Reel State Podcast

A thriller about a family on a tropical holiday who discover that the secluded beach where they are relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly reducing their entire lives into a single day. Release date: July 23, 2021 (USA) Director: M. Night Shyamalan Budget: $18 million Based on: Sandcastle; by: Pierre Oscar Levy; Frederik Peeters Production companies: Perfect World Pictures; Blinding Edge Pictures Cinematography: Michael Gioulakis

For decades, the housing projects of Chicago's Cabrini-Green were terrorized by a ghost story about a supernatural, hook-handed killer. In present day, an artist begins to explore the macabre history of Candyman, not knowing it would unravel his sanity and unleash a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny. Release date: August 27, 2021 (USA) Director: Nia DaCosta Produced by: Ian Cooper; Win Rosenfeld; Jordan Peele Production companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Bron Creative; Monkeypaw Productions Box office: $77 million Adapted from: Books of Blood

In mid-1980s Texas, electrician Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) is stunned to learn that he has AIDS. Though told that he has just 30 days left to live, Woodroof refuses to give in to despair. He seeks out alternative therapies and smuggles unapproved drugs into the U.S. from wherever he can find them. Woodroof joins forces with a fellow AIDS patient (Jared Leto) and begins selling the treatments to the growing number of people who can't wait for the medical establishment to save them. Release date: November 22, 2013 (USA) Director: Jean-Marc Vallée Box office: $55.7 million Based on: Life of Ron Woodroof Awards: Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, MORE Nominations: Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, MORE

Los Angeles denizen Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) survives by scavenging and petty theft. He stumbles into a new career as a cameraman and -- armed with a camcorder and police scanner -- begins nocturnal forays across the city in search of shocking and grisly crimes. When he catches the eye of a shopworn news director (Rene Russo) who welcomes the chance to raise her station's ratings, Louis goes to increasingly greater lengths to catch the "money shot." Release date: October 31, 2014 (USA) Director: Dan Gilroy Box office: $50.3 million Music by: James Newton Howard

After paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art. Initial release: January 27, 2019 Director: Dan Gilroy Music by: Marco Beltrami; Buck Sanders Budget: $21.2 million Produced by: Jennifer Fox Production; companies: Netflix

A teen meets a mysterious man who claims he lost his superpowers after arriving from another dimension. Together, they take to the streets to wipe out a vicious crime boss and his local drug syndicate. Release date: December 11, 2020 (USA) Story by: Adam Egypt Mortimer; Lucas Passmore Produced by: Daniel Noah; Elijah Wood; Kim Sherman; Lisa Whalen; Joe Manganiello; Nick Manganiello Music by: Matt Hill Box office: $136,240

An ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage welcomes tenacious loner Snake Eyes after he saves the life of their heir apparent. Upon arrival in Japan, the Arashikage teach him the ways of the ninja warrior while also providing him something he's been longing for: a home. However, when secrets from Snake Eyes' past are revealed, his honor and allegiance get tested -- even if that means losing the trust of those closest to him. Release date: July 23, 2021 (USA) Director: Robert Schwentke Box office: $37 million Production; companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Skydance Media; Entertainment One; Di Bonaventura Pictures Produced by: Brian Goldner; Erik Howsam; Lorenzo di Bonaventura Story by: Evan Spiliotopoulos

King Arthur's headstrong nephew embarks on a daring quest to confront the Green Knight, a mysterious giant who appears at Camelot. Risking his head, he sets off on an epic adventure to prove himself before his family and court. Release date: July 30, 2021 (Canada) Director: David Lowery Adapted from: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Budget: $15 million Music by: Daniel Hart Cinematography: Andrew Droz Palermo

In 1954 Detroit, small-time criminals are hired to steal a document. When their heist goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them -- and for what purpose - sends them wending through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city. Initial release: June 24, 2021 (Germany) Director: Steven Soderbergh Budget: $8.19 million Cinematography: Peter Andrews Produced by: Casey Silver Production company: Warner Bros. Pictures

The government sends the most dangerous supervillains in the world -- Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, Harley Quinn and others -- to the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Armed with high-tech weapons, they trek through the dangerous jungle on a search-and-destroy mission, with only Col. Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave. Release date: August 6, 2021 (USA) Director: James Gunn Budget: $185 million Produced by: Charles Roven; Peter Safran Production companies: DC Films; Atlas Entertainment; The Safran Company

Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case. Release date: January 29, 2021 (USA) Director: John Lee Hancock Budget: $30 million Produced by: Mark Johnson; John Lee Hancock Production company: Gran Via Productions

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. Release date: May 28, 2021 (USA) Director: John Krasinski Box office: $281 million Budget: $55–61 million Production companies: Platinum Dunes; Sunday Night Productions

Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. Release date: July 9, 2021 (USA) Trending Director: Cate Shortland Story by: Jac Schaeffer; Ned Benson Box office: $158 million Budget: $200 million

When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Wilder (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Wilder can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who, with malleable facial qualities, is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community. Release date: August 24, 1990 (USA) Director: Sam Raimi Budget: $14 million Box office: $48.8 million Music by: Danny Elfman

While in the woods near their small town, upstanding local Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his dim brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe) discover a crashed plane with two things in it -- a dead pilot, and a stash of more than four million dollars. Although Hank is reluctant to keep the money, Jacob and Lou convince him otherwise, and they devise a plan to split the fortune. Things quickly go wrong, however, dramatically affecting the trio and those around them. Release date: December 11, 1998 (USA) Director: Sam Raimi Adapted from: A Simple Plan Awards: Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

In the tiny town of Brixton, Georgia where nothing is private, a woman with supernatural clairvoyance, a young beautiful socialite who has mysteriously disappeared, and an assortment of colorful characters all collide. A haunting psychological thriller, "The Gift" is ultimately a profound celebration of the human spirit. Release date: December 22, 2000 (USA) Director: Sam Raimi Written by: Billy Bob Thornton; Tom Epperson Box office: $44.6 million Produced by: James Jacks; Gary Lucchesi; Tom Rosenberg

A mysterious woman gunslinger, Ellen (Sharon Stone), saunters into the town of Redemption looking for revenge. Her father was killed by the town's sadistic mayor, Herod (Gene Hackman), who is in the midst of organizing a quick-draw tournament. The lady enters, joining a cast of miscreants and outlaws for a brutal competition in which the loser dies. Among the competitors is "The Kid" (Leonardo DiCaprio), an upstart who has his own score to settle with Herod. Release date: February 10, 1995 (USA) Director: Sam Raimi Box office: $18.6 million (US) $28 million (Europe) $46.6 million (total) Produced by: Joshua Donen; Patrick Markey; Allen Shapiro Budget: $35 million

After running away from a residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler, a man who has Down syndrome befriends an outlaw who becomes his coach and ally. Release date: August 9, 2019 (USA) Directors: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz Budget: $6.2 million Nominations: Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film

Mysterious and wild-eyed, a new security guard for a cash truck surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman's ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score. Release date: May 7, 2021 (USA) Director: Guy Ritchie Based on: Cash Truck; by Nicolas Boukhrief Production companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Miramax Box office: $82.4 million

After a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries takes the ultimate gamble by venturing into the quarantine zone for the greatest heist ever. Release date: May 21, 2021 (USA) Director: Zack Snyder Box office: $1 million Production company: The Stone Quarry Budget: $70–90 million