It’s an exciting week at the movies as Jennifer Hudson stars as Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin in a new biopic, and Ryan Reynolds plays a man who realizes he’s living inside a videogame. Christopher Lloyd of The Film Yap fills us in on it all. Here’s more from him:
New in Theaters:
Free Guy — Ryan Reynolds plays a background character in a video game who decides he wants to make his own choices in this derivative but entertaining science fiction extravaganza. Read more
Respect — Jennifer Hudson plays music legend Aretha Franklin in this biopic that was not screened for critics.
CODA — Many critics, including Alec Toombs, are calling this the best film of the year about a teen girl (Amelia Jones) who struggles with being the only hearing member of her family. Read more
Don’t Breathe 2 — Stephen Lang returns as the killer blind man in this sequel to the 2016 horror hit — and this time he’s got a daughter to protect!
New On Digital/Demand:
Curiosa — This unabashedly erotic French film looks at the sizzling love affair between two famed writers who pushed the boundaries of expression and sexuality in the 19th century. Read more
You Might Have Missed:
Cul-de-Sac — Roman Polanski’s creepy — did he make any other sort? — romp on a secluded island pits two polar opposite depictions of manhood between a sexually powerful woman. Read more
For more information go to, filmyap.substack.com.
In this week’s edition of Yap VS Yap, Christopher Lloyd of the Film Yap is joined by Andy Carr and Logan Sowash to review a few of this weekend’s new theater releases.
New in Theaters:
“Old” — M. Night Shyamalan is back in his creepy comfort zone in this suspense thriller about people trapped on a beach where they’re suddenly aging at an astonishing rate. Read more
“Joe Bell” — Mark Walhberg is solid in this predictable flick about a blue-collar father walking across America to fight the bullying of his gay son, but Reid Miller is a revelation as the kid. Read more
“Val” — A painful but also exhilarating self-portrait of an A-list actor who spent his life pretending to be somebody else, and found his authentic soul after losing his voice. Read more
For more from the Film Yap visit their website, TheFilmYap.com.
Lebron James is coming to the big screen this weekend starring in the much anticipated and highly criticized, Space Jam 2. Christopher Lloyd joined us today with reviews on what you can expect from that and more.
New in Theaters:
Space Jam: A New Legacy — Lebron James follows in Jordan’s footsteps in this reboot of the animated ultimate basketball game where the King has to rescue his son.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain — This intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the life, joy and pain of the chef-turned-star is a revelation about the devil’s bargain of celebrity. Read more.
Pig — A sad, darkly funny, and downright weird contemplation of what’s important in life, featuring Nic Cage’s most sobering performance in years. Read more.
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions — Despite not especially enjoying escape rooms nor this franchise’s first installment, reviewer Alec Toombs was pleasantly surprised by this silly horror sequel. Read more.
Cool on Streaming:
Gunpowder Milkshake — An impressive mostly female ensemble elevates familiar action movie tropes as an assassin finds herself the one hunted. Now on Netflix. Read more.
You May Have Missed:
Last Train from Gun Hill — This forgotten Western is out in a splendid Blu-ray restoration featuring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn as aging frontier relics whose hidebound ways lead to their inevitable confrontation. Read more.
Special Event:
Indy International Shorts Festival, July 20-25 — Presented by Heartland, this year’s Oscar-qualifying fest includes indoor, outdoor and virtual screenings. Read more.
For more from The Film Yap visit, TheFilmYap.com and subscribe to their Substack here.
The Film Yap’s Christopher Lloyd runs down the list of films to look forward to in 2021.
Eternals — Marvel’s newest superhero group franchise launches with this take on a group of immortal super-beings who have shaped human history. Starring Angelina Jolie, and directed by up-and-coming director Chloé Zhao.
No Time to Die — James Bond is back, in what is purported to be Daniel Craig’s last run playing 007. Bond has left his majesty’s service, but finds that trouble is still following him in the shape of Rami Malek as the heavy.
Dune — People are still divided on the 1984 film version of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel — what, you don’t dig Sting in a blue metal bikini? — so here’s a new version to argue about starring Timothee Chalamet.
Black Widow — The MCU’s paucity of front-and-center female supes gets a little nudge in the right direction as Scarlett Johanssen’s Russian superspy gets her own solo flick as she deals with her shadowy past.
Top Gun: Maverick — Most young filmgoers don’t even remember the seminal 1986 jingoism-and-tight-Ts movie about a headstrong pilot. Tom Cruise returns as the now-seasoned commander with a new mission.
Killers of the Flower Moon — Martin Scorsese’s two pet actors, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, team up in this Western crime drama about the 1920s murder of American Indians and subsequent FBI investigation.
The Matrix 4 — After the disaster of the third Matrix movie — in which Neo was killed off! — Keanu Reeves returns for another mind-bending sci-fi actioner.
Spider-Man Sequel (title TBA) — This is interesting: the third solo Spidey movie starring Tom Holland will reportedly also bring back previous Peter Parkers Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in a multiverse-jumping story.
Find more information on the thefilmyap.com.
What’s new in theaters? What’s cool on streaming? The Film Yap’s Christopher Lloyd runs down the list:
New in Theaters:
Wonder Woman: 1984 — She’s back! Gal Gadot returns for the second solo adventure of Princess Diana facing off with some new baddies in the era of malls and teased hair. Read more
News of the World — Tom Hanks plays a former Civil War officer who travels around the West reading news and finds himself charged with bringing a girl raised by American Indians back home. Read more
One Night in Miami — This often-riveting drama looks at a fictional meeting between Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke. Splendidly acted.
Promising Young Woman — Carey Mulligan is terrific in this biting and controversial satire about a woman who pretends to be drunk to catch guys trying to sexually assault her. Read more
Pinocchio — This lush-looking Italian film gives a live-action take on the classic legend about a toy boy who dreams of becoming real, if he can live past the lies.
Cool on Streaming:
Soul — Jamie Foxx provides the voice in this Disney animation flick about a middle-aged music teacher who dies just before getting his shot at the big time. Now on Disney+.
Find more information on the thefilmyap.com.
Christopher Lloyd from The Film Yap has his picks for what’s new in theaters and streaming in your living room.
New in Theaters:
Come Play — In this tech-y horror, a skeleton-like creature calling itself Larry manifests itself inside smartphones and other devices, stalking an autistic boy named Oliver.
Spell — A family crashlands in the Appalachian hills and the dad finds himself the prisoner of a Hoodoo practitioner planning a dark ceremony upon his family.
New On Digital/Demand:
The True Adventures of Wolf Boy — Jaeden Martell plays a 13-year-old boy with hirsutism who runs away from home on a quest to find his mom and winds up having heartfelt adventures with a coterie of interesting characters. Read more
The Craft: Legacy — This part sequel, part reboot of the 1996 film about sexy young witches takes a spin through wokeness — and Alec Toombs says that’s not altogether a bad thing. Read more
You Might Have Missed:
Sleepy Hollow — Maybe not the best film of Tim Burton’s oeuvre but perhaps represents the essence of his filmmaking in this gory, daffy take on the Washington Irving tale. Read more
Now until October 18th, you have the chance to see dozens of films both virtually and in-person at the 29th Heartland International Film Festival! Today Christopher Lloyd of The Film Yap and Greg Sorvig of the Heartland Film Festival joined us to share more about the big event.
The 11-day festival includes 76 independent feature films, 9 World Premieres, 14 U.S. Premieres, 29 drive-in screenings, live virtual filmmaker Q&A’s, special events, and even a “Drive-Thru Red-Carpet” at Tibbs! The in-person locations include the Tibbs Drive-In Theater and the new Conner Prairie Pop-Up Drive-In.
HIFF is among the first festivals to offer hybrid events films, featuring both drive-in and virtual titles for centerpiece and closing night. Below are a few festival highlights.
Tibbs Drive-In Special Events with Drive-Thru Red-Carpet:
Opening Night | Oct. 8 | “Eat Wheaties!”
Centerpiece | Oct. 15 | “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”
Closing Night | Oct. 18 | “Blithe Spirit” from IFC Films
Virtual Special Events (Available all day for one day)
Virtual Centerpiece | Oct. 14 | “Minari” from A24
Virtual Closing Night | Oct. 18 | “MLK/FBI” from IFC Films
Conner Prairie Special Event:
Hitchcock Night | Oct. 14
Film trailers, fest passes, and tickets are available at HeartlandFilmFestival.org.
For film reviews visit, thefilmyap.com
Christopher Lloyd from The Film Yap has his picks for what’s new in theaters and streaming in your living room.
New in Theaters:
Kajillionaire — Evan Rachel Wood is part of a crime family, but things go awry when her parents hire an outsider for their next heist. Written and directed by Miranda July. With Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins.
Shortcut — In this horror flick, five classmates on a school trip get stuck on the bus in the middle of the woods and bad things happen when they encounter a nocturne wanderer.
New On Digital/Demand:
She’s in Portland — Two college buddies go on a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway to try to connect wit a lost love but most confront their own past mistakes and future choices.
The Last Shift — Hoosier filmmaker Andrew Cohn (“Medora”) directs this tale starring Richard Jenkins working the last shift at a fast food joint training his replacement (Shane Paul McGhie).
Ava — Jessica Chastain stars in this action drama about an assassin working for some bad people who must go on the lam when a job goes bad. With John Malkovich.
New on Disc:
Most Wanted — A crusading journalist (Josh Hartnett) looks into the case of a heroin addict imprisoned in Thailand and gets more than he bargained for.
For more reviews visit, thefilmyap.com.
Christopher Lloyd from The Film Yap has his picks for what’s new in theaters and streaming in your living room.
New in Theaters:
The Nest — Jude Law stars in plays a businessman who moves his family to the countryside but can’t escape the personal and professional fears stalking him.
New On Digital/Demand:
Blackbird — Susan Sarandan plays a dying mother who wants to gather her flock for one last contentious weekend before she goes. With Kate Winslet and Sam Neill. Read more
The Devil All the Time — In 1950s West Virginia, Tom Holland is a young man caught up in backwoods feuds and corruption. Great performances, but just not enough substance to go around, says Andy Carr. Read more
Teenage Badass — A wannabe band looks like they’re finally getting their big shot with a spot on the local news, but wacky events conspire to bring them down.
Lost Girls and Love Hotels — Alexandra Daddario is an American living in Japan who works as a flight attendant teacher by day, but at night she wanders an underworld of sexual intrigue.
New on Disc:
Stephen King 5-Movie Collection — Five of the horror master’s film adaptations are now out on Blu-ray in time for Halloween! “The Stand,” “The Dead Zone,” “Silver Bullet” and both versions of “Pet Sematary.”
You Might Have Missed:
Roman Holiday — The classic that many see as the godfather of the modern romantic comedy. Now for the first time on Blu-ray.
For more reviews visit, thefilmyap.com.
We checked in with Christopher Lloyd of The Film Yap to see what’s new in theaters, what’s streaming, what’s on On-Demand and more.
New in Theaters:
The New Mutants — The long-delayed “next generation of X-Men” movie finally hits theaters as young superheroes struggle to find their identity. Starring Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy.
New On Digital/Demand:
The Personal History of David Copperfield — Dev Patel stars in this bright, colorful and surprisingly upbeat adaptation of Charles Dickens’ semi-autobiographical tale about a boy struggling toward manhood. Read more
Bill & Ted Face the Music — Keanu Reeves and the other guy… OK, Alex Winter, don’t cry — return for another rad journey through space and time, now with neck wattle and some baggage.
Centigrade — A married couple is trapped inside their car in a blizzard and must find a way to survive in this psychological thriller.
You Cannot Kill David Arquette — This documentary looks at the actor’s quest to revive his life and career by revisiting his much-maligned professional wrestling “championship” 20 years ago. Read more
Cool on Streaming:
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe — The cartoon boy geniuses must help their older sister when aliens blast her into space and intergalactic trouble, now on Disney+.
New on Disc:
The King of Staten Island — Pete Davidson stars in this semi-autobiographical tale about a man/boy loser who can’t seem to get his life going. Read more
For more movie reviews, click here.