The cinematic landscape is starting to fill out with some fun new movies, including some great new releases. With the summer over and the award season beginning in earnest with major events like TIFF and the Venice Film Festival, the release slate for the coming weeks and months is filled with some impressive titles.
This week has some solid films coming out, too, including one of the year’s best surprises. Besides the three listed below, there are some other genre options for horror, drama, and musical fans alike. The Conjuring: Last Rites is set to clean up at the box office this weekend and is a fitting finale for the horror franchise.
Meanwhile, romantic dramas like Splitsville and The Threesome bring sizzle to the big screen. Musical fans might have seen the filmed version of Disney+, but Hamilton‘s theatrical re-release might get them back in theaters. Some of the best movies to watch this weekend lean a little funnier, whether that be cringe comedy, emotional dramedy, or outright laugh-out-loud jokes.
Twinless (Now In Theaters)
One of the best new releases this week is Twinless, a twisty character dramedy that takes just as many cues from Alfred Hitchcock as it does the Duplass brothers. Focusing on two men who bond over having lost a twin, Twinless takes plenty of unexpected swerves as it unpacks the full weight of grief, deception, and love.
James Sweeney, who directed, wrote, and starred in Twinless, proves himself a triple threat in his second feature film. The script finds lots of ways to pull the rug out from under the audience, but never betrays the brittle humanity of the characters. Coupled with some very impressive visuals and tricks, Sweeney proves themselves a natural filmmaker with Twinless.
At the heart of Twinless is Dylan O’Brien, whose dual role as Roman and his deceased twin Rocky showcases a depth and range to the actor that he’s been steadily revealing more of in recent years. It’s a stunning performance from the actor, especially as the different layers of Roman are peeled away.
There’s something genuinely intoxicating about Twinless, with little twists and subtle changes altering the tone almost scene by scene. It’s an incredibly impressive sophomore feature from the filmmaker. A genuine delight and one of the best dramedies I’ve seen this year, Twinless is a fantastic little psychodrama to catch in theaters.
Friendship (Streaming On HBO Max)
Craig (Tim Robinson) about to climb a fence in Friendship
Image via A24
Tim Robinson might not have been the mind behind Friendship, but it was a perfect vehicle for the I Think You Should Leave creator. Directed and written by Andrew DeYoung, Friendship gives Robinson a new opening to explore awkward male rage, loneliness, fragility, and even loyalty in the cringe comedy of the year.
Robinson plays Craig Waterman like a ticking time bomb, always one misplaced show of confidence away from spiraling into desperation. Paired against him is a perfectly game Paul Rudd, finding the right level of unexpected self-doubt to keep his effortlessly cool Austin from feeling like a caricature.
That’s a tricky balance for both performers, who could have easily come across as broad caricatures instead of fully fleshed-out characters. DeYoung’s script is able to prevent that from ever happening, keeping the focus on the character dynamics and unexpected comedy while letting Robinson and Ruff really find the human core of their characters.
That’s without even getting into the great work done by the supporting cast, with Kate Mara doing more with a look than most actors can do with a monologue. While the cringe comedy might have you peeking through your fingers like a horror movie, the unflinching empathy and painfully perfect self-awareness make Friendship a great watch on HBO Max.
The Naked Gun (Now Available On VOD)
While Twinless and Friendship have plenty of jokes, Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun is a laugh-out-loud riot from start to finish. A gleefully silly legacy sequel to the Leslie Nielsen comedies of the same name, The Naked Gun focuses on Frank Drebin Jr. as he investigates a new mystery surrounding a tech CEO and his plans for the world.
Directed by the Lonely Island veteran Akiva Schaffer, The Naked Gun embraces a fast-paced approach that ensures an onslaught of jokes every minute, which lends a perfectly loony touch to the film. Wordplay, slapstick, social commentary, and 4th-wall-breaking gags are all present in the film, along with every kind of joke and jab.
Beyond the sight gags and background jokes, The Naked Gun also works as a surprisingly canny satire about perceptions on men in society, especially those in positions of power or authority. Frank is just as often the butt of the joke as he is the one delivering it, an important trait of the original that the sequel gets just right.
It all wouldn’t work without a cast fully committed to the comedic style. Luckily, Liam Neeson finally gets to fully indulge in his comedic talents alongside an equally enjoyable Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Danny Huston. If you missed The Naked Gun in theaters (or are dying for a rewatch like I am), the film is now available digitally.
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