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The Conuring: Last Rites (2025)
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)
The Conjuring: Last Rites
(In Theaters Sept. 5)
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in this film based on the Smurls’ Pennsylvania haunting in 1986. Published in 1988, The Warrens co-authored The Haunted, along with Janet and Jack Smurl and Robert Curran. The book documents the Smurl’s experience after moving into a home with their children, where they are assailed by an evil spirit that seems intent upon breaking the family apart. They hear disembodied voices, see hovering shadowy figures, suffer exploding appliances and even sexual assaults.
Faithful Catholics, when the Smurls are unable to obtain verification of the evil presence by the Church, they call in the Warrens who inform the family there is a demon in their midst. This fourth chapter of the “Conjuring” film franchise, follows in the footsteps of its modestly budgeted, high-profit predecessors, all based upon the Warrens’ cases. Co-writer/producer James Wan, claims this will be the final film, but I suspect Wan’s claim will further increase ticket sales, and this statement will come back to haunt him. (Lisa Miller)
Lost in Space
(Arrow Video Ultra HD Blu-ray)
Before “Star Trek,” “Lost in Space” (1965-68) was a weekly network prime time show that took viewers into new worlds—but in a state of mishap. They never found their destination. Not sure if “Lost in Space” ranks as a “cult classic,” but it’s certainly nostalgic for kids who grew up in the ‘60s.
In the ‘90s, many popular TV shows from two decades earlier became fodder for big-budget movies. One of them, the film version of Lost in Space (1998), was cleverly updated. The year is 2058, ecological disaster looms, the nearest visible inhabitable world circles Alpha Centauri and the world is beset by well-armed terrorists (the opening scene features a Star Wars-style dogfight above the Earth’s atmosphere).
This time the family sent into space aboard the Jupiter 2 includes Professor John Robinson (William Hurt), his professor wife Maureen (Mimi Rogers), their young cyber genius Will (Jack Johnson) and their disgruntled goth daughter Penny (Lucy Chabert). The standout character, the villain, Dr. Smith, is portrayed by Gary Oldman. Most film critics slammed Lost in Space upon release (I was not one of them!) and the film went on to become a modest box office success. (David Luhrssen)
The Threesome
(In Theaters Sept. 5)
This imaginative screenplay wonders what might happen if a threesome resulted in both women becoming impregnated? Here, the threesome only occurs because Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), is crazy for Olivia (Zoey Deutch), a commitment-phobic waitress who has long put off his advances. One night, Olivia sees Connor talking to a customer named Jenny (Ruby Cruz), and she’s jealous, reckless and curious enough to instigate a threesome with the pair. When both women subsequently discover their pregnancies and each decides she wants to keep her baby, Connor continues to want only Olivia. However, he’s upstanding, also giving Jenny financial and emotional support. This infuriates Olivia, who wants to be Connor’s one and only focus. It would be fair for Connor to gravitate toward the more rational Jenny, but Olivia is captivating and engaging, along with being more difficult. With his characters needing to grow up fast, director Chad Hartigan delivers an R-rated drama that is also comical and topical. (Lisa Miller)
