Showing film results: From 3 to 13
2019's Ready or Not was a mediocre riff on the old The Most Dangerous Game template of a pleb being hunted by wealthy elites. The twist was that the murderous toffs weren't engaging in their hunt for the love of the sport but rather to avert a family curse that eventually saw them all explode at dawn, having failed to kill their prey. As a horror-comedy it was a dud for two reasons: the final girl, Samara Weaving's Grace, was so competent compared to her antagonists that we never felt she was in any real danger; and it simply wasn't funny.
Whenever two movies that share a similar premise are released in the same year, movie geeks like to figure out which one is Deep Impact and which is Armageddon. Those two 1998 blockbusters shared the same setup of an asteroid on a world-ending collision course with Earth, but took very different approaches. Deep Impact was a relatively sombre affair while Armageddon was a Michael Bay action comedy.
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The Garden State Film Festival, New Jersey's Premier Independent Film Festival® launches its 24th year with a compelling Kickoff Matinee at Asbury Lanes on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 1:30pm to 3:15pm. The block blends local history, global storytelling, and forward-thinking voices into one unforgettable opening experience. This curated film block sets the tone for a festival that spans 205 films from around the world—starting right here in New Jersey.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center, in association with the Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies, presents the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival which marks their 31st Anniversary. The NJIFF competition will be taking place on the Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between May 29 - June 7, 2026 and will be a hybrid one as they will be presenting it online as well as doing in-person screenings at Rutgers University.
Writer/director John Patton Ford's 2022 feature debut Emily the Criminal proved one of the more interesting crime thrillers of recent years. In that movie, Aubrey Plaza gave a career best performance as a struggling young woman who desperately turns to crime only to discover she has a knack for it. Ford's second movie, How to Make a Killing, features a similar anti-hero, but here the crime is murder.
Following Hamnet and "Wuthering Heights", Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is the latest in a line of awful movies inspired by the work of great English writers. It's Mary Shelley here of course, but Gyllenhaal also plucks from James Whale's Bride of Frankenstein. Whale cast Elsa Lanchester in the dual roles of Shelley and the titular monster, and Gyllenhaal pulls the same trick here with Jessie Buckley. That's where the similarities end however, as The Bride! has more in common with '70s exploitation flicks and '90s horror comedies than either Shelley's novel or the Universal monster movies it inspired.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Dirty Dancing in Concert on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Get ready to have the time of your life and immerse yourself in the romance of this beloved classic with an unforgettable evening!
In its 1960s peak, the Hagsploitation (or psycho-biddy) sub-genre gave a second act to classic Hollywood stars like Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland, who found themselves cast as aging psychopaths. It wasn't without controversy, drawing accusations of ageism and misogyny from critics. It's a surprise that our current age of sensitivity has seen a mini-revival of the form with movies like X and The Visit using senility as a cheap, albeit effective way to explain their villains' actions.
I'm not going to suggest that Scream 7 is a return to form for the critically ailing yet commercially triumphant slasher franchise (I don't believe it had much form to begin with), but it's certainly a baby step up from the awfulness of the previous two instalments. That's a bit like saying a soccer team is showing signs of improvement because they only lost 3-0 against their local rivals as opposed to the 5-0 drubbing they suffered the previous season. But I'm a Spurs fan, so I'll take whatever crumb of comfort I can, and the crumb tossed to fans here is the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, along with series creator Kevin Williamson, directing for the first time since 1999's Teaching Mrs Tingle, and co-writing with Guy Busick (with a story contribution by Zodiac scribe James Vanderbilt).
(CHATHAM, NJ) -- Featuring some of the best soon-to-be-released movies from around the world, Arthouse Film Festival will unspool for ten weeks beginning March 16, 2026 at Chatham Hickory Cinema. The selected films comprise award winners from Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, Telluride, Venice and SXSW film festivals, along with prestige studio films, screened in Chatham before their New York theatrical release dates.
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.
(TEANECK, NJ) -- The award-winning PBS documentary series, INDEPENDENT LENS, presents the launch of the upcoming season of Indie Lens Pop-Up in partnership with the Teaneck International Film Festival and the Puffin Cultural Forum. The season kicks-off on February 4, 2026 with The Librarians and continues through May. The series is free for all but sign up is required.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey proudly presents The Sound Studio Series, an immersive musical experience that places concertgoers at the very heart of the performance. Held in STNJ's intimate Studio space, limited to just 80 attendees, The Sound Studio Series features a dynamic mix of both classical and rock performances. Each concert concludes with an exclusive post-show meet-and-greet with the artists, offering fans a rare opportunity to connect directly with the performers. Tickets for the series are $20-$30.
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Morven Museum & Garden's popular speaker series Grand Homes & Gardens returns for 2026. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Freedom at Home: Telling the Full Story of America's Founding Homes and Gardens examines four estates belonging to five signers of the Declaration: William Paca, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Arthur Middleton.
(ORADELL, NJ) -- Enjoy a touching and topical dramedy as love clashes with conscience in Bergen County Players' (BCP) production of The Cake. The play, written by Bekah Brunstetter, producer/writer for the hit TV series This Is Us, is directed by Carol Fisher of Teaneck. It opens March 14 and runs through April 11, 2026 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Make This World Stand Still" from Trenton-bred roots/country songstress Lisa Bouchelle's forthcoming album, "Vandals, Thieves & Lovers."
"It's not long enough but it's a pretty good run of shows. I haven't done a tour like this in about three years, even though it feels like yesterday, I haven't done a tour like this in a long time," laughed multi instrumentalist Hunter Hayes shortly before his two recent New Jersey shows at the Newton Theatre and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. "I am thoroughly looking forward to it, I have been looking forward to doing a tour like this since "Evergreen" started coming together, you know, coming to life; "Evergreen" has been an eight to ten year process, depending on where you want to start, it's a pretty good run of shows and I'm really excited about it."
Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Ali Zanders, Sam Tunkel, Brian Westervelt, Jay Ingstrup, A Halo Called Fred, Damfino, Regency Club, and Night Windows. Plus a look back at "This American Life" by Diego Allessandro.
Here is a look at shows taking place this week along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas
