Icarus Films is set to release an exciting new box set highlighting newly restored short films from some of the French New Wave’s most noteworthy names. This terrific collection includes the works of New Wave pioneers such as Truffaut, Godard, Resnais, Varda, Rivette, and more. The selections are eclectic and the restoration quality is top-notch making this a must for collectors and fans alike.

This fabulous 2-disc blu-ray box set of “Early Short Films of the French New Wave” will be available to purchase on September 19th. See below for a full synopsis and release information.

Official Synopsis

Year: 1956 – 1968

Runtime: 348 Minutes

Directors: Alain Resnais, Jacques Rivette, François Reichenbach, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, François Truffaut, Maurice Pialat, Melvin Van Peebles, Guy Gilles, Jean Rouch, Jeanne Barbillon, Gisèle Braunberger

From the Studio:

Icarus Films is proud to present Early Short Films of the French New Wave, available on Blu-ray and DVD on September 19th, 2023. The nineteen (19) short films in this box set represent the dawn of the French New Wave, as a group of talented young filmmakers, including Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Agnes Varda, & more, presented a radically new vision of French cinema. 

These shorts are not just steppingstones on the way to the famed New Wave features, but classics that stand on their own, the first forays of a movement that would revolutionize the world of French film and influence cinema around the world for decades to come.

This box set includes 2 discs and a 12-page booklet with an essay by Eric Le Roy, Head of Collections at the Centre National de Cinema (CNC). The short films included in this box set have been restored and digitized with the support of the CNC.

Disc 1:
 
ALL THE WORLD’S MEMORY – Alain Resnais (1956)

FOOL’S MATE – Jacques Rivette (1956)
Starring Virginie Vitry and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze! Featuring cameos by Claude Chabrol, Jean-Luc Godard, and François Truffaut.

THE MARINES – François Reichenbach (1957)
Reichenbach’s original version with anti-militarist commentary.

ALL THE BOYS ARE CALLED PATRICK – Jean-Luc Godard (1957)
Written by Eric Rohmer! Starring Anne Colette and Nicole Berger

THE SONG OF STYRENE – Alain Resnais (1957)

Ô SAISONS, Ô CHÂTEUX – Agnès Varda (1958)

THE OVERWORKED – Jacques Doniol-Valcroze (1958)
Co-written by Francois Truffaut! Starring Yane Barry, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and Jean-Claude Brialy.

A STORY OF WATER – Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut (1958)
Starring Caroline Dim and Jean-Claude Brialy.

CHARLOTTE AND HER BOYFRIEND – Jean-Luc Godard (1958)
Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo (voiced by Jean-Luc Godard!) and Anne Colette. 

LOVE EXISTS – Maurice Pialat (1960)

JANINE – Maurice Pialat (1961)

500 FRANCS – Melvin Van Peebles (1961)

PARIS, A WINTER’S DAY – Guy Gilles (1962)

Disc 2:
 
IN MEMORY OF ROCK – François Reichenbach (1963)
Featuring French rock stars Eddy Mitchell, Vince Taylor and Johnny Hallyday

THE LITTLE CAFE – François Reichenbach (1963)

THE GOUMBÉ OF THE YOUNG REVELERS – Jean Rouch (1965)

THE BOTANICAL AVATAR OF MADEMOISELLE FLORA – Jeanne Barbillon (1965)
Music by Michel Legrand and Jacques Loussier! Starring Bernadette Lafont and Louis Mesuret.

THE FIFTEEN YEAR OLD WIDOWS – Jean Rouch (1966)
Cameo by Maurice Pialat! 

+ Bonus Film

DIRECTING ACTORS BY JEAN RENOIR – Gisèle Braunberger (1968)
Starring Jean Renoir and Gisele Braunberger

They had me at Michael Fassbender and David Fincher. That’s all I needed for “The Killer” to shoot up my ‘most anticipated’ list. Netflix has released the first teaser trailer for this upcoming action thriller which is based on Alexis Nolent’s French graphic novel series of the same name. This first glance looks scintillating and exactly what I was hoping for after first hearing of the film several years ago.

“The Killer” sees Fassbender in the titular role as an assassin who finds himself the centerpiece of a massive international manhunt. The teaser is very much that – a tease which is all I wanted. It relays the film’s dark and violent tone as well as Fincher’s penchant for creating tense and gritty atmosphere. And it’s great seeing Fassbender on screen. He’s hasn’t been as present as he was a few years ago. Hopefully this is the first of many new projects from the immensely talented actor.

“The Killer” releases in select theaters this October before premiering on Netflix on November 10th. Check out trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is set to release “The Flash” on 4K UHD in a brand-new edition that will also include a digital copy of the film. The 2023 superhero feature from DC Studios faced an uphill battle due to COVID-19 delays, various post-production setbacks, and the film’s controversial star. Yet the movie delivered big action, good humor, and some terrific fan moments. Its self-referential style and open-armed embrace of nostalgia was icing on the cake. Read my full review of the film HERE.

This feature-filled 4K UHD version of “The Flash” will release on August 29th. See below for a full synopsis and release information.

Official Synopsis

Year: 2023

Runtime: 144 Minutes

Director: Andy Muschietti

Screenwriter: Christina Hodson

Cast: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, Michael Keaton, Jeremy Irons, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, Sanjeev Bhaskar

Rating: PG-13 for partial nudity, action sequences of Violence, some strong language

From the Studio:

Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

“The Flash” ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue and Michael Keaton. “The Flash” is produced by Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco. The screenplay is by Christina Hodson, with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein and Joby Harold, based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.

Bonus Features  

• “The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” podcast – Six-part original scripted audio series featuring Max Greenfield as The Flash
• The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus Behind the Scenes
• Deleted Scenes
• Saving Supergirl – featurette
• The Bat Chase – featurette
• Battling Zod – featurette
• Fighting Dark Flash – featurette
• The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlett Speedster – featurette
• Making the Flash: Worlds Collide – featurette
• Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again – featurette
• Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton – featurette
• Flashpoint: Introducing the Multiverse – featurette

Fans of Zack Snyder have been waiting for a good glimpse at the filmmaker’s upcoming sci-fi action epic “Rebel Moon”. Netflix has granted their wishes with their brand-new teaser trailer. Of course Snyder has his social media detractors, many of them as feral (if not more so) than his most ardent supporters. Whatever. I’m really intrigued by this fresh original sandbox that Snyder creates, defines, and gets to play in.

Scheduled as the first film in an epic-sized two-parter, “Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire” takes place in a universe under the rule of an oppressive government known as the Mother World and its power-mad leader, Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee). But when a peaceful colony on the moon of Veldt is threatened by Balisarius and his armies, an unexpected hero named Kora (Sofia Boutella) begins uniting the people to stand up against the Mother World. And she assembles a ragtag band of warriors to lead the charge.

The film features an electric cast that also includes Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Cary Elwes, Corey Stoll, Jena Malone, Staz Nair, E. Duffy, Charlotte Maggi, Cleopatra Coleman, and Sky Yang among others. The trailer shows off a truly incredible and fantastical world. The scope looks enormous with thrilling action, strange and imaginative creatures, and Snyder’s distinct visual style which is icing on the cake. I can’t wait.

“Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire” premieres December 22nd on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I’m always up for a new Benicio Del Toro movie and it looks like we’ll be getting one in October courtesy of Netflix. “Reptile” sees Del Toro cast with Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Ato Essandoh, Frances Fisher, and Eric Bogosian among others in what looks like a wild crime thriller that marks the directorial debut for Grant Singer. The new trailer gives us an interesting yet hard to read first look at this beguiling feature.

Set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, “Reptile” sees Del Toro playing Nichols, a hardened detective seeking to uncover the truth behind the brutal murder of a young real estate agent. Timberlake plays the unassuming husband of the victim while Silverstone plays Nichols’ wife. As with any good neo-noir crime thriller, nothing is quite as it seems and there is a healthy selection of possible suspects. There is certainly some exciting potential. It’s be fun to see if Singer can pull it off. I’m really intrigued.

“Reptile” will hit select theaters on September 29th before streaming on Netflix starting October 6th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” took home the Palme d’Or at this year’s 76th Cannes Film Festival. Now distributor NEON (who is no stranger to acquiring Palme d’Or winners) is preparing for its release of the highly acclaimed French thriller by dropping a brand new trailer. Led by its star Sandra Hüller, the film looks to be a gripping mix of mystery, family drama, and courtroom procedural.

Written by Triet and Arthur Harari, “Anatomy of a Fall” sees Hüller playing a wife and mother named Sandra whose life is forever changed after her husband’s death. Suspicious circumstances spark an investigation which soon leads to Sandra being suspected of murder. She sets out to show her innocence but it proves difficult, especially with the only witness being their blind son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). The very concept is thoroughly compelling and the small bite we get from the trailer is simmering with tension.

“Anatomy of a Fall” opens in New York and Los Angeles on October 13th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.