George Clooney leads new films: the Running Man and Now You See Me hit theaters

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• Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: New heist film leans into spectacle over sleight
• The Running Man: Edgar Wright reinvents Stephen King’s dystopia for theaters
• Jay Kelly: George Clooney headlines Baumbach’s Italy-set midlife drama
• The Things You Kill: Tense Turkish-language thriller from Alireza Khatami
• Come See Me in the Good Light: Heartwarming and raw documentary streaming on Apple TV

This weekend brings a mix of big-screen escapism and intimate streaming stories. New installments, a Stephen King reboot and a reflective star vehicle share screens with a tender documentary that balances humor and heartbreak. Below are cinema and streaming options to consider, with cast notes, plot beats and critical takes.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: New heist film leans into spectacle over sleight

The magic-heist franchise expands again with a fresh roster and familiar faces. This time, the ensemble includes Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa and Ariana Greenblatt alongside originals Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman and Isla Fisher.

They chase a priceless diamond tied to a money-laundering arms dealer played by Rosamund Pike. The story keeps the franchise’s caper DNA but shifts toward bigger visual tricks.

• What works: Eisenberg’s sharp sarcasm and moments of ensemble chemistry.
• What falters: Many tricks now rely on CGI instead of practical illusion.
• Tone: More cinematic spectacle than hands-on conjuring.

The film offers glitzy set pieces, but some viewers may miss the tactile cleverness of earlier entries. If you enjoy blockbuster flair and starry teams, this delivers. If you prefer the craft of real-stage magic, it may feel thinner.

The Running Man: Edgar Wright reinvents Stephen King’s dystopia for theaters

Stephen King’s 1982 novel returns to the screen in a fresh adaptation directed by Edgar Wright. Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a man pushed onto a deadly televised game to pay for medical care.

The book imagined a near future with corporate dominance, extreme inequality and invasive entertainment. The new film keeps the premise: contestants flee professional hunters for a massive cash prize while the world watches.

• Main cast: Glen Powell as Ben Richards.
• Setting: A corporatized society where entertainment preys on the desperate.
• Style: Fast-paced action with Wright’s kinetic direction.

The movie speeds through the chase and offers adrenaline-fueled sequences that entertain. But some of King’s sharper social critique is softened. Fans of the novel may notice changes to the book’s darker edges and key reveals.

Jay Kelly: George Clooney headlines Baumbach’s Italy-set midlife drama

George Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a celebrated actor who leaves Los Angeles for a career tribute in Tuscany. Noah Baumbach directs this quiet, character-driven piece about aging, family and reputation.

Clooney’s on-screen charm remains a strong anchor. Adam Sandler plays his loyal manager and delivers scene-stealing moments. Laura Dern appears as a publicist, while Riley Keough and Grace Edwards portray Kelly’s daughters, each at a distance emotionally.

• Release: Limited theaters now; Netflix on Dec. 5.
• Highlights: Clooney’s charisma and Sandler’s surprising comic force.
• Limitations: The film sometimes wanders into introspective territory without clear payoff.

Baumbach aims for melancholic reflection and comic awkwardness. The result is watchable, driven largely by performances and beautiful Italian cinematography, though the narrative can feel directionless at times.

The Things You Kill: Tense Turkish-language thriller from Alireza Khatami

Alireza Khatami directs a terse, slow-burning thriller set in Turkey. The story follows Ali, a university professor whose personal life frays under pressure.

Ali faces a sick mother, a domineering father and marital strain over the question of children. He retreats to an arid family garden when life becomes too raw.

• Plot pivot: The arrival of Reza, a man willing to cross moral lines, changes everything.
• Themes: Masculinity, obligation, secrecy and the consequences of hidden choices.
• Style: Deconstructive storytelling that becomes gripping as it unfolds.

The film teases the viewer at first, then tightens into a compelling, sometimes unsettling exploration of how one stranger can upend a life. Khatami’s direction reframes the lead’s interior world into a suspenseful study.

Come See Me in the Good Light: Heartwarming and raw documentary streaming on Apple TV

This documentary follows poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley during an intimate, pandemic-era period in their household. Filmmaker Ryan White was given unprecedented access to the couple in 2021.

The film traces daily life, humor and tenderness alongside Andrea Gibson’s battle with Stage 4 ovarian cancer. The tone shifts between laugh-out-loud moments and quiet vulnerability.

• Where to watch: Streaming on Apple TV starting Friday.
• Approach: Unscripted, personal access that treats joy and grief with equal care.
• Emotional arc: The filmmakers allow room for levity, which makes the touching moments land harder.

At festival screenings after Gibson’s passing, audiences were encouraged to laugh and did so freely. The result is a film that honors the subject’s fierce humor while acknowledging real pain.