night’s real-life daughter!). But something sketchy is going on behind-the-scenes as security is out in force and police seem to be congregating. Turns out, the cops got a tip that the on-the-loose serial killer “The Butcher” is at this concert, and they’ve set a trap to catch him. Where some filmmakers might center on a panicked dad looking to keep his kid safe from a known murderer, the trailer for Trap suggests this dear ol’ dad is that killer. But with Shyamalan pulling writing and directing duties, we’re assuming there’s more than meets the eye here. — K.P. 

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, and Hayley Mills

How to watch: Trap opens in theaters Aug. 9.

Alien: Romulus

It’s a face-hugging, chest-bursting kind of summer, because we’re getting a new film in the Alien franchise.

Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe), promises another tale of spacefarers versus Xenomorphs. This time, we’re tagging along with a group of young space colonizers as they undertake a scavenging mission on an abandoned space station. Only it may not be quite as abandoned as they thought! The film’s trailer teases plenty of alien encounters, not to mention star Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Civil War) embracing her inner Ripley. Bring it on (and be sure to keep your mouth shut around any face huggers you may meet). — B.E.

Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu

How to watch: Alien: Romulus opens in theaters Aug. 16.

Close to You

Elliot Page stars in “Close to You.”
Credit: Greenwich Entertainment

Elliot Page headlines and produced this family drama, in which he plays a trans man returning to his hometown after years of estrangement from his family. Page is also credited as a co-writer alongside Close to You‘s director Dominic Savage. However, as our review out of the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival noted, the movie is largely improvised, boasting an ambitious 53-minute take that was considerably cut down to fit into the frictional story of a fractured family reunion. While the drama is raw and the intimacy admirable, the lack of structure and script can make for a very uneven viewing experience.

Still, fans of Page will be at rapt attention. — K.P.

Starring: Elliot Page, Hillary Baack, Andrew Bushell, Daniel Maslany, and Wendy Crewson

How to watch: Close to You opens in theaters Aug. 16. 

The Crow

It’s been 30 years since The Crow awed audiences with its stirring tale of love and revenge — and an absolutely epic soundtrack. This summer, Eric Draven returns in this curious reboot, with Bill Skarsgård donning the iconic black-and-white face paint for his performance as the murdered rocker returning to wreak havoc on those who killed him and his beloved Shelly (FKA twigs).

Director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell) will be bringing a different spin to the source material, James O’Barr’s cult-adored comics. Could this resurrect a franchise that’s already boasted a string of sequels and a short-lived Canadian TV series? We’ll find out this summer. — K.P.

Starring: Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs, and Danny Huston

How to watch: The Crow opens in theaters Aug. 23.

Kraven the Hunter

When the trailer for this Spider-Man spinoff hit last summer, we were quick to rejoice. Where the MCU has been wallowing in grief post-Snap and the DCEU got bogged down in dramas onscreen and scandals off, Sony was chasing the weird spirit behind the Venom movies with this story about an animalistic anti-hero who oozes sex appeal and rips off his foe’s noses without blinking an eye. And we’ve been stoked to see it since then, even though it got bumped nearly a full calendar year without explanation.

Sure, Madame Web (another Spidey spin-off) got thrashed in theaters and online. But hey, it was better than Morbius. So even with this delayed release, we’re cautiously optimistic. — K.P.

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, and Christopher Abbott

How to watch: Kraven the Hunter opens in theaters Aug. 30. 

Oddity

Credit: Shudder

One of our favorites out of SXSW 2024, Oddity is an Irish horror film from emerging auteur Damian McCarthy, who gave us the terrifically creepy 2021 movie Caveat. This follow-up, which seems set in the same sinister world, begins with an impossible predicament: Stay in a home where an intruder may lurk or flee with a stranger who came knocking at night. 

Combining elements of ghosts, slashers, witchcraft, folk horror, and psychological thriller, Oddity gives viewers plenty of scares. As I wrote in my review, “McCarthy takes each of these elements and uses them as a hue in his distinctive palette of horror. He blends them beautifully and harrowingly, pulling us in with their mystique and making us howl with their darkest revelations.” — K.P. 

Starring: Gwilym Lee, Carolyn Bracken, Tadhg Murphy, and Caroline Menton

How to watch: Oddity opens in theaters in August.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list. 

Claude, Anthropic’s ChatGPT competitor now has a free iOS app.

The artificial intelligence company shared the announcement on its blog today, in addition to a new Teams plan — a paid subscription with strict safety and privacy guardrails and collaborative features.

While OpenAI’s large language models have held ChatGPT at the top of the leaderboard since the start of the generative AI craze, Anthropic’s Claude models shouldn’t be underestimated. Anthropic was founded by former OpenAI employees including siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei who are now the CEO and President respectively. The Anthropic founders reportedly left OpenAI over “differences over the group’s direction” after taking investment from Microsoft in 2019 and founded Anthropic as the reliable and safe alternative that balances profit and purpose with its organizational status as a public benefit corporation. For the record, Anthropic has investment from Google.

But how do the Claude models stack up against ChatGPT? In a comparison conducted by Anthropic, the lightweight Claude Haiku, medium Claude Sonnet, and powerful Claude Opus scored similarly to GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 on common benchmarks. Claude Sonnet which is included in the free plan — and now available on iOS surpassed GPT-3.5 on all benchmarks.

The Claude Pro subscription, which costs $20 will also get you access to Anthropic’s most powerful model Claude Opus.

Specs for the iOS app include syncing across mobile and desktop and vision capabilities, which means it can understand, analyze, and contextualize images shared with the app. Unfortunately, the Claude iOS app lags behind ChatGPT in image generating. For ChatGPT Plus subscribers, users can access DALL-E 3 on mobile and desktop, whereas Claude doesn’t offer those capabilities yet.

iOS users can download the Claude app through this link. Good luck trying to find it otherwise, because there are a lot of other copycats on the app store. You’ll know you’ve found the right one if it says it’s by Anthropic PBC.

SAVE 24%: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB) is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $329.99. That’s a savings of $80.

A tablet used to mainly be a way to watch your favorite show on a screen that was bigger than your phone. But today’s tablets are fully capable of serving as a portable and compact laptop. If you’re looking to upgrade your tablet to be more work- and gaming-ready, Amazon has a great deal today.

As of May 1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB) is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $329.99. That’s a 24% discount or a savings of $80.

Last month we saw Amazon essentially mark down the price of this tablet by offering it with a free $100 Amazon gift card. May’s deal looks a bit different with a savings of $80 instead of a gift card, but what remains is the functionality of the Samsung tablet.

With a 10.4-inch screen, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite focuses on power and portability. With Samsung’s DeX platform, you can include the Galaxy S6 Lite in your workstation by sending windows across Samsung devices, then control them from the Tab S6 Lite. This model comes with 64GB of storage and 4GB of memory, but you can add more storage space if desired thanks to the MicroSD capable of a 1TB expansion. The battery is also designed to impress, getting up to 14 hours of use on one charge.

Samsung mentions this model is also great if you want to use a tablet as a streaming device thanks to its clear display and Dolby Atmos surround sound. The included S Pen means you can add notes to documents, sketch your latest idea, or highlight important text.

If your tablet current tablet needs an upgrade or you’re ready for a more portable workstation, save $80 today on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and enjoy ultimate portability and function from a reliable tablet.

Substack has been consistently building on its chat function, a way for newsletter creators to chat directly with their subscribers. Now the feature is expanding with a slate of new updates.

The main updates include the possibility of a paywall for the chat feature. Newsletter publishers can now put in a paywall so that chat features are exclusive to paid subscribers only, or to founding members of said newsletter. Free subscribers or non-subscribers will be asked to upgrade if they want to access a newsletter’s chat.

Credit: Substack

Substack is also introducing improved navigation and usability, including a chat search on the web and iOS versions of the platform, easier access to notifications, and an upgrade to real-time messaging so people can participate in chats about live events in real-time. The search feature will also be coming to Android soon.

Tweet may have been deleted

The point of chat is to engage directly with newsletter writers, allowing writers and their followers to converse about a range of subjects. It’s one of the features that is allowing Substack to expand, like its Notes feature that mimics the functions of X (formally Twitter), and the addition of DMs.

The Rabbit R1 may not be able to do much of anything useful right now, but at least it should stay alive longer thanks to a new software update.

The pocketable AI-powered handheld assistant device, which made waves at CES earlier this year, was apparently having trouble holding onto battery charges once it got into people’s hands in April. According to an X post from the parent company, however, the new update (which downloads as soon as the device is powered on and connected to WiFi) should extend battery life by as much as “5x.”

Tweet may have been deleted

The other patch notes are fun, too. For instance, the device will now put you in the right time zone based on GPS. Bluetooth connectivity and music playback have both been improved, as well.

This update alone is unlikely to sway any skeptics towards the Rabbit R1, which costs $200 and still can’t browse the web or communicate with friends in any meaningful way. But for those who are swept up by the concept of a handheld assistant that handles basic everyday tasks through AI, the R1 just got a little bit better.

Amazon deals of the day at a glance:

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OUR TOP PICK

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (WiFi, 64GB)

$249.99 at Amazon
(save $80)

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BEST SPEAKER DEAL

JBL Xtreme 3 portable Bluetooth speaker

$179.99 at Amazon
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BEST MOUSE DEAL

Logitech G305 LightSpeed wireless gaming mouse

$29.99 at Amazon
(save $20)

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BEST PORTABLE SSD DEAL

Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB)

$319.99 at Amazon
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Retail therapy is just what the doctor ordered to get you through the week. Amazon has some pretty impressive deals on brands like Samsung, Logitech, and JBL to kick off the month of May. No, there’s no big shopping event going on. These are just deals for the sake of deals — and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

We’ve rounded up the top Amazon deals of the day for May 1 below to help you decide what’s worth your hard-earned cash. And be sure to check out our picks from April 29 and April 30 as well — some of those are still live.

Our top pick

Just released at the end of March as an Amazon-exclusive upgraded tablet, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is on sale for just $249.99 — that’s 24% off and its biggest discount to date. While the new iteration of the S6 Lite has the same basic design, S-Pen, screen, and RAM as the previous version, its processor has been updated to the new Exynos processor and it comes with Android 14 out of the box. The previous iteration is one of our favorite tablets for kids — and we can only expect that the extra boost of processing power will make it even better. Both the 64GB and 128GB versions are on sale, but the savings are bigger for the former.

Your summer soundtrack deserves to be heard through a top-notch speaker and the JBL Xtreme 3 makes a sweet companion. Thanks to its waterproof design and massive 15-hour battery life, you can prop it up poolside and blast your tunes all day and night. It packs four improved drivers and two bass radiators, which help to deliver a bolder, more immersive stereo sound than the previous generation. Plus, it’s PartyBoost-compatible, so you can pair it with other speakers to really get things bumping. As of May 1, the JBL Xtreme 3 is just $179.99 at Amazon — that’s 53% in savings and the lowest price to date.

If a reliable mouse that won’t break the bank is on your wishlist, check out this deal on the Logitech G305. Technically a gaming mouse, the G305 is super quick and responsive and lasts up to 250 hours on a single AA battery. Even though it’s built for gaming, it also serves as a solid mouse for your everyday WFH tasks. Plus, it’s totally wireless, so you can easily bring it on the go without worrying about an annoying cord tethering you to one spot. As for gaming features, there are six programmable buttons, a hero sensor, and a lightweight design (only 99 grams) for swift maneuverability. Usually $49.99, it’s on sale for just $29.99 at Amazon as of May 1 — that’s 40% in savings and only the second time it’s dropped this low in the past year.

Sick of deleting your old content to make space for new content? You need a portable SSD — and this deal from Samsung gives you the opportunity to grab one at 42% off. The Samsung T9 portable SSD packs a massive 4TB of space in a lightweight (4.3 ounces) little box (just 0.3 by 3.5 by 2.4 inches). While we haven’t had a chance to test it for ourselves, our buds at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable’s publisher, Ziff Davis) awarded it a 4.5-star “outstanding” rating. “The Samsung Portable SSD T9 achieves blazing throughput speeds when connected to a compatible PC, making it a go-to external SSD for content creators,” the review concludes. Typically $549.99, you can snag the T9 on sale at Amazon for just $319.99 as of May 1 — that’s a savings of 42% and its lowest price since February.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon’s daily deals for even more savings.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for April 29’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Flavor enhancers

• Green: Getting answers

• Blue: Tab

• Purple: Types of stocks

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Dipping Sauces

• Green: Interrogate

• Blue: Transaction Record

• Purple: What “Stock” Might Mean

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #324 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

• Dipping Sauces: AIOLI, BARBECUE, MARINARA, RANCH

• Interrogate: EXAMINE, GRILL, PROBE, QUESTION

• Transaction Record: BILL, INVOICE, RECEIPT, STATEMENT

• What “Stock” Might Mean: ANCESTRY, BROTH, CATTLE, MERCHANDISE

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday’s Connections.

A quick look at the best lawn, garden, and patio deals

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Best lawn care deal

Greenworks 40V self-propelled lawn mower

$450.49 at Amazon
(Save $79.50)

Get Deal

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Best garden deal

Gardyn Home Kit 3.0

$695 at Gardyn
(Save $204)

Get Deal

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Best patio deal

Harymor camera bird feeder

$99.99 at Amazon
(Save $120)

Get Deal

The first signs of spring are here. Lilacs perfuming the streets, flowers bursting through the ground, and leaves budding on trees. That also means it’s time to come out of hibernation and get your yard into shape.

Whether you’re a passionate gardener or just doing what you need to keep your lawn manicured, as the world is coming into bloom, so are the deals on all the tools, equipment, and furniture you could possibly need for the summer months.

You’ll find major discounts on electric lawn mowers from Greenworks and Ryobi, saving you up to $100. For those lacking outdoor space, you don’t have to miss out gardening season thanks to an in-home gardening kit from Gardyn that’s 23% off. Skip the screen and projector for your outdoor entertainment, and get an AI-powered camera bird feeder that’s $120 off on Amazon.

Check out all the best deals on for lawn, garden, and patio as of April 29.

Best lawn care deal

Why we like it

No more running out to grab gas for the lawn mower. This electric, cordless mower from Greenworks self-propels and adjusts to your walking speed for a smooth ride. The mower has the option to turn grass clippings into mulch, discharge clippings out the side, or collect them in a rear bag. Usually, this mower costs $529.99, but for a limited time you can find this easy-to-use mower on Amazon for under $500.

More lawn care deals

• Greenworks 40V cordless string trimmer and leaf blower combo — $142.49 $189.99 (Save $47.50)

• EGO Power+ hedge trimmer — $199 $249 (Save $50)

• DeWalt 20V cordless string trimmer and leaf blower combo — $249 $349 (Save $100)

• RYOBI 40V cordless lawn mower — $499 $599 (Save $100)

Best gardening deal

Why we like it

There are endless possibilities of what you can grow with the Gardyn Home Kit 3.0. This indoor garden helps you grow up to 30 plants at a time. To monitor your garden’s growth, utilize the Gardyn app that customizes the water and light settings for optimal conditions. It comes with a hefty price tag, normally $899, but as gardening season gets underway, you can get the Gardyn system for over $200 off.

More gardening deals

• Miracle-Gro moisture control potting mix — $10.97 $12.47 (Save $1.50)

• Fiskars pruning shears — $13.98 $20.99 (Save $7.01)

• Handlandy long gardening gloves — $18.53 $21.80 (Save $3.27)

• Best Choice Products raised garden bed — $39.99 $109.99 (Save $70)

Best patio deal

Why we like it

Novices and expert bird watchers alike will enjoy the delights offered by the Harymor bird feeder. The included camera detects when bird visitors arrive and auto-captures videos so you can keep tabs on all their comings and goings. Plus, with an added AI component, the feeder will tell you exactly what birds are stopping by. The feeder is over 50% off on Amazon, now marked down to $99.

More patio deals

• Solo Stove — save up to $150 on smokeless outdoor fire pits

• Mainstays outdoor bistro set — $86 $148 (Save $62)

• Best Choice Products outdoor sectional — $499.99 $899.99 (Save $400)

• Better Homes & Gardens swivel gliders — $598 $698 (Save $100)

Challengers, this spring’s most highly-anticipated film, has finally arrived in theaters, and Film Twitter cannot shut up about it. It’s got everything you want in a movie: a steamy love triangle between incredibly good-looking people (West Side Story‘s Mike Faist, La Chimera‘s Josh O’Connor, and Dune‘s Zendaya), thrilling tennis sequences, and an electrifying score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

So there’s a lot to react to, and the internet is reacting. Here are some of the best posts about the film so far.

Three tickets to Challengers, please

Before anyone even saw the film, they reprised the “tickets to Barbie” meme riffing on the love triangle in Challengers. Users posted images of other love triangles and throuples with the caption “three tickets to Challengers please.” Everyone from fictional characters — like Parks and Rec‘s April Ludgate and her gay boyfriends, and Sex and the City‘s Carrie Bradshaw, Aidan, and Mr. Big — to real people like Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Phoebe Bridgers got dragged into the meme.

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Team Patrick, Team Art, or Team Tashi

In true internet fashion, users immediately got online and oversimplified Challengers‘ central love triangle into Team Patrick, Team Art, or Team Tashi. There’s a large contingent supporting each protagonist.

A member of the Patrick hive said, “cannot fathom that anybody watched challengers and walked out defending ART… patrick hive let’s link and build…” One user wrote, “Patrick Zweig they could never make me hate you.” Another said, “#PATRICKZWEIG they could never make me hate you.”

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Meanwhile, Art’s advocates feel just as strongly for him. One user declared, “art donaldson welcome to the pookie hall of fame.” Another proclaimed, “SAVE ME ART DONALDSON IN A BACKWARDS CAP…”

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Tashi, played by the internet’s princess, Zendaya, obviously has her stans as well. One such fan said, “art was so real when he said who wouldn’t be in love with tashi like truly.” Another wrote, “The thing is that Tashi Duncan is the queen of the universe.”

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The score

One of the buzziest parts of the film is Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ pulsating score. The praise and jokes immediately rolled in over opening weekend. One user said, “the challengers score in dolby surround sound would kill a victorian child.” Another set a video of Mike Faist dancing to it.

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It’s beautiful to see Film Twitter come together in celebration of a film about three sexy people.