Movies We Like - Fall 2024
Our favorite movies from Amoeba's discerning and knowledgeable experts.
Amoeba Music’s discerning & knowledgeable movie loving experts (AKA, our staff) bring you a biased & completely unobjective selection of a few of our favorite films, shows, docs & more!
Despicable Me 4 (4K UHD)
Director: Chris Renaud & Patrick Delage
A bold new era of Minions mayhem erupts in Despicable Me 4. Gru, Lucy, and their girls welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad, as a new nemesis forces the family to go on the run. Illumination's signature subversive humor reigns supreme throughout the nonstop action.
Ghoulies II
Director: Albert Band
The toilet-dwelling goblins of Ghoulies are back for more over-the-top antics as they target a haunted house in a traveling carnival. The carnies realize they are no match for these little demons as the Ghoulies devour the sideshow attraction's patrons. The outrageous special effects ratchet up the horrific fun!
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1
Director: Kevin Costner
Spanning the four years of the Civil War, 1861 to 1865, Kevin Costner's ambitious and visually arresting film takes an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends, and foes attempting to discover what it means to be the United States of America.
The World Of Kanako
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
The World of Kanako is an uncompromisingly epic thriller about an ex-detective searching for his daughter, Kanako. As he follows a shocking trail of drugs, sex, and violence, he finds himself unprepared for the shocking web of depravity surrounding both Kanako and himself. This film is a nonstop visual and emotional assault to the senses, and not to be missed.
The Linguini Incident (Director's Cut)
Director: Richard Shepard
In this delightful romantic comedy, Rosanna Arquette plays an underpaid waitress at an obnoxiously hip New York restaurant named Dali. The new, mysterious, dangerously in-debt bartender, Monte (David Bowie), needs to marry someone by the end of the week...or else. They join forces to commit a robbery and solve their financial woes. However, things never go as planned.
Bluey: Season 3 (DVD)
This engaging animated series for preschoolers follows the adventures of Bluey Heeler, an energetic six-year-old Cattle Dog who'd find imaginative escapades with her kid sister Bingo and the neighborhood canine kids, and receive instructive indulgence from archeologist dad Bandit and airport security worker mom Chilli.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (BLU)
Director: Mike Mitchell
Jack Black returns as Po, the world's most unlikely kung fu master, in this butt-kicking new chapter from DreamWorks Animation's beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4. After learning he must find a new hero to take over as Dragon Warrior so that he may fulfill his destiny as the next spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, Po decides to take one last adventurous mission.
The American Society Of Magical Negroes (BLU)
Director: Kobi Libii
The American Society of Magical Negroes is a fresh, satirical comedy about a young man, Aren, who is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people's lives easier.
Orphan (Collector's Edition)(BLU)
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Artistic and well-spoken in spite of a troubled past, 9-year-old Russian orphan Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) is adopted by an American couple (Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard) unable to have the third child they desired. When bizarre accidents and disappearances begin to happen, Esther's stepmother begins to dread her new child may somehow be involved. Atmospheric, disturbing horror film co-stars CCH Pounder, Jimmy Bennett, and Aryana Engineer.
Dune: Part Two (4K UHD)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
The Beekeeper (BLU)
Director: David Ayer
Jason Statham stars in The Beekeeper, a heart-pounding action-thriller about a mysterious Beekeeper. Adam Clay (Statham), a former operative of a powerful organization known as Beekeepers, upends his covert life and embarks on a brutal revenge mission to dismantle corruption at the highest levels of our society. The stellar cast also includes Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad and Jeremy Iron, amongst others.
Drive-Away Dolls (BLU)
Director: Ethan Coen
Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, this comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
Night Swim (BLU)
Director: James Wan
The producers of M3GAN high dive into the deep end of horror with the supernatural thriller, Night Swim. Wyatt Russell stars as a former major league baseball player, forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his wife, Oscar nominee Kerry Condon, and their two children. The new home comes complete with a backyard swimming pool, but a deep secret surfaces and unleashes a malevolent force that will drag the family into the inescapable depths of terror.
Lisa Frankenstein [Collector's Edition] (BLU)
Director: Zelda Williams
A coming of rage love story from acclaimed writer Diablo Cody and director Zelda Williams about a misunderstood teenager and her high school crush, who happens to be a handsome corpse. After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness... and a few missing body parts along the way.
Blue Beetle
Ángel Manuel Soto
Searching for his purpose in the world, Jaime Reyes finds ancient biotechnology that grants him unpredictable powers, changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
The Last Voyage Of Demeter
André Øvredal
A terrifying new addition to the Dracula legend, based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker's classic novel, The Last Voyage of the Demeter chronicles the doomed journey of a merchant ship ferrying 50 mysterious wooden crates from Carpathia to London. As they set sail, the crew soon discover they are not alone on board: at night they are stalked by a hidden passenger whose monstrous thirst for blood turns the trip into a harrowing nightmare of tension, terror and unfathomable evil.
Barbie
Greta Gerwig
For iconic toy Barbie (Margot Robbie), her sunny and perfect life amongst her fellow Barbies in Barbieland started to unravel when she started questioning the nature of her existence. With hair no longer perfect and feet flattened, she quested into the real world for answers-and as amiable Ken (Ryan Gosling) tagged along, they'd both be in for stunning discoveries. Greta Gerwig's sly tribute adventure-comedy also stars America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Rhea Perlman.
Strays
Josh Greenbaum
Plucky pup Reggie (Will Ferrell) thought he and his owner Doug (Will Forte) were playing an innocent game of fetch. It isn't until he meets Bug (Jamie Foxx), a streetwise stray who says only suckers have owners, that Reggie realizes his miserable master intentionally abandoned him in the big city. With two more pooches adding fuel to his furry fire, Reggie goes from cute to cunning as he and Bug concoct a crazy scheme to get back to Doug and give him a big bite between his legs. Revenge has never been this riotous, or this irreverent, as the hilariously absurd antics of these four furballs turn typical animal adventures totally upside down. Forget everything you know about "dog movie" drama because this is one journey home that's off it's leash and over the top.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kracken
Kirk DeMicco / Faryn Pearl
Dive into the turbulent waters of high school with this heartwarming action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she's part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Learning to be an all-powerful sea creature while hiding among humans is hard enough for Ruby, but to make matters worse, her super popular new bestie, Chelsea, is secretly a mermaid! Mermaids have been battling the krakens for eons to rule the ocean, but Chelsea has come to land to finally put an end to that conflict. However, when Chelsea double-crosses her, Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and GO BIG to protect those she loves most.
Meg 2: The Trench
Ben Wheatley
Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush with Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more! Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 1 Part 2
Jujutsu High is about to host its Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event—an annual competition of Tokyo and Kyoto Jujutsu High campuses. Fushiguro, Kugisaki, and second-years Maki, Toge, and Panda meet up to greet Todo and the other Kyoto students on arrival. Sparks immediately start to fly when Gojo rushes in late to the meetup and starts handing out the souvenirs he brought from his business trip overseas.
Evangelion: 3.0 & 1.11 Thrice Upon A Time
From legendary director Hideaki Anno, Evangelion:3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time is the fourth and final installment of the Rebuild of Evangelion films, bringing an epic conclusion to the story of Shinji and his fellow Eva pilots, with the stunning visuals and thought-provoking storytelling that has made Evangelion a global pop culture phenomenon. Misato and her anti-NERV group Wille arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have 720 seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari's improved Eva Unit 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei (Provisional Name) wander about Japan.
Air
Ben Affleck
From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the game-changing partnership between a then undiscovered Michael Jordan and Nike's fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and culture with the Air Jordan brand.
Targets [Criterion Collection] (Blu-Ray)
Peter Bogdanovich
Boris Karloff plays an elder horror cinema star scheduled to make an appearance at a Los Angeles drive-in. But when a sniper takes over the city the line between fantasy and real life horror blurs forever. Peter Bogdanovich & Polly Platt’s feature film debut confronts the idea of escapism in the reality of the Bad Trip 60’s
Armageddon Time (Blu-Ray)
James Gray
James Gray’s autobiographical tale of a Jewish family in NYC at the dawn of Reaganism. The idea of Haves and Have Nots is in flux again in America, leading to nothing but complications for a sensitive teen who has made a friend from the wrong side of the tracks.
The Jackie Chan Collection, Volume 2 [1983-1993] (Blu-Ray)
Jackie Chan
This second volume of Shout! Factory’s Jackie Chan features the long overdue American release of City Hunter. A film which answers the question “what if Speed 2: Cruise Control was directed by Chuck Jones and had Jackie Chan dressed as Chun-Li from Street Fighter?” Vol 1 also available.
In The Cut (Blu-Ray)
Jane Campion
This new edition restores Jane Campion’s intended cut of the film. At the time of its release was molded and marketed to resemble something like Se7en or Copycat, when in fact the movie is bonkers on a completely different plane from those films. Society is finally ready. Iconic Ruffalo and Jennifer Jason Leigh turns.
Hollywood Shuffle [Criterion Collection] (Blu-Ray)
Robert Townsend
Robert Townsend’s deeply funny and insightful comedy about the alienating absurdity of being a Black actor in ‘80s Hollywood remains as fresh as it was when originally released. Which isn’t a great thing to say about the current state of society, but says a lot about the perceptive comic mind of Townsend. Stays silly and absurd while grounded in a cutting truth.
Inland Empire [Criterion Collection] (Blu-Ray)
David Lynch
David Lynch’s Inland Empire works as sort of an act break in his explorations of negative ancient energies that travel through the electrical system to torment us. Laura Dern leaves it all onscreen on a trip that takes her from Hollywood to Prague, to the void, to a sitcom in actual purgatory, and back to Hollywood again. Many people find this film to be the most accurate description of visiting the walk of fame in cinema history, but that’s just opinion.
Marlowe (Blu-Ray Combo)
Neil Jordan
Set in 1939 Los Angeles, hard-boiled private eye Philip Marlowe (Liam Neeson) is hired to find the lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger). Unexpectedly, Marlowe finds himself embroiled in a deadly mystery. Adapted from a novel by John Banville (under the pen name Benjamin Black), based on Raymond Chandler’s legendary character.
Magic Mike's Last Dance (Blu-Ray)
Steven Soderbergh
Channing Tatum returns as “Magic” Mike in Steven Soderbergh’s latest addition to the franchise. After a lengthy hiatus, Mike returns to the stage following a failed business deal that left him broke and taking bartending jobs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse.
Cocaine Bear (Blu-Ray Combo)
Elizabeth Banks
The stuff of legend -- and, apparently, history -- comes to life in the form of a rampaging horror comedy. This film is inspired by the true story of a drug runner's plane crash, his missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it. Follow the cops, criminals, tourists, and teens who converge on a forest in Georgia where the titular 500-pound beast has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage.
Virtually Heroes (DVD)
Mixing comedy and action/adventure, Virtually Heroes follows two self-aware characters in a Call of Duty -inspired video game as they battle never-ending Vietcong, crazy level bosses, and their own existential crises. Mark Hamill is featured as a Yoda-like monk who helps them try to win the game. A Roger Corman production with a post-modern twist.
Knock At The Cabin (Blu-ray Combo)
M. Night Shyamalan
While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her two fathers are taken hostage by four armed strangers led by Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy). The strangers demand that the family make an unthinkable choice: save their family or save humanity. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods (Blu-ray)
David F. Sandberg
In this sequel, Billy Batson (aka Shazam) and his foster siblings are still learning how to manage teenage life while having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when a vengeful trio of ancient gods, the Daughters of Atlas, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
Champions (Blu-Ray)
Bobby Farrelly
In this hilarious and heartwarming story, Woody Harrelson stars as a former minor-league basketball coach who, after a series of missteps, is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, this team can go further than they ever imagined.