12 New Movies Coming Out This Week: ‘Book Club 2: The Next Chapter’ and More!

There’s a slew of new movies coming out this week, including a revisit with our favorite book club as they go off to cause trouble in Italy before one of them gets married.

We also have a comedy where the film’s star doesn’t say a word. There’s a Ben Affleck mystery. And there’s also a movie about a phone that caused a sensation before iPhones and Androids took over.

Additionally, we have an animated film about a bunch of animals on a long-distance car race and a documentary on everybody’s favorite movie star, Michael J. Fox.

Check out the new movies coming out this week on streaming and in theaters! We’ve got the list below!

New Movies Coming Out This Week: May 8, 2023 – May 14, 2023

Book Club: The Next Chapter  (2023)

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: In theaters nationwide on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: In Book Club: The Next Chapter, the book club is back together! And Vivian (Jane Fonda) is about to get married. What better way to celebrate than to take a trip to Italy? What trouble can four women get into in Italy? Plenty.

What to Watch For: The cast includes the four women from the first film: Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton, and Candice Bergen. Rounding out the cast is Don Johnson, And Garcia, Craig T. Nelson, Hugh Quarshie, Giancarlo Giannini, and Vincent Riotta.

Word on the Street: The film is co-written and directed by Bill Holderman, who also brought us the 2018 film Book Club.

My Take: What a perfect film for Mother’s Day!

Fool’s Paradise  (2023)

Rating: N/A

Release Date: In theaters nationwide on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: Fool’s Paradise is about a man (Charlie Day) who cannot speak. He’s released from a mental hospital and is picked up off the street because he looks exactly like a big Hollywood star who is on a bender and refuses to leave his trailer. The star’s publicist (Ken Jeong) and a powerful producer (Ray Liotta) help the man become even a bigger star, even marrying his beautiful leading lady (Kate Beckinsale). However, fame and fortune aren’t all they are cracked up to be, especially when you say nothing.

What to Watch For: The film is written and directed by its star, Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Horrible Bosses (2011)).

Word on the Street: The all-star cast includes Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Katherine McNamara, Jillian Bell, Adrien Brody, Edie Falco, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and John Malkovich.

My Take: This is one of the last films the late Ray Liotta made before his untimely death.

Hypnotic  (2022)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theaters nationwide on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: Hypnotic is about a detective, Daniel Rourke (Ben Affleck). Rourke is investigating a string of high-end heists while trying to find his daughter, who went missing several years ago and has never been found. Rourke discovers the thefts are being conducted by ‘Hypnotics.’ There are a group of psychics who have the ability to control other people’s minds. And they can get people to do things they usually wouldn’t do, including putting themselves in harm’s way.

What to Watch For: Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi (1992), Spy Kids (2001), Grindhouse (2007)), there has been buzz about this film since a rough-cut premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.

Word on the Street: As with other films that Rodriquez has done, his family was also involved in making the movie. His son Rebel who did the score. His daughter Rhiannon did the storyboards. And his son Rocket co-edited the film with his dad.

My Take: I have been a fan of Robert Rodriguez since his first feature film, the 1992 award-winning El Mariachi.

Blackberry  (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: Blackberry is the story of the innovative phone named Blackberry. The phone was built by a small company of innovators who challenged and toppled global giants before succumbing to the ruthlessly competitive world of Silicon Valley. It’s in the Vallery where change becomes something that happens too quickly to react.

What to Watch For: The film won the Sloan Science on Screen Award at the 2023 San Francisco International Film Festival.

Word on the Street: The film is from actor and director Matt Johnson, known for The Diorites (2013), Operation Avalanche (2015), and the TV series Nirvana the Band the Show (2016).

My Take: This comedy is getting fantastic reviews, with the film currently at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics.

Carmen  (2022)

Rating: R

Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: Carmen takes place after being forced to flee her home in Mexico, Carmen (Melissa Barrera) survives a harrowing border crossing only to be confronted by a lawless volunteer border guard who murders two of Carmen’s fellow immigrants. Carmen meets a true border guard (Paul Mescal) who helps her escape and flee to L.A.. Love can be found in unexpected places but fleeting in a world that is closing around you.

What to Watch For: The film is a modern-day reimagining of the opera Carmen.

Word on the Street: The film has new original music by three-time Academy Award nominee Nicholas Britell (Don’t Look Up (2021), If Beale Street Could Talk (2019), and Moonlight (2017).

My Take: Melissa Barrera has been on a hot streak of late with her roles as Vanessa in the 2021 musical In the Heights and the two last Scream films, Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023).

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie  (2023)  

Rating: R

Release Date: Premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: The documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie follows the life of beloved actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, exploring his remarkable career through his personal and professional triumphs and travails. The film shows us what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease that threatens not only his career but his life.

What to Watch For: The film won The Hope Award at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival and was a featured film at the recent 2023 Atlanta Film Festival.

Word on the Street: The film is from filmmaker Davis Guggenheim. His documentary An Inconvenient Truth won the Best Documentary Feature at the 2007 Academy Awards.

My Take: Film critics are raving about this film that will surely be a contender for next year’s Academy Awards.

The Mother  (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: Premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: In The Mother, an assassin (Jennifer Lopez) goes into hiding to protect the daughter she left behind. Now, that daughter is being used to bring the assassin out of hiding. Never doubt a mother’s love for a child, especially when the mother is a professional killer.

What to Watch For: The movie is from the award-winning filmmaker Niki Caro (Whale Rider (2003), Anne with an E (2018), and Milan (2021).

Word on the Street: The cast includes Gael Garcia Bernal, Paul Raci, Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, and Fahim Fazli.

My Take: I love that Jennifer Lopez is returning to her action-hero roots from her earlier career (Out of Sight 1998).

The Starling Girl  (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: The Starling Girl is about Jem Starling (Eliza Scanlen), a 17-year-old who, along with her parents (Jimmi Simpson and Wrenn Schmidt), are members of a fundamentalist Christian community, whose strict ways Jem is rebelling against. Jem’s world changes when the new youth pastor, Owen (Lewis Pullman), takes an interest in her. Jem will be forced to decide to follow the path of her church and her parents or forge her own path to love.

What to Watch For: This is the first feature film for director Laurel Parmet, who just won the Directors to Watch Award at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Word on the Street: Lewis Pullman is best known for his role as Lt. Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd in the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick.

My Take: Eliza Scanlen was named one of the 10 Rising Stars by the Hollywood Reporter back in 2018, and she hasn’t disappointed with her roles in the TV mini-series Sharp Objects, Babyteeth (2019), Little Women (2019) and Old (2021).

Knights of the Zodiac (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theaters nationwide on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: In Knights of the Zodiac, Seiya (Mackenyu) is a teen who lives on the streets, making a living fighting for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. During a fight, Seiya unwittingly taps into mystical powers he never knew he had. And he is discovered by a man (Sean Bean,) who tells him it’s his duty to protect a young woman (Madison Iseman). That woman is possibly the reincarnated goddess Athena. If he is to survive, he must embrace his destiny and vow to fight for her to survive. Additionally, he must take his rightful place among the Knights of the Zodiac.

What to Watch For: The film is based on the famous Japanese ‘Saint Seiya’ manga and anime series.

Word on the Street: The film was in production for almost ten years. The film is hoped to be the start of a franchise that should last 6-8 movies.

My Take: I love that both Sean Bean and Famke Janssen are in the cast.

Monica  (2022)

Rating: R

Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: Monica is about a woman named Monica (Trace Lysette). She returns home to help care for her dying mother (Patricia Clarkson), who suffers from a brain tumor. Her mother does not recognize Monica because she has transitioned and rolls with it. Monica’s showing up causes problems with her brother (Joshua Close) as Monica deals with the ghosts of her past self.

What to Watch For: The film was a hit on the film festival circuit, winning at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.

Word on the Street: The film is from award-winning filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro. He’s best known for his movies Medeas (2013) and Hannah (2017).

My Take: I hear from fellow film critics that Trace Lysette’s performance is magical.

L’immensità  (2022)

Rating: N/A

Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: L’immensità is set in 1970s Italy and is a story about a teenage girl, Adriana (Luana Giuliani), who has begun to identify as a boy, wanting to be known as the male name Andrea. As Andrea tries to discover who he is, he must deal with his Italian Catholic upbringing, a depressed mother, Clara (Penélope Cruz), and a constantly angry father (Vincenzo Amato). Andrea’s world looks more promising when he discovers a Romani encampment and a young girl named Sara (Penelope Nieto Conti).

What to Watch For: The movie is from award-winning filmmaker Emanuele Crialese. He’s best known for his films Once We Were Strangers (1997), Respiro (2002), and Terraferma (2011).

Word on the Street: The film was nominated for two awards at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.

My Take: I discovered Penélope Cruz in a 1996 Spanish film called Brujas. The film wasn’t very good, but I knew she would become a star.

Rally Road Racers  (2023)

Rating: PG

Release Date: In theaters nationwide on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Summary: In Rally Road Racers, Zhi (Jimmy O. Yang) needs money and needs it fast to save his grandmother’s home from demolition. He wages a bet with Vainglorious (John Cleese) on Zhi winning the four-day Silk Road Rally, the toughest race with the wildest drivers out there. Zhi only has his guts and the belief that he can live out his racing dreams and save his grandmother’s house.

What to Watch For: The voice cast includes J. K. Simmons, Catherine Tate, Lisa Lu, Sharon Horgan, and Chloe Bennet.

What to Watch For: The movie is from filmmaker Ross Venokur, known for his films Charming (2018) and A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown.

My Take: I have hope for this film because Ross Venokur wrote on both The Tick and Game Over TV series.

Which New Movies Coming Out This Week Are You Excited To Watch?

Let us know below what new movies you plan to see this week!