Keep reading for a look at our ten most anticipated movies hitting screens this month!
Great films are released every month, some more than others, but this November sees close to half a dozen movies that have at least some degree of brilliance. Our ten most anticipated of the month are below, and they include mysteries, love stories, action movies, thrillers, and one big superhero adventure.
Keep reading to which movies we’re most excited about this month.
10. Murder on the Orient Express
Release Date: 11/10
“A lavish train ride unfolds into a stylish & suspenseful mystery. From the novel by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells of thirteen stranded strangers & one man’s race to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.”
Pros: Agatha Christie’s mystery novel has remained popular over the decades for a reason, and while we don’t necessarily need yet another adaptation it’s a solid enough story that seeing it in the form of a lavish production isn’t a bad thing. Kenneth Branagh is an interesting director with highs (Dead Again, Peter’s Friends) among his filmography, and the cast he’s assembled here is pretty strong including Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, and more. Plus, movies set on trains are awesome!
Cons: Branagh’s directorial career has also seen some lows with the likes of Sleuth and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, and the film also stars Johnny Depp.
9. Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Release Date: 11/17
“Denzel Washington stars as Roman Israel, a driven, idealistic defense attorney who, through a tumultuous series of events, finds himself in a crisis that leads to extreme action.”
Pros: Writer/director Dan Gilroy‘s previous film, Nightcrawler, was an amazing directorial debut, so of course we’re keen on his follow-up. Adding Denzel Washington into the mix in the title role with Colin Farrell in support makes it even more appealing.
Cons: Advance word on this one has been mixed with people criticizing both its length and Washington’s performance as excessive.
8. My Friend Dahmer
Release Date: 11/3
“Before Jeffrey Dahmer became a notorious serial killer, he was a shy, alcoholic teen who never quite fit in. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Derf Backderf, this is the true, haunting story of Jeffrey Dahmer in high school.”
Pros: The film is based on a graphic novel by a teenage friend of Dahmer’s, before he grew into the infamous cannibal/killer, and unlike most “monster origin” stories it doesn’t seek to explain him as much as it does to explore him. At its core this is simply a story of awkward teens unaware that one of their own was harboring evil thoughts.
Cons: There are no real cons here as the film is a solid teen drama where only the audience has the benefit of knowing what happens next. It’s not a serial killer thriller, though, and that may put off people expecting more than just hints of the darkness within young Jeffrey.
7. Sweet Virginia
Release Date: 11/17
“A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence.”
Pros: The director of the intense and under-appreciated River teams up with Jon Bernthal, Rosemarie DeWitt, Imogen Poots, and Christopher Abbott for a thriller about simmering violence. Sold.
Cons: It opens in two weeks, and I’ve heard *nothing* about it.
6. Blade of the Immortal
Release Date: 11/3
“Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change Manji in ways he could never imagine.”
Pros: Takashi Miike makes a lot of movies, and while they can’t all be winners his latest — his 100th feature film! — is one of the greats. Fantastic action scenes are paired with strong character work and plentiful comedic beats to deliver a fully realized world and story that entertains from beginning to end.
Cons: Some of you may balk at the 140 minute running time (but you shouldn’t as it flies by).
5. Lady Bird
Release Date: 11/3
“The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year.”
Pros: Uh, it’s Greta Gerwig‘s solo directorial debut? And it stars Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Laurie Metcalf, Lois Smith, Tracy Letts, and more? And it’s been universally praised since its festival premiere?
Cons: Gerwig herself is not in it.
4. Thelma
Release Date: 11/10
“A woman begins to fall in love, only to discover that she has fantastic powers.”
Pros: Joachim Trier‘s Oslo, August 31st remains one of the most powerfully affecting films you’re likely to see, and that alone makes any film he touches worth a look. Happily his latest, while wholly different in topic and tone, is every bit its own gem. The film is a coming-of-age tale like no other exploring themes of sexuality, identity, and self-worth. Try to go in blind if possible.
Cons: Some have complained about the film’s second act as it feels (to them) removed from the events of the first and third, but those people are wrong. (It’s all about the character, and the time spent with her her gives power to the film’s ending.)
3. Thor: Ragnarok
Release Date: 11/3
“Imprisoned, the mighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.”
Pros: What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are genius comedies, so Taika Waititi’s earned a must-watch label on anything he directs going forward. Trailers tease this third Thor film as an appealing blend of the Marvel formula and Waititi’s own brand of silly brilliance, so I’m fully on-board for the experience.
Cons: The Thor films haven’t been the best or most interesting of the Marvel Universe, and both rank in the bottom third of their output.
2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Release Date: 11/10
“In this darkly comic drama, a mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder, when they fail to catch the culprit.”
Pros: In Bruges is brilliant, and both Seven Psychopaths is pretty great, so once again we have a filmmaker in Martin McDonagh who’s earned a “must-watch” on anything he does going forward. Add to that expectation the universal acclaimit’s received through its various festival showings, and you have a movie already being touted as an Oscar winner.
Cons: Festival buzz shmestival buzz.
1. Call Me By Your Name
Release Date: 11/24
“In 1983, the son of an American professor is enamored by the graduate student who comes to study and live with his family in their northern Italian home. Together, they share an unforgettable summer full of music, food, and romance that will forever change them.”
Pros: This endlessly beautiful, romantic, and life-affirming film has been my favorite of the year since I saw it ten months ago. Everything — from the performances (Timothee Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg are aces) to the score to the cinematography to the script — is perfection, and this is a rare film that holds you through the end credits on the power of what we’ve seen and what we’re feeling.
Cons: There are zero cons.
Also out this month: A Bad Mom’s Christmas 11/1, Last Flag Flying 11/3, LBJ 11/3, Daddy’s Home 2 11/10, Justice League 11/17, Wonder 11/17, Darkest Hour 11/22, Coco 11/22
Related Topics: Most Anticipated
