Among all the new must-see movies in March, for Montrealers this is the must-see movie of the month Scream VI (March 10). Filmed in Montreal and starring Jenna Ortega (of Wednesday reputation), Scream VI follows four survivors of the Ghostface murders who leave Woodsboro behind for a new start in New York. However, they soon find themselves fighting for their lives when a new killer goes on a bloody rampage. The trailer already had some hints about Montreal. How many will you be able to spot in the full feature film?
Marvel takes a backseat to DC in March as its long-awaited sequel Shazam! hits the big screen. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17) reunites most of the old cast (including qualifiers Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan Grazer), with a few new surprises. The sequel had a much bigger budget than the previous film, so this film will likely be more spectacular – hopefully without sacrificing the playful tone that made the first film such a success.
With so many franchise films coming out, March promises at least one original blockbuster-style film. 65 (March 17) is a sci-fi action thriller starring Adam Driver. After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills quickly discovers that he is stranded on Earth — 65 million years ago. With a chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must cross an unknown terrain full of dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive.
For something on the opposite end of the originality spectrum, it stars Chris Pine Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (March 31). A group of thieves travel to a kingdom to stop a great evil from enslaving the world. Inspired by D&D, the trailer hints at Joss Whedon-level Buffy shenanigans, which may or may not be. The film co-stars Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Regé-Jean Page and Hugh Grant.
If you’re a cinephile looking for a good movie, look no further than Chandler Levack’s crowd I like movies (March 10). A coming-of-age drama, the film follows an awkward high school student, Lawrence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen), who wants to be a filmmaker and lands his first job at a video store. He develops a complicated relationship with his older female manager and must come to terms with some difficult aspects of his past.
With the Oscars happening this month (March 12), we’re in the final stretch to catch up with the big Oscar contenders. The quiet girl (March 3) is nominated for best international film and is set in rural Ireland circa 1981. It’s the story of a neglected girl who is sent away from her dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer, and as she begins to blossom, discovers a secret.
Two films from the critically acclaimed festival circuit hit theaters this month. Return to Seoul (March 3) is about a 25-year-old French woman who returns to her native South Korea for the first time. She decides to search for her biological parents, but her journey takes a surprising turn. The dreamy Icelandic film Godland (March 24), inspired by a set of photographs, features a young 19th-century Danish priest who begins to lose touch with reality and his moral duty as he travels deeper into a remote part of Iceland.
For something light, the ever-more-essential Quentin Dupieux (aka Mr. Oizo) returns with another absurdist comedy: Smoking causes coughing (March 31). His manager Rubber and Deer skin brings to the screen another wild proposition: A vigilante group called the “powers of smoke” is collapsing. to rebuild team spirit, their leader suggests they meet for a week-long retreat before returning to save the world.
A sign that winter is approaching is that Cinéma du Parc is back with a new program Parc at Midnight. From the weekend of March 3, this month’s line-up includes; Blue velvet, Millennium Mambo, Extraordinary, The Beyond and Under the Law. ■
This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue of Cult MTL. Check Montreal cinema showtimes here.
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