Science-fiction, horror, suspense all rolled into one terrific looking movie. That’s my first impression of the new Russian thriller “Sputnik” from director Egor Abramenko. It was originally slated to debut at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival before joining the slew of other films pushed back due to the coronavirus. But thanks to IFC Midnight “Sputnik” is set to premiere in just a few weeks.

The first trailer looks like an intriguing mixture of “Aliens” and “The X-Files” set in the Soviet Union, 1983. A young scientist (Oksana Akinshina) is recruited by a top-secret military facility to study a mysterious parasite found in one of their cosmonauts (Pyotr Fedorov). Obviously that doesn’t turn out well at all. The trailer does a great job setting up the tone and atmosphere of what could be a chilling sci-fi treat.

“Sputnik” is set to premiere August 14th in select theaters and on VOD. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Streaming giant Netflix is taking a pinch of action, a dash of science-fiction, and a sprinkle of superhero flavoring and mixing it all together in their new Original film “Project Power”. It comes from the directing duo of Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost and stars the interesting pair of Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Perhaps most intriguing is screenwriter Mattson Tomlin who is co-writer of the much anticipated Matt Reeves film “The Batman”.

The first trailer hints at a pretty wild story. Apparently a pill has been created that imbues whoever takes it with his or her own unique superpower. “You never know what your power is until you try it.” The catch is it only lasts five minutes meaning people are always wanting more. Of course there are some ugly side effects and of course dealers look to get rich off of abusers. Enter Foxx and Gordon-Levitt each playing characters with their own particular motivations.

“Project Power” premieres August 14th on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Truly great movies can leave indelible marks. It may be through an emotional connection to the story. It may be through a remarkable performance or a signature scene. But it can also be through the brilliant imagery a film can carve into your mind. That’s what this feature is all about – highlighting great images from great movies. Today we look at Christopher Nolan’s exhilarating World War II thriller “Dunkirk”.

(All images courtesy of Warner Bros.)

So what are your thoughts on “Dunkirk”? Which of these great images stick with you the most? Please share your favorites in the comments section below.

Maverick filmmaker Michael Almereyda is an interesting choice to make an idiosyncratic Nikola Tesla biopic. He writes and directs this quirky looking exploration into what became known as the “war of the currents”. And what better person to channel Almereyda’s unusual vision than Ethan Hawke. He plays the enigmatic inventor and electrical engineer whose ideas ended up being light years ahead of his time.

The new trailer for “Tesla” gives us a taste of what this trippy experimental film is going for. Breaking the fourth wall, peculiar painted backdrops, Google and Macs in the 19th century. Those are just some of the weird and stylish strokes we get. I can see “Tesla” really clicking with one audience and really falling flat for another. I’m anxious to see where I land.

“Tesla” comes out August 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Liam Neeson has made a name for himself as a tough-talking, no frills action star. That leads some people to forget that he is also a very good dramatic actor. I like his punch-and-shoot thrillers, but I always enjoy seeing him taking on weightier, more serious roles. He can also be very funny. James D’Arcy’s new dramedy “Made in Italy” looks to be tapping into Neeson’s dramatic and comedic sides.

The film appears to be a father-son story set in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Neeson inherits an Italian villa from his recently deceased wife. He and his estranged son (because they’re always estranged in these things) travel to Italy to get the house ready to put on the market. But old memories resurface and fixing up the house proves to be just what their strained relationship needed.

“Made in Italy” releases August 7th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

In “Ava” Jessica Chastain plays an assassin who has a weird fascination with chatting with her targets before and after she offs them. This seems to annoy Colin Farrell who believes she has become a liability to their ‘organization’. He puts an open contract on her life much to the chagrin of her mentor John Malkovich. Toss Geena Davis and Common into the mix and you have the upcoming action thriller from director Tate Taylor.

Obviously there is more to the story (at least I hope so). But I gotta say it looks like something we have seen before. Maybe a little John Wick-ish? Regardless, Taylor puts together an interesting cast and I have no doubt Chastain will make for a tough, compelling lead. It’ll all come down to the script and whether it can carve out its own unique space in the familiar territory.

“Ava” is set to release September 25th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.