If April showers bring May flowers, May's buds bring new movies that deal in grisly deaths and complicated friendships. This month's releases include a crime caper, a fresh installment in a beloved horror franchise, a companion to The Weeknd's latest album, a funny friendship breakup and a Wes Anderson jaunt.
'Another Simple Favor'
Paul Feig's 2018 film "A Simple Favor" was a frothy yet unexpectedly black crime caper, a mommy noir showcasing Anna Kendrick's anxious charms and Blake Lively's ability to wear the heck out of a tailored suit. While the narrative explored a "toxic suburban friendship," the odd chemistry between Kendrick and Lively pushed the film to become more of a "psychosexual meeting of alarming soulmates," said Vulture. The sequel reunites the turbulent besties in Capri, Italy, for the wedding of femme fatale Emily (Lively). (out now on Amazon Prime)
'Final Destination: Bloodlines'
The horror franchise that made "mundane life seem fraught with danger," said The Guardian, spawning a thousand illogical fears — like being electrocuted by a tanning bed or getting crushed to death by rolling logs on the freeway — is back after 14 years with a sixth installment.
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In each "Final Destination" chapter, the villain is not Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers or any one vanquishable being but rather death itself, a cold, merciless entity with an endless array of killing methods. This time, "prepare to be terrified of tattoo parlors, family barbecues, revolving doors and glass elevators," said The Guardian. (May 16 in theaters)
'Hurry Up Tomorrow'
Almost two years after Abel Tesfaye made his acting debut on HBO's universally panned series "The Idol," the mega pop star known as The Weeknd is back in Hollywood with a psychological thriller about an insomniac musician. Directed by Trey Edward Shults ("Waves"), the movie is a companion piece to Tesfaye's new album of the same name — though it is not a "visual album project" akin to Beyoncé's "Lemonade," said Empire magazine. Starring Tesfaye as an alternative version of himself alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, the film is "kinda like 'Raging Bull' and 'Persona' meets 'Purple Rain,'" said Shults to the outlet. (May 16 in theaters)
'Friendship'
Andrew DeYoung's debut feature from A24 explores the fraught nature of male bonding. When suburban dad Craig (Tim Robinson, "I Think You Should Leave") becomes pals with his charming new neighbor (Paul Rudd), their "rapport curdles into an unsettling one-sided obsession," said Variety. Alongside the pain inherent in a friendship breakup, the film "spins comedy gold out of the straight male loneliness epidemic," said The Guardian. (May 23 in theaters)
'The Phoenician Scheme'
![THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters May 30 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GEuMnPl2WI4/maxresdefault.jpg)
It is no surprise that fastidious world-builder Wes Anderson's 12th feature film would feature an ensemble cast. Benicio del Toro stars as Zsa-zsa Korda, a wealthy businessman who names his only daughter — a nun portrayed by Mia Threapleton (Kate Winslet's actual daughter) — the sole heir to his estate. The cast is rounded out with Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Bill Murray. "'Phoenician' is said to be Anderson's strongest work since 'The Grand Budapest Hotel,' which premiered at Berlin and went on to nine Oscar nominations, including best picture, four of which resulted in wins in crafts areas, where his films always shine," said The Hollywood Reporter. (May 30 in theaters)
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