By John Corrado

New releases for the week of December 16th, 2022.

Theatrical Releases:

Avatar: The Way of Water (Wide Release): It’s understandable that this is the only big theatrical release this week, with other studios making way for James Cameron’s surefire blockbuster. Arriving a full thirteen years after the first Avatar in 2009, Cameron’s sequel takes us back to Pandora, exploring even more of the alien planet. It’s a transporting cinematic experience made to be seen on the biggest screen possible, simply immersing us in this alien world for over three hours. I was invested throughout, and the underwater stuff is especially visually stunning. My screening was in IMAX 3D, and that’s the way to go if you can. (Full Review)

More Releases: Geographies of Solitude (Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema), Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World (Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema)

Streaming Releases:

Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Netflix): Following a limited run in theatres, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s latest is now arriving on Netflix. This is a polarizing film that has gotten some mixed reviews, but I found it to be fascinating as an artistic statement. It’s an ambitious, at times surrealistic epic that finds the Oscar-winning Mexican director telling the semi-autobiographical story of a documentary filmmaker (Daniel G. Cacho) returning to his home country, brought to the screen with impressive cinematography and production design. (Full Review)

More Releases: The Banshees of Inisherin (Disney+), The Recruit (Netflix), About Fate (Prime Video)