NOVEMBER 4
Doctor Strange • PG-13 (Superhero Adventure) Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is involved in a horrific car accident. Afterward, he discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions. As long as Marvel keeps making 'em, my boys will insist on seeing 'em ... and honestly, I'm pretty OK with that!
Loving • PG-13 (Biography/Drama) Based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple whose case for the right to be married went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1967. Their love story has been an inspiration to couples ever since.
Trolls • PG (Animated Comedy) From Dreamworks Animation (the creators of Shrek) and starring Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake, Trolls is a smart, funny, and irreverent comedy about the search for happiness, and just how far some will go to get it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyjm5VQ11TQ
NOVEMBER 11
Almost Christmas • PG-13 (Comedy) There's nothing like Christmas to bring a family together ... and nearly tear them apart! The all-star cast includes Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, John Michael Higgins, Mo’Nique, JB Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, and many more!
Arrival • PG-13 (Sci-Fi Action/Drama) Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker star in this sci-fi suspense about how Earth might respond to and communicate with extraterrestrial invaders.
NOVEMBER 18
The Edge of Seventeen • R (Comedy) Growing up is hard. For Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness, things go from bad to worse when her all-star older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). She feels more alone than ever until the unexpected friendship of a thoughtful boy (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them • PG-13 (Adventure/Fantasy) Harry Potter fans, rejoice! We are finally getting another movie (the first of five, I've heard)! Fantastic Beasts was a textbook Harry used in school ... written by and based on the adventures of famed Magizoologist Newt Scamander (played by the fabulously talented Eddie Redmayne). We can not wait!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViuDsy7yb8M
NOVEMBER 23
Allied • R (Drama/Romance) Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, Allied is the story of intelligence officer Max Vatan, who in 1942 North Africa encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Reunited in London, their relationship is threatened by the extreme pressures of the war. It looks intriguing, suspenseful, romantic, and sexy ... perfect date night movie!
Moana • PG (Animated Adventure/Comedy) Moana a spirited teenager who, with the help and guidance of demi-god Maui (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), sails out on a daring mission to save her people and prove herself a master wayfinder. No one has mastered CG animation better than Disney ... expect it to be beautiful to watch!
Rules Don't Apply • PG-13 (Romantic Comedy) It's Hollywood, 1958. Aspiring young actress and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (LilyCollins) is under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Academy Award® winner Warren Beatty). She and her driver Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich), a deeply religious Methodist who is engaged to to his 7th grade sweetheart, begin to fall for each other. Hughes' behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.
DECEMBER 9
Nocturnal Animals • R (Suspense/Thriller) A writer (Jake Gyllenhaal) asks his ex-wife (Amy Adams) to read a manuscript of his new novel, a violent and sad book dedicated to her. It looks dark and haunting and took the Grand Jury Prize (equivalent to second place) at the Venice Film Festival. Critics are calling it "clever" and "stunning."
Office Christmas Party • R (Comedy) Definitely a grown-ups only movie about an over-the-top, out-of-control epic Christmas party designed to impress a potential client and close a sale. The talented cast includes Jennifer Aniston, T.J. Miller, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn, Jillian Bell, Vanessa Bayer, and many others ... it might end up being the funniest movie of the holiday season.
DECEMBER 16
Collateral Beauty • PG-13 (Drama) After the loss of his daughter, an advertising executive (Will Smith) tries to find answers from the universe by writing letters to Love (Keira Knightley), Time (Jacob Latimore), and Death (Helen Mirren). With an outstanding cast and a trailer that brings tears to my eyes every time I see it, this one is on my must-see list to be sure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1tfLWxcEzw
La La Land • PG-13 (Romance/Drama) Mia (the lovely Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (the hunky Ryan Gosling), a jazz pianist, are a couple struggling to make it in modern-day Los Angeles. Their love story looks sweet and sad and fantastical. It won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story • PG-13 (Action/Adventure) My son calls this one "Star Wars 3 1/2" because chronologically it is between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, but it is the first stand-alone Star Wars movie. The story is about a group of Rebel fighters who are trying to steal the plans for the Death Star. Although I still haven't forgiven J.J. Abrams for what happened to Han Solo, we are die-hard Star Wars fans so count us in!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdj1zb9sMY
DECEMBER 21
A Monster Calls • PG-13 (Fantasy) A visually spectacular drama based on the award-winning children's fantasy novel. 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) attempts to deal with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness and the bullying of his classmates by escaping into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales that explore courage, loss, and faith. The trailer gives me goosebumps ... in a good way! (Limited release on December 21; opens wide January 6)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q-7trUd8Vw
Passengers • PG-13 (Sci-Fi Adventure) Two of my favorites: Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence! Jim and Aurora are two passengers onboard a spaceship transporting them to a new life on another planet. The trip takes a deadly turn when their hibernation pods mysteriously wake them 90 years before they reach their destination. As they try to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction, they begin to fall for each other ... only to be threatened by the imminent collapse of the ship and the discovery of the truth behind why they woke up.
Sing • PG (Animated Comedy) Buster Moon's once-grand theater has fallen on hard times. As a final effort to restore his life's dream, he decided to host the world's greatest singing competition. Did we mention that Buster is a koala and all the contestants are other animals of varying sizes and skills? Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, and other stars you adore lend their voice talents to this movie we've been looking forward to for months!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guztEQ7DkaE
DECEMBER 25
Fences • TBD (Drama) Directed by Denzel Washington from a screenplay by August Wilson, which was adapted from his Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. The film stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sydney.
Why Him? • R (Comedy) This is another one for grown-ups only! James Franco plays the guy no dad wants his daughter to fall in love with and marry. Bryan Cranston plays the dad. The Red Band trailer proves this movie is super inappropriate for kids ... and it looks like a riot!
