Get ready for a déjà vu double feature as this week brings the return of two familiar franchises with Watchmen: Chapter 1 and Alien: Romulus. Watchmen takes another swing at Alan Moore’s foundational classic, this time adopting an animated approach. But can it soar where other adaptations have fallen short? That’s the question also facing Romulus, as we return to the world of xenomorphs and facehuggers to see if a legacy sequel can live up to Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi stunner. From all that to a new John Cena-Awkwafina action comedy, a twisty Elizabeth Banks thriller, and one of the year’s most spectacular surprise gems, we’ve got reviews of what you can see in theaters and at home, ranked by what we thought.

5 Jackpot!
Directed by Paul Feig
Image via Prime Video 

John Cena and Awkwafina go for broke in Paul Feig’s new movie Jackpot!, an action-comedy where winning the lottery means scores of desperate people will attempt to kill you to try to get the cold hard cash for themselves. In his review, Senior Editor Robert Brian Taylor wrote that “the movie might be called Jackpot!, but no one is leaving this one a winner.”

REVIEW Jackpot! (2024) The action-comedy ‘Jackpot!’ attempts to blend a dystopian concept with a slapstick comic style, and the end result is disastrous.ProsPros? Uhh … err … well … ConsThe combination of dystopian thriller and Paul Feig’s brand of improv-heavy comedy make for an awkward fit.The near-future world established in ‘Jackpot!’ doesn’t make a lick of sense.Awkwafina and John Cena can be incredibly appealing performers. But you’re going to have to look elsewhere to see it.

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4 Skincare
Directed by Austin Peters
Image via IFC

Elizabeth Banks stars in Skincare, a thriller supposedly based on a true story about a rivalry that quickly spirals out of control. The truth is that the movie isn’t very good, struggling to find a tone and create characters that feel even remotely real. In her review, Senior Editor Taylor Gates wrote “take care of your skin — and sanity — by sitting this one out.”

REVIEW Skincare ‘Skincare’ can’t figure out whether it wants to be a crime thriller or a dark satire, making it a muddled mess.ProsThe score and cinematography occasionally give it some style. ConsThe characters range from one-dimensional cliches to erratic contradictions, with none of them feeling like real people.The combination of crime thriller and dark satire is executed poorly.The characters’ motivations are unclear, making for a confusing watch.

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3 Watchmen: Chapter 1
Directed by Brandon Vietti
Image via Warner Bros.

Who watches the Watchmen? Well, we do, and we’re here to say that Watchmen: Chapter 1 is quite a mixed bag. In his review, Senior Film Editor Ross Bonaime wrote that the film “is a compelling curiosity, but never matches the power of its source material, and, if anything, should make people turn to the graphic novel instead of checking out yet another adaptation.”

REVIEW Watchmen: Chapter 1 (2024) Watchmen: Chapter 1 is an intriguing idea with a strong voice cast, but rarely matches the tone or spirit of the original story.ProsWatchmen: Chapter 1’s voice cast, especially Titus Welliver and Matthew Rhys, provides smart takes on these characters.The quieter moments allow us to soak in this alternate history more than most other adaptations. ConsThe animation style feels wrong for this narrative, deviating from Dave Gibbons’ art style.Splitting this story into two chapters will likely be all setup and no payoff for those new to this world.

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2 Alien: Romulus
Directed by Fede Álvarez
Image via 20th Century Studios

It’s one very small step for a franchise and one painfully giant leap for nostalgia with Alien: Romulus, the highly anticipated legacy sequel to the sci-fi horror classic that is at its best when it’s able to stand alone. In his review, Bonaime wrote “Alien: Romulus proves that for the Alien franchise to move forward, it might have to quit looking backward so much.”

REVIEW Alien: Romulus Alien Romulus has a promising beginning and end, but the middle gets a bit too muddled in nostalgia for this franchise.ProsThe beginning and end of Alien: Romulus find interesting ways to expand on the Alien franchises in ways we haven’t seen before.David Jonsson’s Andy is another great android performance in a series full of them.Director Fede Álvarez does a nice job of integrating horror elements back into the Alien franchise. ConsThe middle of the film is too focused on referencing past installments.One particular callback to the original Alien is especially egregious and makes this feel like a footnote to that first film.

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1 Chronicles of a Wandering Saint
Directed by Tomás Gómez Bustillo
Image via Hope Runs High

The best movie of the week, Chronicles of a Wandering Saint, is one to die for. Alas, we have to be coy about the wonderful swerve this work of mirthful and magical realism takes. Just trust us when we say it’s worth the ride. Not only will you experience one of the best needle drops of the 21st century, you’ll find yourself wishing you could wander with it just a little bit longer as it all comes into beautiful focus. In my rave review, I wrote “it’s a film that, much like life, relies on you sticking with it, warts and all, to discover the beauty that lies at its core.”

REVIEW Chronicles of a Wandering Saint (2024) Tomás Gómez Bustillo’s Chronicles of a Wandering Saint is a fantastic feature debut and a small miracle of a movie that offers one of the 2024’s most beautiful surprises thus far.ProsWithout giving anything away, the shift that this film takes is delightful as it plunges us into its own distinctly offbeat, frequently absurd, and ultimately melancholic vision.Mónica Villa is magnificent as a woman wandering through her small corner of the world and discovering what it was that she has to lose.Cinematographer Pablo Lozano and composer Felipe Delsart operate in complete harmony with each other to make it all that much more unexpectedly moving.

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