We’ve seen her compete in the Hunger Games and play one of the X-Men, though lovably goofy Jennifer Lawrence might be our new fave.
This weekend, the Oscar-winning actress stars in an R-rated broad comedy as a woman hired to “date” a nerdy teenager before he heads off to college. Wes Anderson embraces 1950s sci-fi with his latest all-star outing, featuring a ton of famous folks including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie. In addition, Gabrielle Union plays a disgraced fashionista needing a career turnaround in a Netflix romantic comedy and “Black Panther” star Letitia Wright headlines a Western action flick.
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:
If you want to see Jennifer Lawrence act like a goofball: ‘No Hard Feelings’
In desperate need of a car, struggling Maddie (Lawrence) is hired by a couple of rich parents to show their nerdy teenage son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) a good time in exchange for a Buick Regal. Misadventures and R-rated shenanigans ensue as Maddie tries to teach the awkward kid how to party and force him out of his shell before he goes off to college, and Lawrence gets to showcase a funny side not often seen in her prestige fare.
Where to watch: In theaters.
If you live for Wes Anderson weirdness: ‘Asteroid City’
The oddball dramedy centers on a group of parents (including Johansson and Jason Schwartzman) and their talented science kids quarantined in a 1950s desert town when an alien disrupts their stargazers convention. Anderson doubles down on the quirkiness, but the movie interestingly studies grief and artistic intent and Hanks (as a wise grandpa) nicely grounds the out-there idiosyncrasy.
Where to watch: In theaters.
If you yearn for an engrossing love story: ‘Past Lives’
Director Celine Song’s impressive debut is a gripping romantic drama that charts the emotional paths of two childhood friends, Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo). Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea to Canada when she’s 12, leaving behind her pal. Twelve years later and in college in New York, Nora catches up with him via video chat, opening up old feelings, and 12 years after that, he comes to visit Nora and her writer husband (John Magaro) in a slow-burn narrative that digs into fate, choices and the relationships that define us.
Where to watch: In theaters.
If you’re a total fashionista (or just a big Gabrielle Union fan): ‘The Perfect Find’
Desperately needing a career restart, fashion editor Jenna (Gabrielle Union) is hired by her old rival, media mogul Darcy (Gina Torres), and that tenuous relationship sours more when Jenna falls for her younger co-worker Eric (Keith Powers), a videographer who turns out to be Darcy’s son. Come for the showdown between likable Jenna and imperious Darcy when she catches them, stay for the romantic comedy’s interesting exploration of historical women in Black cinema.
Where to watch: Netflix.
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good hip-hop fantasy: ‘World’s Best’
When he gets an assignment to craft an equation that defines him, 12-year-old math whiz Prem (Manny Magnus) decides to find out more about the late father (Utkarsh Ambudkar) he never really knew. Finding out he was a talented rapper sparks Prem’s imagination, so much that his dad becomes his imaginary hype man and they perform together in hip-hop fantasias, though Prem also has to hash out his own identity in this cute family musical.
Where to watch:Disney+.
If you want to see Letitia Wright rule the Wild West: ‘Surrounded’
The “Black Panther” star is a quiet force of nature in the solid Western thriller, set five years after the end of the Civil War. Mo (Wright) is a former Buffalo Soldier and freed woman (disguising herself as a man) on her way to land she bought in Colorado when her stagecoach is hijacked by famous outlaw Tommy Walsh (Jamie Bell) and his thieving gang of killers. Tommy is captured and Mo has to watch him while the other survivors find help, creating a tense push-and-pull for survival.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon, Google Play.
If you’re interested in a low-budget ‘Charlie’s Angels’ with youngsters: ‘Sheroes’
Four partying friends (Isabelle Fuhrman, Wallis Day, Sasha Luss and Skai Jackson) take a girls’ trip to Thailand, but it gets derailed when they discover a duffel bag of cocaine and one of them gets kidnapped by bad guys. The remaining three scramble to rescue their BFF, but fortunately they each have a specific skill for the death-defying mission – Day’s character is the extreme athlete, Fuhrman’s is the master of disguise actress, etc. – in an action thriller that has no end to its silliness.
Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon, Google Play
Also on streaming:
- Ari Aster’s gonzo epic “Beau Is Afraid,” starring Joaquin Phoenix as a middle-aged man who encounters a variety of obstacles heading home for his mom’s funeral, is now available to buy on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon and Google Play.
- The British action comedy “Polite Society,” featuring Priya Kansara as a teenage martial artist attempting to bust up her older sister’s arranged marriage, is streaming on Peacock.
