Beast
DR. NATE Daniels, who grew up in South Africa, left the savannah to build a new life in the United States with his wife. After his wife’s death, he returns to his homeland with his two daughters to pay homage to his late wife, feeling his life finally coming in full circle. While visiting his friend’s game reserve, father and daughters find themselves trapped with only instincts to guide them. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, the film stars Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Iyanah Halley, and Leah Jeffries. Rolling Stone’s David Fear writes, “You could do worse than handing this assignment to a director like Baltasar Kormákur, who seems to thrive when given stories involving survival (The Deep, Adrift, Everest) and men having their mettle tested overall (Contraband, 2 Guns). He’s also good at distracting you with technical bells and whistles, as when the party stumbles across an abandoned village that turns out to be a crime scene. His camera doesn’t just record the aftermath of a slaughter; it slithers, creeps, glides, and stalks its way around the carnage in a way that feels downright predatory.” Film reviews aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a rating of 66% and an audience score of 76%.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
The Invitation
AFTER the death of her mother and having no other known relatives, a woman takes a DNA test and discovers a long-lost cousin. Invited by her newfound family to a lavish wedding in the English countryside, she’s at first seduced by the aristocrat host but is soon thrust into a nightmare of survival as she uncovers twisted secrets in her family’s history and the unsettling intentions behind their sinful generosity. Directed by Jessica M. Thompson, the film stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Hugh Skinner, Sean Pertwee, Stephanie Corneliussen, and Alana Boden.
MTRCB Rating: R-13