What to watch May 24, 2024: Movie awards contenders

As if “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” isn’t enough of a caffeine boost, this week’s digital debuts include no fewer than four heart-pounding thrill rides. First up, a movie-star vehicle that doubles as an ode to stunt work. 

The contender to watch this week: “The Fall Guy“

David Leitch‘s action comedy adapted from the ’80s TV show of the same name had all the makings of an early summer blockbuster: adrenaline-pumping stunts, charismatic lead turns from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, and generally favorable reviews. So why is Universal dropping it on VOD just 17 days after the release? Probably because “The Fall Guy” is perceived to be something of a flop. That line of thinking isn’t totally fair considering the movie has made $128.3 million and counting worldwide. Still, the studio expected more, especially because “The Fall Guy” seems like it will just barely recoup its budget in theaters. It could very well catch a second wind on digital platforms, teeing up attention for its wham-bam technical craftsmanship come awards season. 

Other contenders:

• “Civil War“: You know what wasn’t a flop? Alex Garland‘s latest. Polarizing, sure, but definitely not a flop. “Civil War” is A24’s second-highest-grossing movie to date, behind only “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Garland, a previous Oscar nominee for “Ex Machina,” devised a gripping portrait of a near-future United States ravaged by domestic conflict, with a great cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Cailee Spaeny, and a terrifying Jesse Plemons. The movie is available on VOD.
• “The Blue Angels”: Amazon MGM Studios’ documentary about Navy flight squadrons soared onto a few hundred IMAX screens last weekend, grossing $1.3 million domestically. Now it’s landing on Prime Video.
• “Dune: Part Two“: After a VOD release and $712 million in worldwide theatrical grosses, Denis Villeneuve‘s latest Arrakis epic has wormed its way onto Max. 
• “Queen of the Deuce”: Chelly Wilson was a Times Square renegade, opening a porn theater there during Manhattan’s most lawless era. From the ’60s to the ’80s, Wilson presided over what became a small empire. Her life, including her escape from the Holocaust, is the basis of director Valerie Kontakos‘s new documentary, which is opening in select theaters and premiering on VOD. 

PREDICT the 2024 Emmy nominees through July 17

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