According to: Selina
20 – Cats (12/20)
Production/Distribution:
Working Title Films, Amblin Entertainment, Perfect World Pictures, Monumental
Pictures, The Really Useful Group, Universal Pictures, Toho-Towa, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Tom
Hooper
Writer: T.S.
Eliot, Lee Hall, Tom Hooper, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Actors: Idris
Elba, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, James Corden, Ray
Winstone, Francesca Hayward, Jennifer Hudson, Laurent Bourgeois, Mette Towley,
Laurie Davidson, Larry Bourgeois, Jason Derulo, Naoimh Morgan, Robbie Fairchild
Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Family
Rated: PG
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide
yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new
Jellicle life.
A lot of people probably expected this movie to be
significantly higher on my list. Especially knowing me.
Here’s the sad to truth: I’ve never been interested in Cats
(1982-2000). I’m a fan of Broadway. I have the soundtrack to Hamilton
(2015 -) basically playing on repeat half the time. I fell in love with classics
like A Chorus Line (1975-1990), Chicago (1996), Rent (1996-2008),
Hairspray (2002-2009), Funny Girl (1964-1967), and the list goes
on.
Broadway, in general, has always produced stories and music
that I find easy to love. Cats, however… just never stood out to me.
For most people, this film would definitely be higher up on
the list. For me, the only reason it even made my list is because I can
understand and appreciate the cultural significance of the story, without
personally being invested.
I don’t think the CGI seen in the trailer really stands up
to the practical make-up and costumes of the play, either. It doesn’t leave me
with the best impression of how the rest of the adaptation is going to go.
19 – Black
Christmas (12/13)
Production/Distribution:
Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Divide/Conquer, United International
Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Sophia
Takal
Writer: Sophia
Takal, April Wolfe
Actors: Imogen
Poots, Cary Elwes, Lily Donoghue, Brittany O’Grady, Aleyse Shannon, Madeleine
Adams, Lucy Currey, Ben Black, Simon Mead, Caleb Eberhardt
Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 98
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of female students are stalked by a
stranger during their Christmas break. That is until the young sorority pledges
discover that the killer is part of an underground college conspiracy.
This B-movie horror flick immediately caught my attention. I
love this stuff. Especially with recognizably nostalgic actors like Carey Elwes
(The Queen of Spain, The Princess Bride, Saw).
I have noticed a few concerning issues with it that are
preventing me from putting it higher. Like the PG-13 rating. All other Black
Christmas movies before this one have been rated R. There’s also a lot of
spoilers in the trailer. That said, it’s still right up my alley and I’m still
going to watch the hell out of it.
18 – I See You (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
Head Gear Films, Kreo Films FZ, Local Hero, Metrol Technology, Zodiac Features,
GEM Entertainment, Saban Films, Bankside Films, Front Row Filmed Entertainment
Director: Adam
Randall
Writer: Devon
Graye
Actors: Helen
Hunt, Jon Tenney, Judah Lewis, Owen Teague, Libe Barer, Gregory Alan Williams,
Allison Gabriel King, Erika Alexander, Jennifer Grace, Riley Caya, Sam Trammell,
Nicole Forester, John Newberg, Teri Clark, Jeremy Gladen, Wyatt McClure, Brooks
Roseberry
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Horror
Rated: R
Length: 96
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Strange occurrences plague a small-town detective
and his family as he investigates the disappearance of a young boy.
This is my dark horse pick for the month.
The trailer looks a little basic for a crime thriller, but there
seems to be some deeper psychological moments mixed in with the more basic jump
scares. Still, if you just take it on that face value, it looks like most other
crime thrillers.
It may very well be, but I’m putting my faith in it because
of some minor details.
First of all, there looks to be some kind of supernatural
aspect to it. That means that even though it looks basic, that small thread of
the beyond can lead to some interesting twists. Second of all, Helen Hunt (Mad
About You, Decoding Annie Parker, Then She Found Me) is a decent actress
and might be able to pull something basic to a higher standard. Finally, the
writer is fresh blood. You have to expect some rookie mistakes, but you can
also expect a fresh voice. That means there’s almost an unlimited potential for
the story.
I think it’s worth a roll of the dice.
17 – The Wolf
Hour (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
Automatik, Bradley Pilz Productions, HanWay Films, GEM Entertainment,
Brainstorm Media, Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Alistair
Banks Griffin
Writer: Alistair
Banks Griffin
Actors: Naomi
Watts, Jennifer Ehle, Brennan Brown, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Emory Cohen, Jeremy
Bobb, Maritza Veer, Justin Clarke, Sean Pilz
Genre: Drama,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 99
minutes
IMDb Blurb: June was once a known counter-culture figure, but
that was a decade ago. She now lives alone in her South Bronx apartment, having
all but cut herself off from the outside world. It's the notorious "Summer
of Sam" and June only has to look out of her window to see the violence
escalating with the brutal summer heat. The city is on a knife's edge, a
pressure-cooker about to explode into the incendiary 1977 New York blackout
riots.
I think the story shown in the trailer for The Wolf Hour is
fascinating. A shut-in woman experiencing the Summer of Sam through her
apartment window. It’s a take I don’t believe I’ve ever seen.
Based on that, alone, I’d want to see it – but the trailer
is also very well made. It makes me uncomfortable in the way that I expect a
thriller to. That means I’m going to go into watching the film already
predisposed to feel what the director wants me to feel.
On top of that, the director/writer – Alistair Banks Griffin
(Two Gates of Sleep, Gauge, Dear Julia) – is still relatively new to full-length
feature films. He only has one other full-length credit to his name – and you
know how much I like a fresh voice.
16 – 6
Underground (12/13)
Production/Distribution:
Bay Films, Skydance Media, Netflix
Director: Michael
Bay
Writer: Rhett
Reese, Paul Wernick
Actors: Ryan
Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Mélanie Laurent, Ben Hardy, Dave Franco, Hélène Cardona,
Sebastian Roché, Corey Hawkins, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, James Murray, Kim Kold,
Elena Rusconi, Ikumi Yoshimatsu, Remi Adeleke, Daniel Adegboyega, Tom Wells,
Constantine Gregory, Kate Beecroft
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Meet a new kind of action hero. Six untraceable
agents, totally off the grid. They've buried their pasts so they can change the
future.
I love Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Detective Pikachu,
Self/Less), so this movie was destined for my list.
Yes, I know. It’s also Michael Bay (Transformers: Age of
Extinction, Pearl Harbor, 13 Hours). But, hear me out.
He’s not only the guy who killed the Transformers. He’s also
a guy you can count on for a good, brainless, explosion-packed action movie (as
long as it’s not based on anything). That’s what this film looks like. It looks
like an action film you can shut your brain off for and just revel in the hero-takes-on-evil
setting.
If you don’t expect anything too deep and you’ve just had a
hard day at work, so you’re not looking to think too hard, this is probably the
kind of film that’s going to appeal to you. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Epic can be epic without making you think.
15 – The
Aeronauts (12/6 - Limited)
Production/Distribution:
Amazon Studios, Mandeville Films, One Shoe Films, Popcorn Storm, Entertainment
One, Shaw Organisation, The Searchers, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group
Director: Tom
Harper
Writer: Tom
Harper, Jack Thorne
Actors: Felicity Jones,
Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel, Phoebe Fox, Tim McInnerny, Rebecca Front, Tom
Courtenay, Anne Reid, Lewin Lloyd, Vincent Perez, Robert Glenister, Julian
Ferro, Thomas Arnold, Andy Mihalache, Bella
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Biography
Rated: PG-13
Length: 100
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) and scientist
James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) find themselves in an epic fight for survival
while attempting to make discoveries in a gas balloon.
The Aeronauts does seem to have an exciting, claustrophobic
story to it. There seems to be an air of thrill, with empowering moments woven
throughout. It’s good, old-fashioned, Oscar-bait.
But that’s really all it is. As interested as I am in it, it
doesn’t feel like more than a basic biography. It has those same flavors that
all the biography tales have. Which is why it’s this low on my list. Although
it looks decent, I can’t give it too much credit because it doesn’t really seem
all that original.
14 – Trauma
Center (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
BondIt Media Capital, Buffalo 8 Productions, Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films (EFO
Films), Pimienta, Youplanet Pictures, Andamiro, Daro Film Distribution, Feelgood,
Five Stars, Highland Film Group, JL Vision Film, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, MoviePass
Films, Nikkatsu Home Video, Prima, Tanweer Group
Director: Matt
Eskandari
Writer: Paul Da
Silva
Actors: Bruce
Willis, Nicky Whelan, Steve Guttenberg, Roman Mitichyan, Tyler Jon Olson, Texas
Battle, Heather Johansen, Tito Ortiz, David B. Meadows, Sergio Rizzuto, Lynn
Gilmartin, Catherine Davis, Jaime Irizarry, Carroll ‘Pinky’ Duwart III, Lydia
Styslinger, Leslee Emmett
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Alone and trapped in a locked-down hospital
isolation ward overnight, an injured young woman must escape a pair of vicious
killers who are after the only piece of evidence that can implicate them in a
grisly murder - the bullet in her leg. Luckily, a veteran cop is assigned to
protect her, and he becomes her protector as the night grows more dangerous.
This is a straight-forward action film with a sprinkle of
80s structure to it. At least, that’s what I get from the trailer. It’s
possible that my opinion is being colored by the inclusion of the police
officer played by Bruce Willis (Motherless Brooklyn, Glass, Death Wish),
but I don’t think so.
You have one building, two bad guys, and a female witness in
need of protection. All of that just screams 80s to me. I love me a good 80s
action flick. How could you not? They’re bloody and full of tension.
I think this one is going to be pretty bad ass.
13 – 1917 (12/25)
Production/Distribution:
Amblin Partners, DreamWorks, Neal Street Productions, New Republic Pictures, Universal
Pictures, 01 Distribution, Monolith Films, United International Pictures (UIP),
Universal Pictures International (UPI), WW Entertainment
Director: Sam
Mendes
Writer: Sam
Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Actors: Andrew
Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Mark Strong, Dean-Charles Chapman,
Colin Firth, George MacKay, Teresa Mahoney, John Hollingworth, Christ Walley,
Daniel Mays, Adrian Scarborough, Nabhaan Rizwan, Gerran Howell, Richard McCabe,
Robert Maaser, Justin Edwards, Adam Hugill, Michael Jibson, Jamie Parker, Anson
Boon, Michael Rouse, Kaine Applegate, Mark Schneider, Jacob James Beswick
Genre: Drama, War
Rated: R
Length: 110 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Two young British privates during the First World
War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory
that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldier's brothers, from walking
straight into a deadly trap.
My favorite war films are the ones that don’t focus – or fully
focus – on glory or bravery, but on the horrors of war itself. From what I can
see in the trailer, 1917 meets those requirements. The British army taking
advantage of a man’s connection to his brother is pretty damn manipulative.
Because 1917 goes into the human connection of two
related soldiers, it has the possibility of getting really dark.
The people involved are talented and the director, Sam Mendes
(Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Skyfall), is known for his action and war
movies. That means we can expect to see something polished and easy to get
sucked into.
12 – Daniel Isn’t
Real (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
SpectreVision, Ace Pictures (II), ACE Pictures Entertainment, Marc Graue
Recording Studios: Voiceover and Post, Samuel Goldwyn Films, Front Row Filmed
Entertainment, Shudder
Director: Adam
Egypt Mortimer
Writer: Brian
DeLeeuw, Adam Egypt Mortimer
Actors: Patrick
Schwarzenegger, Miles Robbins, Sasha Lane, Mary Stuart Masterson, Hannah Marks,
Andrew Bridges, Katie Chang, Michael Cuomo, Griffin Robert Faulkner, Chukwudi
Iwuji, Rosanne Ma, Daniel Marconi, Nathan Chandler Reid, Cara Ronzetti, Chase
Sui Wonders
Genre: Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 96 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A troubled college freshman, Luke, suffers a
violent family trauma and resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel to
help him cope.
There are a lot of reasons why I want to see this film.
First of all, psychological thrillers are some of my
favorites. I love a movie that can twist my mind until I don’t know which way
is up. Clearly, Daniel Isn’t Real is aiming for that kind of thing.
Secondly, the author of the book, Brian DeLeeuw (Curvature,
Paradise Hills, Some Kind of Hate) has such a large part of writing the
actual script of the film that he’s not only credited with the novel. I love
seeing that, and fans of the original creation should, too. Chances are, we’re
going to get a final product that’s much closer to the feel of the book than we
would have otherwise.
Finally, I’m not familiar with Patrick Schwarzenegger’s (The
Long Road Home, Midnight Sun, Dear Eleanor) acting just yet and I’m dying
to see how he is. He’s carrying a hell of a name with him and I want to see if
he’s able to live up to it. There’s got to be a ton of pressure associated with
carrying the name of a legend.
11 – The Mandela
Effect (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
Periscope Entertainment, Gravitas Ventures
Director: David
Guy Levy
Writer: David Guy
Levy, Steffen Schlachtenhaufen
Actors: Charlie
Hofheimer, Aleksa Palladino, Robin Lord Taylor, Clarke Peters, Madeleine
McGraw, Tim Ransom, Ptolemy Slocum, Vernee Watson, Elena Campbell-Martinez,
Steven Daniel Brun, Salme Geransar, Jonah Fuller
Genre: Drama,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 80 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A man becomes obsessed with facts and events that
have been collectively misremembered by thousands of people. Believing the
phenomena to be the symptom of something larger, his obsession eventually leads
him to question reality itself.
The actual Mandela Effect makes my brain hurt. For those who
don’t know, the Mandela Effect is when a large group of people believe an event
happened, or something exists, that isn’t true. Now, I’m not talking about the
anti-vax bullshit. This is more complex than stupidity. The most used example of
it is how many people remember the “Berenstein Bears” as that cute child book
series, when it’s actually the “Berenstain Bears.”
There are a lot of theories about why this happens and the
one I find most disturbing is the one that suggests two (or more) dimensions
crashed into each other and the people who remember the facts come from this
dimension while people remembering the wrong information are from the other
one. This film seems to operate off of that creepy theory.
Clearly, it’s going to dial the theory up to a million in
order to make it work as a thriller.
I think there’s a lot of potential with this plot. It’s got
not only the potential to be creepy and interesting – but might make movie-goers
think too. I don’t know much about the creators, but I hear very good things
about one of the writers, Steffen Schlachtenhaufen (Danger One, Blood
Relatives, Loose Cannons: The Movie).
It’s worth looking into.
10 – Little Women
(12/25)
Production/Distribution:
Columbia Pictures, New Regency Pictures, Pascal Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Sony
Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Sony Pictures Releasing, United International
Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Greta
Gerwig
Writer: Greta
Gerwig, Louisa May Alcott
Actors: Saoirse
Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura
Dern, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper,
Jayne Houdyshell, Meryl Streep, Maryann Plunkett, Hadley Robinson, Charlotte
Kinder, Ana Kayne, Dash Barber, Sasha Frolova, Bill Mootos, Jen Nikolaisen,
Abby Quinn, Lilly Englert, J.M. Davis, Tom Kemp, Adrianne Krstansky
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG
Length: 134
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Four sisters come of age in America in the
aftermath of the Civil War.
Now, granted, Little Women has been done and over
done and done again. It’s a classic novel, so you have to expect that Hollywood
is going to wring it out for every bit of marketability it has until it’s been
drained dry. Then it’ll try to get more out of it. That’s just how the system
works.
On one hand, it’s infuriating. On the other, I have to
acknowledge that by telling the same story with updated methods, newer actors,
and varying voices one opens up the story to younger generations. It goes back
to that truth that some people just don’t enjoy reading. As much as some intellectuals
like to look down their noses at those people, they’re wrong. People will enjoy
what they enjoy. There’s no good reason to hate on that.
I love reading, but I find a lot of old classics written in
dated terminology to be chores. I HATE people like Ernest Hemingway (The Old
Man in the Sea, The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms) and I’ve never
tried Louisa May Alcott (The Inheritance, The March Sisters at Christmas, Rosella).
School ripped a lot of the interest I had in the classics away from me. So, I
resort to movies for those stories.
In this case, they’ve taken some very likeable actors, like
Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, This is the End, Beauty and
the Beast) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn, How I Live Now, The Lovely Bones),
and put them into this classic which opens it up to fans of YA stories like Harry
Potter (2001-2011) and The Host (2013). Add to that a writer/director
like Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Northern Comfort, Frances Ha), someone who’s
created some undeniably great works and you’re almost guaranteed to get a
younger generation interested in a classic story that academia may have
otherwise ruined for them.
9 – Clemency (12/27)
Production/Distribution:
ACE Pictures Entertainment, Bronwyn Cornelius Productions, Big Indie Pictures,
Neon
Director: Chinonye
Chukwu
Writer: Chinonye
Chukwu
Actors: Alfre Woodard,
Wendell Pierce, Aldis Hodge, LaMonica Garrett, Richard Schiff, Vernee Watson,
Michael O’Neill, Danielle Brooks, Debbie Pollack, Dennis Haskins, Noshir Dalal,
Michelle C. Bonilla, Richard Gunn, Alma Martinez, Alex Castillo, Jed Bernard,
Anahi Bustillos, John Churchill, Bex Marsh, Paul Mabon, William B. Simmons II,
Harvey B. Jackson, Dan Lawler, Camryn Howard, Carlis Shane Clark
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Length: 113
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Years of carrying out death row executions have
taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams. As she prepares to execute
another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons
her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to
kill.
I have to admit, I’ve never thought about the person tasked
with actually carrying out executions. I’ve questioned whether executions are
cruel and unusual or not, but I’ve never thought about the person who actually carries
out the sentence.
This movie forces you to think about that person. I think
movies that force you to think about others in ways you’ve never considered are
important. Always have, always will.
Add to that the cast. Two of my favorite underrated actors
are involved in this: Alfre Woodard (Luke Cage, 12 Years a Slave, See)
and Aldis Hodge (Leverage, Hidden Figures, Friday Night Lights). I’m
sure I’ve sung their praises before on this blog, but I can’t do it enough.
With only three award wins between them, I think they are VASTLY under-used and
under-appreciated. Seeing as this is the kind of film that might attract
awards, I’m holding out hope that their collections will grow.
8 – Spies in
Disguise (10/18)
Production/Distribution:
20th Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox, Blue Sky Studios, Chernin
Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Animation, 20th Century Fox Argentina, 20th
Century Fox Brazil, 20th Century Fox España, 20th Century Fox, Forum Hungary,
Walt Disney Studios Japan, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: Nick
Bruno, Troy Quane
Writer: Brad
Copeland , Lloyd Taylor
Actors: Karen
Gillan, Will Smith, Ben Mendelsohn, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Rachel Brosnahan,
Reba McEntire, Masi Oka, Carla Jimenez, DJ Khaled, Rashawn Nadine Scott, Peter
S. Kim
Genre: Animation,
Action, Adventure
Rated: PG
Length: 102
minutes
IMDb Blurb: When the world's best spy is turned into a pigeon,
he must rely on his nerdy tech officer to save the world.
Dumb title aside, this movie looks great. It seems like the
kind of movie you can bring your kids to, but not hate your life during.
It does have some newbie directors, but the actors involved are
no joke, they don’t really need much in the way of direction. People like Karen
Gillan (Avengers: Endgame, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Doctor Who),
Will Smith (Concussion, Hancock, Men in Black), Tom Holland (Spider-Man:
Far from Home, Edge of Winter, How I Live Now), Rashida Jones (Tag,
Parks and Recreation, Cuban Fury), and Reba McEntire (Reba, Tremors,
North) can be directed by anyone. Pretty sure the cup of pens on my desk
could direct them, so I expect they’ll be making their fresh directors look
good.
They’re also working off of, what I imagine will be, some decent
writing. Although Lloyd Taylor (The Wild) is new to writing for Hollywood,
Brad Copeland (The Inbetweeners, Arrested Development, Grounded for Life)
is not, and he’s a funny guy.
It’s worth looking into this one, and not fighting if your
kids want you to go see it.
7 – Seberg (12/13)
Production/Distribution:
Phreaker Films, Bradley Pilz Productions, Automatik, Ingenious Media, Nelly
Films, Amazon Studios
Director: Benedict
Andrews
Writer: Joe
Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse
Actors: Kristen
Stewart, Margaret Qualley, Zazie Beetz, Stephen Root, Vince Vaughn, Anthony
Mackie, Jack O’Connell, Jade Pettyjohn, Colm Meaney, Ser’Darius Blain, James
Jordan, Robin Thomas, Yvan Attal, Victoria Barabas, Cornelius Smith Jr. Fatimah
Hassan, Grantham Coleman, Laura Campbell, Kerry Westcott, Chantelle Albers,
Tobias Truvillion, Anne-Marie Olsen, Celeste Pechous, Diane Chernansky, Gabriel
Sky, Kurt Collins, Misha Gonz-Cirkl, Michael Burnett, Aman Royal
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 96
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Inspired by real events in the life of French New
Wave icon Jean Seberg, who in the late 1960s was targeted by Hoover's FBI,
because of her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist
Hakim Jamal.
This trailer looks absolutely chilling. The idea of a
government coming after an individual for any reason other than a crime is
nerve-wracking as fiction, but this movie is based on a true story and that makes
it even more frightening.
Even if a less talented cast were involved, I’d be interested
in seeing Seberg so the people who are involved are just the icing on
the cake. People like Zazie Beetz (Joker, Deadpool 2, Wolves), Vince
Vaughn (Fighting with my Family, Hacksaw Ridge, True Detective), and
Anthony Mackie (Point Blank, Avengers: Endgame, The Hate U Give) are names
that will absolutely draw an audience to a film.
Honestly, I think Kristen Stewart (Personal Shopper,
Certain Women, Clouds of Sils Maria) is finally clawing herself away from
her Twilight (2008-2012) years. Her co-star did it quicker, but Stewart
has the talent to do it as well. We’re finally getting to see some of the range
that was once hidden, and I’m looking forward to seeing more.
6 – Little Joe (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
Coop99 Filmproduktion, The Bureau, Essential Filmproduktion GmbH, Arte
Deutschland TV, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC), British Film Institute (BFI), Coproduction Office, Eurimages, Film
Industry Support Austria, Filmfonds Wien, Filmstandort Austria (FISA), Medienboard
Berlin-Brandenburg, ORF, Société Parisienne de Production, Österreichischer
Rundfunk, Österreichisches Filminstitut, Bac Films, Cinemien, Lumière, Magnolia
Films, X Verleih AG, Alambique Destilaria de Ideias
Director: Jessica
Hausner
Writer: Géraldine
Bajard, Jessica Hausner
Actors: Emily
Beecham, Ben Whishaw, Kerry Fox, Kit Connor, Phénix Brossard, Leanne Best,
Andrew Rajan, David Wilmot, Goran Kostic, Yana Yanezic, Sebastian Hülk, Jessie
Mae Alonzo, Phoebe Austen, Jason Cloud, Lindsay Duncan, Craig McGrath
Genre: Drama,
Sci-Fi
Rated: NR
Length: 105
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Alice, a single mother, is a dedicated senior plant
breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new species. Against company
policy, she takes one home as a gift for her teenage son, Joe.
There is something very Rubber (2010) meets Little
Shop of Horrors (1986) about this film. It’s unique and weird and kind of
terrifying.
The scary part isn’t just that some plants affect people
weirdly, it’s the thread of possibility that really does it. Scientific
achievements can always cause side effects over time that weren’t previously known
to the scientists involved. The most obvious example I can come up with is
Marie and Pierre Curie’s discovery of radium. They had no idea on first look just
how that element would affect them.
When a story has that thread of possibility in it, it’s
always more frightening to me than any ghost story could be.
Not to mention it’s visually gorgeous.
5 – Bombshell (10/18)
Production/Distribution:
Annapurna Pictures, BRON Studios, Creative Wealth Media Finance, Denver and
Delilah Productions, Lighthouse Management & Media, Lionsgate, Eagle Films,
GEM Entertainment, Belga Films, BfParis, Golden Village Pictures, Independent
Films, Metropolitan Filmexport
Director: Jay
Roach
Writer: Charles
Randolph
Actors: Margot
Robbie, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Morrison, Allison Janney,
Nicole Kidman, Mark Duplass, Alice Eve, Tricia Helfer, D’Arcy Carden, John
Lithgow, Liv Hewson, Kate McKinnon, Stephen Root, Alanna Ubach, Nazanin
Boniadi, Ashley Greene, Madeline Zima, Richard Kind, Elisabeth Röhm, Connie
Britton, Robin Weigert, Brooke Smith, Holland Taylor, Malcolm McDowell, Ben
Lawson, Marc Evan Jackson, Anne Ramsay, Jenelle McKee, Rob Delaney, Ahna O’Reilly,
Andy Buckley, Josh Lawson, Mark Moses, Spencer Garrett, P.J. Byrne, Bree
Condon, Bonnie Dennison, John Rothman, Stephanie Styles, Luke Judy, Brianna
Barnes
Genre: Biography,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 108
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of women decide to take on Fox News head
Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.
Let’s just ignore the politics here for five minutes and acknowledge
that this is a good story. It’s interesting. It has people taking on all-powerful
bosses – the basic good vs. evil. The amusing part is that this is being
directed by Jay Roach (Trumbo, Dinner for Schmucks, Meet the Parents),
the guy who directed Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). For
some reason, that just amuses me.
The actors chosen to take on the lead roles couldn’t have
been more perfect. Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad, Slaughterhouse Rulez, The
Big Short), Nicole Kidman (Aquaman, Destroyer, Big Little Lies), and
Charlize Theron (Tully, Girlboss, Atomic Blonde) look absolutely
stunning. John Lithgow (The Tomorrow Man, Pet Sematary, Pitch Perfect 3)
is almost unrecognizable – in the best way.
I think this a movie people on all sides of the political
scale will be able to watch without exploding into tirades. Unless there’s more
to it than the trailer shows in which case, be prepared.
4 – The Banker (12/6)
Production/Distribution:
Romulus Entertainment, Iam21 Entertainment, Apple TV+
Director: George
Nolfi
Writer: Brad Kane,
Niceole R. Levy, George Nolfi, David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger
Actors: Samuel L.
Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Anthony Mackie, Nia Long, Jessie T. Usher, Colm
Meaney, Taylor Black, Paul Ben-Victor, Gregory Alan Williams, Michael Harney,
James DuMont, Rhoda Griffis, Xen Sams, Jason Davis, Crystal Coney, Chris Gann,
Craig Welzbacher
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 120
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Story of one of the first African-American bankers
in the United States.
We could all use a little more Anthony Mackie in our lives
and two movies featuring him during this month just makes me happy. Especially
when it’s alongside the amazing Samuel L. Jackson (Glass, Avengers: Endgame,
The Hitman’s Bodyguard). I’ll watch Sam L. in anything, anytime. He puts it
out, I’m down to throw my money at it.
This story is based on something that actually happens,
which makes what the trailer shows so much more baller. How could you not want
to root for anyone trying to get around segregation in the 60s?
I’m looking forward to seeing how this story plays out. I’m
actually gonna look into the Apple TV+ streaming service because of this.
3 – Jumanji: The
Next Level (12/13)
Production/Distribution:
Hartbeat Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions, Seven Bucks Productions, Sony
Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing,
United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI),
Galaxy Distributors
Director: Jake
Kasdan
Writer: Jake
Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg, Chris Van Allsburg
Actors: Karen
Gillan, Dwayne Johnson, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Madison Iseman, Jack Black,
Awkwafina, Ashley Scott, Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas, Rhys Darby, Colin Hanks, Alex
Wolff, Dania Ramirez, Morgan Turner, Rory McCann, Ser’Darius Blain, Sarah
Bennani, Massi Furlan
Genre: Action, Adventure,
Comedy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 114
minutes
IMDb Blurb: In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the
game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will
have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the
world's most dangerous game.
I absolutely adored all previous installments of Jumanji.
The Robin Williams (The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, Happy Feet Two, Night at
the Museum) version was the OG and it’s a classic. It holds up, even if the
graphics are a little dated, it takes my imagination for a joy ride every time.
The second one was just as good, but in a different way. It touched on video
game stereotypes and was absolutely hilarious script-wise. I could watch them
back-to-back and have a good day.
Needless to say, that means I’m here for The Next Level.
With Danny Glover (Proud Mary, Sorry to Bother You, The Dead Don’t Die)
and Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dumbo, Smallfoot)
joining the already epic cast of the first one, including (but not limited to):
Karen Gillan, Dwayne Johnson (Skyscraper, Rampage, Baywatch), Jack Black
(Unexpected Race, The Polka King, Goosebumps), Kevin Hart (The
Upside, Night School, Central Intelligence), and Nick Jonas (Kingdom,
UglyDolls, Midway) – there’s even more star power for this film than there
was before. Quality additions, too.
The trailer indicates that they’re going an interesting direction
with this third installment, and I’m dying to see how they bring back all the
previous characters.
Put simply, I cannot watch the trailer without smiling.
I’m very much looking forward to this one, and on another
month, it would be even higher on my list.
2 – Code 8 (12/13)
Production/Distribution:
Colony Pictures, Defiant Screen Entertainment, Elevation Pictures
Director: Jeff Chan
Writer: Jeff
Chan, Chris Pare
Actors: Stephen
Amell, Robbie Amell, Kari Matchett, Laysla De Oliveira, Greg Bryk, Sung Kang,
Peter Outerbridge, Shaun Benson, Aaron Abrams, Alex Mallari Jr., JaNae Armogan,
Glenda Braganza, Kyla Kane, Elena Khan, Simon Northwood, Casey Hudecki, Jai Jai
Jones, Derek Barnes, Emma Ho, Jeff Sinasac, Chris Handfield, Nick Ford, Vlad
Alexis
Genre: Sci-Fi
Rated: NR
Length: 98
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A desperate young man possessing special powers
clashes with a militarized police force after committing a petty crime. Based
on the short film.
Full transparency: I actually backed this project when it
was making the crowdfunding rounds. And you know what? I regret nothing. I’m
100% here for Code 8. (Although I put $77 toward the project, it wasn’t
enough for me to get any benefit from its success or harm from its failure, so
it doesn’t affect my placement of the film on this list. I am certainly not
sponsored.)
I find the plot, the setting, the cast… everything involving
Code 8 to be spectacular. That’s why I donated to begin with. It seems
like a fast-paced, well thought out, dystopian film and I love that kind of
thing. Then you include Stephen Amell (Arrow, Private Practice, Hung)
and Robbie Amell (When We First Met, The Flash, ARQ). They’re both
phenomenal.
The only downside I see is that it’ll probably make me miss The
Tomorrow People (2013-2014).
I’d donate to this project over and over if I had the power
to go back in time. If I see that it’s in a movie theater near me when it’s released,
I’m going to put my money where my mouth is again.
1 – Star Wars: The
Rise of Skywalker (12/20)
Production/Distribution:
Lucasfilm, Bad Robot, Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures,
B&H Film Distribution, Buena Vista International, Cinecolor Films, Cineforum,
Falcon, Feelgood Entertainment, Forum Hungary, Walt Disney Studios Japan, Walt
Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (WDSSPR)
Director: J.J.
Abrams
Writer: Chris
Terrio, J.J. Abrams, Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow, George Lucas
Actors: Adam
Driver, Daisy Ridley, Billie Lourd, Lupita Nyong’o, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher,
Keri Russell, Domhnall Gleeson, Ian McDiarmid, Oscar Isaac, Naomi Ackie, Kelly
Marie Tran, Billy Dee Williams, Dominic Monaghan, Richard E. Grant, Anthony
Daniels, John Boyega, Joonas Suotamo, Greg Grunberg, Jimmy Vee, Richard
Bremmer, Dave Chapman, Simon Paisley Day, Brian Herring, Nasser Memarzia
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 141
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once
more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.
In all honesty, I’m more of a Trekkie than a Star Wars fan.
I just always have been. I’m not as much of a rabid fan of the series as people
might expect me to be.
The reason Star Wars made number one on my list is
because I can appreciate the fandom and the cultural relevance of it. It does
look like it will be a great installment for the majority of the fans.
I’m curious about the title, though. The production studio changed
it from Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker to simply Star
Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. I wonder why they opted to remove the episode
number. Strange.
Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat
Uncut Gems .20
Trauma Center .19
The Mandela Effect .18
Black Christmas .17
Marriage Story .16
Daniel Isn’t Real .15
Bombshell .14
1917 .13
Belong to Us .12
Cats .11
Little Women .10
A Christmas Prince: The
Royal Baby .9
Playmobil: The Movie .8
A Million Little Pieces
.7
The Aeronauts .6
Spies in Disguise .5
6 Underground .4
Jumanji: The Next Level
.3
Code 8 .2
Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker .1
FAQ:
