policeodu movie review rating

Policeodu Movie Review, Rating And Public Talk: Vijay | Samantha

Tamil star hero Vijay, Samantha And Amy Jackson casted Policeodu Movie Review and audience response is here. Let’s have a look on it.

Telugu version of Vijay’s Theri Tamil Movie is Policeodu. This film is all about a father taking care of her daughter. It also talks about the women’s safety in the society. Samantha and Amy Jackson has shared the screen space along with Vijay. Already the film was released in Tamil yesterday itself and it had a positive talk. Telugu dubbed version got released today. Here is Policeodu Movie Review and let’s you know how it is in Telugu.

Policeodu – A Quick Look

Policeodu   movie review.

Action, drama, and thriller oriented movie had performed decently good at opening. It seems to be attractive for the audience at the end of the first time show of the movie. The good talk about the film might bring the Telugu audience more into the theaters to watch the movie. The direction department has done good work to depict the script as narrated.

Samantha and Amy Jackson have performed decently well in the movie. The new-comer and debutant Villan Character Mahendran and the child artist Baby Naianika’s performances were really amazing.

Atlee directed the movie with keeping three different shades and roles for the hero Vijay. He is shown as a cop in one of the roles. The bondage and sentimental scenes were awesome.

Watch Policeodu Official Theatrical Trailer | Vijay | Samantha | Amy Jackson

Cast and Crew (H2 -14)

Starring:  Vijay, Samantha, Amy Jackson, Raadhika, Baby Nainika Direction:  Atlee Kumar Music:  G V Prakash Kumar Production:  V Creations

Storyline in Brief

This story is about the women’s safety in the society and the bondage between a father and the daughter. The emotional sentiment of single parenting is also shown in this film beautifully. The Dad-daughter scenes are really appreciable.

G V Prakash Kumar has composed his tunes really good to hear. The music seemed to be the perfect for the situations prevailing and the background music also matched perfectly. It is also the occasion for the music director to complete his half century with this movie.

Star Cast Performance

This is the 59th movie for the hero and the previous association. Director, music director and the hero’s combination earlier bagged big success at the box-office. The other actors Mahendran as Villan, Rajendran as Police officer, Azhagam Perumal, Kaali Venkat, Swaminathan, T M Karthik, Jayaprakash, Kalyani Natarajan, Sunaina in a cameo appearance.

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'Policeodu' aka 'Police' movie review by audience: Live update

Director atlee kumar's telugu movie "policeodu" aka "police," starring vijay, samantha and amy jackson, has got mixed reviews from the audience..

Director Atlee Kumar's Telugu movie "Policeodu" aka "Police," which is the dubbed version of Vijay and Samantha's Tamil film "Theri," has received mixed reviews from the audience in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Telugu version of "Theri" was initially titled "Policeodu," producer Dil Raju, who has bought the rights of its dubbed version, changed its title to "Police," just a day before its release. The producer-cum-distributor has released the film in over 350 cinema halls across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Written by Atlee, "Police" is a commercial action entertainer that deals with a revenge story of an honest sentimental cop (Vijay). After his wife (Samantha) is killed, he decides to save his daughter from a political gang by living as three different characters. How he locks horn with a local politician (Mahendran) to avenge his wife's death forms the crux of the story.

The audience say "Police" has a routine revenge saga, but some interesting twists and commercial ingredients make it a good watch. Vijay has delivered an electrifying performance, which is the main highlight in the film. Samantha, Amy Jackson and Baby Nainika have also done justice to their roles.

The viewers add "Police," which has been made with a whopping budget, has brilliant production values. The superb music, amazing cinematography brilliant choreography of action sequences are the big attractions in the technical front. We bring you some viewers' verdict on the film that they have shared on Twitter. Here is the live update 'Policeodu' aka 'Police' movie review by the audience:

RJV ‏@RJV4U

#Policeodu .. Good 1st half .. Interval scene elevation #Policeodu .. Good 1st half ... Dragged 2nd half ..Good cinematography ... Finally an Avg film

Sαi sяαvαη ‏@sravan523

#Policeodu a pucca commercial entertainer with a classy touch vijay-sam chemistry is an eye feast to watch on screen @Samanthaprabhu2

Avanthikaツ ‏@Avantikasayz

#Police Liked the Movie a lottt @Samanthaprabhu2 How beautiful and flawless u were in the movie!! just fell in love with ur character☺ Andd also vijay and @Samanthaprabhu2 chemistry❤ Just wana say ur the only actress to srike a sizzling chemistry with anyone u act And i liked each and every scene in the movie where ur involved @Samanthaprabhu2 and u also made me cry in some scenes! ur were just perfect

⭐ ‏@hanumakirun

Rocking first half. BGM kummesadu G.V. Prakash Cinematography #Theri #Policeodu #Police #Theri Babyyyy #Policeodu is a mass movie. BGM is a big asset. Cinematography is lovely. Finally #Theri is a good choice for this weekend. Enjoy. #police

Mahesh A ‏@Ursbadmahi_325

#RajaRani & #Policeodu 2 diff movies with good emotion & perfect execution. Bang on. Take a bow boy @Atlee_dir @priyaatlee

Prem Kumar ‏@prem_samfan

@Samanthaprabhu2 wah #Policeodu ,u r the perfect choice for mithra... jus loved ur screen presence.. wil watch again nd again for u...

Sudheer ‏@sudheersayz1

#Policeodu #Police done with 1st half.@gvprakash bgm & @actorvijay acting is stupendous.as usually @Samanthaprabhu2 looks fablos. #Policeodu #Police This time @actorvijay sir didn't disappointed telugu http://audience.one more hit film for @Atlee_dir in Telugu. No one can match @Atlee_dir direction & @gvprakash BG score.waiting for ur direct Telugu film @Atlee_dir .#Police #Policeodu #Police #Policeodu @Samanthaprabhu2 ur performance,beauty were stupendous. Can't wait for ur upcoming big project's in Telugu.

PuneSuperGaints #RPS ‏@moulitalks

Superb first half and engaging second half #Theri #Policeodu Vijay Expected more from Atlee Sam- Radhika conversation in the firsthalf had me in tears .. Scene that tell Atlee's brilliance in handling emotions #Theri #Policeodu #TheriBaby Nainika is too cute .. Like mother like daughter #Theri #Policeodu

aHf ‏@adhyayam

Barring some pace issues which is negligible, first half of #Police is perfectly blended with Heroism,Love and sentiment. Very good 1st half Vijay,GVPrakash(BGM),Atlee are Therrific. Lengthy runtime is a let down.Payback scenes could have been handled better.Enjoyable #Policeodu Vijay,Atlee's #Police has all the potential to become a blockbuster of Thupakki magnitude,but pace and length issues made it an abv avg fare

Sriram Varma ‏@sriramForU

#Theri / #Policeodu Okay first half Pre interval and Baby Nainika scenes with Vijay #Theri / #Policeodu - 2nd half lo cheppukovadaniki em ledu. Predictable. Overall an average stuff. Tamil cinema interest unte can try once

Pandu ‏@pandu_kdp

Good first half.. Some elevation scenes,  naina baby , Vijay - Sam love scenes are good.. Songs nachale naku #Police #Theri

Mallesh ‏@kalepu_malli

First off done my darling @Samanthaprabhu2 superb Vijay performance extraordinary #police hit movie

Kovidh Kumar ‏@KovidhK

Done vth frst half #police Vijay kumar episode #Goosebumps. #Imwaiting to see 2nd half..vry vry nce naratn @Atlee_dir cute @Samanthaprabhu2

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Policeodu movie Review: Theri Telugu remake Vijay, Samantha

Vijay\'s Theri dubbed into Telugu as Policeodu hit theatres. The film feature Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the female lead. Amy Jackson, Radikaa Sarathkumar play other important roles.

Vijay's Theri dubbed into Telugu as Policeodu hit theatres. The film feature Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the female lead. Amy Jackson, Radikaa Sarathkumar play other important roles.

Plot: A police officer imposes a self-exile to take care of his child after losing his loved ones. However, when her life faces a threat. he decides it's time to get back at them.

Review: How well is the movie executed?

Vijay's versatility and style

There's something for every kind of audience

Nainika's performance

George C Williams cinematography

GV Prakash music

Old wine in a new bottle

Cocktail of several other Tamil movies

Predictable story line

Samantha and Amy used only for glamour quotient

Few scenes oozed with violent content could have been avoided

Verdict: Strictly for Vijay fans

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Watch Policeodu

• 2 hr 37 min

Policeodu is a thrilling action movie set in the backdrop of a small town in Tamil Nadu, India. The movie stars popular South Indian actors Vijay and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the lead roles, along with a talented ensemble of supporting actors. The movie is directed by Atlee Kumar and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu. Vijay plays the role of Joseph Kuruvilla, a tough and honest police officer who is sent to the town of Pudhur to take charge of the local police station. The small town is plagued by a wave of crimes and corruption, with the local mafia kingpin, Shiva, ruling the roost. Shiva is played by the versatile actor, Neil Nitin Mukesh, who brings a menacing quality to his portrayal of the villain.

Joseph arrives in Pudhur with a mission to clean up the town and bring the criminals to justice. His no-nonsense approach to policing is initially met with resistance from the corrupt cops in his unit, who are in cahoots with the local mafia. But Joseph perseveres and soon manages to win over the support of the honest cops and the townspeople.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu plays the character of Thenmozhi, a school teacher and Joseph's love interest. Her character adds an emotional depth to the movie and provides a glimpse into the personal life of Joseph. Their chemistry is one of the highlights of the movie, and the romantic track is woven seamlessly into the main narrative.

The movie has a fast-paced storyline that keeps the viewers engrossed throughout. The action sequences are well choreographed, and Vijay's physical prowess is on full display in the fight scenes. The movie also has a few well-shot songs that add to the overall entertainment value.

One of the standout aspects of Policeodu is its social commentary on the state of law and order in small towns in India. The movie sheds light on the rampant corruption and the nexus between the police and the criminals. It highlights the struggles of an honest police officer trying to do his job in a system that is rigged against him.

Overall, Policeodu is an entertaining and engaging movie that combines action, romance, and social commentary in a well-crafted package. Vijay's commanding presence, Samantha's charming screen presence, and Neil Nitin Mukesh's menacing performance make the movie a must-watch for fans of South Indian cinema.

• Genres Action Drama
• Cast Vijay Samantha Ruth Prabhu
• Director Atlee Kumar
• Release Date 2016
• Runtime 2 hr 37 min

Policeodu › Customer reviews

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Policeodu 14/Apr/2016 Action, Drama

Critics: 0 Panel: 5 User: 30

Overall: 3.7 from 35 users

Synopsis/Plot : Policeodu is a Telugu version of Vijay's Tamil movie Theri. Sri Venkateswara Creations has bagged the Telugu rights of Vijay's Theri. The movie, starring Vijay, Samantha and Amy Jackson in the lead roles, is directed by Atlee. The movie is produced by Thanu's V Creations.

Director : Atlee

Music Director : G.v. Prakash Kumar

Cast More Cast & Crew (5)

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#Telugu #BlockbusterFilm #Sarrainodu All Video Songs Link Here......!!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeGz-Fpiep7qBprg2K5hH5Q ( more )

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Release date : April 15th, 2016

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Director : Atlee Kumar

Producer :  Dil Raju

Music Director :  G. V. Prakash Kumar

Starring : Vijay, Samantha, Amy Jackson

Tamil superstar, Vijay’s Theri has been dubbed into Telugu as Police. Directed by Atlee, this film which also stars Amy Jackson and Samantha as the female leads has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.

Joseph Kuruvilla(Vijay) leads a simple life along with his six year old daughter in Kerala. There, he comes across a school teacher Annie(Amy Jackson) and starts getting close to her. As time passes by, Joseph gets into a feud with some local goons and bashes them up big time.

Surprised by Joseph’s aggression, Annie starts researching about Joseph and finds out a shocking truth that he was a daring ex-police officer called Vijay Kumar.

Who is this Vijay Kumar ? Why did he settle down in Kerala ? What is his past ? and where does Samantha feature in this entire set up ? To know answers to these questions, you need to watch the film on the big screen.

Plus Points:-

Undoubtedly, Vijay is the major highlight of the film. Probably for the first time, he has done a slightly mature character and has impressed big time. The way Vijay has showcased various emotions in his role with different shades is just awesome. Especially his look as the gritty cop and all his confrontational scenes with the villain are pretty good.

Samantha is yet another bonus to this film. Her role is tailor made as she brings a warmth and depth into the proceedings through her lovable performance. Interval bang is the highlight and has been executed in a thumping way.

Famous film director Mahendran plays the main villain and is superb in his character. First half of the film is pretty decent as all the aspects such as romance, emotions and mass elements have been showcased nicely.

Minus Points:-

One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is the predictability. Right from the first frame, you exactly know what is going to happen next. There are no major twists or turns that will keep you excited.

Amy Jackson looks out of place and her weird hairdo does not help matters much. Yet another drawback is that the film does not have a proper flow. Even though the director narrates all these elements in a decent way, he gets carried away and keeps side tracking the film.

Technical Aspects:-

Music of the film is hugely disappointing as none of the songs manage to register. Background score by G V Prakash is superb and elevates the film in right areas. Screenplay is average as major scenes could have been set crisply into the narration. Production values are superb as the film looks rich in texture and the thumping camera work supports the visuals supremely well.

Coming to the director Atlee, he has once again dealt with the various emotions decently. The way he has handled a huge star like Vijay and showcased him is very impressive. Had he added a few more thrilling elements and cut down on the run time and unnecessary scenes the effect would have been even better.

Even though Police is a hugely predictable film from the word go, elements like Vijay’s performance, Samantha’s lovable character and some commercial thrills will keep you interested in the proceedings. Vijay’s fans would have loved his role in Tamil but for the Telugu audience, this film is just a passable masala entertainer.

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5 Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click here for Telugu Review

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Movie Review: ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ amps up a true-tale WWII heist

This image released by Lionsgate shows Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, Henry Cavill, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Henry Golding in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Henry Cavill in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Alan Ritchson in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Eiza Gonzalez in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Alex Pettyfer in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Babs Olusanmokun in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Danny Sapani in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Cary Elwes in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Henry Golding in a scene from the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)

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The latest Guy Ritchie flick “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” has a spine of true story to it, even if it does all it can to amplify a long-declassified World War II tale with enough dead Nazis to make “Inglourious Basterds” blush.

The result is a jauntily entertaining film but also an awkward fusion. Ritchie’s film, which opens in theaters Friday, takes the increasingly prolific director’s fondness for swaggering, exploitation-style ultraviolence and applies it to a real-life stealth mission that would have been thrilling enough if it had been told with a little historical accuracy.

In 2016, documents were declassified that detailed Operation Postmaster, during which a small group of British special operatives sailed to the West African island of Fernando Po, then a Spanish colony, in the Gulf of Guinea. Spain was then neutral in the war, which made the Churchill-approved gambit audacious. In January 1942, they snuck into the port and sailed off with several ships — including the Italian merchant vessel Duchessa d’Aosta — that were potentially being used in Atlantic warfare.

Sounds like a pretty good movie, right? The story even features James Bond author Ian Fleming, giving it more than enough grist for a WWII whopper. “Operation Postmaster” makes for a better title, too, than the ungainly “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” Ritchie, however, already has an operation — last year’s “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” — in his filmography.

Ritchie, who turned Sherlock Holmes into a bulked-up action star, has always preferred to beef up his movies. It’s a less-noted side effect of the superhero era that regular ol’ heroes have been supersized, too, as if human-sized endeavors aren’t quite enough anymore. And “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” in which a handful of operatives kill approximately a thousand Nazis, has a fine, brawny duo in Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson.

In the movie’s opening scene, they’re relaxing on a small ship in the Atlantic when Germans rush aboard. After a few laughs and a Nazi monologue that plays like a poor man’s version of Christoph Waltz’s masterful oration in “Inglourious Basterds,” the duo makes quick mincemeat of them, leaving blood splattered across the henley shirt of Anders Lassen (Ritchson, a charming standout).

Not much has changed in Ritchie-land, though he’s swapped tweed for skintight tees and cable-knit sweaters in a rollicking high-seas adventure. As in the director’s previous movies, everyone — and, as before, nearly all male — seems to be having a good time. Likewise, Ritchie revels in his characters’ debonair nonchalance while meting out all manner of savagery.

The assembled group of operatives are said to be delinquents and misfits, though they steadfastly adhere to the polite manners of past Ritchie protagonists. They may kill with bloodthirsty impunity but what really matters is upholding an old-school sense of style. When the undercover agents Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González, who silkily cuts like a knife through the film) and Mr. Heron (Babs Olusanmokun, excellent) ride a Nazi-controlled train on their way to Fernando Po, they look in disgust at the German sausages they’re served. Later, someone will say, “I hate Nazis not because they’re Nazis but because they’re so gauche.”

And in proficiently staged set pieces, Ritchie makes his own case for a bit of class. As a journeyman filmmaker now pumping out a movie a year, he’s in many ways grown to be a more complete director. He’s adept at giving the many members of his large ensemble moments to shine — including Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Cary Elwes, Freddie Fox as Fleming, Til Schweiger as a barbaric Nazi and Rory Kinnear as Churchill.

And once the film — based on the nonfiction book by Damien Lewis — settles into a seedy, sunny West African setting and the nighttime heist finale, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” proves a spirited, if grossly exaggerated diversion.

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for strong violence throughout and some language. Running time: 92 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

From 'Argylle' to 'Rebel Moon Part 2,' here are 15 movies you need to stream right now

They say April showers bring May flowers. This month also unloads a deluge of movies to watch at home.

Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video, Peacock, Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+ and others have a spring fiesta of streaming options for film lovers of all tastes, from breezy romantic comedies to bone-chilling horror. There are recent theatrical releases, like an acclaimed Oscar-nominated Holocaust drama and one of the most Disney-fied Disney movies ever , but also original flicks such as Zack Snyder's latest sci-fi epic and a Sundance Film Festival documentary about politically savvy teen girls.

Here are 15 notable new movies you can stream right now:

In director Matthew Vaughn's madcap adventure , Bryce Dallas Howard plays a best-spelling novelist who discovers that the fictional exploits of her secret-agent character (Henry Cavill) are coming uncannily close to things happening in real life, leading her to partner up with a shaggy actual spy (Sam Rockwell).

Where to watch: Apple TV+

'Bob Marley: One Love'

So good as Malcolm X in "One Night in Miami," Kingsley Ben-Adir notches another biopic highlight as reggae superstar Bob Marley . He's effective at capturing the musician even if the movie meanders with a narrative set during the 1970s, as Marley tries to use his songs to bring together a politically divided Jamaica.

Where to watch: Paramount+

'You don't mess with Bob': How Kingsley Ben-Adir channeled Bob Marley for 'One Love' movie

'Drive-Away Dolls'

Margaret Qualley  and Geraldine Viswanathan co-star in director Ethan Coen's gonzo crime comedy as lesbian pals needing a change of pace who wind up behind the wheel of a rental car with a mysterious briefcase in the trunk. What unfurls is a noir-spattered road trip full of sex toys, decapitated heads and dimwitted goons.

Where to watch: Peacock

'Drive-Away Dolls' review: Talented cast steers a crime comedy with sex toys and absurdity

'Girls State'

Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss' compelling follow-up to 2020's " Boys State " centers on teenage Missouri girls placed in competing political parties who create a mock state government. Abortion is a hot-button issue in the proceedings, which include a competitive gubernatorial race and an investigation into Girls State itself.

'The Greatest Hits'

The car accident that killed her boyfriend (David Corenswet) left Harriet (Lucy Boynton) with head trauma and the ability to time-travel to a past moment with him when she hears certain songs. But obsessively searching for the right tune to save him in the past might cost her a new chance at romance in the present of this intriguing but overly earnest drama.

Where to watch: Hulu

'Late Night With the Devil'

David Dastmalchian has a hell of a role in this retro horror flick, starring as a 1970s late-night TV host in desperate need of ratings. For a Halloween special, he brings on a girl supposedly possessed by a demon in a gambit that brings in eyeballs but spirals supernaturally out of control for everyone involved.

Where to watch: Shudder , AMC+

'Lisa Frankenstein'

A horror rom-com about reanimated undead love and body-robbing shenanigans, "Lisa" is a playful and bloody teen-movie reimagining of the "Frankenstein" mythos . Kathryn Newton plays a 1980s goth girl and Cole Sprouse is a Victorian corpse resurrected amid lively characters and clever, sardonic dialogue.

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'Migration'

In the animated comedy, Mack (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani) is the overprotective dad of a duck family who reluctantly agrees to a Jamaican getaway with his wife (Elizabeth Banks) and kids. However, they get sidetracked and wind up in New York City, where they meet a streetwise pigeon (Awkwafina) and a vicious chef.

Rudy Mancuso co-writes, directs and stars in this delightfully clever romantic comedy as a creative New Jersey man with synesthesia, experiencing melodies and rhythms around him in extraordinary fashion. It exacerbates problems with an ex (Francesca Reale) yet fascinates a new love interest (Camila Mendes).

Where to watch: Prime Video

'Night Swim'

Thinking about putting in a pool in the backyard? Well, think again. Wyatt Russell plays an ex-baseball star who moves into a new house with his wife (Oscar nominee Kerry Condon) and kids and feels swimming could be good for their souls, but the outdoor pool contains a dark force that doesn't have fun in its plans.

'Rebel Moon − Part Two: The Scargiver'

Do you live for slow-motion scenes of people harvesting grain? Then director Zack Snyder has the sci-fi sequel for you. The first "Rebel Moon" was derivative and the second one is just dull, with ex-warrior Kora (Sofia Boutella) leading a band of underdogs and farmers against the invading army of the villainous Imperium.

Where to watch: Netflix

'The Stranger'

So, yeah, Quibi turned out to be pretty much a streaming disaster. Still, the content was pretty good and is now finding new homes as real movies, not a piecemeal experiment: Director Veena Sud's thriller ratchets up the suspense with Maika Monroe playing a rideshare driver and Dane DeHaan as the creepiest passenger ever.

'Talk to Me'

The best horror movie of last year was this haunting Australian indie chiller that introduced a new top-tier scream queen, Sophie Wilde, and a memorable scary-movie artifact: a mysterious embalmed hand that teens use to livestream freaky possessions that, of course, go terrifyingly awry.

A tune-filled, big-hearted storybook fantasy that's chock-full of Disney references. The animated musical features Ariana DeBose as an idealistic youngster who runs afoul of her kingdom's narcissistic ruler (Chris Pine) and befriends an energetic star to help rescue her people's wishes.

Where to watch: Disney+

'The Zone of Interest'

Director Jonathan Glazer 's best picture nominee centers on a German family going about their daily business. This banality, though, happens next door to Auschwitz, where gunshots, screams and the industrial sounds of ovens are the unnerving soundtrack that the characters ignore but you simply can't in this disturbing yet essential Holocaust drama.

Where to watch: Max

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All You Need Is Death review – Irish horror finds evil in taboo folk ballad recording

The story of two historians unleashing evil while recording a song is a strong idea and there are good moments and performances, but it is too chaotic and unfocused to resonate

P aul Duane is the film-maker who in 2011 made Barbaric Genius , a gripping documentary portrait of ex-convict, ex-vagrant and tournament chess player John Healy, whose memoir The Grass Arena is a classic of outsider art literature. Now Duane has given us this horror film which, though it begins with interesting subversive and satirical ideas, and an interesting allusion to Guillermo del Toro, finally becomes, for me, simply too chaotic, strained and unfocused.

Anna (Simone Collins) and Aleks (Charlie Maher) are social historians who travel around remote rural pubs in Ireland , recording folk ballads; they become fascinated by rumours of an old woman who lives thereabouts who can sing a thousand-year-old song, taught over generations from mother to daughter, which has never been recorded or transcribed on paper. Asking questions about her makes locals suspicious; Anna and Aleks assure one man that they are not journalists or interested in anything “political”, but he replies darkly: “There’s nothing that’s not political …”

He’s right. The act of recording an Indigenous or vernacular culture for outsider consumption – and thereby encouraging outsider interest and intervention – has social and political implications. But for them, the implications go further. The song is taboo, setting it down is a transgression, and uncovering this tortured folk ballad of ageless pain and rage has summoned up forces of evil. It is a good idea and there are good moments in the film, especially at the very beginning when Anna and Aleks have a bizarre encounter with the old woman herself, Rita Concannon, strikingly played by Olwen Fouéré. But then things begin to slide. There are however some resonant ideas here.

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‘Abigail’ Review: Horror by Numbers

In this cheerfully unambitious vampire movie, a bloodsucker is shut up in an old mansion with some nitwit criminals. Will there be gore? You bet.

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By Manohla Dargis

A cheerfully obvious splatterthon, the new horror movie “Abigail” follows a simple, time-tested recipe that calls for a minimal amount of ingredients. Total time: 109 minutes. Take a mysterious child, one suave fixer and six logic-challenged criminals. Place them in an extra-large pot with a few rats, creaking floorboards and ominous shadows. Stir. Simmer and continue stirring, letting the stew come to a near-boil. After an hour, crank the heat until some of the meat falls off the bone and the whole mix turns deep red. Enjoy!

That more or less sums up this movie, a horror flick that’s serviceable enough to make you occasionally giggle or flinch, yet is also so aggressively unambitious that it scarcely seems worth griping about. It centers on the kidnapping of the title character (a fine Alisha Weir), an outwardly self-possessed 12-year-old ballerina who’s snatched one night by a half-dozen genre types. A formulaically diverse cohort of underworld bottom feeders (played by Dan Stevens, among others), these Scooby-Doo-ish chuckleheads come with divergent skills, histories and expiration dates, and are largely tasked with padding the reed-thin story and dying horribly.

The filmmakers — it was written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick, and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett — have outfitted the story with the usual particulars. Much of the movie unfolds inside a sprawling labyrinthine mansion that looks like it was imagineered by an amusement park designer who scanned some old horror movies while thumbing through picture books on the history of the European aristocracy. There are suits of armor flanking the front door, a bearskin rug on the floor, an empty coffin tucked in a corner and oddly, given the genre circumstances, some fresh garlic in an otherwise derelict kitchen.

There are some tangy bits, including Giancarlo Esposito, who enters, barks some orders and soon leaves the kidnappers alone with Abigail in the mansion while they wait for her father to pay a ransom within 24 hours. Once this narrative stopwatch begins, the crew members — who also include Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett, an amusing Kevin Durand and Angus Cloud (who died in 2023 ) — banter and pose, grimace and scream while managing to be lightly appealing and entirely disposable. At one point, the filmmakers nod at one of their influences with a shot of Agatha Christie’s 1939 mystery novel “ And Then There Were None ,” about a group of people who are enigmatically offed.

“Abigail” has been described as a take on “ Dracula’s Daughter ” (1936), one of the horror films in Universal’s vault, some of which it has resurrected in some fashion. The press notes for “Abigail” name-check a few vampire titles, but “Daughter” isn’t among them, and for good reason because there’s little to link these two. That’s too bad; the earlier film is a true curiosity. It stars Gloria Holden as a countess who preys on men and women alike, and begs a doctor to help her with her “ghastly” condition. With its lesbian overtones, the movie is a vexed and tasty text — censors urged the studio to avoid suggestions of “ perverse sexual desire ” — and the countess a complex villain in a film that is very much worth a look.

Abigail Rated R for gore and more gore. Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis is the chief film critic for The Times. More about Manohla Dargis

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‘YOLO’ Review: A Megahit Chinese Boxing Movie That Needs More Punch

Director-star Jia Ling gives an endearing performance as a meek layabout who finds a new lease on life in the ring, but this box-office sensation takes far too long to get where it's so obviously going.

By Guy Lodge

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Determined to change her life, Leying takes a waitressing job and leaves home, renting a small apartment with help from her gently supportive mother (a lovely Zhao Haiyan, underplaying more than most). It takes this 129-minute movie an awfully long time to get through this essential setup, and still Leying’s self-reinvention is some way off. Much of a sluggish second act is consumed with her halting, ultimately toxic relationship with hard-up boxing coach Hao Kun (Lei Jiayin), who takes her on as an unlikely student. The feelings she develops for him aren’t returned in equal proportion, but they move in together nonetheless, as Leying becomes an emotional punching bag for Hao Kun’s frustrations over his own thwarted sporting dreams.

There’s potentially a whole film in this pained, conflicted anti-romance, but “YOLO” treats it as merely another narrative hurdle to be cleared before it belatedly reaches its feelgood crux — when Leying finally strikes out on her own and hits the gym hard. Cue a series of training montages, as Leying sheds over 100 pounds over the course of a year, and eagerly fashions herself as a featherweight. It’s a remarkable before-our-eyes metamorphosis, and as the woman who underwent it in real life, Jia shoots and presents this passage in an understandably proud, rousing register. Yet the film’s emphatic celebration of a character’s physical change, after having played her size for comedy earlier on, somewhat compromises the intended air of uplift. Viewers can take what message they want from Leying’s progression, but not all will find body positivity in her less-is-more makeover.

Spiritual and psychological well-being is the longer-term goal here, and “YOLO” does bring Leying closer to that goal via a poignant sporting climax that strikes a more realistic note than much of the preceding drama. Still, it’s an outcome we could have called far earlier in proceedings, well before Jia really shows her hand by sampling Bill Conti’s “Rocky” theme to soundtrack her character’s training. As a director, she has little use for nuance and less still for subtlety. An an actor, she corrects those deficits to some extent: There’s a quiet, believable integrity to Leying that pulls her through the film’s more crass or condescending interludes and its shiny, pastel-hued styling. Anyone familiar with “100 Yen Love” may well find themselves missing that film’s shadows and crevices. But it’s precisely “YOLO’s” lighter tone and heavier hand that has made it a multimillion-dollar baby.

Reviewed at Odeon Luxe Haymarket, London, Apr. 17, 2024. Running time: 129 MIN.

• Production: (China) A Sony Pictures International presentation of a New Century Pictures, China Film Co., Alibaba Pictures, Little M Media, Big Bowl Entertainment Culture Media Co., Tencent Penguin Pictures production. Producers: Li Ning, Tian Tian, Zhou Xiuqing, Zhang Wen.
• Crew: Director: Jia Ling. Screenplay: Jia, Sun Jibin, Liu Honglu, Guo Yupen, Bu Yu, based on the screenplay "100 Yen Love" by Shin Adachi. Camera: Michael Liu. Editor: Zhou Xiaolin. Music: Fei Peng.
• With: Jia Ling, Lei Jiayin, Zhang Xiaofei, Zhao Haiyan, Xu Jun Cong, Yang Zi, Sha Yi. (Mandarin dialogue)

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‘Civil War’: What you need to know about A24’s dystopian action movie

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A24’s “Civil War,” the latest film from “Ex Machina” and “Men” director Alex Garland , imagines a third-term president ruling over a divided America and follows the journalists driving through the war-torn countryside on a mission to land his final interview. The movie is pulse-pounding and contemplative, as the characters tumble from one tense encounter to the next and ruminate on the nature of journalism and wartime photography.

In his review of the film, The Times’ Joshua Rothkopf wrote, “‘Civil War’ will remind you of the great combat films , the nauseating artillery ping of ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ the surreal up-is-down journey of ‘Apocalypse Now.’ It also bears a pronounced connection to the 2002 zombie road movie scripted by its writer-director Alex Garland, ‘28 Days Later.’”

Starring Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny as photojournalists, alongside Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson (and a scene-stealing, nerve-racking Jesse Plemons ), the film carries a reported production budget of $50 million and has already started to recoup the costs at the box office, earning $25.7 million in ticket sales in its first weekend in North America.

“Civil War” has also been a discourse juggernaut. Conversation on social media has focused on the lack of context given for the conflict at the heart of the film. In a recent column, The Times’ Mary McNamara wrote that “forcing the very real political divisions that plague this nation into vague subtext doesn’t even serve the purported pro-journalism nature of ‘Civil War.’”

Catch up on our coverage of the film below.

Review: ‘Civil War’ shows an America long past unraveling, which makes it necessary

Starring Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny as journalists chronicling a war at home, writer-director Alex Garland’s action film provokes a shudder of recognition.

April 11, 2024

Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny on the nightmarish ‘Civil War’: ‘No nation is immune’

Writer-director Alex Garland’s controversy-courting political fable about a violently divided America brings together two generation-defining actors.

April 4, 2024

What ‘Civil War’ gets right and wrong about photojournalism, according to a Pulitzer Prize winner

Carolyn Cole, a veteran L.A. Times photographer who won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of civil war in Liberia, breaks down the depiction of her profession in A24’s ‘Civil War.’

April 16, 2024

Inside the most unnerving scene in ‘Civil War’: ‘It was a stunning bit of good luck’

With a deeply disturbing turn by Jesse Plemons, one scene in “Civil War” encapsulates the film’s combustible political balancing act. It almost didn’t happen.

April 12, 2024

In trying to hedge its politics, ‘Civil War’ betrays its characters — and the audience

Alex Garland’s powerful war drama is ostensibly a tribute to the fourth estate. But the film is absent the examination of causes and consequences central to great journalism.

April 15, 2024

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After ‘Civil War’ and mainstream success, can indie darling A24 keep its cool?

‘Civil War’s’ overperformance at the box office proves that A24’s brand is strong enough to open a divisive $50-million about a dystopian America.

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‘Civil War’ unites moviegoers at box office

Alex Garland’s ‘Civil War,’ about a strife-torn, near-future America, knocked ‘Godzilla x Kong’ from the top spot at the weekend box office.

April 14, 2024

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