10 new movies to see this week: 'Mack & Rita,' Netflix's 'Day Shift'

Just as the summer movie season is coming to a close, Diane Keaton pops in to make things more feel-good in the home stretch.

This weekend, Keaton, 76, channels her 30s again in a body-switching comedy, while Jamie Foxx hunts vampires in a Netflix action film and Owen Wilson plays a superhero dad in a Paramount+ family adventure. In addition, a Princess Diana documentary from Sundance Film Festival makes its HBO Max debut and comedy actress Aubrey Plaza talks a walk on the dark side for a crime thriller.

Here’s a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on-demand debuts:

‘He’s a great man’:Diane Keaton gushes over Justin Bieber after music video cameo

If your mom needs a new movie to watch: ‘Mack & Rita’

Keaton wades in waters navigated by “Big” and “13 Going on 30” with this comedy about 30-year-old struggling writer (and “old soul”) Mack (Elizabeth Lail), who has a chance meeting with a shady new-agey dude (Simon Rex) in Palm Springs and gets aged into her 70-year-old self (Keaton). It’s predictable yet heartwarming fluff, with a Hollywood icon clearly having fun tapping into her inner millennial.

Where to watch: In theaters

If you dig a vampire tale that stakes fresh ground: ‘Day Shift’

Foxx plays a SoCal dad and vampire hunter trying to sell enough fangs to pay for his daughter’s private school. He runs afoul of a powerful bloodsucker (Karla Souza) trying to take over the Valley while also training his milquetoast union rep (Dave Franco). The horror buddy comedy is better than you expect, with “John Wick”-style action, a fun reworking of the vampire mythos and easy chemistry between Foxx and Franco.

Where to watch: Netflix

‘You have to continuously be involved’:How Jamie Foxx turned a painful childhood into good parenting

If you’re all about Diana and the British royal family: ‘The Princess’

While there have been plenty of Diana projects the past couple of years. director Ed Perkins’ documentary hits differently – and is arguably the most historically essential. Using only archival media coverage and interviews rather than a parade of talking heads, the film examines the effect of the media and the public’s obsession on the popular princess’ marriage to Prince Charles, their implosion and her 1997 death.

Where to watch: HBO Max (premiering Saturday)

‘The Princess’:’ Immersive’ new Diana doc aims to ‘explore our complicity’ in her tragic life, death

If you’re an Owen Wilson completist: ‘Secret Headquarters’

The family-friendly comedy centers on a kid (Walker Scobell) who gets sick and tired of his father (Wilson) bailing on him until, during a birthday weekend, he discovers an underground high-tech “man cave” that points to his dad being the world’s greatest superhero. There are a few entertaining moments, but mostly the film cobbles a plot together borrowing from better movies including “Sky High” and “Home Alone.”

Where to watch: Paramount+

If your kids are into catchy songs and growing up: ’13: The Musical’

Based on the Broadway show that debuted Ariana Grande, the movie adaptation follows a young Jewish boy (Eli Golden) who moves from New York City to small-town Indiana when his parents (Debra Messing and Peter Hermann) divorce. Worries about having the best bar mitzvah ever combine with middle-school kid drama for an overly earnest narrative that’s just silly enough to pull off a song called “The Bloodmaster.”

Where to watch: Netflix

If you enjoy Aubrey Plaza’s darker side: ‘Emily the Criminal’

Emily (Plaza) is a college graduate looking for a career path and swimming in debt when she gets hooked into a credit-card scam for quick cash. It turns out she has a taste for it and, after finding a game partner (Theo Rossi), gets involved with shadier dealings and on the radar of some truly bad dudes. Plaza elevates the straightforward crime thriller, embodying a character you care about more the worse her decisions become.

Where to watch: In theaters

If you’re freaked out by heights: ‘Fall’

A year after the death of her husband, a climbing enthusiast (Grace Caroline Currey) gets talked into scaling a 2,000-foot-tall radio tower in the desert by her influencer best friend (Virginia Gardner). They wind up getting stuck, with more to worry about than no service on their phones. Even though it’s too long for such a threadbare plot, the survival thriller offers up some real white-knuckle terror and even a satisfying twist.

Where to watch: In theaters

If you’re dreading going back to school: ‘Summering’

Directed by James Ponsoldt (“The Spectacular Now”), the coming-of-age film is akin to a girl-powered “Stand By Me”: The last weekend before middle school starts, four best friends find a dead body in the woods and go on an adventure to find out who he is, hitting up the local bar and even having a seance. The heart and message are there although the episodic plot and character relationships miss their marks.

Where to watch: In theaters

Also on streaming
Baz Luhrmann’s musical drama “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Tom Hanks as his notorious manager Colonel Tom Parker, is now available on Apple TV and on-demand platforms.
The animated comedy “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” the latest in the “Despicable Me” franchise featuring Steve Carell as adorable supervillain Gru, is streaming on demand.

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