The alligator thriller Crawl and the buddy comedy Stuber are the new wide releases this weekend but let us now direct your attention to the new films in limited release today, as we reviewed both during their festival runs...
The Farewell (in 4 theaters, platforming from there. If you're in NYC or LA do not miss it this weekend)
Lulu Wang's autobiographical dramedy is about a woman who immigrated to the states when she was little (Awkwafina) returning to China to see her dying grandmother one last time. The catch is that the grandmother doesn't know she's dying and thinks everyone is in town for a wedding. If this film performs well in its platform release -- and that's a big if since the movie is mostly in Chinese and moviegoers are less and less adventurous these days -- it could be a major Oscar ticket for A24. It's a wonderfully specific story that has universal emotional hooks. Lulu Wang is the real deal, folks.
From Murtada's Sundance review...
When reality forces families to disperse, the push/pull of old vs new country can get contentious, emotional, and raw. Writer/director Lulu Wang captures this exact tension acutely. She also writes with love and authenticity about family so The Farewell hits an emotional bullseye.
The Art of Self-Defense (in 7 theaters, with a major expansion next week)
After a violent mugging, Casey (Jesse Eisenberg) takes a karate class but his new sensei (Alessandro Nivola) has some questionable and disturbing teaching methods.
[Eisenberg's characters] never vary all that much from his recognizable on-screen persona. It’s not a surprise to see him trampled on both literally and metaphorically, and the look of shock in his eyes as he experiences Sensei’s particular teaching style indicates just how uncomfortable he is in his own skin. Yet where Eisenberg truly shines here is when his character is pushed to be someone else and abruptly shifts his behavior, expressing rage and hatred with expert deadpan delivery.