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.
It: Chapter Two – Friday September 6th
Intrigue: 7.5
Andy Muschietti’s follow up to the mildly surprising Part One (released in the fall of 2017). Trailer looks and sounds absolutely terrifying, which obviously bodes well. Cast is loaded this time around, with James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader and Bill Skarsgard as the headliners. Anxious to see how this part is handled, loved what they did with the first one but it’s going to much more difficult to get this segment right. I think it definitely can be done, though.
The Goldfinch – Friday September 13th
Intrigue: 5
I don’t know much about this beyond it being an adaptation of a popular novel that’s focused on a boy who witnesses his mother’s death, and subsequently takes a painting. These types of books-to-movies generally don’t do much for me, and I get some serious Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011) vibes from the trailer – which isn’t ideal. It’s possible I’m underestimating it with John Crowley (Brooklyn) directing and Nicole Kidman and Sarah Paulson (Deadwood, Ocean’s Eight) starring alongside Ansel Elgort…but I’m still skeptical.
Hustlers – Friday September 13th
Intrigue: 6
Based on a true story, it follows a group of strippers who decide to start robbing their clients. Looks fun enough, and with a cast including J-Lo, Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians), Julia Stiles (Bourne series), Keke Palmer Lizzo, and Cardi B (among others) – at the very least we should get plenty of fun cameos.
Ad Astra – Friday September 20th
Intrigue: 9
Very possibly my most anticipated film the rest of 2019 other than Episode: IX. Trailer has some absolutely fantastic images and does a great job of laying down the plot (which sounds *a lot* like Interstellar, with maybe a pinch of First Man and Alien thrown in). I’m especially intrigued by director James Gray, who was most recently behind a pair of movies I loved in The Lost City of Z (2016) and The Immigrant (2014). I think he and Brad Pitt alone make this worth seeing without even mentioning the supporting names like Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga (World War Z), and Liv Tyler. Be sure to catch this spectacle in the theater.
Downtown Abbey – Friday September 20th
Intrigue: N/A
Can’t give this an intrigue rating since I’ve never seen an episode of the show and thus likely won’t be seeing this anytime soon. Don’t know that much about it, beyond the entirety(?) of the original cast returning. Hope it gives fans their fix, though.
Rambo: Last Blood – Friday September 20th
Intrigue: 6
Sly is back for the final chapter of one the longest running franchises of all time, this time to rescue his housekeeper’s daughter from the Mexican cartel. Should be packed with action but I’m curious to see if they try to emphasize a little more humanity in his character (like the trailer hints at). Hopefully they do, as I think that’d be a solid way for his titular character to go out.
Abominable – Friday September 27th
Intrigue: 5.5
I don’t want to insinuate that this is a ripoff but it’s pretty much just How to Train Your Dragon…with a yeti (also probably worth noting that HTTYD is *also* a DreamWorks picture). So, it’s not off to a great start in my book. The animation does look fabulous and I’m interested to hear the voice acting of Chloe Bennet…otherwise it’s hard for me to be excited for this. We’ve seen this song and dance before (and likely done better).
Judy – Friday September 27th
Intrigue: 6.5
A biopic of sorts, as it apparently chronicles Judy Garland’s performing run in London in the late 1960s. She was a fascinating figure, so it’s not surprising that we finally got one of these. Renee Zellweger’s portrayal of her looks incredible here in the trailer. Rufus Sewell (The Holiday) and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) are the top supporting credits. Hopefully it does her complex persona justice.