The amount of films released both in theaters and on streaming in April was overwhelming. Tons of Sundance Film Festival 2023 and TIFF 2022 films dropped in April, and many of them released in theaters on the same day. This left me with the daunting task of having to try see multiple films in a single theater trip. I did my best, but for as many as I was able to catch there were quite a few that I simply could not find the time to watch and review. Nevertheless, I managed to catch enough of them to be able to see the best and worst the month had to offer. Let’s take a look at some of the best and worst films released in April!
Sidenote: These are in no particular order of ranking. The ratings for each run the gamut of stars earned or not earned, so feel free to sift through the list and take your picks of recommendations or cross some off your watch list. Also this list is only inclusive of films I was unable to review individually. There are quite a few more April releases that have full write ups, so be sure to check those out as well on Nerdbot if you don’t see them on the list here!
“Tetris” – Apple TV+
The longer I’ve sat with “Tetris“, the less I enjoyed it. Though it has a lot to enjoy, it begins to wear thin and overstay its welcome. I’m sure the internet has already done this, but I’m sure the amount of times characters shout “Hand held rights!” is staggering and exhaustive. Like the game itself, the film works best in its most basic form, with the building blocks of a charismatic performance from its lead (Taron Egerton) and a fast past, globetrotting web of business deals and sometimes riveting negotiation contracts. Where it stacks too high is the overdramatization of events in its third act, where things get a little too far fetched and start to expose the muddiness of the script overall and the somewhat tonal imbalance of an otherwise mildly enjoyable watch. “Tetris” lacks staying power and fails to live rent free in your head for very long after the credits roll.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
“Rye Lane” – Hulu
Not just one of my favorite watches of April, but it might just be one of the best films of the year. I can’t remember the last time a film made me smile from start to finish. “Rye Lane” is a shot of pure joy directly to the heart. A wonderful story about heartbreak and learning to live and love again. Being in your twenties sucks, and this film manages to capture every facet of the experience, the good, the bad and the weird all in a single day. I may have just found my new favorite romcom/coming of age story. The immense chemistry and charm from its leads in David Jonson and Vivian Oparah is undeniable and lovely, a meet cute couple you instantly root for and can’t stop investing in from the moment they meet. Director Raine Allen Miller delivers a gorgeously shot, expertly framed day in the life love story that feels lived in and real even when its sticking to the tried and true tropes of romcoms. The pops of color imbued into every frame just adds to “Rye Lane’s” vibrance. Seriously, this film is absolutely wonderful and that’s saying a lot coming from me because I genuinely dislike romcoms as a whole. It also has one of the absolute best monikers ever given to any character in film. DOM AND YAS FOREVER!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
“Renfield “– In Theaters
You had me at Nicolas Cage as Dracula. “Renfield” does just enough to be a pretty entertaining, gory, tongue in cheek comedy about toxic relationships and Nic Cage hamming up to the fullest. Not all of the elements work, but it sports just enough charm to be enjoyable and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Awkwafina is wildly miscast here, sticking out like a sore thumb with 0 chemistry with Nicholas Hoult and no real reason for being here. That’s not a slight to her as a performer, just that her brand of humor doesn’t fit tonally with the heart of what makes this one work. Hoult and Cage shine brightest when the film focuses on their relationship, with everything else fading to the rather forgettable background. There’s a shoehorned in subplot involved a crime family that doesn’t work at all, and serves more as an annoying distraction that as something that moves the plot along. “Renfield” has one strength, and that’s Cage and Hoult doing everything they can to make this a blast. And they largely succeed, so if you’re signed up for that you’ll most certainly get what you came for. However, there is more that doesn’t work when they are not the focal point, and the film surrounding them is forgettable and holds it back from being the full on camp gore fest it strives for.
3 out of 5 Stars
“How to Blow Up a Pipeline” – In Theaters
No, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” is not an instructional documentary. But it does create a darker, more meaningful “Ocean’s 11” type thriller that absolutely rips. A tense, edge of your seat thriller with a purpose, a beautifully crafted work that feels blunt in its messaging without being assaulting. Believe the hype, this film cooks and delivers on all fronts. Solid performance work, deliberate pacing and riveting execution that feels non-stop, the film grips you from the jump and refuses to let up until the credits roll. The ensemble cast is fantastic, and there isn’t a single weak link that feels like they don’t belong. Though “Pipeline” is kind of a fight the power, environmentalist fantasy of what could happen if we all took action against the man, it never feels like hyperreal. It manages to ground itself in reality due its expert execution and stellar pacing. I can’t recommend this one enough. It may have its foundations in films you’ve seen before, but “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” feels wholly original and is worth putting high on your watchlist.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always” – Netflix
I’m not entirely sure why anyone was expecting some kind of high brow complexity to a “Power Rangers” nostalgia cash grab. 12 year old me absolutely loved this one, cheesy, camp and all. Anyone who takes issues with the campiness and bad acting in “Once and Always” clearly has not watched the original series in a very long time. If anything, the tribute film seems to go out of its way to keep all of those things in tact, and that works infinitely better than the Krispie Creme commercial of the most recent remake attempt. The only real drawback of “Once and Always” is that they weren’t able to coax some of the more recognizable names back for the reunion. There are ton of mitigating factors that went into that unfortunate fault, and it would been a 5 out of 5 no notes if we were able to see Jason David Frank suit up as the Green Ranger one last time. “Once and Always” does do a great job in paying tribute to Trini, something I don’t think the series or any film since her tragic passing has bothered to do. Fans of the series will have a great time with “Once and Always.”
3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Clock” – Hulu
A little hidden gem I discovered while trying to find something to watch on a plane, “Clock” is a solid psychological thriller that tackles big, complicated issues head on. It works best when it is focused on creating the simmering dread and literal horror manifestations of the pressures of not wanting children. Dianna Agron is mesmerizing in her unsettling performance, and it truly creates and uneasy tension that addresses women’s health, choices, pregnancy, and the very real mental health of it all. Where it falters is whenever it strays from these central themes, with a plethora of underdeveloped subplots and a wholly unnecessary ambiguous ending. It’s easy to boil “Clock” down to its most basic premise, but that would be a disservice to the overall commentary the film conveys and frankly needs to be discussed more openly. As someone who is in a relationship where we are both adamant about NOT having children, this one resonated with me on a very deep emotional level.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Chevalier” – In Theaters
“Chevalier” may not be able to overcome its run of the mill biopic framework, but it’s so electric and engaging that it doesn’t really have to. Stunning production design, stellar performances and riveting pacing makes this one a stand out even if it doesn’t change its spots. “Chevalier” is electric, adding a battle rap sensationalism to opera and classical music composition. You may have seen this period piece biopic before, but it is so well crafted and taut that it doesn’t matter. As a companion piece, I would highly recommend you also seek out “Lost Illusions,” another tale (though fictional) of an outsider rising in the ranks of a society he doesn’t belong in due to his excellence and the Icarus fall from grace that befalls him. I would also recommend “Cyrano,” which has a similar style of electric production and pacing. Also if you’re out there complaining about the lack of diversity, representation, and non superhero films, you’re gonna have to put your money where your mouth is and see “Chevalier“. You simply can’t complain about what you won’t support, and this one could use your boost to signal to those with wallets that we want more of this.
4 out of 5 Stars
“Ghosted” – Apple TV+
If “Rye Lane” makes the case for one of the best films of 2023, “Ghosted” makes a stronger case for being one of the absolute worst. A review on Letterboxd said, “this was written by Chatgpt and you can’t convince me otherwise” and I’ve never agreed more with such a quick review that captures the entirety of this atrocity. “Ghosted” is proof that beautiful people aren’t enough to make a movie watchable. It is truly dumbfounding how two people that ooze charm and charisma can be so bland and uninteresting. Chris Evans and Ana De Armas have 0 chemistry, leaving the terrible script exposed and laid bare. I feel bad for De Armas, who seems to be stuck in a place where everyone wants to use her in everything (and rightfully so) but no one outside of her 5 minute cameo in “No Time to Die” has figured out HOW to use her. The excessive needle drops and forced cameos only exacerbate “Ghosted’s” flaws instead of enhance it, and there’s just nothing worth seeing this one all the way through. It’s a complete slog, and I can’t believe the film is this bad given the talent involved both in front of and behind the camera.
1 out of 5 Stars
