For anyone concerned that the release schedule had been oddly slow (for us non-metropolitan area folks), worry not because November is begging that we dedicate a good half of our time in the theaters. There’s almost too much packed into the upcoming weeks with new films from filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Noah Baumbach, Guillermo Del Toro, and more.
Along with director showcases, there are also plenty of performances worth seeking out this month, from Daniel Radcliffe’s committed performance in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” Taylor Russell’s star-making turn in “Bones and All” and Jonathan Majors captivating presence in “Devotion.” It will be tough fitting everything in, but there’s no doubt the level of quality on display in November is enough to make us try and see everything we possibly can – and there will still be plenty left over.
“Causeway”
Jennifer Lawrence stars in “Causeway,” directed by Lila Neugebauer (“Maid”), as a U.S. soldier who, after experiencing a traumatic brain injury during her tour in Afghanistan, is forced to return home. Bryan Tyree Henry, Jayne Houdyshell, and Linda Emond also star, with Lawrence serving as one of the producers. Earning Henry a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, our critic wrote of the two leads that “… we’re just privileged to spend time with two thespians at the top of their formidable game.”
Release Date: November 4 to stream via Apple TV+.
Armageddon Time”
Filmmaker James Gray may have traveled to the jungles of the Amazon (“The Lost City Of Z”) and the far reaches of outer space (“Ad Astra”). Still, sometimes you find yourself and your familiar preoccupations, no matter where you go. So to that end, Gray returns to his roots for “Armageddon Time,” an autobiographical look at his youth, education, and family in 1980s New York. But this time, most of the crime genre is gone. Instead, it’s an emotional, stripped-down, vulnerable, and unsparing look at privilege, inequity, and even the heart of America for the haves and have-nots, rendered with so much empathy. Featuring two young boys as the leads, Banks Repeta and Jaylin Webb, the film also features terrific performances by Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway, and Jeremy Strong (read our review).
Release Date: November 4 in wide release via Focus Features.
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”
For any former child actor, Daniel Radcliffe must be the guiding star in terms of what to achieve post whatever career-defining success they find in their adolescence. In “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” Radcliffe further demonstrates his willingness to, well, get weird when the role calls for it in the not-quite-factual depiction of satirist singer Weird Al. Directed by Eric Appel (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Silicon Valley”), the film also stars Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, Rainn Wilson, Quinta Brunson, and Julianne Nicholson. Our critic, who saw the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival, wrote, “This whoopie cushion of a film raises the concept of the lowest common denominator up to the highest highs of esoteric tastes and, in doing so, gets closer to the essence of artistry than all of its self-important, straight-faced forebears.”
Release Date: November 4 to stream via the Roku Channel.
“Bardo”
In “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” director Alejandro González Iñárritu returns for his first film since 2015’s “The Revenant” for a much more personal affair. Daniel Giménez Cacho stars as a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who, after returning home, must grapple with his identity and relationship with his family. Our critic commended the film’s more personal moments of reflection, writing, “What occurs, then, is a rich homecoming, oscillating between the present and the past, as with any vivid dream: here, it feels as though Ińárritu’s ego gives way to his heart.”
Release Date: November 4 in theaters, December 16 to stream via Netflix.
“The Wonder”
The drama of “Don’t Worry Darling” is behind us as Florence Pugh’s latest, much more warmly received, film “The Wonder” tees up for release. Directed by “Gloria” and “A Fantastic Woman” filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, “The Wonder” takes place in The Irish Midlands during 1862 and follows Lib Wright, played by Pugh, a young nurse who is brought to a tiny village to observe a young girl who is miraculously alive despite her having stopped eating for months. Kíla Lord Cassidy, Tom Burke, Toby Jones, Elaine Cassidy, and Ciarán Hinds also star. Our critic praised the work of Cassidy, writing, “It’s an exquisite performance for a young actor where so much of the tension in the film hinges on it.”
Release Date: November 2, limited theaters, November 16 to stream via Netflix.
