Triangle of Sadness
CELEBRITY model couple Carl and Yaya are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an unhinged boat captain. What first appeared instagrammable ends catastrophically, leaving the survivors stranded on a desert island and fighting for survival. Directed by Ruben Östlund, the film stars Charlbi Dean, Harris Dickinson, Woody Harrelson, Dolly De Leon, Iris Berben, and Zlatko Buric. TIME magazine’s Stephanie Zacharek wrote, “The whole enterprise is gorgeous to look at: cinematographer Frederik Wenzel shows how the sun is an expensive blessing on a cruise ship and a searing curse when you’re stuck on an island. Triangle of Sadness definitely looks like money. But it feels like a luxury item, a picture whose payoff isn’t as grand as you might have hoped. Mr. Östlund’s gifts are dazzling. If only he knew when to stop giving.” Film review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 70%, and an audience score of 72%.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Violent Night
WHEN a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant — Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick not a saint. Directed by Tommy Wirkolam, the film stars David Harbour, John Leguizamo, and Beverly D’Angelo. Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 73%. Bill Goodykoontzof the Arizona Republic writes: “To say Violent Night isn’t for everyone overstates the obvious. But if you’re looking for a bracing antidote to Hallmark Christmas movie treacle overload, it’s a holiday treat.”
MTRCB Rating: R-16
The Offering
IN the wake of a young Jewish girl’s disappearance, the son of a Hasidic funeral director returns home with his pregnant wife in hopes of reconciling with his father. Little do they know that directly beneath them in the family morgue, an ancient evil with sinister plans for the unborn child lurks inside a mysterious corpse. Directed by Oliver Park, the film stars Allan Corduner, Paul Kaye, and Nick Blood. Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 100%. Michelle Swope of the site Daily Dead writes: “The Offering’s thoughtful interpretations of Jewish folklore and demonology make the storytelling effectively horrifying as well as meaningful and make this an accomplished debut feature film.”
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Decibel
FORMER Lt. Cmdr. Kang Do-yeong is revered as a national hero, but he’s tormented by a submarine tragedy. Then he receives a cryptic phone call about a bomb planted at a soccer stadium that will go off when crowd noise reaches a certain decibel. After a heroic rescue, the terrorist targets Do-yeong’s wife and daughter as some dark secrets begin to resurface. Directed by Hwang In-ho, the film stars Kim Rae-won, Lee Jong-suk, and Jung Sang-hoon. According to a Straits Times review, “The tense story and Kim’s anguished performance are the bomb.”
MTRCB Rating: PG
Kaluskos
REBEKAH files for sole custody for her young daughter Amaya, but this doesn’t sit well with her estranged husband Jay. Amid the custody battle, Rebekah finds another “Amaya” under the bed, and Rebekah feels the motherly connection with her that she lost with her daughter. The other Amaya insists that she is the real Amaya trapped under the bed because of a curse, and the other one is the impostor. Rebekah seeks to set her free. But to do that, she needs to kill the impostor. Directed by Roman Perez Jr., the film stars Coleen Garcia-Crawford, Karl Medina, Cara Gonzales, Queenzy Calma, and Elora Espano. Fred Hawson of Said-Fred writes: “Like it or hate it, this film proves that Coleen Garcia is a good actress and she can carry a whole film on her shoulders.”
MTRCB Rating: R-13
