Diverse Choices of Movies Releasing in Theaters in April 2023
Wow. March went out like a lamb and April movies came in like a lion. My research uncovered FIFTEEN movies that will be hitting the big screen in April. That doesn’t count the myriad of movies heading straight to digital release. In contrast to March’s string of sequels, April is filled with original releases covering everything from horror films to biographical sports features and animation. Of course, there’s a lot in between those as you can see from the list below. If you’re a nostalgic person, get your tickets early for the film adaptation of Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” I suspect the theaters will be bursting at the seams for that one!
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Based on the world of Nintendo’s Mario games, the film invites audiences into a vibrant, thrilling new universe unlike any created before in an action-packed, exuberant cinematic comedy event.
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario and brother Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.
With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach, Mario taps into his own power.
Paint
Owen Wilson stars as Carl Nargle, Vermont’s #1 public TV painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke… until a younger, better artist steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.
Showing Up
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt’s vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
A crew of young environmental activists execute a daring mission to sabotage an oil pipeline in this taut and timely thriller that is part high-stakes heist, part radical exploration of the climate crisis.
Rare Objects
A young woman with a traumatic past seeks to rebuild her life when she begins working at a New York City antique shop. Starring Katie Holmes and Alan Cumming.
Mafia Mamma
While seeing to her long estranged (and now deceased) grandfather’s affairs in Italy, Collette, a mild mannered suburban mom, unexpectedly inherits his mafia empire and finds herself stuck in the middle of a deadly mob war. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.
The Pope’s Exorcist
Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican (Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe), The Pope’s Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden.
Renfield
Evil doesn’t span eternity without a little help.
In this modern monster tale of Dracula’s loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men franchise) stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant
In this powerful film, Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) is on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan when he is teamed with up with a local interpreter, Ahmed (Dar Salim). When Kinley is wounded, Ahmed risks his own life to carry an injured John across miles of grueling terrain to safety.
Chevalier
Inspired by the incredible true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr. in a tour de force performance) rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and her court.
Beau is Afraid
A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.
Somewhere in Queens
Leo Russo (Ray Romano) lives a simple life in Queens, New York with his wife Angela (Laurie Metcalf), their shy but talented son “Sticks” (Jacob Ward), and Leo’s close-knit network of Italian-American relatives and neighborhood friends. Happy enough working at the family construction business alongside his father (Tony Lo Bianco) and younger brother (Sebastian Maniscalco), Leo lives each week for Sticks’ high-school basketball games, never missing a chance to cheer on his only child as he rules the court as a star athlete. When the high-school senior gets a surprising and life-changing opportunity to play basketball in college, Leo jumps at the chance to provide a plan for his future, away from the family construction business. But when sudden heartbreak threatens to derail Sticks, Leo goes to unexpected lengths to keep his son on this new path.
Evil Dead Rise
Moving the action out of the woods and into the city, “Evil Dead Rise” tells a twisted tale of two estranged sisters, played by Sutherland and Sullivan, whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
This timeless, coming-of-age story has transcended decades and spoken to generations. At 11, Margaret is moving to a new town and beginning to contemplate everything about life, friendship, and adolescence. She relies on her mother (McAdams), who offers loving support but is herself finding her own footing in a new place, and her grandmother Sylvia (Bates), who is coming to terms with finding happiness in the next phase of her life. For all three, questions of identity, one’s place in the world, and what brings meaning to a life will draw them closer together than ever before. From writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen) and Gracie Films’ Academy Award®-winning producer James L. Brooks. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is the theatrical event for everyone who has ever wondered where they fit in.
Polite Society
A merry mash up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, Polite Society follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.
Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World
Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World is based on the remarkable true story of one of the greatest comebacks of all time and the transformational power of second chances. Fueled by an impoverished childhood, Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.
Whew. That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? Remember all those times when you were a kid and you said you were bored only to have your parents remind me of all your options? That’s how I feel about this month’s slate of movie releases. There are a lot of choices every week so something has to be up your alley. Find one, grab a friend and enjoy a night out at the movies.
Which April movie release are you most excited about?
