November is here, which means the Oscar season race is about to kick into high gear. It also means we are reaching the final stretch of what has to be one of the wildest years for cinema in recent memory. The age of slow seasons at the box office has long gone the way of the buffalo, leaving us adrift in a sea of new releases far too numerous for any one person to see. That may sound like a bad thing, but rest assured it is not. There has never been a better time to be a fan of film, and November features many potentially great works we cannot wait to see.
You may have missed the announcement we made at the end of summer, but in recent months our staff has decided to end our long-running series of epic film preview lists in favor of more timely articles. Instead of highlighting upwards of fifty films spread over several months we have focused our attention on the ten titles from the coming thirty (or in this case, thirty-one) days that we feel deserve your time and money. Most will be found in theaters, but some may appear on streaming services as well. We know not everyone can afford ten trips to the theater, but we do hope you make time for a few of these films in the weeks ahead.
Bad Moms Christmas (11/1)
The moms are back, and they are badder than ever. Bad Moms Christmas follows our three under-appreciated and over-burdened women as they rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for moms: Christmas. And if creating a more perfect holiday for their families wasn’t hard enough, they have to do all of that while hosting and entertaining their own mothers. By the end of the journey, our moms will redefine how to make the holidays special for all and discover a closer relationship with their mother
Own our Kt Schaefer caught an advance screening of the film, and in their official review wrote: “As a fun comedy A Bad Moms Christmas doesn’t disappoint. There are plenty of great jokes and over the top scenes of mayhem, and the film is at its best when it tears down the ideas of achieving perfection during the holidays.”
Thor: Ragnarok (11/3)
The Thor franchise has always been the underdog of the Marvel cinematic universe. While never entirely disappointing, the series has failed to create the same kind of ravenous fanfare (not to mention box office receipts) that fellow MCU characters Iron Man and Captain America create whenever their latest solo film debuts. Ragnarok appears to make a period of change however, as early review have proclaimed the film to be the funniest Marvel movie to date.
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
Last Flag Flying (11/3)
Richard Linklater rarely disappoints. In recent years the Texas filmmaker has delivered several modern classics, including Boyhood and Everybody Wants Some, but his latest offers a different slice of life and storytelling that may take some viewers by surprised. Serving as a direct sequel to Hal Ashby’s 1973 film The Last Detail, the film begins in follows former Navy Corps medic Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) as he re-unites with ex-Marine Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) 30 years after serving together on a different type of mission: to bury Doc’s son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. Doc decides to forgo burial at Arlington Cemetery and, with the help of his old buddies, takes the casket on a bittersweet trip up the East Coast to his home in suburban New Hampshire. Along the way, Doc, Sal and Mueller reminisce and come to terms with shared memories of the war that continues to shape their lives.
Murder on the Orient Express (11/10)
Johnny Depp used to be the most prominent cast member on every promotional item made for this film, but after the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film bombed amidst allegations of assault the internationally-acclaimed leading man has slipped into the background of this star-studded feature. Whether or not younger moviegoers will give a damn this movie exists remains to be seen, but it’s nice to see a major studio backing a film almost entirely targeted at adults over the age of thirty with a story that isn’t based on true events.
What starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told. From the novel by best selling author Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells the tale of thirteen strangers stranded on a train, where everyone’s a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.
Daddy’s Home 2 (11/10)
What would a hit family comedy be without a completely unnecessary sequel? Daddy’s Home 2 looks to double down on the fun by doubling down on the dads, as John Lithgow and Mel Gibson join the series (as grandfathers, of course). The film finds father and stepfather Dusty and Brad joining forces to make Christmastime perfect for the children. Their newfound partnership soon gets put to the test when Dusty’s old-school, macho dad and Brad’s gentle father arrive to turn the holiday upside down.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (11/10)
This will be the film that earns Frances McDormand the respect and awards her diehard fans have known she deserved for years. It also looks to be the only true black comedy of the fall, which in itself should make it a must-see title.
After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated.
Justice League (11/17)
The wait is almost over. After well over a year of promotion and several months of costly reshoots that allegedly changed the film’s entire third act Warner Bros. is finally ready to share Justice League with the world. Will it continue the streak of critical-acclaim that Wonder Woman brought to the DCEU, or will it be the next Batman V. Superman? To be honest, I’m not quite sure, but I am certain millions of people will see it either way.
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Wonder (11/17)
We’ve all heard the expression that someone “has a face only a mother could love,” but did anyone ever expect the phrase to spawn an entire film? Wonder finds Room breakout star Jacob Tremblay starring opposite Julia Roberts as a young boy who was born with a facial deformity. That seems like a simple set up because it is, but it also may be the exact message our world needs right now. Wonder is not about fitting in as much as it is revealing the common threads that connect us all, despite how we may appear on the outside. It’s a guaranteed tearjerker that your mom will love to watch. Don’t miss out.
Coco (11/22)
Do you really need a reason to see the latest Disney film? At this point, don’t people who love Disney films see every Disney film regardless of what people say?
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
Call Me By Your Name (11/24)
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present an almost certain Best Picture contender. It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17- year-old American-Italian boy, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows wit h natural delights. While Elio’s sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly about matters of the heart. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.
If you have an upcoming film you feel should be considered for a future installment of this series, please email [email protected] with the release information.
