This fall has been a case of hope springing eternal. Summer releases revealed a dearth of product for mature adults although the box office showed promise with the extraordinary results of “Deadpool vs. Wolverine.” That film accomplished two things of significance. First, it showed that there’s still life in the Marvel Universe; and second, it successfully crossed demographic lines domestically and internationally. “Inside Out 2” was a major hit as well, and is, at present, the box office winner for 2024, further underscoring the fact that families do, indeed, go to the movies together and repeatedly. Both of those films joined the elite billion-dollar club. The 2023 writers’ strike had an outsize effect on what was released this summer and early fall, but the sun is starting to peek from behind those clouds. There is a lot to look forward to in the coming months—the Oscar-qualifying months.
Many, if not most films that aim for an end-of-year release have Oscar aspirations. Although there have been many Oscar-quality films that opened earlier in the year, too many are forgotten when nominations come around; hence, the desire for a late fall opening. To qualify for an Oscar, films must have a run of seven days in a commercial theater in a qualifying U.S. metropolitan area. They may, however, open simultaneously in a theater and on a streaming network. A streaming release prior to commercial theatrical release disqualifies the film from Oscar consideration. More and more, stars have been demanding a theatrical release of their films, even if they are ultimately meant to be streamed.
Opening dates for the late fall were in constant flux as distributors were still picking up films from festivals, the Toronto International Film Festival being the most influential. I’m definitely bullish on the upcoming movies. So, on with the show:
Nov. 15
“All We Imagine as Light” won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It is a poetic ode to the lives of two nurses and roommates from Mumbai, one of whom is estranged from her husband and the other in a forbidden romance with a Muslim, as they explore their lives, loves and disappointments. Ironically, India has chosen a different movie as their Oscar submission, something almost guaranteed to backfire.
“Red One” is Santa, and Santa has been kidnapped. Getting him back will be the trick as the security staff at the North Pole must battle monsters, bad guys and themselves to succeed or, gasp, there will be no Christmas. Full to brimming with comedy stars like Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, this Jake Kasdan-directed holiday film is sure to be a family pleaser.
Nov. 22
“Gladiator II” is Ridley Scott’s return to the arena, this time with the nephew of Maximus out to avenge his father’s death and return glory to Rome. Starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal, there will be blood and some unlikely fighting animals.
“Wicked Part I” finally makes its way to the big screen after years as a hit on Broadway, with no end in sight. Divided into two parts, this novel take on the “Wizard of Oz” stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Part II premieres on Nov. 26, making it a total Thanksgiving experience.
Photo Courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Nov. 27
“September 5” follows the massacre of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September, at the 1972 Munich Olympics as covered by the ABC sports correspondents who were there broadcasting the games. It is a heart-stopping reminder of an event seen through the prism of the sportscasters with Peter Sarsgaard starring as Roone Arledge.
“Moana 2” is a journey across the seas and Moana, accompanied by Maui, must answer a call from her ancestors. There are rifts to heal and people to bring together. The animation shines in this sequel.
Photo Courtesy of Pablo Larraín/Netflix
“Maria” is director Pablo Larain’s biopic of Maria Callas in her final years in Paris. Angelina Jolie stars.
“Queer” has made almost as many waves for its story as it has for its star. It is based on a semi-autobiographical novel by William S. Burroughs, part of the Beat Generation of poets and novelists in the 1950s. Lee, a gay man in thrall to drugs and younger conquests, finds love, romance and sex in Mexico City in the 1940s. Daniel Craig stars as Lee in a much-talked-about performance.
Photo courtesy of Yannis Drakoulidis/A24
Dec. 6
“Hard Truths” is a return to form for Mike Leigh, here reuniting with the superb Marie Jean-Baptiste as a bitter dysfunctional British Jamaican who lashes out at everyone and everything including her preternaturally optimistic sister, her exact opposite.
“The Order” is a stunning depiction of a true 1983-84 drama about a white supremacist who decides to take action and foment a rebellion and the FBI agent on his trail. Starring Nicholas Hoult and Jude Law, the events are reenacted chillingly, a harbinger of what happened on Jan. 6.
“The Return” is director Uberto Pasolini’s take on Homer’s tale of the Odyssey with Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus and Juliette Binoche as his long-suffering wife, Penelope. Expect Pasolini to exhibit the quiet depth he showed earlier this year in his masterpiece, “Nowhere Special.” This film marks the first time Fiennes and Binoche have acted together since their breakout roles in “The English Patient.”
“The Six Triple Eights” gives us the story of the Black women who joined the war and were assigned the task of sorting, delivering and tracking the mail sent to soldiers during World War II. Directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, this is the story told by Romay Johnson Davis in “Black Uniform,” the outstanding documentary made by Beverly Hills’ own Robert Darwell. As Davis pointed out and Perry’s film emphasizes, mail is communication, hope and information, something supplied by this all-female, all-Black and all-disregarded unit who played the major role that everyone seems to have forgotten. Streaming on Netflix on Dec. 20.
Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
“Nightbitch” is a horror/black comedy starring Amy Adams as a stay-at-home mother whose frustrations manifest themselves at nighttime when she turns into a dog, or does she? Motherhood is complicated.
In “Oh Canada,” based on the book by Russell Banks, director Paul Schrader reunites with “American Gigolo” Richard Gere to tell the story about a man who fled to Canada to avoid the draft and now wants to tell his story.
“Get Away” has it all—remote island location, dysfunctional family vacation, serial killer—what could possibly go wrong? Billed as horror, but with British funnyman Nick Frost in the lead, black humor has to be on the menu.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Dec. 13
“Kraven the Hunter,” plucked from the Spiderverse, is the villain with daddy issues. Kraven follows his ruthless father down a path of vengeance and mayhem against his purported enemies. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe, it won’t be pretty, and there will be blood.
“Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is a stylish anime film based on the characters from the J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy novels. A prequel to the trilogy, it tells the tale of the King of Rohan.
“The Last Showgirl” has created buzz both for the subject and its stars, particularly Pamela Anderson, starring as Shelley. Having been a showgirl for over 30 years in Vegas, she and the other dancers are rocked when the closing show is announced. Shelley and her friends, including Annette, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, are upended. What is left for these women, all over 50, when the only life they knew as dancers has now ended? Directed by Gia Coppola, granddaughter of Francis Ford, this signals the arrival of another talented member of that family.
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Dec. 20
“The Room Next Door” is Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language film and stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. After being estranged for many years, a daughter reconnects with her mother, trying hard to piece together what pulled them apart. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” is both a prequel and sequel to “The Lion King,” telling the origin story of Mufasa and Prince Taka. Using photorealistic animation, this film, with its amazing voice cast, will be a sight to behold —a family film to unwrap during the holidays and savor.
Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” based on the video game series, is the box office gift that keeps on giving. Like “Despicable Me 4,” this year’s hit rerun, “Sonic” should appeal to families looking for fun during the holidays as the furry creatures combine with their human friends to battle the evil Shadow.
Dec. 25
“The Fire Inside” was originally scheduled to open last summer. It is the inspirational story based on the journey of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields who wants to be the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing at the Olympics. Directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning writer/director of “Moonlight,” it features a very strong cast led by Brian Tyree Henry.
Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
“A Complete Unknown” is the highly anticipated biopic of Bob Dylan starring Timothée Chalamet. Focusing on the moment at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 when Dylan decided to go electric, Chalamet will sing. Directed and written by James Mangold who knows his way around biography, having directed “Ford v Ferrari” and “Walk the Line” about Johnny Cash, this is one of the most anticipated films of the season.
Photo courtesy of Niko Tavernise/A24
“Babygirl” is a story of a powerful CEO who embarks on a passionate affair with an intern. But in this erotic story, the CEO is a woman (Nicole Kidman) and the intern is a young man. Kidman won the Best Actress Award at the Venice International Film Festival, and she has turned heads everywhere the film has been shown.
“Nosferatu” is a starry revisit of the legend of Dracula. A remake of the famous and still scary German Expressionist silent film made in 1922, it is the story of a young woman’s hypnotic obsession with Count Orlok who turns into a vampire at night, searching for blood to keep him alive. Many will try to save her from his spell. It stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp. Hoult is fast becoming the villain you love to hate. The magnetism of this story seems to be limitless.
Photo courtesy of Aidan Monaghan/Focus Features LLC
“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” brings back that favorite stop-motion, animated duo. This time around it’s up to Gromit to save his master from an evil figure from his past, who may just have been released through Wallace’s latest invention.
Happy Holidays and Happy Viewing.
