The Fall Guy, Civil War, Scoop among April’s must-see f ilms
Ryan Gosling’s action man and a dramatisation of an explosive interview are among the most exciting flicks on screen next month, writes James Croot.
Acombination of cooler days, longer nights and school holidays means movie-watching is likely to be high on your agenda this April. Fortunately, a wide selection of new titles is heading to both Kiwi cinema screens and streaming platforms.
For those who prefer the in-theatre experience, options include horror prequel The First Omen (April 4), animated feature The Tiger’s Apprentice, true-crime documentary The Lie (both
April 11), thrillers Abigail (April
18) and Sleeping Dogs (April 25), biographical-drama Origin (April 18) and British and Irish Film Festival returnee Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story (April 25).
Meanwhile, Netflix’s lineup features sci-fi action sequel Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Scargiver (April 19), Prime Video boasts rom-com quartet How to Date Billy Walsh (April 5), Puppy Love (April 18), Which Brings Me to You (April 26) and the Camila Mendes-headlining Musica (April 4), while Disney+ has romantic-fantasy The Greatest Hits (April 12) and the Priyanka Chopra Jonas-narrated nature documentary Tiger (April 22).
However, after looking through the schedules, Stuff to Watch has come up with a list of the dozen flicks we’re most excited to see over the next few weeks.
Challengers (April 18, cinemas)
Zendaya (Dune) is joined by Josh O’Connor (The Crown) and Mike Faist (West Side Story) for this tennis drama about a playing prodigy turned coach who finds herself conflicted when her champion husband comes up against her former boyfriend. Directed by Call Me by Your Name and A Bigger Splash helmer Luca Guadagnino.
Civil War (April 11, cinemas)
Writer-director Alex Garland’s (Men, Annihilation, Ex Machina) latest dystopian tale follows a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House. The impressive ensemble assembled includes Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny and Wagner Moura. “It’s the most upsetting dystopian vision yet from the sci-fi brain who killed off all of London for the zombie uprising depicted in 28 Days Later – and one that can’t be easily consumed as entertainment,” wrote Variety magazine’s Peter Debruge.
Eileen (April 24, Neon and other rental services)
New Zealand’s Thomasin McKenzie continues her ascent by anchoring this evocative 2023 drama about a young prison worker who is brought out of her shell by the arrival of a glamorous new colleague (Anne Hathaway). Based on Ottessa Moshfegh’s 2016 book, William Oldroyd’s (Lady Macbeth) tale is full of twists and turns and memorable imagery. “The thrill of Eileen lies in how McKenzie plays off the film’s inciting spark, a blonde-bobbed enigma played by Anne Hathaway,” wrote The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey.
The Fall Guy (April 24, cinemas)
Ryan Gosling plays Colt Seavers, a seasoned, but ageing stuntman who becomes a reluctant investigator in order to save his ex-girlfriend's (Emily Blunt) film. The actioncomedy is an adaptation of the popular 1980s TV series of the same name that starred Lee Majors. “Two hours of zingers with impeccable timing, two bona fide movie stars with palpable chemistry, several enjoyably meta send-ups of the business and, of course, plenty of crazy stunts,” wrote The Guardian’s Adrian Horton.
Girls State (April 5, Apple TV+)
What would American democracy look like in the hands of teenagers? That’s what Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine’s documentary aims to answer, as it follows young female leaders, from wildly different backgrounds, across Missouri, as they navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up. “What unfolds is a riot of interpersonal tensions, betrayals and broken hearts, as key players and potential future politicians are faced with the ethical and personal sacrifices required to claim power,” wrote The Times’ Kevin Maher.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (April 4, cinemas)
Eight years after his last outing, Jack Black-voiced Po is back for another adventure. This time the threat comes from a wicked sorceress (Viola Davis), who plans to re-summon all the master villains vanquished to the spirit realm by the “Dragon Warrior”. “Continues the series’ chirpy, amiable mood. Nothing to be po-faced about here,” wrote Empire magazine’s Olly Richards.
Late Night with the Devil (April 11, cinemas)
One of the unexpected delights of last year’s New Zealand International Film Festival, this brilliantly executed horror focuses on what happens when talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) makes a desperate bid to turn his plummeting ratings around by unleashing a Halloween special like no other. “By taking the tricks and tropes associated with films about occult goingson and applying them in the context of a 1970s talk show, Australian writer-directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes have conjured up a horror flick that’s devilishly fun,” wrote Slant’s Ross McIndoe.
Love Lies Bleeding (April 4, cinemas)
The Mandalorian’s Katy O’Brian stars opposite Kristen Stewart in this lurid 1989set crime-thriller about gym manager Lou (Stewart), who falls for Jackie (O’Brian), an aspiring body builder. Unfortunately, their attraction ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s family of criminals. “Stewart, subtle and fierce, and O’Brian, sinewy and fiercer, prove exceptional at hitting two or three notes at once, and never obviously,” wrote Chicago Tribune’s Michael Phillips.
Monkey Man (April 4, cinemas)
Dev Patel directed, co-wrote and stars in this action-thriller about an anonymous man who unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless in his homeland. “Patel’s assured, audacious vision delivers an epic crowd-pleaser of mythic proportions,” wrote Bloody Disgusting’s Meagan Navarro.
Robot Dreams (April 25, cinemas)
Nominated for best animated feature at this year’s Academy Awards, innovative Spanish director Pablo Berger’s (Blancanieves) 1980s New Yorkset tale follows the adventures and misfortunes of seemingly inseparable companions Dog and Robot. “This is visual storytelling at its finest, a traditional animation of gentle, unshowy genius. Sometimes the very best love stories go deeper than words can say,” wrote Empire magazine’s Helen O’Hara.
The Royal Hotel (April 24, Neon, AroVision and other rental services)
Inspired by the disturbing 2016 feature documentary Hotel Coolgardie, this Outback-set thriller focuses on two backpackers who take work in a remote pub, only to be confronted by an unruly bunch of locals. Co-written and directed by Kitty Green (The Assistant), it stars Julia Garner (Ozark) and Jessica Henwick (Glass Onion). “All the more tense for Green’s smart understatement of the genre elements,” wrote The Observer’s Wendy Ide.
Scoop (April 5, Netflix)
Inspired by real events, former The Crown helmer Philip Martin’s latest drama is an inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an “earth-shattering” interview – Prince Andrew’s infamous BBC Newsnight appearance in 2019. Gillian Anderson, Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes, Romola Garai and Rufus Sewell all have significant roles to play.