Film

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3

• By SASHA GARY

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is about a wonderful family reunion in Greece! What a fun way to celebrate the Portokalos family history and dying wish of Toula’s father, Gusy (Constantine) who wants his family to reconnect with their roots and see his village where he grew up in Greece as his dying wish. Michael Constantine passed away in 2021 and what a great way to begin this story, in honor of his real- life memory and how it affects the fictional family on screen.

The film takes place right away in Greece where we are all now transported on vacation. The sound of the Greek music, the beautiful color of Greece takes your breath away. It’s so important to go back to your roots and reconnect with where your family comes from.

The whole original cast travels to Athens Greece for filming including Nia Vardalos, who directs, and has also written all three films. Toula (Vardolas) and Ian (Corbett) have raised their daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) is all grown up now and will she continue the tradition of marrying into a Greek heritage? She will fall in love at this family reunion, will Aunt Voula be a matchmaker? Will there be a wedding? We will have to see!

In theaters September 8, 2023. For more, click here.

The Good Mother

• By Debbie Emery

The Good Mother stars Oscar winner Hilary Swank, who recently became a mother herself with the birth of twins in April at age 48. Inevitably, the lead character in this crime thriller is not always as good as the film’s title suggests … 

Swank plays investigative journalist Marissa Bennings, who is reeling from the murder of her estranged son, Michael. Struggling to find peace with his death, she befriends his pregnant girlfriend (played by British actress Olivia Cooke) and dives into the drug and crime-filled underworld of Albany, New York, that Michael inhabited. As secrets unravel about the murder, the women — along with the help of Marissa’s other police officer son — are shocked to discover that it was merely one chess piece in the deeply corrupt city. 

The drama also stars Jack Reynor, Hopper Penn, Norm Lewis, Karen Aldrige and Dilone. It is directed and written by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte. The Good Mother was previously titled Mother’s Milk, which was the name of the illegal drug Michael sold before his death but was changed prior to release.

The Good Mother is released by Vertical (the studio that brought usEmily the Criminal last year) and will hit theaters on September 1, 2023. 

For more, click here.

A Haunting in Venice

• By Debbie Emery

InA Haunting in Venice, Kenneth Branagh is back as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot in a detective tale with a supernatural twist. Branagh’s third outing as the famed Belgian detective takes him to Venice, Italy, in the post-World War II era on All Hallows’ Eve. Poirot is now retired and living in exile, but inevitably crime finds him when he attends a séance in a haunted palazzo. Inevitably, a guest is murdered, and Poirot is thrust into a moustache-twirling investigation that uncovers dark secrets.

 A Haunting in Venice is based on Christie’s 1969 novel, Hallowe’en Party, and has been adapted by Michael Green and directed by Branagh, who previously played Poirot in Death on the Nile andMurder on the Orient Express. 

The latest adaptation of work by the Queen of Crime co-stars Tina Fey as mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver. It also features a star-studded ensemble cast of Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin and Jude Hill. Oscar-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (The Joker, Chernobyl) wrote the score, taking over from Branagh favorite, Patrick Doyle. 

While most Christie adaptations fall firmly in the mystery film genre, this latest work is described as a supernatural thriller — but not a full-fledged horror film despite its Halloween season release. 

In theaters on September 15, 2023. For more, click here.

Challengers

• By Samantha Colwell

I hadn’t heard of Challengers, the new Luca Guadagnino film starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist until I saw the viral clip sweeping the internet. You know which one I’m talking about. As someone who loves both romance novels and drama, I immediately knew it was going to be themovie for me.

Zendaya stars as ex-professional tennis player Tashi Donaldson, whose early retirement was brought about by an injury. Donaldson now coaches her husband Art, played by Mike Faist, who originated the role of Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen. In an attempt to shake his losing streak, Tashi signs Art up for a match against Josh O’Connor’s character Patrick, who just so happens to be Art’s ex-BFF and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend. As with any situation this messy, drama ensues, and tensions are high. (Sexually and otherwise. Without giving too much away, let’s say Zendaya’s character plays… doubles.)

Due to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes, Challengers won’t hit theaters until April 2024. MGM withdrew their film from its intended premiere, which would have been the Venice International Film Festival on August 30, citing the inability of the stars and the creative team to attend the premiere under strike restrictions. (Another reason to stan the cast of the movie: none of them are scabs.) And hey, when it finally hits the big screen? Make sure to bring enough popcorn for three.

For more, click here.