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10 movies to look out for this November
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Finally we are back to Hogwarts! At least that’s what’s teased in the trailers of this 10th blockbuster set in JK Rowling’s wizarding world – the second in her Fantastic Beasts series. This one centres around that nice Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and a younger Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) attempting to stop and kill the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). Released 16 Nov in the US
Bohemian Rhapsody
The trailer drew much flak for seeming to airbrush over Mercury’s homosexuality and Aids diagnosis. And with original director Bryan Singer dropped after facing sexual assault charges (he was replaced by Dexter Fletcher), it’s a movie already almost as controversial as its legendary subject. Released 1 Nov Australia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Singapore and Slovakia, 2 Nov Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Mexico, Norway, Nepal, Poland, Romania and US, 7 Nov Philippines, 9 Nov Japan, 29 Nov Italy
Girl
Fifteen-year-old Lara dreams of being a ballerina, but she faces a tougher challenge than most. As well as the usual blood, sweat and tears demanded by classical training at her top-flight Belgian academy, Lara is simultaneously preparing for gender reassignment – she was born in the body of a boy. A couple of wounding moments at school aside, Lara’s conflicts are largely internalised – rather than the slings and arrows of anti-trans prejudice her biggest battle being with the mirror (there’s a lot of unflinching nudity). Young actor/dancer Victor Polster is mesmerising as Lara – this is a star-making turn, whether or not you agree with the casting of another cisgender male in a transgender role. Released 1 Nov in the Netherlands, 2 Nov in Norway, 15 Nov in Hungary, 16 Nov in USA and 22 Nov in Greece (Credit: Netflix)
Widows
To say this heist thriller was feverishly anticipated would be an understatement. Thrillingly, it doesn’t disappoint. Widows is the first film in five years from 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen, who became the first black film-maker to win the Oscar for best picture. If that wasn’t enough of a draw, he co-wrote this film with Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn (based on a 1983 British TV series by Lynda La Plante) and led a charge on the zeitgeist by creating a female-driven, ethnically diverse cast packed with hot rising talent (Cynthia Erivo, Elizabeth Debicki and Daniel Kaluuya) as well as wise older hands (Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, Robert Duvall). Viola Davis, always magnetic, leads a gang of women who decide to carry through with a heist after their criminal husbands were killed on the job.
Released 6 Nov in the UK, 15 Nov in Argentina, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Turkey, 16 Nov in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, US and South Africa, 22 Nov in Australia, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands and Russia, 23 Nov in Romania, 28 Nov in France, 29 Nov in Brazil, 30 Nov in Spain (Credit: 20th Century Fox)
The Grinch
brought to you by the makers of Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life Of Pets. This time it’s Dr Strange and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch who voices the hairy, scary, grumpy green anti-hero who resolves to spoil everyone’s fun and steal Christmas. Released 8 November in Brazil, Czech Republic, Lebanon and Slovakia, 9 November in the UK, Norway, Sweden, US and Vietnam, 22 November in Argentina and Portugal, 23 Nov in Bulgaria and Romania and 28 Nov in France, 29 Nov in Australia, Columbia, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore, 30 Nov in Spain, Lithuania and Poland (Credit: Universal Pictures)
Searching for Ingmar Bergman
Happy Birthday Mr Bergman! To celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth (Bergman died aged 89), German director Margarethe von Trotta made this documentary analysing the art, the life and the legacy of the legendary Swedish director, consistently regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film-makers of all time. His biggies are all discussed: The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Scenes from a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander et al, but there’s also a feast of rare and fascinating archive footage, alongside fresh interviews with the likes of Olivier Assayas, Ruben Ostlund, Mia Hansen-Love and, obviously, Bergman’s muse and former lover, Liv Ullmann. “Searching for Ingmar Bergman largely dispenses with a conventional biographical structure and assumes a fair degree of prior knowledge or interest from the viewer” warns Allan Hunter on ScreenDaily, but it “is essential viewing for cinephiles.” Released 2 Nov in Estonia and the US (Credit: Oscilloscope)
Shoplifters
Literally titled ‘Manbiki Kazoku’ (‘The Shoplifting Family’ in Japanese), Shoplifters sees Kore-eda return to his pet preoccupation. The family who shoplifts together stays together in the case of this film’s makeshift group of impoverished folk who uneasily share both lodgings and loot to stay afloat. Things get even tougher when one day a starving, battered little girl is co-opted into their number. Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Kore-eda previously won the Jury Prize in 2013 for Like Father, Like Son. Shoplifters is a typically subtle, modestly scaled, thoughtfully paced (film critics’ speak for slow) offering, whose borderline plotless story will repay patient viewers with a wealth of warmth and tender humanity. Released 8 Nov in Russia, 15 Nov in Australia, 22 Nov in Portugal, 23 Nov in the UK and 23 Nov in the US (Credit: Magnolia Pictures)
The Other Side of the Wind
Shot in an experimental, mockumentary style, it focuses around a legendary and bullish film director (John Huston – though Welles considered casting himself in the role) struggling to complete his comeback masterpiece. It was originally inspired by the suicide of Welles’s old pal, Ernest Hemingway. This “dizzying”, “fascinating” and “extravagant” film, very much a product of its time, is “one of Welles’s grandest unfinished projects” writes Glenn Kenny of rogerebert.com though, “watching this assemblage it occurred to me that it remained unfinished by Welles in his lifetime by design.” Released 2 Nov on Netflix, with a limited theatrical release (Credit: Netflix)
At Eternity's Gate
Here Schnabel captures Van Gogh’s final days spent in the small French town of Arles with a rare and luminous intensity and proves he was right to cast the 63-year-old Willem Dafoe as Van Gogh (who died aged just 37). “Willem Dafoe has his greatest role since Jesus Christ” writes Variety’s Owen Gleiberman. “The movie is not just a pleasure to watch, but actually puts forward some new ideas about Van Gogh” says Glenn Kenny of rogerebert.com
Released 15 Nov in Hong Kong, 16 Nov in the US (Credit: CBS Films)
The Girl in the Spider's Web
Oh what a tangled web indeed… This is the fifth film adaptation of the bestselling ‘Millennium’ thrillers that began with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: there’s already been a trilogy of Swedish movies starring Noomi Rapace and one US remake directed by David Fincher, with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. But The Spider’s Web is actually based on the fourth novel in the series, which is the first not to be written by original author Stieg Larsson (who died in 2004) and launches a whole new trilogy of books and movies featuring an all-new, English-speaking cast. Clear? Key intel is that The Crown’s Claire Foy is kicking her plummy type-casting in the face as Lisbeth Salander, the series’ cult punk-grrrl heroine, a heavily tattooed and pierced hacker, here on a mission to rescue and avenge a group of abused women. Released 1 Nov in Denmark, 8 Nov in Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Russia, Singapore and Ukraine, 9 Nov in Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Romania, US and South Africa, 21 Nov in the UK, Hong Kong, Ireland and Philippines, 22 Nov in Argentina and Germany (Credit: Columbia Pictures
Finally we are back to Hogwarts! At least that’s what’s teased in the trailers of this 10th blockbuster set in JK Rowling’s wizarding world – the second in her Fantastic Beasts series. This one centres around that nice Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and a younger Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) attempting to stop and kill the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). Released 16 Nov in the US
Bohemian RhapsodyThe trailer drew much flak for seeming to airbrush over Mercury’s homosexuality and Aids diagnosis. And with original director Bryan Singer dropped after facing sexual assault charges (he was replaced by Dexter Fletcher), it’s a movie already almost as controversial as its legendary subject. Released 1 Nov Australia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Singapore and Slovakia, 2 Nov Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Mexico, Norway, Nepal, Poland, Romania and US, 7 Nov Philippines, 9 Nov Japan, 29 Nov Italy
Girl
Fifteen-year-old Lara dreams of being a ballerina, but she faces a tougher challenge than most. As well as the usual blood, sweat and tears demanded by classical training at her top-flight Belgian academy, Lara is simultaneously preparing for gender reassignment – she was born in the body of a boy. A couple of wounding moments at school aside, Lara’s conflicts are largely internalised – rather than the slings and arrows of anti-trans prejudice her biggest battle being with the mirror (there’s a lot of unflinching nudity). Young actor/dancer Victor Polster is mesmerising as Lara – this is a star-making turn, whether or not you agree with the casting of another cisgender male in a transgender role. Released 1 Nov in the Netherlands, 2 Nov in Norway, 15 Nov in Hungary, 16 Nov in USA and 22 Nov in Greece (Credit: Netflix)
To say this heist thriller was feverishly anticipated would be an understatement. Thrillingly, it doesn’t disappoint. Widows is the first film in five years from 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen, who became the first black film-maker to win the Oscar for best picture. If that wasn’t enough of a draw, he co-wrote this film with Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn (based on a 1983 British TV series by Lynda La Plante) and led a charge on the zeitgeist by creating a female-driven, ethnically diverse cast packed with hot rising talent (Cynthia Erivo, Elizabeth Debicki and Daniel Kaluuya) as well as wise older hands (Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, Robert Duvall). Viola Davis, always magnetic, leads a gang of women who decide to carry through with a heist after their criminal husbands were killed on the job.
Released 6 Nov in the UK, 15 Nov in Argentina, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Turkey, 16 Nov in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, US and South Africa, 22 Nov in Australia, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands and Russia, 23 Nov in Romania, 28 Nov in France, 29 Nov in Brazil, 30 Nov in Spain (Credit: 20th Century Fox)
brought to you by the makers of Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life Of Pets. This time it’s Dr Strange and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch who voices the hairy, scary, grumpy green anti-hero who resolves to spoil everyone’s fun and steal Christmas. Released 8 November in Brazil, Czech Republic, Lebanon and Slovakia, 9 November in the UK, Norway, Sweden, US and Vietnam, 22 November in Argentina and Portugal, 23 Nov in Bulgaria and Romania and 28 Nov in France, 29 Nov in Australia, Columbia, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore, 30 Nov in Spain, Lithuania and Poland (Credit: Universal Pictures)
Happy Birthday Mr Bergman! To celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth (Bergman died aged 89), German director Margarethe von Trotta made this documentary analysing the art, the life and the legacy of the legendary Swedish director, consistently regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film-makers of all time. His biggies are all discussed: The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Scenes from a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander et al, but there’s also a feast of rare and fascinating archive footage, alongside fresh interviews with the likes of Olivier Assayas, Ruben Ostlund, Mia Hansen-Love and, obviously, Bergman’s muse and former lover, Liv Ullmann. “Searching for Ingmar Bergman largely dispenses with a conventional biographical structure and assumes a fair degree of prior knowledge or interest from the viewer” warns Allan Hunter on ScreenDaily, but it “is essential viewing for cinephiles.” Released 2 Nov in Estonia and the US (Credit: Oscilloscope)
Literally titled ‘Manbiki Kazoku’ (‘The Shoplifting Family’ in Japanese), Shoplifters sees Kore-eda return to his pet preoccupation. The family who shoplifts together stays together in the case of this film’s makeshift group of impoverished folk who uneasily share both lodgings and loot to stay afloat. Things get even tougher when one day a starving, battered little girl is co-opted into their number. Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Kore-eda previously won the Jury Prize in 2013 for Like Father, Like Son. Shoplifters is a typically subtle, modestly scaled, thoughtfully paced (film critics’ speak for slow) offering, whose borderline plotless story will repay patient viewers with a wealth of warmth and tender humanity. Released 8 Nov in Russia, 15 Nov in Australia, 22 Nov in Portugal, 23 Nov in the UK and 23 Nov in the US (Credit: Magnolia Pictures)
Shot in an experimental, mockumentary style, it focuses around a legendary and bullish film director (John Huston – though Welles considered casting himself in the role) struggling to complete his comeback masterpiece. It was originally inspired by the suicide of Welles’s old pal, Ernest Hemingway. This “dizzying”, “fascinating” and “extravagant” film, very much a product of its time, is “one of Welles’s grandest unfinished projects” writes Glenn Kenny of rogerebert.com though, “watching this assemblage it occurred to me that it remained unfinished by Welles in his lifetime by design.” Released 2 Nov on Netflix, with a limited theatrical release (Credit: Netflix)
At Eternity's Gate
Here Schnabel captures Van Gogh’s final days spent in the small French town of Arles with a rare and luminous intensity and proves he was right to cast the 63-year-old Willem Dafoe as Van Gogh (who died aged just 37). “Willem Dafoe has his greatest role since Jesus Christ” writes Variety’s Owen Gleiberman. “The movie is not just a pleasure to watch, but actually puts forward some new ideas about Van Gogh” says Glenn Kenny of rogerebert.com
Released 15 Nov in Hong Kong, 16 Nov in the US (Credit: CBS Films)
Oh what a tangled web indeed… This is the fifth film adaptation of the bestselling ‘Millennium’ thrillers that began with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: there’s already been a trilogy of Swedish movies starring Noomi Rapace and one US remake directed by David Fincher, with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. But The Spider’s Web is actually based on the fourth novel in the series, which is the first not to be written by original author Stieg Larsson (who died in 2004) and launches a whole new trilogy of books and movies featuring an all-new, English-speaking cast. Clear? Key intel is that The Crown’s Claire Foy is kicking her plummy type-casting in the face as Lisbeth Salander, the series’ cult punk-grrrl heroine, a heavily tattooed and pierced hacker, here on a mission to rescue and avenge a group of abused women. Released 1 Nov in Denmark, 8 Nov in Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Russia, Singapore and Ukraine, 9 Nov in Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Romania, US and South Africa, 21 Nov in the UK, Hong Kong, Ireland and Philippines, 22 Nov in Argentina and Germany (Credit: Columbia Pictures
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