New releases for the week of April 7th, 2023.

Theatrical Releases:

Air (Wide Release): I’ve heard pretty much nothing but raves about Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, which focuses on Nike courting basketball star Michael Jordan to make their iconic shoe. The promising ensemble includes Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and Chris Tucker. I’m looking forward to seeing it soon, especially for the long-awaited Affleck and Damon reunion. It’s now playing exclusively in theatres before hitting Prime Video at a later date.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Wide Release): Illumination’s animated movie based on the classic video game, starring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario, has been getting mixed reviews. But fans seem to be enjoying it and it looks like a pretty fun time at the movies, especially for families. It’s already on its way to making a boatload of money over the Easter long weekend. I’ll check it out when I can.

Soft (Limited Release): This directorial debut from Toronto filmmaker Joseph Amenta is a gritty, atmospheric portrait of three adolescent queer kids (played by Matteus Lunot, Harlow Joy, and Zion Matheson) as they get into trouble in the city, before having to face reality. It’s a bit uneven, but still a mostly promising debut that features naturalistic performances from its young leads. (Full Review)

More Releases: Simulant (Limited)

Streaming Releases:

Chupa (Netflix): Alfonso Cuarón‘s son Jonás Cuarón directs this live action family movie about a teen boy (played by Evan Whitten) visiting Mexico who befriends a young chupacabra. I haven’t watched it yet, but it looks to be a decent enough streaming choice for families.

More Releases: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (Prime Video), On a Wing and a Prayer (Prime Video), Tiny Beautiful Things (Disney+), Beef (Netflix)