By John Corrado

New releases for the week of April 12th, 2024

Theatrical Releases:

Civil War (Wide Release): Alex Garland’s Civil War is a taut, intense ride through an America that has broken up into warring factions, shown from the fascinatingly apolitical perspective of journalists and war photographers. Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee, who is travelling across the country documenting war zones, and becomes a reluctant mentor to aspiring war photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny). I was a big fan of Garland’s vision, especially the relentless final act. Garland has a way of crafting these tense, visceral sequences filled with harrowing images (the film looks great in IMAX), which are matched by immersive sound design. It’s on track to have A24’s biggest opening ever. (Full Review)

With Love and a Major Organ (Limited Release): Director Kim Albright’s promising feature directorial debut (which was recently awarded Best Feature at Canadian Film Fest) imagines a world where hearts are made of inanimate objects, and unfolds as a love story between Anabel (Anna Maguire) and George (Hamza Haq). It’s slightly uneven, but still an ambitious, mostly enjoyable blend of sci-fi concepts and indie romantic dramedy, carried through on the strength of the performances by Maguire and Haq. (Full Review)

More Releases: Cafe Daughter (Limited), In Flames (Limited), Sting (Limited), Housekeeping for Beginners (Limited), Arcadian (Limited), Unsinkable: Titanic Untold (Limited), The People’s Joker (Limited), The Boy and the Heron (TIFF Lightbox)

Streaming Releases:

The Greatest Hits (Disney+), Argylle (Apple TV+), Franklin (Apple TV+), Fallout (Prime Video), Drive-Away Dolls (VOD)