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- New releases to see in theaters this weekend
- The Moment: Charli XCX’s glossy, self-aware concert film
- Pillion: A daring rom-com that puts BDSM in the spotlight
- A Poet: A quiet Colombian drama about mentorship and class
- Sirāt: A desert rave turned allegory of survival
- Kokuho: A grand, stylized look at kabuki, legacy and rivalry
A fresh wave of films hits cinemas this week, from a pop star’s self-reflective concert faux-doc to intimate character dramas and a high-energy Moroccan road tale. Each movie stakes a unique claim on attention, blending personality, style and provocative themes. Below are the releases to watch, with what to expect and who stands out on screen.
New releases to see in theaters this weekend
- The Moment — a meta concert film centered on Charli XCX.
- Pillion — a bold BDSM rom-com led by Alexander Skarsgård.
- A Poet — a Colombian dramedy about mentorship and artistic survival.
- Sirāt — an allegorical desert thriller with rave energy.
- Kokuho — a lavish Japanese epic woven around kabuki tradition.
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The Moment: Charli XCX’s glossy, self-aware concert film
Riding the momentum of her mainstream breakthrough, Charli XCX takes center stage again in a film that blurs documentary and fiction. The director, who has previous ties to Charli’s music videos, crafts a mockumentary that follows a pop star wrestling with fame, marketing and artistic choices.
The story frames the artist at a crossroads: managers and labels push hard, and the heroine must decide whether remaining the same act is worth the trade-offs. The tone shifts between satire and sincerity, showing how the concert-documentary format can both elevate and sanitize a musician’s image.
Why it matters
- Explores fame, branding, and artistic autonomy.
- Features a charismatic performance by Charli XCX as a version of herself.
- Alexander Skarsgård appears in a comedic role as a director-figure.
Pillion: A daring rom-com that puts BDSM in the spotlight
This small British film pairs a dominant biker with an awkward, kind-hearted parking warden in a love story full of kink and tenderness. The narrative starts as a culture clash and becomes a look at how intimacy, trust and power dynamics evolve.
One lead is a rugged leather-clad figure who draws in a shy, insecure man. Costume, fetish imagery and explicit scenes appear unapologetically, but the director balances eroticism with emotional growth. The shy partner discovers a new side of himself and finds resilience against family pressure.
Standout elements
- Graphic sexual content framed within a rom-com rhythm.
- Strong performances that reveal vulnerability beneath bravado.
- Touches on identity, consent and the dynamics of desire.
Pillion also uses its title as a metaphor: the passenger’s seat on a motorcycle becomes shorthand for the submissive role that informs the film’s central romance.
A Poet: A quiet Colombian drama about mentorship and class
Shot on grainy film stock, this drama follows a once-promising poet whose career has stalled. Now older and struggling, he takes a teaching job and encounters a gifted teenager whose talent forces him to confront his own failures.
The film examines ambition and the ways institutions exploit promising young talent for prestige. The relationship between mentor and student drives the narrative, and the director treats both characters with a mix of empathy and skepticism.
Key points
- Features non-professional actors in debut roles.
- Critiques how cultural institutions exploit marginalized talent.
- Winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, indicating festival recognition.
Sirāt: A desert rave turned allegory of survival
This film opens with a massive sound system being assembled in the desert, where a techno party grows into a surreal, urgent journey. A father and son cross paths with a group of ravers, one of whom may be connected to a missing relative.
When authorities demand evacuation, a handful of misfit characters embark on a treacherous trek across sands and shifting loyalties. The movie mixes dark comedy, high-stakes peril and philosophical overtones that reference spiritual passage and judgment.
What to expect
- Visceral visuals and pounding electronic soundscapes.
- An eclectic cast that leans into raw, first-time performances.
- Allegorical beats that shift the film toward existential terrain.
Kokuho: A grand, stylized look at kabuki, legacy and rivalry
Opening with a violent gang event, this sprawling Japanese film quickly moves into theatrical worlds. The protagonist, orphaned after the massacre, is adopted by a leading kabuki figure and raised within a strict artistic family.
Conflict emerges when talent and tradition collide. The adopted son excels at the female roles of kabuki, unsettling expectations about succession and inheritance. Gorgeous cinematography and meticulous production design underline a melodramatic tale of ambition and identity.
Highlights
- Epic runtime with lush staging of kabuki performance.
- Nominated at the Academy Awards for makeup and hairstyling.
- One of Japan’s top-grossing live-action films for its combination of spectacle and drama.
