It is, without a doubt, an odd month for movies. Even though Disney has taken steps to spread out their films over the course of 12 months, to help completely dominate the box office (and soon, the world), the studio has two big releases bookending March, making it feel as if all the films that fall in between the Mouse House’s two movies will be doing their all to simply stay afloat.
READ MORE: 10 TV Shows To Watch In March: ‘Devs,’ ‘Westworld’ & More
Other than Disney’s offerings, new films from filmmakers such as Kelly Reichardt and Julia Hart will be worth seeking out as well as some oddities that might’ve fallen through the cracks elsewhere but are still worth checking out, if you’re looking to divert your attention from the regular blockbuster fare. Oh, and there’s a big horror sequel that should warrant your attention.
So, let’s take a look at what March has to offer!
“Onward”
Cast: Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland
Synopsis: Two elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, go on a journey to discover if there is still a little magic left out there in order to spend one last day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him.
What You Need to Know: For a Pixar film, “Onward” doesn’t seem to have captivated the same amount of buzz that we typically expect from the titan studio. Still, in the middle of March with little to no family-friendly films in sight, until the next massive Disney property dominates, it’s a safe bet to assume that the film will speed to the top at the box office. Numbers aside, critics have been relatively split this time around, with many saying that while it’s a fine film, it doesn’t live up to the studios very best. Chris Pratt and Tom Holland have already seen plenty of success under the Disney umbrella and despite any lukewarm reactions, “Onward” will be hard-pressed to meet anything other than success.
Release Date: March 6
“The Way Back”
Cast: Ben Affleck, Michaela Watkins, Al Madrigal
Synopsis: A widowed, former basketball all-star lost his way in a struggle with addiction and attempts to come back by becoming the coach of a disparate, ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater.
What You Need to Know: Are we already on the cusp of a Ben Affleck comeback following his failed turn as Batman in the Zack Snyder films? Is a film about an alcoholic basketball coach the expected avenue for him to make that comeback? Time will tell with how well the latest film from Gavin O’Connor plays and if it succumbs to the schmaltzy, dated tone the trailers are setting. Regardless, O’Connor and Affleck have shared (surprising) success before in the 2016 “The Accountant” and O’Connor is responsible for the better than it had any right to be “Warrior” so perhaps this is the right vehicle for Affleck at this point in his career.
Release Date: March 6
“First Cow”
Cast: John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones
Synopsis: Two travelers, on the run from a band of vengeful hunters in the 1820s Northwest, dream of striking it rich, but their tenuous plan to make their fortune on the frontier comes to rely on the secret use of a landowner’s prized dairy cow.
What You Need to Know: Director Kelly Reichardt (“Certain Women,” “Meek’s Cutoff”) can do no wrong in our book. In her latest film “First Cow” through studio A24, the filmmaker further exemplifies why she’s one of the greatest directors working today, creating an engaging and thoughtful story that hinges on a relatively quiet premise. The filmmaker has always worked wonders in smaller, introspective settings and, by all accounts, “First Cow ” is no different. Our critic saw it at the 2019 Telluride Film Festival and called it “a tender, quiet, and minimalist ode to friendship, community, and nature…”
Release Date: March 6
“Bacurau”
Cast: Barbara Cohen, Thomas Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Karine Teles
Synopsis: A filmmaker decides to travel to a village in the interior of Brazil to make a documentary. As days go by, he begins to discover that the locals are not exactly what they appear to be and hide dangerous secrets.
What You Need to Know: A film that would easily go by unnoticed if it hadn’t been championed by critics and film fanatics alike, “Bacurau” is unlike any other film you’ll see this month. Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles, this Brazillian film is a strikingly odd film. Our critic saw it where it took part in the Official Competition lineup at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and wrote of it, “ There may not be a map for navigating this gonzo film, but nevertheless, ‘Bacurau’ is a blood-soaked adventure worth seeking out.”
Release Date: March 6
“The Hunt”
Cast: Ike Barinholtz, Betty Gilpin, Emma Roberts, Hilary Swank
Synopsis: Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are — or how they got there. In the shadow of a dark internet conspiracy theory, ruthless elitists gather at a remote location to hunt humans for sport. But their master plan is about to be derailed when one of the hunted, Crystal, turns the tables on her pursuers.
What You Need to Know: One of the most controversial films of the last year that hasn’t yet made it to the big screen, “The Hunt,” and the reception around it is largely indicative of the time we find ourselves in. Director Craig Zobel (“Z For Zachariah,” “Compliance”) recently spoke on the experience of watching the film be pushed back, calling the film “misunderstood.” Jason Blum and co-writer Damon Lindelof have also come out to speak up for the film. We’ll have to wait and see if this Betty Gilpin led film is controversial as early reports indicate, or if has been the case before, it was just a story that unraveled too quick for the studio to contain.
Release Date: March 13
“Big Time Adolescence”
Cast: Pete Davidson, Griffin Gluck
Synopsis: A drug-dealing college dropout becomes a mentor to his best friend—a straight-laced teen who idolizes him.
What You Need to Know: Apparently we’re all going to have just settle in for Pete Davidson to be offered starring roles and be alright with it as he seems poised to be one of the next breakout ‘SNL‘ castmembers. Time will tell how he tries to use his status but for now, he’s trying his hand in a coming of age story over at Hulu. Directed by Jason Orley in his first feature film, the trailers so far look inoffensive if forgettable. Our critic signaled out Davidson as the highlight, writing “Orley’s direction is fine, and the picture is well made for a low budget indie, but Davidson is all you’ll really remember when you leave the theater. And for many, that’ll be enough.”
Release Date: March 13
“Stargirl”
Cast: Graham Verchere, Grace VanderWaal
Synopsis: Leo Borlock is an average student at Mica High School. He gets decent grades, is a member of the school’s marching band, and has always been content flying under the radar. But all that changes when he meets Stargirl Caraway, a confident and colorful new student with a penchant for the ukulele, who stands out in a crowd.
What You Need to Know: For a certain generation, “Stargirl” was one of those books growing up. The cover art instantly recognizable, plenty of us who read it in our adolescence could say with full certainty that they read it but couldn’t quite tell you what actually happens or who is involved (at least I wouldn’t have been able to). In retrospect, the story aged poorly but with it airing on Disney+, perhaps it will find its audience of teens and pre-teens looking for affirmation. The one big draw is that it’s directed by Julia Hart who was behind 2019’s criminally underseen (and superb) “Fast Color.”
Release Date: March 13
“A Quiet Place II”
Cast: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.
What You Need to Know: I am a giant baby so I never saw the first “A Quiet Place” so maybe there’s a well-rationalized reason for a sequel to a film that, by all accounts, wrapped itself up with little fuss in the first go around. Again though, I haven’t seen it, and maybe every fan who left the film was itching for a take two. One again directed by John Krasinski, the sequel follows the events of the first film with cast members Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe being joined by Cillian Murphy.
Release Date: March 20
“Blow the Man Down”
Cast: Morgan Saylor, June Squibb, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale
Synopsis: Welcome to Easter Cove, a salty fishing village on the far reaches of Maine’s rocky coast. Grieving the loss of their mother and facing an uncertain future, Mary Beth and Priscilla Connolly cover up a gruesome run-in with a dangerous man. To conceal their crime, the sisters must go deeper into Easter Cove’s underbelly and uncover the town matriarchs’ darkest secrets.
What You Need to Know: Having premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, the eccentric “Blow the Man Down” was one of the festival’s highlights. With a cast full of new and familiar faces, direction by Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole, set in this writers home state of Maine, and a tone that immediately unsettles the viewer with its unusual approach, the film may be imperfect but it’s wildly entertaining and a refreshing change of pace. Our critic wrote, “…the movie twists and turns to say things about unturning a blind eye, small-town dynamics, family and something warmer about the legacy of wise women who have seen much more than you know.”
Release Date: March 20
“Mulan”
Cast: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Jet Li
Synopsis: When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father.
What You Need to Know: For many of us, there’s no touching the 1998 animated film “Mulan.” Weaving together a story of gender dynamics that likely far surpassed even the filmmaker’s intent and creating a heroine worthy of celebration, it’s a film that outreaches the Disney branding with some of the catchiest songs the Mouse House has ever produced. So the footsteps are looming in the latest of the studio’s intent to replicate every one of their animated properties into live-action adaptations, bypassing the fact that sometimes animation does what live-action cannot. That coupled with some unfortunate comments by the film’s director Niki Caro about the so called “culture of Disney” make any excitement for the film dim. Still, the trailers thus far have been impressive and a spin on the original film works as long as the execution lives up to it – especially following carbon copies such as “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” that refused to stray from the source material.
Release Date: March 27