Welcome to another edition of “Weekly Shots,” your go-to source for handpicked movies and TV shows worth tuning into this week. Whether you’re into historical dramas or prefer edge-of-your-seat thrillers, we’ve got something for everyone. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and let’s dive in!
MOVIES
Picks
The Royal Hotel (Kitty Green)
Set in a dilapidated bar in the Australian outback, “The Royal Hotel” navigates the tension and vulnerability experienced by Americans Hanna and Liv, who work and live there as part of a backpacking holiday gone awry. Directed by Kitty Green, the film dives into themes of female agency in male-dominated spaces, capturing the palpable anxiety and complicated dynamics between the two women and their rough clientele. While the relationship between Hanna and Liv serves as the emotional backbone, it also emerges as the film’s Achilles heel, not fully capturing the complexities of their friendship against the backdrop of a hostile environment.
No Hard Feelings (Gene Stupnitksy)
The film breezily tackles its high-concept premise of an older woman “dating” a younger man to prepare him for college life, but it misses an opportunity to dig deeper into the ethical and emotional layers of such an arrangement. While Jennifer Lawrence shines in her comedic role as Maddie, the screenplay sidesteps any real dramatic or comedic stakes, rendering the characters’ relationship less impactful than it could have been. Despite its entertaining moments, the film ultimately offers a gloss of unreality, lacking the emotional depth or complexity of other age-gap stories in cinema.
Streaming on Netflix
My Sailor, My Love (Klaus Härö)
In Finnish director Klaus Härö’s English-language debut, “My Sailor, My Love,” shot on Ireland’s misty Achill Island, the complexities of late-life romance and family dynamics come to the fore. The film initially presents itself as an autumnal love story between a cantankerous retired sea captain, Howard (James Cosmo), and his housekeeper, Annie (Brid Brennan), only to evolve into an exploration of deep-seated familial resentments. While Catherine Walker delivers a stellar performance as Grace, Howard’s overworked daughter grappling with her own marital woes, the script falters by introducing her traumatic backstory too late for meaningful character development. The film challenges the trope of the redeemable male curmudgeon, suggesting that male cruelty isn’t just a quirk but rooted in deeper issues. Despite its emotionally manipulative moments and somewhat contrived storytelling devices—such as Howard facing multiple health scares—the movie stands out for its nuanced performances and its willingness to delve into the less savory aspects of its characters.
Where to Stream: VOD
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Yorgos Lanthimos)
In “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” director Yorgos Lanthimos delivers a horror film that navigates its own uncanny realm, diverging from conventional genre elements. Unlike his earlier work “The Lobster,” this film maintains its focus and coherence throughout, anchored by Colin Farrell’s portrayal of a cardiac surgeon navigating a complex, nonsexual but deeply transgressive relationship with a 16-year-old boy, Martin, played by Barry Keoghan. The surgeon’s idyllic life with his stylish wife (Nicole Kidman) and children starts to unravel when Martin’s demands for a dark sacrifice become chillingly real. Lanthimos’s signature deadpan dialogue and mannered performances add layers of unsettling atmosphere, making the film a uniquely disturbing experience. Its stylized absurdity serves not just as a thematic veneer but also as a plausible form of collective denial for its characters. While one could imagine other iconic directors like John Carpenter or Brian De Palma taking on the material, Lanthimos crafts a disturbing narrative landscape that’s uniquely his own, confronting the audience with unsettling ethical dilemmas and an ending that leaves us mired in its eerie, constructed world.
Streaming on Netflix
The Holdovers (Alexander Payne)
In “The Holdovers,” Alexander Payne crafts a drama centered on a curmudgeonly teacher, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), and a rebellious student, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), set in an elite boarding school. The film leans into a 1970s New Hollywood aesthetic, thanks to cinematographer Eigil Bryld’s vintage visuals. While the David Hemingson script walks a well-trodden path, the standout performances elevate the material. The film offers a nuanced look at class struggle, as the lead characters find an unlikely sense of family in their shared isolation.
In theaters now
The Killer (David Fincher)
David Fincher’s “The Killer” serves as a cinematic parallel to the director’s own meticulous craft, featuring Michael Fassbender as a cold, calculating assassin whose life spirals into chaos. The film oscillates between dark humor and brutal realism but struggles to land emotional punches, largely due to Fassbender’s impenetrable performance. While the movie is a stylish and competent entry in Fincher’s oeuvre, it remains a surface-level exploration of its characters, making it an engaging but not deeply impactful watch.
In theaters now, streaming on Netflix on November 10
Skips
Pain Hustlers (David Yates)
“Pain Hustlers,” directed by David Yates, takes a mockumentary approach to expose the unethical practices behind the opioid crisis, centering on the fictional drug Lonafin, a stand-in for the real-life fentanyl-based Subsys. The film tries to navigate between satire and drama but ends up muddled, offering a hodgepodge of caricatures rather than compelling characters. Despite performances from Emily Blunt and Chris Evans, the film’s tonal inconsistencies and disjointed narrative undermine its impact. The subplot involving Blunt’s character’s daughter adds an unnecessary layer of melodrama, diluting the focus from the grave issue at hand—unethical pharmaceutical practices that have life-or-death consequences. In the end, the film struggles to balance its satirical elements with the gravity of the opioid crisis, leaving audiences questioning its ultimate message.
Streaming now on Netflix
Five Nights at Freddy’s (Emma Tammi)
The terrifying horror game transforms into a nightmare-fueling movie produced by Blumhouse (Get Out, M3GAN, The Purge). Five Nights at Freddy’s disappoints with its lack of focus, swinging between a campy horror setup and dull, overwrought drama. Director Emma Tammi delivers a visually polished film, but it’s weighed down by a convoluted script, sluggish pacing, and an ineffective PG-13 rating that stifles any potential for genuine scares. With a one-dimensional lead in Josh Hutcherson and an excess of expository dialogue, the movie squanders its unique premise, resulting in a forgettable, low-stakes affair that neither thrills nor intrigues.
Streaming now on Peacock
The Nun II (Michael Chaves)
In “The Nun II,” the sequel to the 2018 spin-off prequel “The Nun,” director Michael Chaves and writer Akela Cooper bring new life to the character of Valak, the demonic nun originally introduced in “The Conjuring 2.” The film, set four years after the events of the first, follows Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene and newcomer Storm Reid’s Sister Debra as they hunt the elusive demon across Europe. Jonas Bloquet also returns as Maurice, now a handyman at a French boarding school plagued by Valak’s evil. Cooper’s script dives deep into character development, at times to the detriment of pacing, but redeems itself with a wildly entertaining final act filled with outlandish demonic creatures and bizarre twists. Despite its merits, the film struggles to make Valak a terrifying villain, leaning instead on atmospheric visuals to create spookiness. While not groundbreaking, “The Nun II” is a well-crafted entry into the Conjuring universe that showcases Cooper’s talent for crafting freaky, fun horror narratives.
Streaming now on Max
TV Shows
Picks
The Gilded Age (Season 2)
In its second season, HBO’s The Gilded Age sheds its serious facade to fully embrace its soap opera soul, creating an irresistible blend of high society drama and sumptuous aesthetics. Helmed by Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes, the season zeroes in on the rivalry between Bertha Russell, played by Carrie Coon, and New York socialite Mrs. Astor, played by Donna Murphy, as they engage in battles of opulent one-upmanship, each orchestrated around luxurious social events and, oddly enough, opera house politics. While the show also gives room to familial dynamics, especially within Agnes van Rhijn’s traditionalist old-money household, it somewhat fumbles in integrating subplots involving underrepresented perspectives, notably those of the working class and Black entrepreneur Peggy Scott. Despite these shortcomings, the series takes a confident step forward, delivering a heady mix of visual grandeur and delightful pettiness, promising an even more captivating third season.
Premieres Sunday, Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
Fellow Travelers (Limited Series)
In Fellow Travelers, Jonathan Bailey as Timothy “Tim” Laughlin and Matt Bomer as Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller offer riveting performances in a multi-decade love story set against the backdrop of historical events from McCarthyism to the AIDS crisis. Bailey, veering from his Bridgerton fame, brings to life a young, idealistic graduate from Fordham University, deeply in love but also committed to his political and religious convictions. Bomer, known for his dashing looks, fully embraces the complex persona of Hawk, a war veteran turned political staffer, torn between his double life and his genuine feelings for Tim. Together, their on-screen chemistry navigates us through love, power dynamics, societal pressures, and self-discovery, cementing Fellow Travelers as a poignant, once-in-a-generation series.
Streaming now on Paramount Plus with Showtime
The Enfield Poltergeist (Limited Series)
Apple TV+’s docudrama on the 1977 Enfield Poltergeist case meticulously documents the haunting but falls short in exploring its deeper psychological and societal layers. While it offers a balanced array of expert opinions, the series neglects the emotional toll on the young girls at its center and misses the chance to reexamine the events through a modern lens that includes mental health insights. The result is a well-documented but emotionally shallow series that could have offered much more depth.
Streaming on Apple TV+
South Park: Joining the Panderverse (Special)
Get ready for a wild ride as the residents of South Park navigate a world turned upside down by the advent of AI. Expect the usual irreverent humor and insightful social commentary that the series is known for.
Streaming now on Paramount Plus.
Skips
American Horror Stories (Season 3)
Just in time for Halloween, the anthology series is back with four new spine-tingling episodes. This season features a stellar cast including Lisa Rinna, Reid Scott, and Raúl Castillo among others, delivering chills and thrills that you won’t want to miss.
Streaming now on Hulu.
Life on Our Planet (Season One)
“Life on Our Planet” dazzles with its blend of modern CGI and real footage, tracing 2 billion years of Earth’s history narrated by Morgan Freeman. Yet, despite its visual grandeur, the series leans heavily on poetic and often repetitively hyperbolic narration that, while compelling, can overwhelm its educational potential. It offers intimate vignettes of natural selection at work, from ancient sea creatures to present-day arthropods, but frequently glosses over key details and leaves pressing questions unanswered. Ultimately, this makes the show more of a cinematic spectacle than a comprehensive educational experience, possibly leaving viewers both awed and somewhat unfulfilled.
Streaming now on Netflix.
Notable New Episodes: Billions (Series Finale)
As the high-stakes drama comes to a close, Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and Axe (Damian Lewis) join forces in a final showdown against Mike Prince (Corey Stoll). Expect plenty of twists as these power players make their last moves.
Streaming now on Paramount Plus with Showtime.
Before you go, make sure to check out our curated collections of movies and TV shows over at HITPLAY to find more gems you won’t want to miss. See you next week for another round of Weekly Shots!
