Arts & Entertainment

What To Watch This Labor Day Weekend: 'The Roses,' 'Caught Stealing,' 'Relay' And 'KPop Demon Hunters'

Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Austin Butler, Riz Ahmed and Lily James light up this weekend's watchlist.

"The Roses"; "Caught Stealing"; "Kpop Demon Hunters"; "Relay"
"The Roses"; "Caught Stealing"; "Kpop Demon Hunters"; "Relay" (Searchlight Pictures; Columbia Pictures; Netflix; Bleecker Street)

HOLLYWOOD, CA — From fractured marriages to shadowy corporations, this weekend’s watchlist delivers a bombastic blend of chaos, cover-ups and K-pop showdowns.

First up, “The Roses” turns domestic bliss into a battleground. Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch trade witty repartee for full-blown psychological warfare in Jay Roach’s savage remake of “The War of the Roses.” Like its namesake, it’s beautiful to behold but bristling with thorns — elegant, clever and laced with venom.

Next, “Caught Stealing” is Darren Aronofsky’s bruising love letter to 1990s New York. Austin Butler stars as a former athlete dragged into the city’s underworld by accident. It’s gritty, stylishly unhinged and pulsing with noir energy.

Find out what's happening in Hollywoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

“Relay,” directed by David Mackenzie, slows the pulse but tightens the grip. Riz Ahmed is a master of anonymity in this paranoid thriller about whistleblowers, burner phones and corporate rot. Hypnotic in its execution, it lingers like a whispered secret.

Finally, “Kpop Demon Hunters” pulses with musical beats and kaleidoscopic energy. This animated fantasy follows HUNTR/X, a chart-topping girl group moonlighting as demon slayers. With dazzling visuals, infectious bangers and a mythology-rich storyline, it’s a genre mashup that’ll have the whole family singing, dancing and cheering for more.

Find out what's happening in Hollywoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Ready to dive in? Scroll down for the full lineup — and step into the shimmering world of storytelling, where every frame is an escape.


Related:

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman in "The Roses." (Photo by Jaap Buitendijk/Searchlight Pictures)

Venomous yet beautiful to behold and emotionally barbed, Jay Roach’s reimagining of Warren Adler’s 1989 tale of marital meltdown trades operatic chaos for couture cruelty. Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch go scorched-earth with bitter flair as married couple Ivy and Theo, while Tony McNamara’s script serves up verbal daggers in every scene.

What begins in a therapist’s office with jagged repartee — “I’d rather live with her than a wolf” — spirals into a domestic war zone where crab cakes and architecture become weapons of choice in an all-out assault.

Set in a coastal Mendocino mansion that gleams like a showroom and festers like a wound, the film weaponizes wealth and taste. Roach directs with icy precision, letting McNamara’s dialogue do the damage. It’s a breakup ballet — stylish, acidic and just restrained enough to keep the blood from spilling over.

“The Roses” doesn’t scream; it seethes. And in the hands of Colman and Cumberbatch, every glance is a threat, every silence a simmering shrill.


“Caught Stealing”

Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz; directed by Darren Aronofsky

Zoë Kravitz and Austin Butler in "Caught Stealing." (Columbia Pictures)

Darren Aronofsky's “Caught Stealing” is a gritty, fast-paced and visually charged genre piece that entertains with flair, even if it doesn’t fully land its emotional punches. The director trades his signature psychological depth for a kinetic, punk-tinged crime caper set in the chaotic underbelly of 1990s New York. Blending neo-noir, screwball comedy and bruised character study, the film leans closer to the irreverent ensemble mayhem of Guy Ritchie’s “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” than the bleak introspection of Aronofsky's “Requiem for a Dream.”

Austin Butler leads with vulnerable charm as Hank Thompson, a washed-up baseball prospect turned bartender whose life spirals after a cat-sitting favor for a neighbor turns criminal. What follows is a wild descent into mob wars, mohawks, gangsters and a feline with serious attitude.

The ensemble cast adds flair, though some roles — particularly Zoë Kravitz’s — feel underwritten. Aronofsky directs with swagger and comic brutality, letting the chaos unfold with bursts of dark humor and indulgent style. Tonal shifts between absurdity and emotional stakes can be uneven, but the film’s messy energy is part of its appeal.

Think “After Hours” meets “Snatch,” with a dash of “Trainspotting” grime. “Caught Stealing” is not Aronofsky’s deepest cut, but it is easily his most playful.


“Relay”

Riz Ahmed, Lily James; directed by David Mackenzie

Riz Ahmed in a scene from "Relay." (Bleecker Street)

Relay” is a hypnotic, cerebral thriller that trades spectacle for silence and action for emotional restraint. David Mackenzie’s slow-burning drama draws its power not from noise but from stillness — where true convictions are shaped in quiet, and intimacy demands the price of anonymity. Think “The Conversation” meets “Michael Clayton,” with a heartbeat that skips for intimacy over action.

Mackenzie, best known for “Hell or High Water,” dials down the machismo and leans into moral complexity. Riz Ahmed plays Ash, a covert broker for whistleblowers who operates through a relay service originally designed for the hearing impaired — a clever conceit that turns communication into concealment. When biotech researcher Sarah (James) steals damning evidence and seeks protection, Ash’s emotional detachment begins to unravel.

The film unfolds in whispers and shadows, its tension pulsing beneath Giles Nuttgens’ moody cinematography and Tony Doogan’s ambient score. Though its final act may feel brisk and its emotional arc slightly underdeveloped, the film lingers with haunting resonance, propelled by Riz Ahmed’s magnetic stillness and Lily James’ piercing vulnerability.

Check out Patch's full review of “Relay.”


“KPop Demon Hunters”

Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo; directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans

Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji-young Yoo in "KPop Demon Hunters" (Netflix)

“KPop Demon Hunters” has exploded into a global sensation, becoming Netflix’s most-watched movie ever with over 236 million views in just 67 days. This animated musical fantasy blends supernatural thrills with K-pop flair, captivating tweens and families alike. Its fictional girl group HUNTR/X has crossed into real-world stardom, landing multiple Billboard hits and sparking viral dance crazes. With a PG rating and themes of identity, fame, and empowerment, the film’s sing-along screenings and infectious soundtrack have cemented its status as a cultural juggernaut.

A kinetic fusion of fantasy and pop spectacle, “KPop Demon Hunters” delivers dazzling animation and a genre-bending premise that’s both playful and bold. Centered on a K-pop girl group moonlighting as demon slayers, the film balances magical action with heartfelt character arcs and sharp satire of celebrity culture.

While the story leans into familiar beats of self-discovery and teamwork, its execution feels fresh thanks to vivid visuals and music that hits every emotional note. Younger viewers will revel in the color and chaos, while older fans may find surprising depth beneath the glitter. It’s not just entertainment — it’s a genre remix with serious staying power.

With all its kaleidoscopic energy and pop-powered spectacle, don’t be shocked if you’re humming and sashaying your way through the credits.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.