After the pandemic forced several venues to close, nostalgic blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Elvis” brought patrons back into movie theaters. Now that we’re into the fall/winter season, what do we have to look forward to?
Opening on Nov. 11, Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever” delves into how the fictional African country copes with the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman’s TChalla character, shifting the focus to the tribal women, embodied by Lupita Nyong’o and Letitia Wright.
Nov. 18 serves up “The Menu,” another grisly horror comedy. Anya Taylor-Joy plays a young woman who joins her foodie boyfriend (Nicholas Hoult) for a nightmarish gastronomic adventure on a remote island — run under the aegis of sinister celebrity chef (Ralph Fiennes).
That same weekend, “She Said,” based on the book of the same time, tells the story of how two New York Times reporters (Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan) uncovered the truth about Miramax producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct allegations. Featured are Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher and Tom Pelphrey).
Rian Johnson’s sly mystery thriller “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story” will also open in theaters this month, then on Netflix on Dec. 23. Traveling to Greece, Daniel Craig reprises his Benoit Blanc detective with a cast that includes Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Ethan Hawke, Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monet and Kathryn Hahn.
On Dec. 2, Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking,” based on Miriam Toews’s novel of the same name, follows a group of women in an unnamed religious community who meet in secret to discuss their abuse by men, delving into patriarchy and the limitations and extent of systematic oppression. The cast includes Claire Foy, Frances McDormand, Jessie Buckley and Rooney Mara.
Dec. 9 marks the release of Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” with Brendan Fraser as a 600-pound man who has become isolated from his friends and family – particularly his estranged daughter played by “Stranger Things” actress Sadie Sink. This one has serious Oscar buzz for Fraser.
On Dec. 16, after a multitude of delays and 13 years after the original “Avatar,” we’re expecting to see James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which utilizes exciting new visual technology for its spectacular underwater scenes. Reportedly, “Avatar 3,””Avatar 4,” and “Avatar 5” are currently in production.
Plus, there’s “Causeway” about a soldier (Jennifer Lawrence) with a traumatic brain injury trying to adjust to normal life and Sally El Hosaini’s uplifting refugee drama “The Swimmers,” telling the true story of Syrian sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini.
Pop star Harry Styles (“Don’t Worry Darling”) stars in “My Policeman” as a closeted officer in 1950s Britain. While he’s forced to marry a librarian (Emma Corin), his heart belongs to David Dawson’s museum curator. It’s said to be a devastating look at the prejudice that gay men faced and the lengths they were forced to go to mask their identities.
And let’s not forget the Toronto Film Festival hit and possible Oscar contender: Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” based on his early days as a movie-obsessed kid in Arizona. Michelle Williams plays his mother, interacting with Paul Dano, Seth Rogen and Judd Hirsch. John Williams emerged from retirement to do the music.
In “Devotion,” Jonathan Majors stars as Ensign Jesse L. Brown, the first Black aviator in the U.S. Navy, with Glen Powell (“Top Gun: Maverick”) as his partner on a dangerous mission during the Korean War.
In a companion piece to “The Father,” for which Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar, filmmaker Florian Zeller examines the relationship between a father (Hugh Jackman) and his troubled teenage son who surfaces after he’s settled in with a new partner (Vanessa Kirby) and a new son.
Working with animator Mark Gustafson, Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pinocchio” is a stop-motion version of the puppet who became a boy; Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton and Gregory Mann comprise the vocal cast.
If you’re into documentaries, there’s lots of talk about “Sidney,” Reginald Hudlin’s film about the late Sidney Poitier, making its debut just eight months after the Oscar-winner’s death. Made with the support of Poitier and the participation of his family, it should capture the score of the entertainment icon’s pioneering career as an actor, director and activist.
Plus “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” featuring Naomi Ackie as pop star Whitney Houston, with Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis, the architect of her career.
Susan Granger has been an on-air television and radio commentator and entertainment critic for more than 25 years. Raised in Hollywood, Granger appeared as a child actress in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Lassie. She currently resides in Westport.
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