Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan, whose Vivarium turned a few heads in 2019, heads to Australia for The Surfer, in which Nicolas Cage just wants to take his son surfing at his favorite childhood spot but finds himself in an escalating conflict with locals who resent outsiders. With a trailer that suggests this is a hard-edged ode to Ozploitation excess, the film has been eagerly anticipated since premiering as part of Cannes 2024’s Midnight Screenings series. Nicolas (presumably not that one) “absolutely loved how unhinged this is”. Milos was onboard from the get, but was stoked to “realize it’s something much stranger, way more layered and honestly kind of brilliant the more you think about it”. According to Solly, it’s “the perfect Nic Cage film”, and full of “the schlocky madness that awakens the inner Cage inside us all”. “Are Australian people really that mean?” asks Lexi. Now in US theaters, in Australian theaters May 15.

Although Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor—adapted from Darcey Bell’s novel—made something of an impact at the box office in 2018, it never came across as the kind of film that demanded a sequel. Especially considering the book didn’t have one. Nevertheless, we now have Another Simple Favor, in which Feig reunites with stars Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick and Henry Golding for a Capri, Italy-set follow-up. The film premiered at SXSW earlier this year, and the general reaction seems to be that it’s just fine. Mike acknowledges that it doesn’t live up to its predecessor, “but it’s a luscious sequel that keeps enough of that blend of humor and suspense that made the first movie so unique”. “I mean whatever but good breezy fun!” says Selome. Sydellis reckons it’s “fun for girls like [her] who love stupid stuff”. Now on Prime Video.

An unlikely candidate to get the Marvel Cinematic Universe back on track after several wobbly years, Thunderbolts* is arriving with a positive buzz largely absent from the past few MCU movies. The original Thunderbolts comic book centered around a team of villains masquerading as heroes and was later rebooted as a team of reformed villains, which is the angle this film takes. It corrals a bunch of second-tier/ing characters—albeit ones with plenty of audience goodwill, like Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. There’s no shortage of “the MCU is back!”-type enthusiasm in the initial reviews with Naz calling it a “great return to form for the MCU by exploring a more creative and character-led route once again”. “If you wanted a Marvel movie that actually felt like an A24 film while having the narrative and tone of a Phase 2 film, then Thunderbolts* is absolutely for you,” summarizes Christopher. Now in theaters the world over.

Previously adapted by legendary filmmaker Otto Preminger in 1958, Canadian writer Durga Chew-Bose makes her directorial debut with a new mounting of Françoise Sagan’s coming-of-age novel Bonjour Tristesse (“Hello Sadness”), for which Chloë Sevigny, Claes Bang and Lily McInerny step into roles played in the earlier film by Deborah Kerr (rhymes with ‘star’), David Niven and Jean Seberg. The story concerns a young woman’s idyllic life with her father being upended by the arrival of her late mother’s enigmatic best friend. It’s “jaw-droppingly chic”, according to Coleman. Sofi calls it “a glamorous film imbued with softness and restraint”. “Feels like the soothing yet antsy, still heat of a scorching French summer,” says Dolly. It has “strong Call Me by Your Name and La Piscine vibes for obvious reasons”, according to Jaerin. Now in select US theaters.

Joe Carnahan’s commitment to the action genre is irable. After breaking out with gritty action-drama Narc in 2002, he went on to direct semi-classics in the genre like Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team and The Grey. He’s fallen a little out of favor with the major studios of late, but keeps cranking out action-purist movies like Boss Level and Copshop. His latest ode to high-octane gun play is Shadow Force, in which Kerry Washington and French superstar Omar Sy play the former heads of the titular special-forces outfit targeted by their former colleagues for ditching out after falling in love. Mark Strong, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Method Man fill out the ing cast. Jaackieee liked that it featured “a really nice depiction of Black love in a different way”. In US theaters May 9.

Acclaimed indie filmmaker Alex Ross Perry takes on acclaimed indie-rock icons Pavement for Pavements, which combines traditional documentary footage with scripted scenes—some musical—and other meta shenanigans involving an eye-catching collection of actors that includes Joe Keery (as Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus), Jason Schwartzman, Nat Wolff, Fred Hechinger, Zoe Lister-Jones and Tim Heidecker. Journal contributor Justin LaLiberty called it one of the best films of last year’s fall festivals, and Muriel concurs that the “format used depicts [the band] in such an enlightening way that it’s impossible to not connect, whether you are a fan or not”. Ellis says it’s “so funny while being informative about the band, honoring their legacy and also poking fun at modern biopics in the way a band who was so dedicated to not selling out can.” In select US theaters May 9.

Not, as its title might suggest, a remake of a forgotten early-’80s low-budget horror, Clown in a Cornfield is rather an adaptation of a popular young-adult novel published in 2020 about a clown mascot named Frendo (yikes!) who terrorizes teenagers in a small town. It’s directed by Eli Craig, whose 2010 film Tucker and Dale vs. Evil remains an overlooked comedy-horror delight. Cob’s “slasher-loving heart is so happy.” Camille says it “uses classic tropes but does have its own identity and has great humor.” BJ hails it as a “slasher-comedy that not only loves its source material, but also the generation of readers who made it popular.” “We have a new slasher icon folks,” announces Seth. In US, UK, Australia and New Zealand theaters May 9.

Across just two seasons of his Netflix sketch series I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson (who spent one season on Saturday Night Live in 2012–13) has established an extremely specific and heavily meme-ified comedic persona. That persona gets its first proper big-screen roll-out in Friendship, in which Robinson plays a suburban dad who gloms onto his new neighbor, played by Paul Rudd. The film premiered to an extremely positive reception at last year’s TIFF (it currently enjoys a stunning 3.8 average rating with us), and Josh confirms that “Robinson’s specific brand of bizarro cringe-comic abrasiveness/absurdity prevails”. “This is the funniest movie of the 21st century I think,” says Lily, while Nathan warns that “your enjoyment of this comes down to how much you engage with ‘cringe comedy’, because this movie brandishes it like a knife to the throat.” In US theaters May 9.