Film

In Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights, Robert De Niro accomplishes something remarkable even for his legendary career—portraying both sides of a deadly mob rivalry based on true events. After decades defining fictional gangsters like Vito Corleone and Jimmy Conway, De Niro now embodies real-life mob figures Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, bringing authentic underworld history to the screen.

The film, adapted from Gay Talese’s Honor Thy Father, chronicles the power struggle between these notorious crime bosses in 1950s New York. What makes De Niro’s performance particularly fascinating is how he navigates the constraints of portraying actual historical figures while still finding creative space for his transformative acting approach. Watching him shift between Genovese’s ruthless ambition and Costello’s calculated restraint showcases his extraordinary range within these boundaries.

The film’s logo—deliberately reminiscent of The Godfather’s iconic typography—signals the connection positioning The Alto Knights within cinema’s prestigious mafia tradition while subtly highlighting its unique offering: where Coppola’s masterpiece fictionalized mob archetypes, Levinson’s film depicts the actual historical figures who inspired those characters.

The Alto Knights, opening March 21, 2025, offers a compelling new dimension—seeing the actor who defined how we imagine movie mobsters now recreating the actual men who inspired those archetypes.

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Mickey Barnes wanted to leave Earth. Financially destitute, he signs up to be a disposable clone worker, on the human colony Niflheim. Mickey undertakes several dangerous assignments where he is not expected to survive.

Mickey 17 the new sci-fi black comedy produced, written, and directed by Bong Joon-Ho based on the 2022 novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton. Mickey Barnes, a.k.a. Mickey 17 (Twilight and Bat Man’s Robert Pattinson), tries to survive in a colony on an alien world. Undertaking the most dangerous tasks necessary for a mission to colonize the ice world, he is considered an “Expendable.” When one Mickey dies, another is cloned in his place with most of his memories intact. After one of his clones, “Mickey 17”, is incorrectly assumed dead, he and the next version, Mickey 18 grapple with the brutal government of the colony.

The book features the concept of human printing which has some parallels with the current debate about AI and its role in society. “It is this advanced technology, but no one knows what it is and how exactly to deal with it, and I think it’s the same with AI. Director Bong has said.  Pattinson said he intentionally gave the men different characteristics. Mickey 17 is beaten down by life, but happy to be part of the time, while Mickey 18 is like “an evil brother” who “is out of control.” Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, and Toni Collette round out this “inter” stellar cast.

Mickey 17 is set to be released March 7, 2025 by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Disney’s highly anticipated live-action Snow White, hitting theaters March 21, 2025, offers a fresh perspective on the story that launched the studio’s animated legacy nearly a century ago. This reimagining maintains the fairy tale’s essence while addressing modern sensibilities, moving beyond the “someday my prince will come” narrative to emphasize Snow White’s agency and inner strength.

Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) steps into the iconic role, bringing her exceptional vocal talent and nuanced acting to the character. Her casting signals Disney’s commitment to contemporary relevance while honoring the musical heritage that made the 1937 original a landmark.

As the Evil Queen, Gal Gadot transforms from her heroic Wonder Woman persona into Disney’s first villain. Gadot’s approach reportedly balances the character’s iconic vanity with unexpected emotional complexity, creating a more three-dimensional antagonist than the animated version.

In an era of beauty filters, “magic mirror” face-altering apps, and algorithmic beauty standards, the Evil Queen’s obsession with being “fairest of them all” feels less like ancient fairy tale and more like trending social media behavior. The irony of Disney—a company that has helped define beauty standards for generations—now attempting to critique those same standards hasn’t been lost on industry observers.

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The Friend reunites Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, this time with Apollo, the Great Dane. The film debuted at the Westminster Dog Show and multiple film festivals, receiving great early acclaim for the adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s New York Times bestselling novel.

Iris (Watts), a novelist in New York City, suddenly becomes the caretaker for a 150-pound enormous dog after the unexpected death of her dear friend Walter (Murray). If you have ever lived in a New York City apartment, you understand her challenges. To say they would be “close” in a space barely large enough to accommodate them individually is an understatement.

The initial days of the union are challenging, to say the least. Apollo immediately throws Iris’s life into chaos, upending her existence both professionally and personally. Destroyed furniture and eviction notices are just the beginning, not to mention sharing a bed with a dog that large.

However, there is much more to this story. The Friend delves into themes of love, loss, grief, acceptance, and healing. If you have ever experienced a dog’s love, you understand the bond that develops between the two. This unexpected relationship allows Iris to confront her past, cope with the loss of a friend, and more fully embrace her inner creative self.

The Friend opens in NYC on March 28, 2025 and nationwide on April 4, 2025.

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