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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In December (2022)
According to: Selina
20 – Rolling Into
Christmas (12/1) Production/Distribution:
Swirl Films, BET+ Director: Trey
Haley Writer: Gregory
Anderson Actors: Rhyon
Nicole Brown, Donny Carrington, Jazmine Robinson, Sean Poolman, Danielle E.
Hawkins, Laila Pruitt, Tyler Richardson, Kerri J. Baldwin, Gary Dourdan, Al
Mitchell Genre: Romance Rated: Unrated Length: Unknown
Length IMDb Blurb: Two Childhood sweethearts who shared a passion for
roller skating are reunited 15 years later during the holidays, forcing them to
question their love and life choices. The worst thing about sitting through all the Christmas
movies coming out in December is that the trailers don’t leave me with any
curiosity. Whether the film looks good or bad is usually a moot point, because
the trailer tells us the whole story from beginning to end. Why bother
watching? There’s no surprise. In these movies there’s always a love triangle and one love
interest is always painted as the asshole and the other one is painted as the
right choice. How could you possibly not know exactly who is going to be chosen
going into that flick? You can’t. In the case of Rolling into Christmas, there’s a lot
of those Christmas tropes that you expect to see, but it’s marketed a million
times better than any of the others. I have no idea who the main character is
going to choose at the end, because both love interests are painted as decent
dudes. That gives me more cause to see the actual film. I realize this kind of portrays the bar I have for this kind
of Christmas movie as very low. Mainly because it is. That said, I do actually
see potential here. 19 – Puss in
Boots: The Last Wish (12/21) Production/Distribution:
DreamWorks Animation, Pacific Data Images (PDI), Universal Pictures Director: Joel
Crawford, Januel Mercado Writer: Paul
Fisher Actors: Antonio Banderas,
Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, John Mulaney, Wagner Moura, Ray
Winstone, Samson Kayo, Olivia Colman, Da’Vine Joy Rudolph, Anthony Mendez Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure
has taken its toll: he has burned through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets
out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine
lives. I’m not the biggest fan of the Puss in Boots (2011) series,
even though I do enjoy most of the Shrek (2001) films. That said, Puss
in Boots: The Last Wish does look kind of cute. In a series where the protagonist
is never really in danger, it’s interesting to see what happens when he does
have to face real mortality – or as real as it gets in a kids film. I still feel like it’s going to be the kind of flick adults
just kind of have to tolerate while their kids watch, instead of enjoying it along
side them. 18 – Broker
(12/26 limited) Production/Distribution:
Zip Cinema, Neon Director: Hirokazu
Koreeda Writer: Hirokazu
Koreeda Actors: Song
Kang-ho, Dong-won Gang, Bae Doona, Ji-eun Lee, Lee Joo-young Genre: Drama Rated: R Length: 2h 9min IMDb Blurb: Boxes that are left out for people to anonymously
drop off their unwanted babies. I don’t have a lot of insight into what Broker is about.
Cat thought it might delve into human trafficking, but I think it’s going to go
into adoption and charging people for it. It is, technically, people buying
people – which I believe is what’s referenced in the trailer. Add onto that the
heartbreaking reality of a woman having to give up their child, and this story
is going to be anything but light-hearted. There’s no doubt in my mind that whatever is at the depths
of Broker, it’s going to be a difficult watch. Anyone who takes it on is
going to need several boxes of tissues on hand. I still think it will be worth it. 17 – Joyride
(12/23 limited/internet) Production/Distribution:
Embankment Films, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, Ingenious Media, Subotica, Sony
Pictures Entertainment, Magnolia Pictures Director: Emer
Reynolds Writer: Ailbhe
Keogan Actors: Olivia
Colman, Charlie Reed, Lochlann O'Mearáin, Elaine Kennedy, Seamus Kennedy, Olwen
Fouéré, Sean Crowe, Sam Crowe, Sé O'Neill Hasik, Aislín McGuckin Genre: Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 34min IMDb Blurb: A headstrong solicitor's plan to offload her new
born baby to her sister, is derailed when a vulnerable but opinionated teenager
steals their taxi. I am so amusingly confused about what is happening in the
trailer for Joyride. The film seems to be about a young teen
accidentally kidnapping a mom and her child, who kidnaps him in return, to not
delay giving up her child to her sister. That is just… a mouthful. There is no telling what road Joyride will take.
Anyone on screen is eligible for arrest at any time, the woman could adopt the teen,
the teen could bring the woman’s kid home… I really have no idea what to expect
and I LOVE it. Plus, it is starring the overworked and stunning Olivia
Colman (The Lost Daughter, Heartstopper, Ron’s Gone Wrong), who’s in the
majority of films coming out in December. I’m glad she’s good at what she does,
or it’d be a bit of a boring month. 16 – Mindcage
(12/16 limited) Production/Distribution:
Boomtown Media Partners, BondIt Media Capital, Buffalo 8 Productions, Daniel
Grodnik Productions, Lionsgate Director: Mauro
Borrelli Writer: Reggie
Keyohara III Actors: John
Malkovich, Martin Lawrence, Melissa Roxburgh, Jacob Grodnik, Aiden Turner,
Chris Mullinax, Ritchie Montgomery, Jeremy Turner Genre: Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 36min IMDb Blurb: When a copycat strikes, two detectives ask a top
serial killer for help. I’m not a fan of the true crime stuff going around these
days. However, I do love shows like Criminal Minds (2005 -). Mindcage
looks like it could be a long episode of something like that with the added bonus
of having John Malkovich (Shattered, The Survivalist, White Elephant) in
an antagonist role. Is there a better part for Malkovich to play? On the other side, the part Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys for
Life, Death at a Funeral, The Beach Bum) plays is a touch out of his
wheelhouse and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with it. 15 – Your
Christmas or Mine? (12/2) Production/Distribution:
Banijay Entertainment, Shiny Button Productions, Amazon Prime Video Director: Jim
O'Hanlon Writer: Tom Parry Actors: Asa
Butterfield, Daniel Mays, Lucien Laviscount, Cora Kirk, Angela Griffin, Natalie
Gumede, David Bradley, Ram John Holder, Harriet Walker, June Watson Genre: Comedy Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 35 IMDb Blurb: It's Christmas Eve-Eve. After waving goodbye in
Marlyebone Station, new lovers Hayley and James can't bear to be apart for
Christmas, so both decide to surprise each other and unwittingly swap trains by
mistake. The snow begins to fall and with it they realise they are trapped with
each other's family for the whole of Christmas. Will their love survive as
their secrets get unwrapped? Pretty much every sitcom, and kids show, has the story line
where people switch places. They’re not usually my favorite episodes, but this
film makes it seem a lot more interesting. There’s not just that ‘seeing life
through the eyes of someone different’ aspect, but something about human
connection and the complexities of a relationship between two people with drastically
different backgrounds. People like to think background doesn’t matter when choosing
a mate, but it does. My husband came from a very different world than I did and
it has led to conflict. It can feel impossible to see someone else’s
perspective when it includes situations that you’ve never experienced. Your Christmas or Mine seems to delve into that while
still offering a humorous, holiday feel. 14 – Christmas
Bloody Christmas (12/9 limited/internet) Production/Distribution:
Channel 83 Films, RLJE Films, Shudder Director: Joe
Begos Writer: Joe Begos Actors: Riley
Dandy, Sam Delich, Jonah Ray, Dora Madison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Abraham
Benrubi Genre: Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 21min IMDb Blurb: It's Christmas Eve and Tori just wants to get drunk
and party, but when a robotic Santa Clause at a nearby toy store goes haywire
and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she's forced into a
battle for survival. Christmas horror movies just do it for me. I love that little
twist that almost seems to extend Halloween into the end-of-year holidays. They’re
just a whole lot of campy-good fun. Where Christmas Bloody Christmas is concerned, it
comes in the form of a murderous robot Santa Claus. What’s not to love? I don’t expect this to be a serious horror film, of course.
There’s going to be a lot of laughs. And what is more Christmas than gathering
together as a family and enjoying something? Of course, I mean the adults in
the family. I imagine kids should be in bed before this goes on. 13 – Darby and
the Dead (12/2) Production/Distribution:
Footprint Features, 20th Century Studios, Disney+, Hulu Director: Silas
Howard Writer: Becca
Greene, Wenonah Wilms Actors: Riele
Downs, Auli’I Cravalho, Chosen Jacobs, Asher Angel, Wayne Knight, Derek Luke,
Tony Danza, Nicole Maines, Kylie Liya Page, Genneya Walton, Dean Goldblum, Kim
Syster Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Fantasy Rated: PG-13 Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: Followed by Darby Harper, who is granted the
ability to see ghosts after suffering a near death experience in her childhood.
Then, she runs a side business counseling local spirits in her spare time. The trailer for Darby and the Dead wasn’t out yet
when we hosted our monthly stream. Just before writing this article, it finally
arrived. I had to restructure the whole thing just to get it on here. I regret nothing. What has the building blocks of a typical teen movie is
elevated by not only the supernatural story, but by a self-aware nature that caricaturizes
the tropes. There is not a single thing in that sentence to dislike. My cynical
little heart is absolutely in love with the trailer. I have almost no knowledge of anyone in this film, except
for Auli’I Cravalho (Ralph Breaks the Internet, Elena of Avalor, All Together
Now). You may not know her by face, but her voice is unmistakable. Her full-length
feature film debut was in Moana (2016) as the titular character. I’ve
also seen her in Crush (2022), where she absolutely rocked her part. The
fact that she’s not the lead in Darby and the Dead speaks volumes for
Riele Downs (Henry Danger, The Adventures of Kid Danger, Tiny Christmas).
She must be incredible. I have high hopes for Darby and the Dead. 12 – The Eternal
Daughter (12/2 limited) Production/Distribution:
Element Pictures, A24, BBC Films, JWH Films, Sikelia Productions Director: Joanna
Hogg Writer: Joanna
Hogg Actors: Tilda Swinton,
Carley-Sophia Davies, Zinnia Davies-Cooke, August Joshi, Louis, Joseph Mydell,
Alfie Sankey-Green Genre: Drama,
Mystery Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 36min IMDb Blurb: In this ghost story from acclaimed filmmaker Joanna
Hogg, a middle-aged daughter and her elderly mother must confront long-buried
secrets when they return to their former family home, a once-grand manor that
has become a nearly vacant hotel brimming with mystery. Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin, Snowpiercer,
Suspiria) playing both mother and daughter was the first thing about The
Eternal Daughter that grabbed my attention. Swinton is an incredible actor
and the kind of chameleon that could absolutely pull something like this off. After convincing myself that my eyes were not playing tricks
on me, I went back and watched the trailer again. It seems like a solid ghost story with a heart grounded in
mystery. I love this kind of thing, especially when the suspense is played up
to the max. I want to be on the edge of my seat, terrified by more than just the
cat knocking over a garbage can. (If you love horror films, you know what I
mean.) It feels like there’s substance in The Eternal Daughter
and I cannot wait to get to the bottom of it. 11 – Spoiler
Alert (12/2 limited, wide 12/9) Production/Distribution:
Semi-Formal Productions, That's Wonderful Productions, Focus Features Director: Michael
Showalter Writer: David
Marshall Grant, Dan Savage, Michael Ausiello Actors: Jim
Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Josh Pais, Allegra Heart, Jeffery Self, Sally Field, Tara
Summers, Nikki M. James, Sadie Scott Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 52min IMDb Blurb: The story of Michael Ausiello and Kit Cowan's
relationship that takes a tragic turn when Cowan is diagnosed with terminal
cancer. Christmas romance movies are usually so typical that I watch
through the trailers with a permanent eye roll. Even the previous ones on this
list are plagued by over-used tropes, even if they do look good otherwise. With Spoiler Alert we don’t even get the basic trope
of only seeing a single part of the story. We get to see the lives of the main
characters play out from when they fall in love to when they face a huge trial.
As a Christmas movie, I’d expect the ending to be happy, but as a drama I’d
expect to need a ton of tissues. As a result, I don’t even know which path this
flick is going to take. Whichever way the story goes, it’s going to be a heartfelt
and beautiful tale that feels much less overdone than other Christmas films.
10 – Troll (12/1) Production/Distribution:
Motion Blur Films, Netflix Director: Roar
Uthaug Writer: Espen
Aukan, Roar Uthaug Actors: Ine Marie
Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Gard B. Eidsvold, Anneke von der
Lippe, Fridtjov Såheim, Dennis Storhøi, Karoline Viktoria Sletteng Garvang, Yusuf
Toosh Ibra, Bjarne Hjelde Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: Deep in the Dovre mountain, something gigantic
wakes up after a thousand years in captivity. The creature destroys everything
in its path and quickly approaches Oslo. When I first heard about this story, I thought it would be
like most of the other large-creature films that have been put out by big
companies lately (Jurassic series not included). You know it well. The
gentle, misunderstood giant protected by the innocence of a child. The trailer shows something very different, and I’m actually
really looking forward to it. I love this kind of creature feature. Especially when they
have the financial backing to afford to take themselves seriously. I want to
know everything about this troll and what becomes of him. 9 – Babylon
(12/23) Production/Distribution:
Paramount Pictures, C2 Motion Picture Group, Marc Platt Productions, Material
Pictures Director: Damien
Chazelle Writer: Damien Chazelle Actors: Margot
Robbie, Olivia Wilde, Brad Pitt, Samara Weaving, Tobey Maguire, Eric Roberts,
Max Minghella, Katherine Waterston, Jean Smart, Phoebe Tonkin, Lukas Haas,
Spike Jonze, Flea, Sarah Ramos Genre: Comedy,
Drama, History Rated: Unrated Length: 3h 8min IMDb Blurb: A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess,
it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled
decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. Babylon is set during the golden age of Hollywood and
gives a look at the lives of actors just as the profession was starting to
really get that prestigiousness attached to it. On one hand, it’s fascinating
to see, on the other it’s going to be a wild romp. I imagine it’s only loosely
based on the kind of stuff that actually went down, but I’m willing to bet
there’s some truth in it. It feels like Babylon will be a hilarious watch,
though I’ll admit that I’m not entirely sure where it’s going. I’m looking
forward to finding out. 8 – A Man Called
Otto (12/25 limited, wide in January) Production/Distribution:
2DUX², Playtone, SF Productions, SF Studios, STX Entertainment, Sony Pictures
Entertainment (SPE), Columbia Pictures Director: Marc
Forster Writer: David
Magee, Fredrik Backman, Hannes Holm Actors: Tom
Hanks, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Kailey Hyman, Mike Birbiglia,
Cameron Britton, Lavel Schley Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: Unkown IMDb Blurb: A grumpy widower whose only joy comes from
criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors meets his match when a lively
young family moves in next door, leading to an unexpected friendship that will
turn his world upside-down. Tom Hanks (Elvis, Greyhound, Toy Story) is a national
treasure. It’s easy to want to follow him to just about any project he does. That
doesn’t necessarily mean the film is going to look good enough to be this high
on the list, though. In this case, I think A Man Called Otto looks funny
and heartwarming. I suspect that it’s not mistake that this flick is coming
out for a limited run on Christmas day (the wide release is in January). I think
it’s got the feel of the story of Scrooge. There’s potential here for a good
Christmas movie that is rooted in the power of human kindness. 7 – Avatar: The
Way of Water (12/16) Production/Distribution:
20th Century Studios, TSG Entertainment, Lightstorm Entertainment, Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures Director: James
Cameron Writer: James
Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno Actors: Zoe
Saldana, Kate Winslet, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang,
Giovanni Ribisi, Bailey Bass, Chloe Coleman, Jemaine Clement, Cliff Curtis,
Joel David Moore Genre: Action, Adventure,
Fantasy Rated: PG-13 Length: 3h 12min IMDb Blurb: Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on
the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was
previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race
to protect their planet. For a great many people, Avatar: The Way of Water
should be much higher on the list. I think that’s a perfectly valid frame of
mind. For me, it’s a bit different. I liked the first Avatar (2009) just fine. It was
gorgeous, and easy to sit through. But that’s where it stopped for me. I never
put my whole being into what it was, and I didn’t entirely understand the level
of hype behind it. Aside from that, I know the sequels were all planned from
the start, but that was over a decade ago. At this point, it’s considered a nostalgia
sequel. That fact alone doesn’t discount it. After all, Top Gun:
Maverick (2022) was about as close to perfect as a nostalgia sequel can
get. That said, it is a bit of an outlier. MOST sequels of this nature don’t
live up to the feeling of the first. Too much time has passed or there are too
many, or not enough, differences. There are, simply put, a lot of ways for a film like this to
fail. I do have hope. The trailer looks great. We’ll see how it
goes. 6 – Matilda the
Musical (12/9 Wide, 12/25 on Netflix) Production/Distribution:
Working Title Films, Netflix, TriStar Pictures Director: Matthew
Warchus Writer: Roald
Dahl, Dennis Kelly Actors: Alisha
Weir, Andrea Riseborough, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Katherine
Kingsley, Meesha Garbett, Charlie Hodson-Prior Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Family Rated: PG Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: An adaptation of the Tony and Olivier award-winning
musical. Matilda tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a
sharp mind and a vivid imagination, dares to take a stand to change her story
with miraculous results. I had every expectation that I’d want to see this flick. I
thought it was going to be campy and cute. I thought it’d be Hamilton-esk – a
video of a stage-play. What the trailer showed me was something better than I
could have ever imagined. It’s going to be a fully developed, taken seriously,
musical. And it’s gorgeous. Now, I’m looking forward to Matilda the Musical even
more than I was. I may even see it in theaters. 5 – Violent Night
(12/2) Production/Distribution:
87North, Universal Pictures Director: Tommy
Wirkola Writer: Pat
Casey, Josh Miller Actors: David Harbour,
Beverly D’Angelo, John Leguizamo, Leah Brady, Cam Gigandet, Edi Patterson, Brendan
Fletcher, Alex Hassell, Mike Dopud Genre: Action,
Comedy, Crime Rated: R Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: When a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a
wealthy family, Santa Claus must step in to save the day (and Christmas). I cannot tell you how much the trailer for Violent Night
had me cackling. Not only do I love a Christmas movie that doesn’t travel the
basic rom-com or typical lesson routes, but I love a good, bloody, pun-filled
flick. In this case, I get both. Not only that, but the cast is outstanding. Between David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow, No
Sudden Moves) and John Leguizamo (Encanto, The Menu, Dark Blood),
there are two exceptional leads. Little Leah Brady (The Umbrella Academy,
Relax I’m from the Future, Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls) is also starting
to build up a decent filmography, and her presence in the trailer is promising. If you enjoy arguing about whether or not Die Hard (1988)
is a Christmas flick, I feel like you might enjoy this John Wick-style holiday
viewing. 4 – Emancipation
(12/2 limited, 12/9 internet) Production/Distribution:
Apple TV+, CAA Media Finance, Escape Artists, McFarland Entertainment Director: Antoine
Fuqua Writer: Bill
Collage Actors: Will
Smith, Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Aaron
Moten, Jabber Lewis, Michael Luwoye, Steven Ogg, Grant Harvey, Mustafa Shakir,
Imani Pullum Genre: Action,
Thriller Rated: R Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: A runaway slave forges through the swamps of
Louisiana on a tortuous journey to escape plantation owners that nearly killed
him. Any issues I’ve heard about Emancipation have not
been about the film itself. Just about Will Smith (Bad Boys for Life, Fresh
Prince of Bel Air, Men in Black). That means people would have had this on
all the lists of movies to look out for if not for the slap heard ‘round the
world. Let me tell you why I think that’s a bunch of bullshit. Will Smith has had a squeaky-clean record since I was a kid.
During his time as a rap artist, his reputation was so beyond anyone else’s,
that he didn’t even curse. That was unheard of. It’s still unheard of. He’s a
great actor that has had nearly 50-years of a public life with minimal scandals
– even less that put him on the side of wrong. Now, was he in the wrong for slapping Chris Rock (Chris
Rock, The Longest Yard, Spiral)? Sure. It was a error in judgement. He let
his anger get the better of him and he fucked up. Tim Allen (Toy Story,
Assembly Required, 3 Geezers!) straight-up smuggled coke, and he’s still
throwing his voice into one of the most beloved characters in children’s
movies. Snoop Dogg (Day Shift, Good Mourning, Doggyland) was on trial
for murder. He’s incredibly beloved now and baking with Martha Stewart (Bad
Moms, Pixels, 2 Broke Girls) – who has been in jail. I don’t think he should lose his entire career over a single
mistake. He apologized. Now it’s between him and Chris Rock, they are big boys
and can work this out themselves. Emancipation is a movie that tells an important
story. I don’t think Will Smith’s worst public decision should be the reason
anyone discounts this flick. 3 – Guillermo del
Toro’s Pinocchio (12/9 internet) Production/Distribution:
Netflix Animation, The Jim Henson Company, Pathé, ShadowMachine, Double Dare
You (DDY), Necropia Entertainment, Netflix Director: Guillermo
del Toro Writer: Guillermo
del Toro, Patrick McHale, Carlo Collodi, Matthew Robbins Actors: Ewan
McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, John Turturro,
Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton,
Tom Kenny Genre: Animation,
Drama, Family Rated: PG Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: A father's wish magically brings a wooden boy to
life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child. I know, we’ve already seen a Pinocchio remake this
year. However, that one sucked. So, I think that leaves the door wide open for
this one. It was made by Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley, The
Witches, Pan’s Labyrinth) which means that this Pinocchio will not
lose its lessons by trying to lighten it up like the other remake did. Del Toro
is incredible at making these dark fable-based films. In fact, there’s no one I
would trust more with this particular project. Like all his films, this one suffered setbacks and bad luck
that have postponed it time and again. It had a very small, limited release in
November, but with its wide release in December comes the end of its bad luck
plague. I cannot wait to see it. I have every faith that Guillermo will bring
it to a level we cannot even comprehend. 2 – Empire of
Light (12/9) Production/Distribution:
Neal Street Productions, Searchlight Pictures Director: Sam
Mendes Writer: Sam
Mendes Actors: Olivia Colman,
Michael Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow,
Crystal Clarke, Monica Dolan, Ron Cook, Sara Stewart Genre: Drama,
Romance Rated: R Length: 1h 59min IMDb Blurb: A drama about the power of human connection during
turbulent times, set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s. On its own, the trailer for Empire of Light is intriguing.
It’s a look into human nature and connection with some intense and amazing acting
from Olivia Colman and Michael Ward (The Old Guard, Beauty, Blue Story).
It feels like it will be harsh, but awe-inspiring. It probably would have made a lower spot on this list,
except that it’s being directed and written by the absolutely glorious Sam Mendes
(Spectre, King Lear, Revolutionary Road). This man could direct a documentary
on nose-picking and I would still be there, with bells on. He was always known as a decent director, but after 1917
(2019) he rose to legendary status in my mind. Those beautiful long shots will
live forever in my dreams. It’s a shame it came out the same year as Parasite
(2019), because it deserved so many more awards than it got. (Not saying
the awards Parasite won were unearned, just that 1917 likely
would have won them in a year where Parasite wasn’t in the running.) In the case of 1917, Mendes was working with younger,
less experienced actors in the lead role. They wound up being amazing, and
together they all made something beautiful. In this case, he’s working with
Colman, who’s about as experienced as they come. I suspect it is going to be a
match made in heaven. Even without any trailer at all, I would have had Empire
of Light in my top 5. It would have been #1 most other months. This time,
it’s beaten by an indie flick I’ve had my eye on for a while. 1 – The Whale
(12/9) Production/Distribution:
A24, Protozoa Pictures Director: Darren
Aronofsky Writer: Samuel D.
Hunter Actors: Brendan
Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, Sathya Sridharan,
Jacey Sink Genre: Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: A reclusive English teacher attempts to reconnect
with his estranged teenage daughter. I’ve been waiting for this film to come out for a while. There was a video going around showing Brendan Fraser’s (No
Sudden Move, Doom Patrol, The Mummy) reaction to the 6-minute standing
ovation this movie got at the Venice Film Festival.
Now, if you’re a fan of Fraser’s, then you probably know why
seeing him this happy is a BIG deal. I won’t go into it too much, but he was basically
blacklisted for pointing out the issues in Hollywood that the Me Too movement
highlighted. In a post-Me Too world, that blacklist has been lifted and he is
starting to pop up in cinema again. There’s more to the story, but I’m not going to harp on it. The point is that fans never turned on Brendan Fraser. We
loved him back in the 90s, and when Tom Cruise tried to bring back his biggest
movie franchise without him, we spoke at the box office. As loud as we’ve been
since the beginning that his blacklisting was unfair, it wasn’t until the
current incarnation of the internet where we were really heard. Not only am I looking forward to seeing The Whale
because Mr. Fraser is back at the top of his game, but because it got that
6-minute standing ovation. I expect it will be a hell of a tear-jerker, though. Bring
tissues.
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