Omaha
Cole Webley‘s Omaha finds a grieving husband and father of two young children at the end of his rope during the 2008 financial crisis. To avoid the shame of the family’s eviction, Martin sweeps his kids and their golden retriever Rex into the car during the early morning hours, convincing them they are embarking on a cross-country road trip.
9-year-old Ella quickly pieces things together, keeping her anxiety to herself. As the money runs out and Ella witnesses her father spiral day by day, she cannot fathom how this story will end.
Molly Belle Wright and Wyatt Solis play Ella and Charlie. These two young actors will blow you away. Their chemistry with John Magaro is something from the movie gods. Wright bears the weight of being the eldest daughter, exquisitely. A performance immediately clocked by those who have lived it.
Magaro slowly sinks into a state of desperation as each hour ticks by, knowing he has almost zero options to keep up the ruse. It is a deeply affecting turn. 
Christopher Bear‘s music is akin to an American folktale, almost echoing Taylor Swift. Paul Meyers‘ camerawork and Jai Shukla’s editing create a tangibility that touches your soul. The film’s deliberate pacing and lingering shots allow the audience to be in the moments of realization, joy, and grief of this little family.
Writer Robert Machoian taps into a specific, heart-rending phenomenon explained in the film’s final moment, yet, as unnecessary wars rage on and prices rise, Omaha‘s impact does not simply exist in the realm of 2008. It is any day now for so many families. As a parent, it is a visceral watch. If you don’t find yourself in the deepest hurt while watching this film, count your blessings.
Watch the trailer here:
OMAHA, the debut feature from Cole Webley, opens in New York on April 24 via Greenwich Entertainment
The film stars John Magaro in his first leading role and premiered to strong reviews in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Shot on location across Utah, Nebraska, and Wyoming, OMAHA lends an authentic, sweeping backdrop to its journey through the American West.
Set against the 2008 financial crisis, OMAHA follows a struggling father (Magaro) on a road trip across the American West with his two children, Ella and Charlie. What begins as a seemingly spontaneous journey gradually reveals deeper emotional stakes, exploring parenthood, love, and the quiet desperation of protecting your children when you’re unsure you can.
In his feature directorial debut, Webley favors emotional authenticity over sentimentality, matched by a remarkable breakout performance from 11-year-old Molly Belle Wright. Written by Robert Machoian (The Killing of Two Lovers) and shot by Paul Meyers, ASC, the intimate screenplay and striking visuals mirror the characters’ inner lives with subtlety and grace.
Following Sundance, OMAHA has continued to resonate, earning honors at Jakarta World Cinema (Best Film, First Features), Deauville (Jury Prize), Richmond (Grand Jury Award, Best Feature), Nashville (Audience Award), Munich (CineKindl Award), Dallas (Grand Jury Award), and Miami (Jordan Ressler First Feature Award).
Mabel
Nicholas Ma‘s darling coming-of-age film Mabel follows Callie, a 6th-grade botany-obsessed girl who struggles to adjust to her family’s move. 
Judy Greer is a gem. Having worked with and for scientists, Greer nails the bluntness and often curt tone in Ms. G’s delivery. It’s a performance that wins in its specificity. Newcomer Lexi Perkel‘s raw turn will undoubtedly hit the core of anyone raising a headstrong leader. Perkel settles easily into Callie’s hyper focus. You can see the light in her eyes as the two become one. Perkel is so effortless, you’d think she were the subject of a documentary. 
Mabel struggles slightly with pacing, even at a satisfying 84-minute runtime, but its relatable storytelling keeps it a breezy watch. Anyone who has ever felt different, misunderstood, or any parent of a child on the spectrum (even though Callie is specifically not) will relate to the desire to find connection and genuine friendship. Mabel is a solid family film. 
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Has a sequel ever been more fun? It’s a question worth sitting with, because the answer is almost certainly no.
Maybe it’s the sheer zaniness of the premise that makes expansion feel so natural. A woman marries into a cursed dynasty of obscene wealth, survives a wedding-night blood sport orchestrated in service of the devil, and then because the universe has a cruel sense of humor gets pulled right back in when the ruling families of the satanic council scramble to fill a vacant seat of power. The countdown starts again. There is a new estate. This one has a casino.
Perfectly blending horror and comedy once again, the film hits the ground running and does not relent for 108 minutes. Notably, it even manages some genuinely touching moments between sisters before hurling you back into the gleefully unhinged action, a trick that requires real skill to pull off without breaking the spell.
Sam finds musician David’s absence a subconscious excuse for connecting with the beautiful but aloof Dianne. As the months roll on, Dianne is working out her midlife crisis shit with Sam as her newfound bestie. Crashing out, and rightfully so, over aging, a waning acting career, and deepening depression. Sam, managing the eclectic needs of the three girls, a seemingly narcissistic husband, and his own feelings of inadequacy, must navigate new feelings and old fears.
Something that really stood out to me from an acting and writing standpoint in Fantasy Life warrants a mention. Eating scenes are actually quite rare in film. I don’t mean sitting at a table doing dialogue, I mean actually consuming food as the actors speak. It’s one of the most natural actions in our everyday lives, but we don’t often get treated to genuine relationship-building when actors have their mouths full of food. That simple and very specific choice by Shear has such an impact. It solidifies an immediate intimacy between Sam and Dianne. Bravo.
For all the reasons, Shear and Peet have the most electric chemistry. They share a beautiful, “will they, won’t they” energy, far beyond the trope itself. It’s so very easy.
Jordan Dulieu (Danny) gives us an emo rocker heartthrob and villainous mayhem with equal fire. He is genuinely mesmerizing. Avalon Fast (Gen) is great. Her delivery is so natural, you might think she’s in a documentary. Alexandra McVicker (Anna) brings innocent ingénue energy. The three have stellar chemistry. I not-so-secretly wanted a threesome scene between them. Shout out to Intimacy Coordinator, Zoe Taylor, for the overall hotness. 
MacKay has a neon-saturated visual calling card and always provides a kick-ass soundtrack. Another genius collab with 
SXSW 2026 Watchlist
In Cold Light
Hellbent on backsliding into her old ways, Ava’s tough exterior hides a chasm of wounds. As her brother softens to her requests for drug connections, all hell breaks loose when she becomes a target and scapegoat for murder. Now, with the innocent lives of her family members in harm’s way, Ava must decide who she can trust and how far she will go to bargain for their safety.
Oscar winner
While the “why” takes longer to get to than I would have liked, and feels somewhat disjointed, In Cold Light is a definitive, gritty crime thriller. Helen Hunt briefly appears, and introducing her sooner would change everything. Both the editing and handheld camerawork are hypnotic. But it’s the visceral father-daughter dynamic that gets under your skin and stays there. Screenwriter Patrick Whistler delivers unresolved trauma on an astonishing level. Monroe and Kotsur make an undeniably compelling duo. I would love to see them back together, doing anything literally.
Mimics
Calling Mimics a light horror is anything but an insult. It is a genre-bender: a sweet love story, a character study in ambition, passion, and an eerie warning about the trappings of fame, all wrapped in culty folklore that wouldn’t surprise me if it were ripped straight from the bowels of Scientology. It’s a breezy genre film that twists in unexpected ways and one that puts Kristoffer Polaha’s underrated talents in the spotlight.
Untitled Home Invasion Romance
Jamie Napoli and Joshua Paul Johnson cleverly wrap comedy around Suzie’s unknown childhood trauma, introducing friends from her past. They place Kevin entirely out of his depth socially. Suzie grew up in incredibly affluent circles, and clues about her life before Kevin reel the audience into the twisty narrative. You’re laughing and questioning everything you see. Each scene reveals something new. When the tension builds to a peak, here comes Biggs to make you laugh out loud.
Anna Konkle, who I miss with my whole heart on PEN15, plays Heather, Suzue’s childhood best friend and current chief of police. Konkle is down to Earth, incredibly charming, and inarguably the most competent member of her force. Her micro-expressions speak volumes. 
The location is stunning. The lake house is the stuff of dreams, with tennis courts, a multilevel dock, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Mollie Goldstein‘s editing is top-notch. Camerawork from Zach Kuperstein is a phenomenal mix of styles, keeping the audience thoroughly engaged. After years in the industry, Biggs easily slides into the director’s chair. I am excited to see what he chooses next. 
Seth Breedlove explores the lore behind a Michigan cryptid in Dawn of the Dogman. The film plays out in chapters. Editing from Santino Vitale and Seth Breedlove is fast-paced and endlessly intriguing. History buffs will instantly connect with the style, as eyewitnesses and journalists expound while the viewer is treated to maps, archival footage, and so much more. 
One witness suggests these creatures are government assets, detailing his unsettling encounter and the aftermath. Linda Godfrey‘s extensive career in cryptozoology speaks for itself. But her work solidified for her the moment she came face to face with a mysterious creature alongside the insight of a Native American game warden. 
The opening credits give Spielberg‘s Amazing Stories meets Ripley’s Believe It or Not! vibes (a huge compliment). Cinematographers Zac Palmisano, Courtney Breedlove, and Tyler Hall beautifully captured the variety of Michigan landscapes. Brandon Dalo provides an original score that balances mystery and lightness.
Overall, Dawn of the Dogman is a solid entry into the cryptid genre. There is most certainly a built-in audience for the film. Don’t believe me? Just look at the number of Kickstarter backers in the closing credits. Cryptid lore is big business and great entertainment for all ages. 
For more documentary coverage, 
100 NIGHTS OF HERO
Religious and political parallels are undeniable magic. The dialogue is a modern version of a bawdy Shakespeare comedy, cleverly tongue-in-cheek and playing right into toxic masculinity. Even our three main characters’ names are pure, double-entendre delight. 100 NIGHTS OF HERO weaves fable, witchcraft, and feminism seamlessly. 
Xenia Patricia
Maika Monroe
![The Merchants of Joy - Prime Video - [press.amazonmgmstudios.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Merchants-of-Joy-Prime-Video-press.amazonmgmstudios.com_.png?resize=678%2C379&ssl=1)
The film is a collection of personalities all jockeying to outdo each other. Greg looks like Santa and is happy to dress as such for the local kids. His son, Little Greg, is poised to take over the family business as his father battles cancer. Brooklynite George (who used to work for Greg) hopes to find love this season and brings bravado to the group. Heather is nine years sober. You will find her supporting those struggling on a similar path. Ciree takes the reins from her parents after 30 years. All of them find themselves under the thumb of the mysterious Kevin Hammer. Think of him as the Christmas Tree Mafia Boss.
The film is a countdown to Christmas, tracking the complicated and expensive logistics of purchasing trees, trucking them sometimes across the country, bidding on street corner permits, setting up shop, all while navigating weather, workforce, and the economy. It’s a risky business that can be rewarding in the end. The job is physically taxing and emotionally exhausting, but its impact on building family traditions is worth its weight in gold. 
Aniskovich intersperses sit-down interviews with action on the ground. The pièce de résistance are the scenes mimicking the stop-motion animation in Christmas classics like 
The plot is disorienting. Filled with time hops and something else supernatural, Carl finds himself both haunted by the past and stalked by some harassing force. Repeated aggressive and toxic interactions from strangers and others in Carl’s sphere throw the viewer’s understanding of the truth into utter chaos. 
Carl’s exes are beyond livid that he has inserted himself into the festivities. As the plot thickens, Lawrence and co-writer Matthew Mourgides insinuate that we are missing large pieces of the puzzle as the former fiend group offers an alternative version of what we have witnessed thus far with their dialogue. This off-kilter effect gets an assist from Lawrence’s editing. 
Sam Daly owns this film. His emotional swings are simultaneously relatable and unhinged. Daly is riveting. THE DISINVITED mashes up relationship drama and psychological horror in a mind-bending way. The final third is wild as hell. Jacob Fatoorechi and Jaco Caraco‘s classically string-heavy score is a perfect match. You must pay attention to every frame, and do yourself a favor: watch the credits. Even better, watch it again.
Alanna Ubach plays Emily’s mother, Sam. A former addict seeking redemption, Ubach is a pro, settling into a weighty role. For me, Ubach created some of the most memorable sidekick roles of the ’90s and early 2000s, carrying a Lili Taylor vibe with her comedic timing. It is a dramatic departure that is phenomenal.
Brittany O’Grady owns this role. Emily is in almost every shot, and O’Grady powers through unresolved trauma with ferocity. This fearless portrayal of a daughter dying for answers will pull you in. There is an undeniable gravity to this performance.
The mostly handheld camerawork subconsciously forces the audience to participate in the mystery and the emotional turmoil. Beyond the genre fare, IN OUR BLOOD also acts as a viewfinder for the vibrant yet desolate aspects of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Screenwriter Mallory Westfall provides clues, if you pay attention, so I suggest you do. Even with that said, the twists are absolutely clutch. Currently boasting a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, IN OUR BLOOD is a gripping mix of horror and thriller. True crime fans will eat this up for dinner. I’m demanding a franchise from Kos and Westfall, ASAP.
Genre: Thriller/Horror
SCARED SHITLESS
Chelsea Clark (
Daniel Doheny plays Sonny with perfect manic energy. He is one panic attack away from implosion. Doheny handily glides through Sonny’s arch as the gross factor increases. He nails this genre. Steven Ogg (
Steven Kostanski serves as both Executive Producer and FX goo god. The amount of physical ick in the film should come as no surprise to fans of Kostanski’s work. 
SHE LOVED BLOSSOMS MORE
The boys flitter between trials, doing whatever drugs they can procure, speaking with utter nonchalance about their intentions. Hedgehog, clearly consumed by sadness, eagerly claws his way towards his ultimate goal. Obsession takes hold.
Cinematographer Christos Karamanis brings the viewer inside their drug trips, of which there are many, blurring the lines of reality. Fair warning: if you are sensitive to light or sound, the film can be overwhelming, but inarguably hypnotic. Performances, particularly Panos Papadopoulos, are fantastic.
Sci-fi extravagance aside, Veslemes takes audiences on a visceral and emotional ride into darkness. There is no denying SHE LOVED BLOSSOMS MORE is a WTF, jaw-dropping watch.
COYOTES
Brittany Allen plays sex worker Julie. Her ability to steal scenes is magic. 
This is essentially an ensemble survival horror. The CGI coyotes are a bit Twilight-y, but the practical FX are legit. The kills are super creative, and one is particularly gnarly and incredibly satisfying for genre fans. Scott’s occupation is a graphic novel artist. Director Colin 
Few films have been able to pull off the one-shot feat. SCURRY owns it. Here is a team that has total trust, impeccable timing, and chemistry between the cast and crew, leading to cinematic magic. The element of enveloping darkness, a small, unpredictable light source, and the blurry infrared of a camcorder create relentless dread.
Jamie Costa and Emalia (
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