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The long holiday weekend brought plenty of new film options both in theaters and on streaming. Below is my take on the big new releases of the weekend. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

All You Need is Kill (Theaters)
Starring: Ai Mikami and Natsuki Hanae
Synopsis: We’ve seen a rise in anime films getting wide releases the past few years. In addition to more of these films, we’ve seen them be a hit with domestic Box Office audiences. Many of them draw from rich source material which helps give them an added boost at the Box Office. That’s the case for All You Need is Kill, a new anime-style film that is releasing Friday in theaters. It is based on the popular Manga title of the same name, which gives it a built-in audience. It also settles on a story in a genre that will appeal to a wide audience, making it a fun addition to the January cinematic landscape. The film is set in a near future where Rita (Mikami) is part of a defense force that is working on an alien plant that has crashed in the area. They are studying it and cleaning it up. The day begins like any other, but soon the plan blooms, sending out fierce creatures that attack. Rita tries to run but is killed. Except that she wakes up and repeats the day. At first, it seems like déjà vu. But when things play out the same way, ending in an attack and a futile attempt at escape, she realizes she’s caught in a loop. Rita first tries to warn others, who don’t believe her. Then, she tries to find a way to win. But it seems hopeless, at first. After nearly a hundred cycles, she comes across Keiji (Hanae), another young recruit who is caught in the same cycle. Finding someone she can confide in; Rita and Keiji begin to plan a way to defeat the attack. They also discover their link to the alien plant and why it has caused them to get caught in this loop. Can they find a way to defeat the enemy and break the cycle before it’s too late? This is a tried-and-true science fiction formula. We’ve seen the alien attacks and even seen it enmeshed in a time loop construct. That gives this a familiar feel, even if you aren’t a fan of the source text. That helps this story connect and feel more accessible to a wider audience right from the jump. And what you’re rewarded with is a story, characters, and a world that’s fun. The film is opening in both a dubbed and subtitled version. I watched with subtitles and enjoyed the original audio for the story. I liked the characters and the journey, and I liked that it clocks in at just 85 minutes, making it a quick journey. It helps, too, that the visuals are stunning. The creature, the world, and the use of color all works well. This is the kind of visuals that pop off the screen, making this a unique and compelling visual journey. There are points in time where the structure of the time loop feels a bit repetitive. I also didn’t fully follow how Rita and Keiji were connected to the aliens, and how exactly they severed the connection. The ending ends up a touch rushed as a result. But, overall, I had a lot of fun with this. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s worth checking out as one of the first fun animated releases of the year.
Rating: Rated R for some violence/bloody images.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Theaters)
Starring: Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell
Synopsis: This is the second of a planned trilogy picking up the franchise that began decades earlier. We got 28 Years Later last summer, which introduced many of the characters who serve as the focal point for this followup from director Nia DaCosta. With The Bone Temple, we follow two threads from that film. First, we follow Jimmy (O’Connell), and his followers. He’s a satanist building a sadistic cult. And from the end of the first film, it’s clear Spike (Alfie Williams) is now in his sphere. But there is one of his group of Jimmy’s (Erin Kellyman) who is looking out for Spike. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Fiennes) continues his work and his mission, but he’s drawn to a nearby Alpha, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). This new film follows those two tracks, and how they intersect. It also sets up the third installment with a segment at the end. I enjoyed the work of Fiennes, who is incredible as Kelson. His work in the role was my favorite part of the first installment, and continues here. It’s a storyline with a fascinating payoff. I liked Kellyman, too, and O’Connell gives a good performance, but the Jimmy storyline is graphic, unsettling, and not my bag. Overall, this is a big of a mixed experience, but there was enough I liked that I enjoyed this installment more than the first, and more than I expected. It even made me curious to see where this would go in a third film.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, graphic nudity, language throughout, and brief drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Dead Man’s Wire (Theaters)
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Dacre Montgomery, and Al Pacino
Synopsis: There is a long arc of history, full of plenty of stories before our time that we might not know. But sometimes those stories come to life in a way we can’t forget. That’s the case with Dead Man’s Wire, a new crime drama that opens in theaters on Friday. The film comes from director Gus Van Sant, and stars Skarsgard as a man who has been pushed to his limit by a greedy mortgage company. It’s 1977 and Tony (Skarsgard) feels life spinning out of his control. He wants justice, and he’s focused on his target. On February 8, 1977, Tony walked into his mortgage company. He had a meeting with the company president M.L. Hall (Pacino). Except Hall wasn’t there. It was supposed to be a discussion of his loan. But Tony had other plans. Finding himself instead meeting with Hall’s son, Dick (Montgomery), Tony has a decision to make. But he came ready, and he enacts his plan. Using a special rig, he takes Dick hostage. Then he takes him on a wild ride that ends up back at his apartment. There, Tony pleads his case to the police, to a popular local D.J. (Colman Domingo) and to the world. As it plays out in front of the cameras, Tony is determined to get justice for himself and the future he’d imagined. This is based on a true story and real events that took place in Indianapolis and was the subject of a 2018 documentary. It draws its name from the tool used by Tony to enact his plan, a sort of wire that prevented police or snipers from taking him down recklessly, lest they cause the shotgun to go off and take out Dick. It’s an interesting story and a different kind of film for Van Sant. This feels like more of a straight-forward period drama. There are some interesting sequences and strong cast, which also includes Cary Elwes and Myha’la as well. That gives this some good potential. And there are some good moments. Skarsgard—freed from the makeup-heavy horror icons he’s been playing—gets to sink into a different kind of role. You feel for Tony, you even like Tony and identify with his overall goals. That’s a key to make this story work. I also quite enjoyed Domingo, who spent the back part of 2025 and early 2026 playing the public narrator for films. His back-and-forth with Skarsgard over the airwaves is fun, and his whole personality and deliver pops off the screen. Unfortunately, it’s not a momentum that can be sustained. Pacino is a big name, and a great living actor. But this is a weird and unsympathetic part. The fact he’s on location and basically phoning into these sequences doesn’t help establish drama or chemistry. Additionally, the film feels a bit slow. The novelty of the story and the parts that work can only take you so far. In the end, this had its moments but it doesn’t feel like a strong, complete story.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Night Patrol (Limited)
Starring: Jermaine Fowler, Justin Long, and R.J. Cyler
Synopsis: For the past few years IFC, under its Shudder brand, has been providing a steady stream of original horror films. They often get a short run in theaters before landing on the streaming service. The 2026 slate kicks off in limited theatrical release today with Night Patrol. The film comes from director Ryan Prowers, who previously worked on V/H/S 94 and Lowlife for the streamer. This one is focused on cops and criminals in Los Angeles, but offers a twist that turns into a bloodbath the second half of the film. We quickly meet Wazi (Cyler) as he’s hurt and in an interrogation room. Flashback, and he’s meeting with a girl in the night when the LAPD Night Patrol pulls up. Though he and his companion aren’t doing anything, she is quickly murdered by the Night Patrol’s newest recruit, Ethan Hawkins (Long). The next day, Ethan is working with his partner, Xavier (Fowler), who just so happens to be Wazi’s brother. Wazi tries to reach out. Meanwhile Ethan tells his partner he’s worked hard to get admitted to Night Patrol to learn what happened to his father, a deceased LAPD officer. But neither partner really knows what they are getting into. Ethan learns there is a lot more to Night Patrol than random violence. He soon gets pulled in over his head. Xavier, meanwhile, earns that the LAPD is hunting residence of his former housing project, leaving his brother and others in their wake. As Night Patrol creates the appearance of a gang war, they use it for cover to make an assault on the housing complex to feed their darker secret. On the surface, this doesn’t feel like your typical horror film. It starts out looking like corrupt, racist cops and gang members are popping off. But it doesn’t take long to learn that there is more to the story of Night Patrol. That will either work for you or it won’t. I certainly wasn’t surprised, or particularly entertained by the twist. All of it is a protracted setup to the real carnage that comes in the second half of the film. At about the hour mark, the fighting begins, leaving both Xavier and Ethan struggling with a new reality. And a lot of violence ensues. I’m not opposed to big, bold, bloody horror films. That has been a solid brand for the Shudder films in release. But this one is too shallow on story and characters, seemingly building its horror film on the back of cliches. Despite a strong cast, it just doesn’t work. Most of it ends up feeling like an overly violent slog. This is in limited release before dropping to the streaming service. At best it’s one to catch on streaming, but honestly there’s little that feels compelling about this big swing.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, pervasive language, sexual references, and some drug use.
Verdict: One and a half stars out of five

The Rip (Netflix)
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, and Teyana Taylor
Synopsis: It’s been nearly 30 years since Good Will Hunting. In all that time, we’ve seen Ben Affleck and Matt Damon continue to do films together. They have a great rapport, and their mere presence is often enough to draw an audience. Netflix hopes that continues today with The Rip, a new action film from writer/director Joe Carnahan. In the film, Damon and Affleck play cops. They’re good friends and they’re part of a special unit. But they’ve recently suffered a loss. Their captain (Lina Esco) has been murdered. That’s hit their unit hard and prompted some questions about who did it, and whether a rogue group of cops is bent on ripping off stash houses. In the wake of a tense meeting with the bosses, and the Feds, Lt. Dane Dumars (Damon) has a tip about a potential stash house. He grabs the team—Detectives J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck), Mike Ro (Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno)—and heads to check it out. They’re technically off the clock, pulling a quick search. The only person at the house is Desi (Sasha Calle), and she seems guarded. It’s her grandmother’s house, and she claims not to know much. Her grandmother died and the house is in probate. When the team uncovers a major haul—much more than Dane expected—it leads to a frenzy. Is Dane there to conduct a search and seizure, or is he there to steal the money? What about the rest of the team? And who might be standing in their way? It’s a simple premise that leads to plenty of action. Carnahan knows his way around a gritty, action-fueled story. He’s previously delivered films like Narc, Boss Level, and last year’s Shadow Force. He’s got a feel for action and for gritty stories and characters, here crafting the screenplay and working on the screen story. Here’ he’s blessed with a solid story and a great cast. In addition to those mentioned, the cast includes Kyle Chandler, Scott Adkins, and Nestor Carbonell. Everyone does a nice job sinking into their characters, and the mystery around everyone’s motivations works well into the third act. There is also plenty of big action sequences. But it’s the third act, when the twists are revealed, the big questions are answered, and the action kicks into high gear that gives it a nice cap. This is a solid action film and a good addition to the streaming lineup in early 2026. It’s not incredible, but it’s a fun enough ride. I also enjoyed the softer coda, which makes good use of the acting talent of Damon and Affleck. If you’re looking for a good time, this fits the bill. The Rip is now streaming on Netflix.
Rating: Rated R for violence and pervasive language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five