Despite some films that played well to critics, the end of October fizzled out slightly in terms of quality new releases, but at least we could all stay in and binge “Stranger Things 2.”
Luckily, November kicks off in a big way, with films from Taika Waititi, Greta Gerwig and Richard Linklater all dropping in some capacity in the same week. There’s no shortage of quality pictures as the awards season heats up, and it’s also an interesting month for big releases that seemed to have landed here with little rhyme or reason. From the what-do-we-make-of-this “Murder on the Orient Express” remake to the sequel “A Bad Moms Christmas” (and lesser sequel “Daddy’s Home 2“) to the increasingly horrible looking “Justice League,” at least there are plenty of other options.
Catch up time is officially over as each week this month will see a potential awards contender in some form, from animation, to best actor, to best picture. The only difficult part now is not falling behind.
“Thor: Ragnarok”
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo
Synopsis: 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.
What You Need to Know: At the announcement of the third installment of the “Thor” series there was, quite reasonably, a sense of exhaustion from fans and dissenters alike. The argument for superhero fatigue was given weight when one of Marvel’s least interesting solo entities was being given yet another chance at the spotlight after sitting out “Captain America: Civil War” and not having a solo outing since the disappointing and disposable “Thor: The Dark World.” Enter Taika Waititi and interest was piqued. While we’ve seen many an indie darling be given the reigns to the mega block-buster too soon, but there was an immediate sense this wouldn’t be the case with Waititi, who’d given epic scale and big heart to small budgets in the past with “Boy”, “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” We said that “both in tone and aesthetically, the film stands apart from the rest of Marvel’s offerings” making the film one to seek out for diehard fans and casual moviegoers alike.
Release Date: November 3rd
“Princess Cyd”
Cast: Jessie Pinnick, Rebecca Spence, Malic White
Synopsis: 16-year-old Cyd visits her aunt in Chicago for the summer, and falls in love with another girl.
What You Need to Know: A film that easily could get lost in the shuffle as this years awards season launches into full gear, “Princess Cyd” is an indie darling worth tracking down. Hosting a wave of fresh talent while also giving director Stephen Cone another critical, under seen gem, the film promises a twist on coming of age story convention. As we were totally charmed by the trailer, the full feature should be something special.
Release Date: November 3rd
“Lady Bird”
Cast: Saorise Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet
Synopsis: Marion McPherson, a California nurse, works tirelessly to keep her family afloat after her husband loses his job. She also maintains a turbulent bond with a teenage daughter who is just like her — loving, strong-willed and deeply opinionated.
What You Need to Know: While we’re far from being surprised by the talent and confidence on display in Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut “Lady Bird” (if you are, you’ve been missing out) that could do nothing to stop our delight in just how wondrous the actress and director’s latest effort turned out to be. Unfailingly authentic to the teenage girl experience and full of unburdened heart, “Lady Bird” is a total success for everyone involved. Our critic, who saw it at Telluride declared “At a minimum, “Lady Bird” informs us that Gerwig is a filmmaker that can’t be ignored, and we’re obviously dying to see what she does next.”
Release Date: November 3rd
