As was the case with this month’s television, it’s still the final season of “Game of Thrones” that’s going to steal away much of the conversation in April. But on the film side of things, ‘Thrones’ has some serious competition thanks to a little indie called “Avengers: Endgame” at the end of the month. Marvel Studios dominates the box office on a yearly basis. But, in between the moments where people are waiting in queue online for their tickets and paying repeat visits to the theaters to see their favorite superheroes once again duke it out with Thanos, there are plenty of other features worth seeking out at your local theater. April is a strong month for female directors from legends such as Claire Denis to newcomers such as Nia DaCosta. It’s a relatively eclectic month and before the madness of the latest ‘Avengers’ and the upcoming Cannes Film Festival hits, let’s enjoy some of the smaller, stranger films worthy of film fans’ attention.
“Shazam!”
Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer
Synopsis: Still a kid at heart–inside a ripped, god-like body–Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
What You Need to Know: Each time a new superhero show or film is released, it’s hard not to harbor a bit of the “this again” dread that comes with it, as the genre continues to dominate the multiplex. That being said, when these films are done well, and with enough of a new take, it’s difficult not to be swept into the mayhem and vibrancy they offer. Starring Zachary Levi and directed by David F. Sandberg (best known for his horror film “Lights Out”) it would seem “Shazam!” has given DC another relative win for the company (along with “Wonder Woman“ and “Aquaman,” of course.) Our critic called it a “a nimble, effervescent take on the superhero origin story.”
Release Date: April 5th
“Pet Sematary”
Cast: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow
Synopsis: This new horror film follows Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke), who, after relocating with his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz) and their two young children from Boston to rural Maine, discovers a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near the family’s new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his unusual neighbor, Jud Crandall (John Lithgow), setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unfathomable evil with horrific consequences.
What You Need to Know: For every adaptation of Stephen King’s work that excels (“Carrie,” “Stand By Me,” “The Shining,” “It: Chapter One“) there are lesser takes (“1408,” “The Dark Tower,” Dreamcatcher”). And the original “Pet Sematary” tends to fall somewhere in the middle. With adaptations and remakes (and in this case, both) so popular, the new take on the old source material needs to distance itself from what came before while simultaneously honoring the creators vision to really catch the eye of a viewer and fan. Premiering at this years SXSW, the film didn’t totally impress our critic who called it “crowd-pleaser,” for good and bad, but noted that the comedy running underneath allows it transcend some of its bleaker subject matters.
Release Date: April 5th
(Warning: The below trailer does give away a bit more of the story than you might be anticipating. Watch at your own risk!)
“High Life”
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Juliette Binoche
Synopsis: Monte and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system
What You Need to Know: Director Claire Denis is one of our finest, most versatile filmmakers working today with a career that’s spanned effervescent comedies to deeply humanistic and devastating character studies. It was only a matter of time before a moralistic, cerebral tale of a father and daughter set in space was going to catch her eye. Having made the festival rounds on the 2018 circuit, “High Life” was certainly a divisive flick with reported walk outs but further cements both Denis as a genuine icon and star Robert Pattinson as an actor who has honed in on working with visionary filmmakers, using his clout to further increase the scale of the film in questions reach. Our critic noted the films thought-provoking eccentricities, writing, “‘High Life’ is the kind of movie where you may spend some time puzzling over the images, trying to unlock their meaning before it’s revealed, but eventually giving up and giving yourself over.”
Release Date: April 5th