“The Mule”
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Pena, Dianne Wiest
Synopsis: Earl Stone is broke, old, alone and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he’s just signed on as a drug courier for a Mexican cartel.
What You Need to Know: It’s never smart to count Clint Eastwood out of the Oscar race of any given year but with so little known about “The Mule” and with such a late in the year push and even less buzz surrounding it beyond the names attached, we’ll have to wait and see what the general reaction is before making any hard predictions. That being said, the last team-up between Bradley Cooper and Clint Eastwood was a successful one for both parties with “American Sniper” doing well at the Box Office and Cooper earning a Best Actor nod. The entire cast including Laurence Fishburne, Dianne Wiest, and Andy Garcia makes it all the more intriguing.
Release Date: December 14th
“If Beale Street Could Talk”
Cast: Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Brian Tyree Henry
Synopsis: Set in early-1970s Harlem, “If Beale Street Could Talk” is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers. A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect, and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny.
What You Need to Know: To say we were eagerly awaiting Barry Jenkins “Moonlight” follow-up “If Beale Street Could Talk” would be an understatement. A remarkably faithful adaptation of the famous James Baldwin novel, Jenkins once again infuses warmth and humanity to the screen with eye-popping color and a methodical pace of storytelling that invites the viewer to embed themselves in his and Baldwin’s world. Our critic called it sublime, saying, “’If Beale Street Could Talk’ is a movie about the struggle not to succumb to that despair — to find those moments in this life that let you float above it all, even if just for a moment, and to hold on to those moments for as long as it takes.”
Release Date: December 14th
“Capernaum”
Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Synopsis: “Capernaum” follows Zain, a gutsy streetwise child as he flees his negligent parents, survives through his wits on the streets, takes care of Ethiopian refugee Rahil and her baby son, Yonas, being jailed for a crime, and finally, seeks justice in a courtroom.
What You Need to Know: The winner of the Jury Prize at this years Cannes, the Lebanese drama recieved a 15 minute standing ovation following its premiere. Directed by Nadine Labaki (“Where Do We Go Now?”) and starring non-actor Zain Al Rafeea as the protagonist, this is a guaranteed tear-jerker and one of those miraculous independent films that are easily lost in the shuffle as bigger pictures swarm the theaters. Hyper-realistic and dealing with at times unbearably weighty subject matters, our critic wrote “Her [Labaki] most personal and emotional film to date ‘Capharnaüm’ resonates due to its assured directorial commitment and mesmerizingly real central performance by its 11-year-old non-professional actor lead.”
Release Date: December 14th
“Mary Poppins Returns”
Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth
Synopsis: In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.
What You Need to Know: There are many of us who grew up with the Julie Andrews whimsical version of the character who will be (unfairly) personally offended if “Mary Poppins Returns” doesn’t deliver on the expected magic. Luckily the cast on board is stellar and Emily Blunt is supposedly wonderful as the titular character. The music so far is charming and the return to some 2D animation even more exciting. Hopefully, this isn’t yet another shameless Disney nostalgia cash grab without the artistry to back it up. From the early buzz, fans have nothing to worry about.
Release Date: December 19th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3jsfXDZLIY
