by Kevin Muller
The fall has always been my favorite time the year. The weather, clothes, and football all come back. In the film community, this is always the time when we get the real good stuff. A mixture of entertainment and those films who will complete against each other for all the awards, concluding with the Oscars. Here are the ten projects that I am excited about!
10. Wicked (November 22nd)
The popular musical comes to the big screen, with Cynthia Eviro and Ariana Grande taking over the roles that made Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel Broadway superstars. John M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians and 2021’s In the Heights, steers the ship. While I haven’t seen the former, I thought he did a wonderful job with Heights, which was also a musical. The multi-colored fever dream of Oz looks beautiful, based upon the trailers, but can it all match the enthusiasm of the show? As with most of these adaptations, I have little knowledge of the source material, since I don’t follow Broadway as much as other mediums of art. Despite what you may think of her, Grande’s voice is heavenly, so I have no doubt that she will cover the vocals, but can she nail the acting part? Eviro, an underused talent, is about the breakout big time, if she indeed nails the role of Elphaba, a role that is rich in detail.
9. Gladiator 2 (November 22nd)
Twenty-four years after the original, which won Best Picture, Best Actor, and the hearts of everyone who saw it, director Ridley Scott is back with the story of Lucius and his struggles in the world that Maximus left behind. Paul Mescal, playing Lucius, a role originated by Spencer Treat Clark, is an actor who is on the uprise. His performances in a vast number of smaller projects, especially one where he was nominated for Best Actor, for Aftersun, have been all stellar. Last year, he added so much to All of Us Strangers, one of my top ten of the year, in a supporting role. Can he cross over to attain mass appeal? Speaking of mass appeal, we also have Joseph Quinn, who broke everyone’s heart in last season’s Stranger Things, as the lovable rocker Eddie, playing what seems to a similar role that Joaquin Phoenix gave us with the vile Commodus. Also joining the epic is Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, who hasn’t worked with director Ridley Scott since 2007’s American Gangster. Scott is a pro creating epic historical epics. Let’s hope this one aligns more with the original than last year’s Napolean.
8. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (September 6th)
It has been thirty-six years since the original film, that had a killer performance by Michael Keaton. Not only is he back, but so is Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, and director Tim Burton. Burton has stated the desire to stay practical with as many of the effects as he could. Additionally, joining the fun is Jenna Ortega, who collaborated with Burton on Netflix’s Wednesday. Whatever happens, it will be great to see Keaton back in one of the great comedic performances of all time.
7. Here (November 1st)
Robert Zemeckis swings for the fences and rarely plays it safe with his films. This might be his biggest gamble yet. The camera remains in a fixed position the entire film, showing the space from the beginning of time to the events of this story. Based upon a famous graphic novel, the story finds a couple raising a family in the house where that space exists. Again, the camera never moves. The couple are played by Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, who were last seen together thirty years ago in Forrest Gump. Apparently, as their story is going on, we will see quick visuals and pop ups from other moments in time that took place in that spot. This may seem a little much to explain, but if anyone can make this work, it is Zemeckis. The only problem that may arise is that if the film relies too much on that gimmick to cover flaws in the story. Either way, I am excited to see how this winds up.
6. Terrifier 3 (October 11th)
The blood, the guts, the horror! Our favorite clown, Art, is back at it! This time, Art terrorizes the Christmas season. The film series is known for its brutal and violent nature. Hopefully, good old Art will bring some death to the Christmas time spirit.
5. Joker 2 (October 4th)
It has been five years since Arthur Fleck, or Joker, took viewers on a nihilistic and tragic adventure. Both Joaquin Phoenix, who won an Oscar for this role, and director Todd Phillips are both back to continue the story of the Prince of Crime. Joining the mayhem this time is Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn. Word on the street that this has musical elements intertwined into the romantic, but bizarre, relationship of Harley and Joker. Phillips has been quiet since the original, which made a billion dollars. The studios gave him more control this time, so we are about to see how much further he can take us down the rabbit hole.
4. Megalopolis (September 27th)
Francis Ford Coppola sold some of his vineyard stock to self-finance this film about the fall of a city, where he kept 100% his vision. Even watching both trailers, you can see why no studio would touch it. Word out of Cannes, where it premiered and competed for the best film prize, is that you will either connect with his vision or roll your eyes at the pretentiousness. Either way, it is a legendary film maker, bringing his forty-year-old passion project to the big screen. I will support that no matter what!
3. Anora (October 18th)
Sean Baker’s strength as a film maker is his ability to truthfully show the underbelly of American society, while adding beauty and genuine feelings, instead of any sort of mockery. To him, those people are far more interesting than us normies. In 2017, he took Willem Dafoe and completely flipped the script on his persona by making him a sympathetic father figure to those poor people who inhabited his building. In 2021, he made Simon Baker’s morally defunct porn star, Mikey Saber, seem somewhat redeemable. This time, he takes Anora, a sex worker and throws her into a love story with young man, from Russian royalty, who is aimless, spoiled, confused, and loaded. Mikey Madison has been getting terrific buzz for her performance as the titular character. Of course, violence and an overall sense of haywire comes into play when his family sends security to look for him. All these elements are things that I know Baker could use to create something unforgettable. Based upon it winning the best picture prize at the Cannes Film Festival, something not achieved by an American film in 13 years, we may have a hit on our hands!
2. Saturday Night (October 11th)
Thanos, The Joker, Hans Gruber…. All unforgettable villains that gave our heroes a run for their money. In this film, the characters face the ultimate threat, time. Director Jason Reitman has stated that this is how he approached the project about the uphill battle that it took to create one of the most influential shows of all time, Saturday Night Live. The cast looks perfect, specifically the one playing Chevy Chase, the cinematography glows with that 70’s feel, and even in the trailer you can feel the urgency. Gabriel Labelle looks like he has the world on his shoulders as Lorne Michaels. Reitman, who directed one of my favorite films Up in the Air, can walk the lines between comedy and drama very well. If any story needs that, it is this one.
1. Nosferatu (Christmas Day)
Robert Egger’s passion project comes to the big screen. Based upon the original 1923 film, I can’t think of a better director than him to bring the gothic horror to a modern audience. On board is the go-to horror dude, Bill Skarsgaard, who created a frightful new Pennywise that still haunts some people’s dreams. Eggers’s is the king of capturing the right atmosphere for all his films, that is as big as a character in his films as any one of his leading men or women. It is this reason that I am counting down the days until Christmas. What better way to ring in the holiday than some good old blood and darkness!
Cinephellas 