A number of new movies and limited television series will debut this week, including the following titles opening in theaters or premiering via video on demand on various streaming platforms:
‘Clayface’
Genre: Body horror/psychological thriller
Cast: Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan
Director: James Watkins
Rated: R
Matt Hagen’s (Tom Rhys Harries) meteoric rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is tragically cut short when a local crime boss’s actions leave him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting-edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self … but also unexpectedly affects his grip on reality, spiraling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.
The film is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on Oct. 23.
‘Klara and the Sun’
Genre: Dystopian science fiction
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi, and Natasha Lyonne
Director: Taika Waititi
Rated: PG-13
Based on the bestselling novel from Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro and written and directed by Academy-Award winner Taika Waititi, “Klara and the Sun” introduces audiences to Klara (Jenna Ortega), an Artificial Friend who wants nothing more than to find the perfect home. When Klara meets Josie (Mia Tharia), each immediately senses a kindred spirit in the other. Josie has a fraught relationship with her mother (Amy Adams) and they’ve suffered great loss, but Klara’s innocent wonder and unwavering loyalty begin to heal the family and bring light to Josie’s complicated world.
The film is scheduled to be released on Oct. 23 by Sony Pictures Releasing.
‘Wildwood’
Genre: Stop-motion animated dark fantasy
Cast: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Len Cariou, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant
Director: Travis Knight
Rated: PG-13
“Wildwood” is a handcrafted epic fantasy that transports audiences into a secret, dangerously alive world.
A girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother unfolds into a spectacular, high-stakes adventure through a forbidden forest full of enchanted creatures, endearing allies, and formidable adversaries — where an entire hidden realm hangs in the balance.
The film is scheduled to be released by Fathom Entertainment on Oct. 23.
‘Wicker’
Genre: Romantic fantasy
Cast: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, Richard E. Grant, and Peter Dinklage
Directors: Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson
Rated: R
On the outskirts of a village by the sea lives a fisherwoman who is smelly, single and perpetually ridiculed. One day, fed up with her stuffy, small-minded neighbors, she commissions herself a husband to be made from wicker. In an otherwise conservative town, this unconventional romance sparks outrage, jealousy and chaos.
The film is scheduled to be released by Black Bear Pictures on Oct. 23.
‘Love Language’
Genre: Romantic comedy
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos, Manny Jacinto, Isabel May, Lukas Gage, and Billie Lourd
Director: Joey Power
Not rated
Aspiring author Louisa (Chloë Grace Moretz) falls into a side hustle writing wedding vows for other people. Just as the charming Dash (Anthony Ramos) starts to show interest in her, she reconnects with her college crush Warren (Manny Jacinto).
The film is also scheduled to be released on Oct. 23 by Vertical.
‘Ali G: Who Iz I?’
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen and Morgana Robinson
Director: Sacha Baron Cohen
Rated: R
After 20 years spent “chillin,’ tokin’ and bonin,’” Ali G is shocked to discover that his long-term girlfriend, Julie, is eight months pregnant. Faced with an extra mouth to feed, he gets off his batty and heads to America to reclaim his former glory … but soon encounters adversaries who will ultimately threaten his and his child’s very existence.
The film is scheduled to be released by Amazon MGM Studios on Oct. 23.
For more movie news, visit www.TampaBayBeacons.com. Lee Clark Zumpe is the Beacons’ entertainment editor. He can be reached by email at lzumpe@TBNweekly.com.