SoCal new movies, Jan. 24-31: ‘Origin,’ ‘Miller’s Girl,’ ‘American Star’ and more
SoCal new movies, Jan. 24-31: ‘Origin,’ ‘Miller’s Girl,’ ‘American Star’ and more
Major new releases, indie flicks, foreign films and art-house fare
Welcome to the latest edition of TV or Not TV’s curated guide to new and current releases screening in LA and OC this week. I’m Matt Cooper, former listings coordinator for the Los Angeles Times’ Calendar.
(And if you are looking for the Classic Movies roundup, it is now its own separate newsletter, but it will still go out Wednesday mornings and post here.)
Lights, camera and … action!
Opening
• Starts Thursday, Jan. 25…
‘American Star’ “Deadwood’s” Ian McShane plays an assassin with a little time to kill while waiting on a tropical island for his target to arrive in Gonzalo López-Gallego’s 2024 thriller. With Thomas Kretschmann, Fanny Ardant. 107 mins. Rated R. laemmle.com, lumierecinemala.com
‘Bad Hombres’ Two undocumented day laborers find themselves working for a psychopath in John Stalberg Jr.’s 2024 thriller. With Thomas Jane, Tyrese Gibson, Luke Hemsworth. 93 mins. Not rated. laemmle.com
• Starts Friday, Jan. 26…
‘The Breaking Ice’ An out-of-towner visiting a city in northern China during wintertime forges a connection with a local tour guide and a restaurant worker in Anthony Chen’s 2023 drama. With Zhou Dongyu. In Mandarin and Korean with English subtitles. 97 mins. Not rated. laemmle.com
‘Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color’ This hit 2023 entry in the long-lived kaiju franchise screens in black & white in this special presentation. In Japanese with English subtitles. 125 mins. Rated PG-13. Various theaters
‘Maya’ A troubled teen gets caught up in a sex trafficking scheme in this 2023 drama directed by Julia Verdin. With Patricia Velasquez, Rumer Willis. 104 mins. Not rated. laemmle.com
‘Miller’s Girl’ A young student (Jenna Ortega) develops a strange fixation on her creative writing instructor (Martin Freeman) in Jade Halley Bartlett’s 2024 drama. 93 mins. Rated R. Various theaters
‘Origin’ Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor portrays journalist Isabel Wilkerson, author of a 2020 bestseller exploring race and class in America, in this 2023 bio-drama from writer-director Ava DuVernay. With Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood. 141 mins. Rated PG-13. originfilm.com
‘The Seeding’ A hiker lost in the desert fights for his life against a gang of feral children in this 2024 horror thriller from writer-director Barnaby Clay. With Scott Haze and Kate Lyn Sheil. 94 mins. Not rated. lumierecinemala.com
‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’ “Star Wars’” Daisy Ridley plays a morbid young woman who gets an unexpected chance at romance in Rachel Lambert’s 2023 comedy-drama. With Dave Merheje. 91 mins. Rated PG-13. amctheatres.com
‘State Organs’ The involvement of the Chinese government in the harvesting of human organs is investigated in Raymond Zhang’s 2024 exposé. In Chinese and English with English subtitles. 76 mins. Not rated. laemmle.com
‘The Sweet East’ A sheltered teen (Talia Ryder) from South Carolina goes on an eye-opening road trip in Sean Price Williams’ 2023 drama. With Jeremy O. Harris, Jacob Elordi. 104 mins. Not rated. landmarktheatres.com
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