By John Corrado

New releases for the week of March 15th, 2024.

Theatrical Releases:

Love Lies Bleeding (Wide Release): Rose Glass follows up her simmering 2021 body horror debut Saint Maud with this pulpy thriller following gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) who falls for female bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brien), and gets pulled into a criminal underworld. I haven’t seen this one yet, but Glass showed a lot of promise with Saint Maud, and Stewart has been turning in some very interesting work in recent years, so I’ll be checking it out.

Hey, Viktor! (Limited Release): Director Cody Lightning plays an exaggerated comic version of himself in this pretty good Canadian comedy that finds the former child actor who played the younger version of the lead character in the 1998 film Smoke Signals trying to self-produce a sequel to the Indigenous cult classic. Plays as a mix of meta commentary on the legacy of Smoke Signals and a mockumentary about making a low-budget film. (Full Review)

They Shot the Piano Player (Limited Release): This latest animated work from the filmmakers behind the Oscar-nominated Chico and Rita is an ambitious if uneven mix of vibrant animation and docudrama. The film follows fictitious music journalist Jeff Harris (voiced by Jeff Goldblum) as he explores the mysterious death of a little known Brazilian pianist Francisco Tenório Júnior. It tells an interesting story, but doesn’t always engage. (Full Review)

More Releases: The American Society of Magical Negroes (Limited), One Life (Limited), French Girl (Limited), Snack Shack (Limited), Uproar (Limited), The Animal Kingdom (TIFF Lightbox)

Streaming Releases:

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) (Disney+): Following a record-breaking run in theatres, Taylor Swift’s filmed version of The Eras Tour is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. I saw it in theatres on opening night, and it’s quite the experience. The streaming version restores performances of “cardigan” and four acoustic songs (“Maroon,” “Death By a Thousand Cuts,” “You Are in Love,” “I Can See You”) not included in the theatrical or VOD versions. (Full Review)

Irish Wish (Netflix): Lindsay Lohan stars in this wish-fulfillment romantic comedy set in Ireland, being released in time for St. Patrick’s Day. I’m expecting something in the same vein as Lohan’s cheesy but mildly enjoyable Netflix rom-com Falling for Christmas from a few years ago, so I’ll probably enjoy this for what it is.

More Releases: Frida (Prime Video)