OUT NOW:
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ (HBO Max)
It’s radioactive lizard versus big monkey time. The showdown of titans is finally here, the long awaited culmination of the cinematic MonsterVerse. Starting with 2014’s Godzilla reboot and followed by Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, this latest entry promises to somehow be even bigger than what’s come before.
Read full Knotfest Write-Up: 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Delivers On Its Promised Spectacle
When Godzilla suddenly embarks on a rampage of destruction across the globe, humanity calls on King Kong to defend them. But a greater conspiracy may also be at play. You’re gonna wanna watch this one on the biggest screen possible.
‘Concrete Cowboy’ (Netflix)
Concrete Cowboy is an uplifting story that focuses on a little known corner American culture – urban African-American horseriding, specifically in Philadelphia. The film is based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri, which is a fictionalized tale of the city’s Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club.
The film follows a young teen from Detroit named Cole (Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin) who is sent off to live with his estranged father, Harp (Idris Elba). It’s here that he learns about the local cowboys and they provide a safe haven from the poverty and violence that plague the area.
‘Shiva Baby’ (VOD)
Shiva Baby takes place almost entirely in real time and in a single location, creating an anxiety-inducing feeling of claustrophobia for the audience and conveying the headspace of its protagonist, Danielle (Rachel Sennott). It can often feel a bit like a horror film in that regard, but it’s also an exceptionally funny setup.
While attending a Jewish funeral service with her family, Danielle is forced into close quarters with her successful ex-girlfriend Maya (Molly Gordon) and her secret sugar daddy Max (Danny Deferrari), who is there with his wife Kim (Dianna Agron) and their screaming baby. It’s like a mix of the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man and the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems.
‘Creepshow (Season 2)’ (Shudder)
The classic horror anthology series by Stephen King and George A. Romero was finally brought back from the dead in 2019, delighting fans and capturing the spirit of the original films.
Executive produced by showrunner Greg Nicotero, who is best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Creepshow’s second season will feature guest stars Kevin Dillon, Iman Benson, Josh McDermitt, Keith David, Molly Ringwald, Barbara Crampton, Justin Long, and D’Arcy Carden, among others.
‘Lords of Dogtown’ (Amazon Prime Video)
Lords of Dogtown follows a group of young skateboarders growing up in the 70s on the mean streets of Dogtown in Santa Monica, California. The Z-Boys, as they come to be known, perfect their craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting suburban homeowners, pioneering a thrilling new sport and eventually moving into legend.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, who also helmed the first Twilight film, the cast includes Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, John Robinson, Michael Angarano, Nikki Reed, Johnny Knoxville, and Heath Ledger. Ledger’s performance has received tremendous praise, and the film has since gained a cult following.
‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’ (Hulu)
Filmmaker Peter Weir is best known for his work directing critically acclaimed dramas such as Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show, but in 2003 he created a sea-faring epic war drama set during the Napoleonic Wars.
It starred Russell Crowe as a captain of the Royal Navy and Paul Bettany as the ship’s surgeon, and with a massive $150 million budget, it managed to earn itself Oscars for cinematography and sound editing. Despite critical acclaim and nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, the film was overshadowed that year by Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. It’s a shame, but with it now available to stream, it may have a chance at a second life - and potential sequels.
‘Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula’ (Shudder)
Four years after South Korea’s total decimation from the zombie apocalypse in Train to Busan, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us Peninsula, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world. Jung-seok (Dong-won Gang), a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive.
When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the best—or worst—of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances. Upon Peninsula’s premiere, Shudder will be the only service in which viewers can watch Yeon Sang-ho's complete trilogy, including Train to Busan and Seoul Station, on a single platform.
‘The Man With the Iron Fists’ (HBO Max)
The Man With the Iron Fists is both a tribute and a solid addition to the world of martial arts films. It’s the directorial debut of RZA, the famous producer and rapper of the Wu-Tang Clan, and he also stars in it alongside Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, Dave Bautista, and Jamie Chung.
Set in 19th century China, the film follows the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold. A band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers.
‘The Serpent’ (Netflix)
Netflix’s latest true crime series details the twisting, real-life story of Charles Sobhraj, a murderer, thief and seductive master of disguise, who killed young tourists in the mid-70's on Asia's hippie trail.
The Serpent stars Tamar Rahim as Sobhraj, along with Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle, Ellie Bamber, Mathilde Warnier, and Tim McInnerny.
‘Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars’ (Disney+)
The original animated Clone Wars series by legendary animator Genndy Tartakovsky is finally arriving on Disney+ this month, in all of its 2D, anime-inspired glory. Tartakovsky is best known for his work on Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, and the Hotel Transylvania franchise, and his unique and action-packed style was ideal for the galaxy far, far away.
Set between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the series features favorite Star Wars villains such as Asaji Ventress, Durge, and General Grievous as war ravages the galaxy. The powers of the Jedi and Sith alike has never looked quite so thrilling as they do here.
CONTINUED WEEKLY EPISODES:
‘Invincible’ (Amazon Prime Video)
Invincible is based on the groundbreaking comic book from Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead. The story revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons).
The hour-per-episode series also stars a powerhouse cast that includes Sandra Oh, Zazie Beetz, Gillian Jacobs, Zachary Quinto, Jason Mantzoukas, Melise, Mark Hamill, Mahershala Ali, Seth Rogen and more. The first four episodes are now streaming with weekly releases through April 30 after that.
‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ (Disney+)
After the very different style of WandaVision, the next Marvel Studios Disney+ series is set to return to the more familiar look and feel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The series takes place mere months after the events of Avengers: Endgame, and puts the spotlight onto Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) following the retirement of their friend and leader Steve Rogers.
Sam AKA The Falcon is grappling with being given the responsibility of possibly taking up the mantle of Captain America, whilst Bucky is struggling to find his place in a world that’s only seen him as a villain – the brainwashed assassin known as the Winter Soldier. The series promises to deliver large-scale action on par with Marvel’s feature length films, while the episodic format allows for more in-depth time with two of the more secondary characters of the MCU.
Also streaming now:
Netflix - ‘At Eternity’s Gate’, ‘White Boy’, ‘Insidious’, ‘Leprechaun’, ‘The Possession’, ‘Yes Man’
Hulu - ‘28 Days Later’, ‘A Simple Plan’, ‘The Abyss’, ‘Bug’, ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’, ‘Chappaquiddick’, ‘The Dead Zone’, ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’, ‘Die Hard’, ‘Die Hard: With a Vengeance’, ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Hancock’, ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, ‘Mad Max’, ‘Motel Hell’, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, ‘Platoon’, ‘The Sandlot’, ‘Shrek 2’, ‘The Sum of All Fears’
Shudder - ‘Night of the Lepus’, ‘The Haunting of Julia’, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2’, ‘The Val Lewton Collection’
HBO Max - ‘All Is Lost’, ‘Barbarosa’, ‘Black Dynamite’, ‘Blindness’, ‘The Bodyguard’, ‘Boogie Nights’, ‘Caddyshack’, ‘The Collection’, ‘Dante’s Peak’, ‘Dark Shadows’, ‘Dead Silence’, ‘Dirty Harry’, ‘Ghost Rider’, ‘Goodfellas’, ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’, Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III’, ‘The Mask of Zorro’, ‘My Super Ex-Girlfriend’, Primal Fear’, ‘Red Dawn’, ‘Risky Business’, ‘Space Jam’, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning’, ‘White Noise’
Amazon Prime Video - ‘Brüno’, ‘Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter’, ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’, ‘Head of State’, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, ‘Inception’, ‘Minority Report’, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, ‘My Cousin Vinny’, ‘Shaft’, ‘Shooter’, ‘Unhinged’
Disney+ - ‘The Island at the Top of the World’, ‘Third Man on the Mountain’, ‘The Last Ice’, ‘The Big Year’, ‘Night at the Museum’, ‘Caravan of Courage’, ‘Star Wars: Ewoks’
COMING THIS WEEK:
Netflix - ‘Escape From Planet Earth’, ‘What Lies Below’, ‘This Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist’, ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Season 3)’, ‘Night in Paradise’, ‘Thunder Force’
Hulu - ‘Blair Witch’, ‘Girl’, ‘The Standard’
Shudder - ‘The Power’, ‘Don’t Panic’, ‘Zombie for Sale’
HBO Max - ‘Ted’, ‘Genndy Tartokovksy's Primal (Season 1)’, ‘The New Mutants’
Amazon Prime Video - ‘High-Rise’, ‘Pulse’, ‘Trollhunter’
