Going forward, I’ll be previewing notable movies to be (wide) released within the next 30 days at the beginning of each month. I’ve always found it to be a bit of a hassle to keep track of movies that I’d like to see and when they actually get released, so hopefully this will be a helpful tool for everyone. My “intrigue” rating is on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being a hard pass and 10 being a must-see.
Black Christmas – Friday December 13th
Intrigue: 6.5
A second remake of the 1974 classic, though this one has some modern day Scream vibes. It’s the story of a group of a group sorority girls being stalked by a masked killer around Christmas time. The original is one of my favorite horrors ever, so I’m a little hesitant to see how they handle this (still intrigued though). Imogen Poots (V for Vendetta, Green Room) and Cary Elwes are the big names.
Bombshell – Friday December 13th
Intrigue: 6.5
Definitely a catchy trailer. Based on the real Fox News scandal surrounding Roger Ailes, Gretchen Carlson, and Megyn Kelly. Directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers trilogy, Meet the Parents) and starring Charlize Theron as Kelly, John Lithgow as Ailes, Nicole Kidman as Carlson and Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil (plus a handful of other recognizable names). There’s potential here (especially with Lithgow in a fat suit), but it’s typically difficult to get something like this right. Looking forward to it if for no other reason than the performances.
Jumanji: The Next Level – Friday December 13th
Intrigue: 4
I never saw the first remake so that’s very likely impacting my interest in this one. Looks like most of the familiar faces are back, with Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Nick Jonas and Awkwafina also introduced. I probably wouldn’t be in any hurry to see this if not for the idea of The Rock doing a DeVito impression for an entire movie sounding pretty awesome.
Richard Jewell – Friday December 13th
Intrigue: 5
Based on the true story surrounding Richard Jewell and the part he did or didn’t play in the 1996 Atlanta bombing. Trailer doesn’t really provide anything particularly interesting, though Paul Walter Houser looks and sounds great as the titular character. My rating would probably be higher if Eastwood wasn’t directing (in my view, his work has gotten really stale over the last 10 years or so). Hopefully the supporting cast of Kathy Bates, Sam Rockwell, Jon Hamm, and Olivia Wilde will help.
Uncut Gems – Friday December 13th
Intrigue: 9.5
Another movie involving jewels, this time of the diamond variety. Already being hyped as The Sandman’s greatest role ever, Uncut Gems focuses on a bold jeweler and his string of high stakes bets. The trailer is incredible and seems like a good indicator that the hype is genuine. Directed by the Safdie brothers (Good Time) with Lakeith Stanfield (Get Out), former NBA star Kevin Garnett, and Idina Menzel all in support. Can’t wait.
Cats – Friday December 20th
Intrigue: 5.5
This faced a lot of scrutiny after the bizarre initial trailer. Looks like they’ve cleaned it up quite a bit though. Based on the popular Broadway show of the same title, it’s got a jaw-dropping cast list (James Corden, Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, Judi Dench, Rebel Wilson plus others) and is directed by Tom Hooper (Les Misérables). I’m not much for musicals, but the social media conversation around Cats might just force me to see it.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Friday December 20th
Intrigue: 8
This one speaks for itself, it’s the conclusion to the main Star Wars storyline (for the moment). Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint.
1917 – Christmas Day
Intrigue: 7.5
Looks visually spectacular and I’m interested to see how the one-shot filming aspect turns out, though I imagine it’ll look great too. Takes place over the course of one day during World War I and follows a pair of British soldiers as they desperately seek to warn another regiment about an ambush. Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty) sits in the director’s chair so that’s definitely a positive, plus Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden all seem well-suited for their roles here.
Little Women – Christmas Day
Intrigue: 8
Yes, it’s another Little Women remake but this one actually looks to have a boatload of potential with Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) at the helm. It’s her first film since debuting with Lady Bird back in 2017 and that can only be a good thing for this classic tale rooted in the Civil War. Lady Bird lead Saoirse Ronan also stars here, alongside Emma Watson, Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and Bob Odenkirk. Personally I think this type of film is perfect for what Gerwig does well. Very much looking forward to this.
Spies in Disguise – Christmas Day
Intrigue: 7
Trailer is a little odd and seems to have a some Incredibles to it. It’s the tale of the world’s best spy and his fight to continue doing his despite accidentally being transformed into a pigeon. Will Smith is the lead with the delightful Tom Holland as his nerdy sidekick. Ben Mendelsohn, Rashida Jones, and DJ Khaled also have roles. Really not sure what to expect from this, but I’m interested.