This month's notable theatrical releases
Below, our editors have selected the most interesting films debuting this month, listed in alphabetical order.
Avengers: Infinity War Watch trailer(s)
Action/Sci-fi | April 27 | Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
In Marvel’s latest, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes finally come face to face with Thanos (a CGI Josh Brolin). He wants to acquire all six infinity stones; they want to stop him. Following a pair of Avengers films directed by Joss Whedon (2012‘s The Avengers and 2015‘s Avengers: Age of Ultron), Infinity War marks the first of two that will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War). Now the only question is who will survive this war and appear in Avengers 4.
Blockers Watch trailer(s)
Comedy | April 6 | Directed by Kay Cannon
Pitch Perfect writer Kay Cannon’s directorial debut stars Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena as parents who discover their daughters’ plan to lose their virginity on prom night. The parents spend the night trying to stop the girls (Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Indira Viswanathan, and Gideon Adlan), resulting in moments both hilarious and heartfelt. The movie surprised critics and audiences at SXSW, earning very good early reviews.
Disobedience Watch trailer(s)
Drama | April 27 | Directed by Sebastián Lelio
Sebastián Lelio directs Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessandro Nivola in this adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s 2006 novel about a woman who returns home to her orthodox Jewish community and rekindles a romance with her cousin’s wife. Strong early reviews indicate this is Lelio’s third straight hit with critics, following Gloria (which he’s currently remaking with Julianne Moore in the lead role) and the Academy Award-winning A Fantastic Woman.
The Endless Watch trailer(s)
Sci-fi/Horror/Thriller | April 6 | Directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson
Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson’s follow-up to Spring follows two brothers (Moorhead and Benson) as they return to the cult they left a decade earlier. Hoping to find closure, they are instead confronted with mysterious events as they try to get to the truth behind the cult’s beliefs. The film intersects with their first feature, Resolution, and like that film, it has excellent reviews.
Ghost Stories Watch trailer(s)
Drama/Horror | April 20 | Directed by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson
In their debut feature, writer-directors Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman adapt their 2010 British stage show for the big screen. According to early reviews, that have another success on their hands. Nyman stars as Professor Philip Goodman, a TV celebrity and debunker of the paranormal. When a man asks him to look into three cases—a night watchman haunted in an asylum, a young man who survived a horrible car crash, and a former banker (Martin Freeman) spooked by the ghost of his unborn son—they test Professor Goodman’s skepticism.
I Feel Pretty Watch trailer(s)
Comedy | April 20 | Directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
In her latest lead role, Amy Schumer stars as an ordinary woman who struggles with insecurity until a fall in SoulCycle class results in her believing she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. This feature directing debut from writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (How to be Single) also stars Busy Philipps, Aidy Bryant, Emily Ratajkowski, Michelle Williams, Lauren Hutton, Naomi Campbell, and Tom Hopper. After the success of 2015’s Trainwreck, Snatched was a major disappointment last year. If this movie doesn't work out, Schumer might need to return to writing her movies as well as starring in them.
Lean on Pete Watch trailer(s)
Drama/Adventure | April 6 | Directed by Andrew Haigh
[Rescheduled from March.] When it premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year, writer-director Andrew Haigh’s latest proved to be more divisive than his previous two features, 45 Years and Weekend. Adapted from Willy Vlautin’s 2010 novel, Pete stars Charlie Plummer (All the Money in the World) as Charley Thompson, a 15-year-old boy who moves to Portland, Oregon with his single father. While working at a local racetrack, Charley forms a bond with an aging horse bound for slaughter, leading him to escape with his new friend across the American wilderness in search of his aunt. The strong supporting cast includes Steve Buscemi, Chloë Sevigny, Travis Fimmel, and Steve Zahn.
Let the Sunshine In Watch trailer(s)
Foreign/Drama/Rom-com | April 27 | Directed by Claire Denis
When it premiered at the Director’s Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival last year, the latest from Claire Denis (Bastards, White Material, 35 Shots of Rum) shared the SACD Award for best French film with Philippe Garrel’s Lover for a Day. Written by Denis with novelist Christine Angot and inspired by Roland Barthes’ Fragments: A Lover’s Discourse, the film is much lighter in subject matter than most of her other work, catching some critics by surprise—but pleasing most reviewers nevertheless, thanks to Juliette Binoche’s star turn as an artist, mother and divorcee looking for love but unable to find a compatible match.
A Quiet Place Watch trailer(s)
Horror/Thriller | April 6 | Directed by John Krasinski
John Krasinski directs and stars with his wife, Emily Blunt, in this thriller about a family whose only way to survive is by being silent because any noise will wake deadly creatures that hunt what they hear. The film is almost dialogue-free and also stars Wonderstruck’s Millicent Simmonds as their deaf daughter. While Krasinski’s first two features behind the camera (Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, The Hollars) failed to impress critics, his latest indicates he might have a future directing horror films.
The Rider Watch trailer(s)
Drama | April 13 | Directed by Chloé Zhao
Chinese-American filmmaker Chloé Zhao’s follow-up to Songs My Brothers Taught Me won the top award at the 2017 Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. The film follows a young cowboy (Brady Jandreau) on the Pine Ridge Reservation as he struggles to come to terms with not being able to ride after a horse crushes his skull. Based on events from Jandreau’s life and also starring his father and sister as versions of themselves, the film, like Zhao’s first feature, is an immersive look at life in this Sioux community.
Sweet Country Watch trailer(s)
Western | April 6 | Directed by Warwick Thornton
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2017 Venice Film Festival and the Platform Prize at TIFF, the latest from director Warwick Thornton (Samson and Delilah) tells the 1929-set story of Sam, an Aboriginal man who must flee with his wife into the harsh outback of the Northern Territory of Australia. Wanted for killing a white man, Sam is hunted by Sergeant Fletcher (Bryan Brown) in what is one of Metacritic’s highest-scoring 2018 releases so far.
Where is Kyra? Watch trailer(s)
Drama | April 6 | Directed by Andrew Dosunmu
Andrew Dosunmu’s follow-up to 2013’s Mother of George stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Kyra, an unemployed divorcee struggling to keep her apartment after her mother passes away. As she schemes to survive, Kyra strikes up a friendship with Kiefer Sutherland’s slightly more put together Doug. Re-teaming with writer Darci Picoult and cinematographer Bradford Young (Arrival), Dosunmu has created another atmospheric and intimate portrait of a woman in crisis.
You Were Never Really Here Watch trailer(s)
Drama/Thriller | April 6 | Directed by Lynne Ramsay
At last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Joaquin Phoenix won best actor, and writer-director Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar, We Need to Talk about Kevin) took home a share of the best screenplay award for this adaptation of Bored to Death creator Jonathan Ames' novella. This month, the lauded film finally reaches theaters. Phoenix stars as Joe, a traumatized veteran who specializes in finding young girls kidnapped into sex slavery. When a New York senator hires him, Joe finds himself trying to survive in a morass of corruption.
Zama Watch trailer(s)
Foreign/Drama | April 13 | Directed by Lucrecia Martel
Writer-director Lucrecia Martel’s new film comes nine years after her much-praised The Headless Woman. An adaptation of Antonio Di Benedetto’s 1956 novel about Don Diego de Zama, a clerk for the Spanish empire whose main desire is to be transferred from his outpost in what is now Paraguay, this “beautiful, hypnotic, mysterious and elliptical” film “becomes a lacerating, often surprisingly comic evisceration of colonialism and patriarchy,” according to Manohla Dargis of The New York Times.
What do you think?
Which films are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments section below. For a complete, updated listing of all upcoming film releases by date, including films arriving later in 2018, visit our Movie Calendar.
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