ON THE BIG SCREEN
STAR-STUDDED SEQUELS
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2
PG-13
The ultimate fashionista bitches are back, as this 20-years-later sequel to the hit 2026 flick proves that Hollywood stars never grow old. Meryl Streep once again chews the scenery as Miranda Priestly, the all-powerful Runway fashion-mag editor, while Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci still live in her orbit, albeit with some career changes. Times have changed in this new chapter, but one thing stays the same, as every couture designer worth talking about is part of the action that clotheshorses worldwide adore. Lady Gaga turns up, too, as does Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu and a veritable gaggle of long-legged, skinny models.
MORTAL KOMBAT II
R
Sometimes Hollywood makes sequels of movies that were not huge box office hits, but when the franchise is built on more than 20 popular video games, that’s reason enough. So bring on “Mortal Kombat II,” adding Karl Urban as hero Johnny Cage, in this fantasy film filled with martial arts moments, supernatural foes and special effects galore. Co-starring Ludi Lin, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jessica McNamee and Tati Gabrielle, we’re pretty sure that this one’s for gamers who have been playing these games since 1992. But will they go to the movies? We hope so, anything to get them out of their basements!
STAR WARS:
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU
Not yet rated
Made for IMAX, this newest live-action chapter of the “Star Wars” saga has it all, as the two much-loved characters from “The Mandalorian” TV series join up again in a sequel that makes a big leap onto the big screen. Pedro Pascal returns as Din Djarin, the bounty hunter whose apprentice is Grogu, a youngster of the Force-sensitive small green species (like Yoda). Together they are out to stop the forces of evil in the universe, including a descendent of Jabba the Hut. Eye-popping special effects, plenty of intergalactic action and a slightly comedic sensibility make this first new cinematic addition to the “Star Wars” canon in almost seven years worth the wait.
MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS
IN THE GREY
Not Yet Rated
There’s eye candy for every taste in this latest movie from Guy Ritchie, who once again writes and directs an action tale centered around a team of for-hire problem solvers hired to recover a billion stolen dollars. Led by gorgeous Eiza Gonzalez, with Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal doing the manly heavy lifting, this tough team makes beating the bad guys look easy. With Ritchie, who’s now calling himself a “scoundrel,” throwing up his trademark action sequences and wry jokes, this one’s been in the can since 2023. Make of that what you will.
BACKROOMS
Not yet rated
Horror screams and scares are in store in this thriller about a yellow room in a furniture shop that turns into a nightmarish maze for stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett and the others drawn into this mystery. Based on the YouTube short series, this one jumps to the big screen with 2025 Best Actress Oscar nominee Renate Reinsve in a starring role as a psychiatrist who isn’t quite sure if the people sucked into the maze are simply crazy, or something more.