Matt writes: Happy 2024, Ebert Club subscribers! We are kicking off the new year by sharing Chaz Ebert’s annual Seasons Greetings essay in which she provides a recap of the past twelve months, featuring highlights of coverage from our writers, including my fellow editors Brian Tallerico, Matt Zoller Seitz, Nell Minow and Robert Daniels. You can read the complete article here.
Trailers
Robot Dreams (2024). Written and directed by Pablo Berger (based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon). Starring Ivan Labanda, Tito Trifol, Rafa Calvo. Synopsis: Based on the popular graphic novel, this film tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the ’80s. US release date is TBA.
The First Omen (2024). Directed by Arkasha Stevenson. Written by Arkasha Stevenson, Tim Smith and Keith Thomas (based on characters created by David Seltzer). Starring Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, Charles Dance. Synopsis: A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. Debuts in the US on April 5th, 2024.
Lift (2024). Directed by F. Gary Gray. Written by Daniel Kunka. Starring Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington. Synopsis: Follows a master thief and her ex-boyfriend who team up to steal $100 million in gold bullion being transported on a 777 passenger flight. Debuts on Netflix on January 12th, 2024.
She is Conann (2024). Written and directed by Bertrand Mandico. Starring Elina Löwensohn, Christa Théret, Julia Riedler. Synopsis: Conan’s life at different stages is shown with a different aesthetic and rhythm from the Sumerian era to the near future. US release date is TBA.
Out of Darkness (2024). Directed by Andrew Cumming. Written by Ruth Greenberg. Starring Chuku Modu, Kit Young, Safia Oakley-Green. Synopsis: In the Old Stone Age, a disparate gang of early humans band together in search of a new land. But when they suspect a malevolent, mystical, being is hunting them down, the clan are forced to confront a danger they never envisaged. US release date is TBA.
Dario Argento Panico (2024). Directed by Simone Scafidi. Synopsis: Dario Argento wrote his most famous films inside hotels, completely isolating himself from external reality and immersing himself in his own nightmares. After many years, advised by his agent, he decides to go back to a hotel to finish his new screenplay and to be interviewed, filmed and followed by a crew that is shooting a film about him. US release date is TBA.
Blossoms Shanghai (2024). Created by Kar-Wai Wong. Starring Ge Hu, Yili Ma, Yan Tang. Synopsis: Against 1990s Shanghai’s economic boom, opportunist A Bao journeys from troubled past to self-made millionaire. US release date is TBA.
The Woman in the Wall (2024). Created by Joe Murtagh. Starring Ruth Wilson, Daryl McCormack, Simon Delaney. Synopsis: Lorna Brady wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house with no idea who the dead woman is. She doubts herself, because she has long suffered from extreme bouts of sleepwalking. Debuts on Showtime on January 19th, 2024.
In the Know (2024). Created by Brandon Gardner, Mike Judge and Zach Woods. Starring Charlie Bushnell, J. Smith-Cameron, Mike Judge. Synopsis: Lauren Caspian is the host of In the Know, public radio’s third most popular interview program. He’s a well-meaning, hypocritical nimrod. He’s also a stop motion puppet. Debuts on Peacock on January 25th, 2024.
Death and Other Details (2024). Created by Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss. Starring Mandy Patinkin, Linda Emond, Lauren Patten. Synopsis: Detective Rufus Cotesworth and protégé Imogene digs the truth in a wealthy sailing boat in the Mediterranean where everyone is hiding something. Debuts on Hulu on January 16th, 2024.
Such Brave Girls (2023). Created by Kat Sadler. Starring Kat Sadler, Louise Brealey, Lizzie Davidson. Synopsis: Dysfunctional family sitcom following sisters Josie and Billie and their single mother Deb navigating life armed with nothing but poor judgement and self-esteem exclusively tied to people who couldn’t care less about them. Now streaming on Hulu.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024). Created by Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover. Starring Donald Glover, Maya Erskine, Paul Dano. Synopsis: Two strangers land jobs with a spy agency that offers them a life of espionage, wealth, and travel. The catch: new identities in an arranged marriage. Debuts on Prime Video on February 2nd, 2024.
The Brothers Sun (2024). Created by Brad Falchuk, Amy Wang, Byron Wu. Starring Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Song Li. Synopsis: Follows Charles Sun, a Taipei gangster who’s settled into his life as a ruthless killer, but must go to L.A. to protect his mother and younger brother after his father was shot by a mysterious assassin. Now streaming on Netflix.
True Detective: Night Country (2024). Created by Nic Pizzolatto. Starring Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, John Hawkes. Synopsis: In Ennis, Alaska, the men that operate a research station vanish. To solve the case, Detectives Danvers and Navarro will have to confront the darkness themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice. Debuts on Max on January 14th, 2024.
Rebel Moon: Part Two—The Scargiver (2024). Directed by Zack Snyder. Written by Zack Snyder, Shay Hatten and Kurt Johnstad. Starring Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Staz Nair. Synopsis: Kora and surviving warriors prepare to defend Veldt, their new home, alongside its people against the Realm. The warriors face their pasts, revealing their motivations before the Realm’s forces arrive to crush the growing rebellion. Debuts on Netflix on April 19th, 2024.
Lisa Frankenstein (2024). Directed by Zelda Williams. Written by Diablo Cody. Starring Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino. Synopsis: A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness – and a few missing body parts. Debuts in the US on February 9th, 2024.
Mean Girls (2024). Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. Written by Tina Fey. Starring Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Tina Fey. Synopsis: Cady Heron is a hit with the Plastics, an A-list girl clique at her new school when she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George. Debuts in the US on January 12th, 2024.
Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans (2024). Created by Ryan Murphy, Jaffe Cohen, Michael Zam and Jon Robin Baitz. Starring Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Tom Hollander. Synopsis: An anthology series centering on famous feuds, including Truman Capote and the New York elite. Debuts in the US on April 26th, 2024.
Nancy Savoca on “Household Saints”
Matt writes: In her latest installment of Female Filmmakers in Focus, Marya E. Gates spoke with filmmaker Nancy Savoca about her recently restored 1993 triumph, “Household Saints,” which received four stars from Roger Ebert. Read their conversation here, and view the “Siskel & Ebert” review of the film at the 12:04 mark in the video embedded above.
The Great Craft of 2023
Matt writes: I was pleased to join my fellow writers in spotlighting some unforgettable examples of great cinematic craft in 2023. My selection was Maria von Hausswolff’s Oscar-worthy cinematography in Hlynur Pálmason’s Icelandic marvel, “Godland.” Read the full article here.
Free Movies
Battle Beyond the Sun (1959). Directed by Mikhail Karyukov, Aleksandr Kozyr and Francis Ford Coppola. Written by Aleksey Sazonov and Evgeniy Pomeshchikov. Starring Ivan Pereverzev, Aleksandr Shvorin, Konstantin Bartashevich. Synopsis: Two countries race to have the first successful landing on Mars.
Watch “Battle Beyond the Sun”
Warhead (1977). Directed by John O’Connor. Written by Buddy Ruskin. Starring David Janssen, Karin Dor, Christopher Stone. Synopsis: Palestinian guerrillas, Israeli commandos and an American colonel fight to keep a nuclear warhead mistakenly dropped in the Jordanian desert by a U.S. Air Force nuclear bomber.
Watch “Warhead”
Body Moves (1990). Directed by Gerry Lively. Written by Daniele Stroppa. Starring Lindsley Allen, Kirk Rivera, Steve Messina. Synopsis: The battle between two dance groups is called the “Hot Steps Contest”, a competition to be held at the Neptune disco.