April is almost over. For many, it means the on-and-off-again rainstorms will slowly give way to stretches of intense heat, accompanied by the constant screeching of cicadas and buzzing of flies and mosquitoes. As lovely as it would be to see the flowers bloom and soak in the sun's vibrant rays, some may prefer to stay inside for a little longer. After all, there's so much to see at the theater this weekend.
While we're not exactly entering summer blockbuster territory yet, there are still a number of high-profile releases with plenty of surrounding hype. Whether you want to see buckets of blood and gore, high-octane action, or comparatively subdued drama and comedy, you won't run out of quality films to see this weekend.
Evil Dead Rise (Apr. 21)
The long-awaited fifth entry in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise, will finally premiere on Apr. 21. In another departure from the traditional Evil Dead setup -- that is, a mysterious cabin in the woods, discovery of the Necronomicon, resulting madness, et cetera -- we'll see the hilariously sadistic Deadites take on a small family in a Los Angeles apartment.
Evil Dead Rise comes to us as a product of development hell, following several scrapped plans for a sequel to the 2013 Evil Dead remake, a continuation of Ash VS. Evil Dead, and an Army of Darkness sequel. If you're expecting more of Bruce Campbell's Ash Williams, you may be a little disappointed. Otherwise, if you want the same kind of slapstick-horror ramped up to eleven that Evil Dead's remake offered, Evil Dead Rise will certainly deliver that and then some.
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (Apr. 21)
The director of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and 2009's Sherlock Holmes returns with a gripping thriller set during the Afghanistan war. Guy Ritchie's The Covenant will see Jake Gyllenhaal play a U.S. Army Sergeant who, in an effort to protect a translator he served with during his enlistment, returns to Afghanistan of his own volition.
Originally titled The Interpreter, it'll be a painful reminder of how the two-decade-long conflict affected those involved. Seeing as how Afghan translators and interpreters face similar persecution by the Taliban in reality, it feels like a drastic acknowledgment of those who were unfortunately left behind. Given Guy Ritchie's prolific history in film, we can safely expect him and Gyllenhaal to deliver a terrific action film that mirrors a terrible set of circumstances.
Beau Is Afraid (Apr. 21)
Ari Aster's latest film, Beau Is Afraid, promises to be a significant departure from his previous efforts. While Hereditary and Midsommar have been heralded as fantastic horror films, with the latter leading to the formation of the "elevated horror" discussion, Beau Is Afraid appears to be Aster's most ambitious and imaginative film yet. Having been in development for over a decade, Beau Is Afraid will follow Joaquin Phoenix, playing our titular character, as he makes a grandiose journey to visit his mother.
With a staggering runtime of three hours, Beau Is Afraid is certainly Aster's biggest film to date. It also doubles as his most critically divisive film to date as well. Despite this, Ari Aster and A24 have proven twice that they're a winning combination. We're bound to think that Beau Is Afraid will make it three for three.
Little Richard: I Am Everything (Apr. 21)
To say that rock and roll music has a lengthy history would be an understatement. While some may quickly associate the genre with the likes of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, it's also important to consider the role Little Richard had in the burgeoning genre. One of the most influential musicians of his generation, his works would influence the creation of soul and funk in addition to rock and roll, bridging a musical divide in the American populace amid racial segregation.
A biopic about Little Richard, Little Richard: I Am Everything, will dive deeper into the rock star's personal life, depicting his inner struggles as his music explodes in popularity. While it may not be as flashy as the recent Elvis biopic, it'll go into depth on a musician that deserves more recognition for his accomplishments.
Plan 75 (Apr. 21)
Japan currently faces a population crisis wherein a plummeting birth rate is significantly falling behind an aging workforce. While several solutions are currently being pondered by the Japanese government, Plan 75 presents a logical extreme: why not just euthanize someone when they're 75 years old? With funeral arrangements being prepaid for and a stipend being issued for volunteers in the program, is there really no better solution?
Plan 75 examines how this procedure affects three people of different ages: an elderly woman, a Plan 75 sales agent, and a young Filipino laborer who face the choice of life or death in their own ways. While the film has been criticized for leaning more into sentimentality instead of cold examination, it's still a harrowing concept with plenty of heart-wrenching moments to ponder over.
Somewhere in Queens (Apr. 21)
The directorial debut of Ray Romano, Somewhere in Queens, will bring the actor's comedic sensibilities to a feature-length comedy. Romano stars alongside Laurie Metcalf as a married New York couple simply trying to get by the best they can. When their son, "Sticks," finds unexpected success in his high school's basketball team, Leo takes this as an opportunity to take the family in a brand-new direction -- despite the potential to tear them apart.
Neurotic, wholesome, and hilarious in equal measure, Somewhere in Queens is a welcome reprieve from the constant action and horror that has made up a plethora of April's theatrical releases. Critics seem to agree that it's a fantastic debut from Romano as a director and a worthwhile comedy that avoids dull cynicism.