Three distinct cinematic experiences are explored, ranging from a chilling horror-thriller to a heartwarming family comedy and a gripping mob drama. Each film offers a unique narrative and boasts compelling performances, providing a diverse selection for moviegoers.

Zach Cregger's latest horror-thriller, "Weapons," is a fascinating and ferocious film that delves into the unsettling theme of things that disappear in the night. The story opens with 17 children mysteriously vanishing at 2:17 AM from a US town, leaving only one boy, Alex (Cary Christopher), behind. A month later, tensions are high as devastated parents suspect the teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), and Alex know more than they're revealing. The film masterfully builds an eerie atmosphere on quiet suburban streets, leading to a series of very bad things. Starring an ensemble cast including Josh Brolin as Archer Graff, a broken father desperately seeking answers, the film is divided into several chapters. Justine, the stressed teacher, relies heavily on vodka, while a troubled police officer, a thieving junkie, and the school's head teacher navigate their own journeys through the town's horror. Young Cary Christopher delivers a superb performance as Alex, whose flat answers and slow blinks create a palpable sense of unease. Cregger, following his breakout film "Barbarian," employs horror tropes like dream sequences and jumps with class and control. The movie is intriguing until the very end, with Cregger truly letting loose in the final half hour, slamming the foot on the horror pedal. Josh Brolin has praised "Weapons" as an antithesis to 'boring' streaming content, stating it pushes the horror genre to the 'edge of absurdity' while incorporating humor, keeping audiences off-balance for emotional impact. Brolin, also starring alongside Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan, expressed admiration for Cregger's refined filmmaking. Cregger himself revealed that he wrote the film to cope with personal grief, using his characters as an outlet for his own emotions, such as Justine's drinking mirroring his struggles and Brolin's character expressing anger he couldn't.

The highly anticipated sequel, "Freakier Friday," picks up two decades after the original 2003 hit. In this new chapter, Anna (Lindsay Lohan) is a music producer and single mother to teen Harper (Julia Butters), while Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) records podcasts and enjoys pickleball. The impending marriage of Anna to Eric, who has a daughter Lily, creates a blended family dynamic that not everyone is thrilled about. A fortune-teller’s fun leads to body swaps: Anna and Harper exchange lives, while Tess and Lily also swap. This allows the characters to see things from different perspectives, leading to comical silliness and heartwarming schmaltz. The film humorously teases typical generational characteristics, forcing the teens to engage with 'Boomer' tech like Facebook and listen to Coldplay, while the adults relish regaining their youthful metabolism. Jamie Lee Curtis delivers a treat throughout, flexing her comedic talents, and Lindsay Lohan provides a comfortable and entertaining foil.

Finally, "The Kingdom" offers a gripping Mob drama set in the 1990s on the French island of Corsica. Directed by Julien Colonna, who comes from a Corsican family with Mob connections, the film uses the island's beauty as a bloodthirsty backdrop for organized crime. While Mafia racketeering in Sicily has often been portrayed, this location, combined with standout performances, provides a fresh perspective on gang wars. Teenager Leisa (a brilliant Ghjuvanna Benedetti) is the daughter of widowed faction boss Pierre-Paul. After a carefree summer with cousins, Leisa is suddenly taken to spend time with her father, who is planning revenge after a failed assassination attempt. She bonds with him by fishing, shooting boar, practicing rifle aim, and sharpening her awareness of the underworld. Despite a sometimes slow pace, the captivating performances, coupled with a plot filled with murders, complex family dynamics, and a quest for revenge, maintain audience attention until the very end.