“Women Talking”
The newest release from acclaimed actor/director Sarah Polley (“Stories We Tell,” “Take This Waltz”) is an adaptation of the 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews. “Women Talking” tells the story of a religious community as they grapple with the conflicts of faith its women go through following a revelation that they have been violently abused and sexually assaulted for years without their knowledge. Featuring an all-star cast of Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Judith Ivey, Frances McDormand, and Ben Wishaw, the film had its premiere at the Telluride. Our critic praised the strength of the talented cast, writing “ ‘Women Talking’ thrives on the performances of its fantastically chosen ensemble.”
Release Date: December 23 in theaters via United Artists Releasing.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
The follow-up to Rian Johnson’s murder mystery smash hit “Knives Out,” “Glass Onion” looks to capture lighting in a bottle for a second time by sending the lead of the first film, Daniel Craig’s private detective Benoit Blanc, on a tropical vacation getaway where he is once again called upon to another mystery. Once again, featuring a star-studded cast of potential murderers, this time the lineup includes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista. Our critic wrote, “In ‘Glass Onion,’ the filmmaker shows absolute mastery of his genre and his craft. It’s pure pop pleasure.”
Release Date: December 23rd to stream via Netflix.
“The Pale Blue Eye”
Filmmaker Scott Cooper is picking up the pace a little bit with “Antlers” in 2021 and his follow-up just one year later. His latest teams him up again with bff Christian Bale and another solid cast that includes Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall, and Robert Duvall. His latest is a whodunnit with eerie, gothic overtones, part father and son story, and also an origin story for poet Edgar Allan Poe.
Release Date: In select theaters on December 23 and on Netflix on January 6.
“Broker”
The first Korean language film by Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (“Like Father, Like Son,” “Still Walking,” “After the Storm”), “Broker” acts as a sort of companion piece to his recent acclaimed film “Shoplifters” by once again focusing on outcasts and their found families. With a cast that stars some of the bigger names in South Korean cinema, including Song Kang-ho of “Parasite” fame, Lee Ji-eun, and Bae Doona (“The Host,” “Cloud Atlas,” “Sense8”), with our critic commending the performances, writing that “Lee Ji-eun is particularly affecting as a hot-headed recalcitrant whose barriers gradually fall once she opens herself up to Sang-hyun and Dong-soo’s generosity.”
Release Date: December 26 in theaters via NEON.
“White Noise”
An adaptation of a famously unfilmable novel by Don DeLillo, “White Noise” is the newest work of auteur director Noah Baumbach, telling the story of a family trying to hold themselves together while dealing with an apocalyptic event that threatens to break apart their bucolic life. With a cast led by Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig and featuring performances by Don Cheadle, Jodie Turner-Smith, André 3000, and Raffey Cassidy, the darkly comedic story is a perfect fit for Baumbach’s talent at handling neurotic and over-educated characters. Our critic praised the ensemble, writing, “The cast is pretty uniformly great, as Driver pivots effortlessly from hapless schlub to hurt husband to performer-professor exuding the charismatic zeal of a televangelist.”
Release Date: December 30th to stream via Netflix.
