The moviegoing post-Labor Day blues should be behind us this weekend after none of the new releases in the last frame compelled many audiences to head to the movies. This weekend, there is at least one wide release, Practical Magic 2, that should cast a witchy spell on the target demo and get them out for margaritas and a damn good time. Outside of the Owen sisters sequel, the older male audience may find interest in Andrew Garfield and The Uprising or seeing Reacher and Owen Wilson exchange barbs in their action comedy. As for home viewing, a few films hit digital this weekend that didn’t exactly light up the box office, but maybe they’ll find new life in your living rooms.
What’s Opening In Theaters?
Nearly 30 years after the original film hit theaters, Practical Magic 2 is rewarding the fanbase that helped turn the film into a cult favorite in the years since its theatrical release. Directed by Susanne Bier and written by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel, Practical Magic 2 is based on the 2021 novel The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman, and it follows the Owens family as they travel to the United Kingdom in hopes of breaking the curse that has long affected their bloodline following a personal family tragedy, but the journey may unveil new dark secrets for the family to face. The film stars Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña.
The first Practical Magic, released in 1998, wasn’t a huge smash when it was released. Despite opening at number one, the film grossed a little over $46 million domestically and $94.4 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. Reviews also weren’t kind, with the film currently sitting at 29 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics complained about abrupt tonal shifts throughout the film. The movie was marketed as a fun romantic comedy, and the reality is the film is more than that. It bounces from light fun to witchy fantasy and suddenly to a domestic abuse drama and then a crime procedural. People didn’t seem to get it back in 1998, but thanks to home video and subsequent airings on cable and basic cable, Practical Magic amassed a considerable cult following and has only grown in popularity over the years. A new generation has discovered it, and those who didn’t give it a shot in 1998 are watching it along with them. Practical Magic has become an annual fall/Halloween favorite, much like Hocus Pocus, and it performs well on streaming during this period. Reviews are slightly better for the sequel at 36 percent, but this one is going to be review-proof for the target demo. So, let’s just say, put the lime in coconut and simply enjoy a good time reuniting with the Owens sisters and their witchy family.
The ladies are leading this frame, but the older male demo has something that may please them with The Uprising, an action period drama written and directed by Paul Greengrass. In the film, which dramatises the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt in England, Ploughman (Andrew Garfield) leads a rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II (Woody Norman) in a battle for justice. The true story is said to have inspired the legend of Robin Hood. The movie also stars Jonny Lee Miller, Thomasin McKenzie, and Katherine Waterston.
The big news this film made ahead of its release was adding The Rise of Robin Hood to its title in the marketing and then suddenly removing it. Perhaps Focus Features realized Robin Hood isn’t exactly a surefire box-office draw (see The Death of Robin Hood from over the summer). Whether they thought adding it would make it more appealing or not, it still came off as a little confusing, especially since it wasn’t really necessary. This is a film that the demo will check out should they want to, and not much more can be done to really make it break out beyond stellar reviews. Speaking of that, reviews are mixed at the moment at 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and the audience score isn’t all that stellar at 66 percent, but it’s not a nightmare either. Garfield is getting top-notch notices in the good reviews for the film, along with the film’s gritty and kinetic energy, but some critics were turned off by what feels like a heavy political theme within the narrative. Sometimes period dramas hit, and sometimes they don’t, and it looks like this one might fall squarely in the middle.
Should men not want to check out a period drama this weekend, they might find something to enjoy in the action comedy Runner, not to be confused with the recently released Prime Video film The Runner, starring Gal Gadot. Directed by Scott Waugh and written by Miles Hubley and Tommy White, Runner follows a delivery man who is tasked with bringing a new healthy liver to a sick girl, but it’s no easy mission. He’s forced to bring along the man who brought the liver while also avoiding attacks from ruthless mercenaries who want the liver for their own personal gain. The film stars Alan Ritchson, Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George, Adriana Barraza, Sullivan Stapleton, Peta Sergeant, and Geraldine Hakewill.
Angel Studios, which is distributing Runner, has had luck with faith-based films such as Sound of Freedom, which went on to gross more than $250 million worldwide, and they even carried Young Washington this summer to $47 million on a $20 million budget. That being said, it doesn’t seem like they’re releasing Runner to much fanfare, as marketing has been especially muted. Perhaps they’re hoping that Ritchson’s name, which honestly is beginning to carry some weight thanks to Reacher, will be enough to draw in moviegoers, but one can’t help but feel this one is being dumped a bit this weekend. Reviews are decent at 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the offbeat chemistry between Ritchson and Wilson that is said to be a throwback to buddy action comedies of the past. Not likely to make a big splash this weekend but seems worth it to check out for quick laugh and some check your brain at the door entertainment.
Neon unveiled the sci-fi alien invasion movie Hope on Wednesday, and it could pull in a niche crowd over the weekend after grossing $1.1 million in previews from 1,506 theaters. Written and directed by Na Hong-jin, Hope follows a village police chief and his rookie deputy who has to defend his local community from an otherworldly creature after wildfires destroy all communications while a local hunting party finds themselves becoming the prey deep in the mountains. The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender.
Hope made its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or. The film garnered considerable attention, especially since Hong-jin’s 2016 film, The Wailing, made such a splash. Reviews for Hope were solid out of the festival, and they have remained stellar, currently certified fresh at 81 percent with a 77 percent audience score. Hope is already a hit in its home country of South Korea, where it has already grossed $36 million and topped the box office for two weeks. This one will be an interesting one to watch this weekend, as interest is there, even though it might seem a bit more niche. Viewers should be warned that the runtime on Hope is 2 hours and 40 minutes so prep your bladders ahead of seeing it should you choose to.
Also of interest is Disney’s documentary, Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, directed by Will Lovelace and Dylan Southen and written by Steven Knight. The documentary follows the 2025 reunion tour of the English rock band Oasis and features rehearsal, backstage, and onstage footage, alongside the first joint interview of Liam and Noel Gallagher following more than 15 years of estrangement.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger premiered out of competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival last week, where it garnered universal praise, currently sitting at 95 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 42 reviews counted and an even better 98 percent audience score. It seems like fans of Oasis will really enjoy checking this out, so don’t miss this one in theaters, especially to see the brothers in their first joint interview after years of being at odds.
What To Watch At Home
Home viewing brings a trio of films that didn’t quite hit over the summer, but maybe they’ll resonate from the comfort of your home. Disney’s live-action Moana gets a second chance at life; a rom-com that meets The Purge hopes to become a cult favorite; and Jason Statham’s latest comes home. In addition, an Australian thriller miniseries is gaining some traction as one you should check out.
Families and kids who weren’t fooled by Disney shooting for an easy buck over the summer might check out the live-action remake of Moana on digital, arriving just ten years after the animated film became a fan favorite with kids and adults alike. Directed by Thomas Kail in his feature directorial debut and from a screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana is a live-action adaptation of the 2016 animated film of the same name and follows the titular character (portrayed by Catherine Laga’aia) as she springs into action when a darkness begins to threaten her home island of Motunui. As she sets sail past the reef to find the legendary demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson reprising his vocal role from the animated film), they will find themselves on an epic journey to find the stolen heart of the goddess Te Fiti to save her people.
Live-action Disney remakes have mostly been financial winners, and that’s even when the critical responses have been mixed. Most of them have been windfalls like The Lion King or last summer’s Lilo & Stitch, but occasionally you get a Dumbo or a Snow White. Moana fell into the latter category for Disney, grossing $319.9 million worldwide on a massive $250 million budget. Reviews were lackluster (32 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but what gives this one a chance to shine at home is its 88 percent audience score. Those who saw it seemed to enjoy it, so there’s hope that the live-action Moana may enchant viewers at home.
Also hitting digital is the R-rated rom-com One Night Only, directed by Will Gluck and based on a screenplay by Travis Braun. In the film, three years ago, the government passed a mandate that sex should be exclusively between married couples, with the lone exception of one night a year when premarital sex is legal; however, protection must be used. What happens when Allie (Monica Barbaro), a commercial singer tired of being ghosted after sex, happens upon Owen (Callum Turner), a pizza shop owner in a committed relationship whose significant other thinks they should have sex with other people? Likely the appropriate romantic comedy sparks. The film also stars Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, King Princess, and Molly Ringwald.
One Night Only gained traction when it was announced because the premise made it seem like it would be a romantic comedy with a bit of a raunchy edge, but early reviews seem to suggest it’s a rom-com with an identity crisis. Some believe the film plays it too safe with the subject matter, while others say there is enough salacious material to make the film stand out. That could explain why critics are split on this one at 43 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. What is agreed on is that Barbaro and Turner are very charming leads, and they make much of One Night Only worthwhile based on that alone. One Night Only grossed $23.2 million worldwide on a $25 million budget, so it came and went quickly over the summer, but this one has cult favorite potential, and it’s possible its audience will be found at home.
Jason Statham comes home with the action thriller Mutiny, directed by Jean-Francois Richet and written by Lindsay Michael and J.P. Davis. In the film, former Royal Marine/Metropolitan Police officer Cole Reed (Statham), now working as a bodyguard, is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and, in true Statham fashion, must find the people responsible while aboard a container ship. The film also stars Annabelle Wallis and Adrian Lester.
Say what you want about Statham, but his if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach to his career has paid off nicely for the actor. You know what you’re getting from a Statham vehicle: check-your-brain-at-the-door entertainment that typically satisfies. In all actuality, he’s one of the industry’s most bankable stars, with his films having pulled in $8.5 billion worldwide, so his popularity should not be underestimated. His last film, Shelter, which was released at the top of the year, grossed $53.9 million worldwide, while 2025’s A Working Man tallied $89 million globally on a $40 million budget. Mutiny didn’t quite hit those heights ($27 million worldwide on a $40 million budget), but some blamed that on the film leaking online early during its opening weekend. Whatever the case, Statham is the man, and much like he tracks down his bad-guy targets in his films, he will find that audience for his latest.
On the television side, the Australian thriller miniseries Last Seen is generating buzz as a must-watch on Apple TV. Created by Kris Mrska, Last Seen is based on the book The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn, and it follows Ian Ridley (Patrick Brammall), a former police officer and alcoholic, now working as an emergency dispatcher, who receives a call about a body found near his home. The mystery deepens when he believes that the body might be his daughter, who went missing 11 years previously. The series also stars Brendan Cowell, Maxine Peake, Daniel Henshall, and Zahra Newman.
The first two episodes of Last Seen premiered on Sept. 9 on Apple TV, and social media is already buzzing. Reviews for the miniseries are also solid, currently sitting at 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it a very bold mystery that takes a familiar premise and turns it on its head. If you have room for another series and a possible new addiction, Last Seen could be the one for you. It’s only six episodes, and the next 4 will be dropped weekly on the platform!
Check back next week when we fill you in on What To Watch!
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