You’ve read about the “Don’t Worry Darling” drama. Now you’ll finally get to see if the movie lives up to the gossip.
This weekend, Olivia Wilde’s psychological-thriller with Florence Pugh and Harry Styles makes its way to theaters at last after so many headlines about feuds, on-set relationships and Spitgate. Also, Kaley Cuoco and ex-“SNL” regular Peter Davidson star in a Peacock time-loop romantic comedy, Tyler Perry directs a Netflix period drama that he wrote in the mid-1990s, and the life of Oscar icon Sidney Poitier gets the documentary treatment via Apple TV+.
Here’s a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on-demand debuts:
Fall movie preview:10 must-see films, from ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ to Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Black Adam’
If you’re curious about all the Olivia Wilde/Harry Styles/Florence Pugh hubbub: ‘Don’t Worry Darling’
Temper all sorts of expectations, folks. What’s on screen in the thriller – which stars Pugh and Styles as a married couple in a 1950s-era community that isn’t as pleasant as it seems – is not nearly as scintillating as the real-life strife and it’s not as racy as the trailers make it seem, though Pugh delivers a strong dose of retro paranoia.
Where to watch: in theaters
‘Don’t Worry Darling’ review:At least Florence Pugh sparkles in buzzy but flat retro thriller
If you wish ‘8 Mile’ was about a teenage girl: ‘On the Come Up’
Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut is a solid underdog story in the world of rap battles. Jamila Gray garners a breakthrough role as the talented 16-year-old daughter of a late hip-hop star who finds her voice but comes under the influence of her dad’s ex-manager (Method Man).
Where to watch: Paramount+
Ranked:All the best movies we saw at Toronto Film Festival
If you love time-loop movies and/or Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson: ‘Meet Cute’
Sheila (Cuoco) finds a time machine in a New York nail salon and uses it over and over again to fix aspects of a chance introduction with Gary (Davidson). The comedy is a bit darker than it sounds and takes a while to reveal exactly what it’s trying to accomplish, yet its underlying message – life can be messy and that’s OK – is a positive one.
Where to watch: peacock
‘Meet Cute’:The profound question Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson’s dark rom-com asks
If you live for Tyler Perry movies: ‘A Jazzman’s Blues’
Perry dusts off his first screenplay for this sprawling musical melodrama/murder mystery. In 1930s Georgia, Bayou (Joshua Boone) and Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer) meet, though their families aren’t too keen on a romance. Over the next several years, he becomes a famous jazz singer, she marries another man, and racism and betrayal threaten their lives and love for each other.
Where to watch: Netflix
If you yearn to see Allison Janney as an action star: ‘Lou’
In the twisty thriller, Janney stars as a cranky loner living on a Pacific Northwest island in the mid-1980s. When her neighbor Ella Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) finds that her ex Ella (Logan Marshall-Green) has kidnapped their daughter Ella, Lou hunts the culprit in a nasty storm and turns out to be way better on a dangerous rescue mission than it would appear.
Where to watch:Netflix
If you need a good cry (and a Kathleen Turner appearance): ‘The Swearing Jar’
The excellent musical dramedy features two heartfelt love stories, good songs, a surprising story structure, a fun turn from Turner (as an eccentric mother-in-law) and some tear-jerking emotion. Carey (Adelaide Clemens) throws a 40th birthday concert for her husband de ella (Patrick J. Adams) and also has eyes for her guitar player (Douglas Smith) in a narrative reflecting her life’s joys and complications.
Where to watch: In theaters and on AppleTV, Voodoo, amazon
If you want to know more about a Hollywood legend: ‘Sidney’
Produced by Oprah Winfrey, the film is an insightful memorial to Poitier’s life and career. Best of all, it lets the Bahamian-born Oscar winner tell much of his own absorbing story about him, from early days in America and run-ins with the Ku Klux Klan to a friendship / rivalry with Harry Belafonte and how his parents about him influenced his acting roles of him.
Where to watch:AppleTV+
Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington:Read USA TODAY’s rare joint interview with the Hollywood icons
If you’re a Josh Duhamel completist: ‘Bandit’
A run-of-the-mill crime comedy gets a boost from Duhamel’s considerable charms (and endless array of ridiculous fake noses and disguises). Based on a true story, the 1980s-set film stars Duhamel as a career criminal who escapes a Michigan jail and becomes a modern legend for robbing Canadian banks. Elisha Cuthbert co-stars as his wife and Mel Gibson is a shady loan shark.
Where to watch: In theaters and on AppleTV, Voodoo
Also on streaming
- The gothic horror filmThe Invitation,” starring Nathalie Emmanuel as a young woman invited to a wedding that turns bloody, is now available on AppleTV and on-demand platforms.
- The true-crime mystery satire “Vengeance” – written, directed and starring BJ Novak as a New York podcaster investigating a murder in Texas – is streaming on peacock as well as on demand.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism