Top 5 movie picks for Sarasota-Bradenton: Jan. 20-26
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
It's a quiet week for new movies, with the biggest release being the Western romance "Redeeming Love." However, that gives you the chance to catch up on last week's releases in theaters such as the latest "Scream" sequel. At home, top picks include the great Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's new movie "A Hero" debuts on Prime Video. Other streaming options include Sundance Film Festival, which goes virtual for the second year in a row and offers a whole slate of new films premiering. Here are this week's highlights.
Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive restaurant news and reviews plus info on things to do every Friday
1. 'A Hero'
Iranian writer-director Asghar Farhadi, whose previous works "The Salesman" and his masterpiece "A Separation" both won the International Feature Film Oscar, returns with this movie about a man in jail for a debt he couldn't repay out on a two-day leave. "A Hero" premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, earning strong reviews and the Grand Prix award, and is Iran's submission this year for International Feature Film, a category where it seems likely Farhadi will appear again.
Where to watch: Prime Video on Friday
2. 'Parallel Mothers'
The great Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar's latest movie follows two new mothers, one of whom is played by the director's frequent collaborator Penélope Cruz. Any new Almodóvar movie should be considered event viewing for film lovers, especially those featuring Cruz, who's appeared in some of the director's most notable works including Best International Feature Film Oscar winner "All About My Mother" and "Volver," which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
Where to watch: Limited release in theaters including Burns Court Cinemas on Friday
3. Sundance Film Festival
One of the top annual film festivals, Sundance will go virtual for the second year in a row, featuring the premieres of what will likely be some of the year's biggest indie films. The dramatic competition includes sci-fi film "Dual" with Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul, while the documentary competition features "Calendar Girls" about a Florida senior women dance group. The Premieres section includes movies directed by Lena Dunham, Jesse Eisenberg and Tig Notaro, and documentaries by Amy Poehler on Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Eva Longoria Bastón on Oscar De La Hoya and Julio César Chávez.
Where to watch: Virtually Thursday, Jan. 20-Jan. 30 at festival.sundance.org
4. 'Belle'
Inspired by "Beauty and the Beast," this animated film follows a high school student who in the virtual world "U" has a popular singer online persona called Belle, eventually crossing paths with an avatar called The Dragon. "Belle" premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, where it received highly positive reviews, and is written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda, whose previous movie "Mirai" was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar – a category he could find himself competing in again this year.
Where to watch: Theaters
5. 'Scream'
Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette return alongside new cast members such as Melissa Barrera and Jack Quaid for the fifth film in the horror franchise, as a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and targets a group of teenagers in the town of Woodsboro. It's the first film in the series not directed by the late great Wes Craven, but new directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett – whose last film "Ready or Not" showed they could juggle horror and satire – seem like a good fit for the franchise.
Where to watch: Theaters
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota-Bradenton top 5 movie picks, Jan. 20-26
