November is a big movie month. Most movies that want a chance at winning big during awards season have a release date in November or December. Plus, there are also a lot of family and holiday movies that come out during this month. Here are the ones to look out for!
Brooklyn – November 4
Saoirse Ronan (“The Lovely Bones”) stars in this period movie, set in Brooklyn in the 1950. Ronan’s character comes to America from Ireland, goes to live in an all-women’s boarding house and finds herself crazy in love with an Italian boy. But soon enough she has to head back to Ireland because of a family member’s death. This movie looks beautifully directed and has some great locations. It also won awards at several different film festivals this past summer and fall and currently has a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes! Definitely keep a look out for this one at the Oscars.
The Peanuts Movie – Nov 6
Talk about a blast from the past! The last Peanuts feature film premiered in 1980 and while they made TV specials up until 2011, there has never been a theater release. The release is especially exciting because it commemorates the 65th anniversary of the comic strip and the 50th anniversary of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The movie has gotten pretty good reviews so far, and will be a great family film.
Daniel Craig is at it again! This is the 24th James Bond movie, and Craig’s fourth time playing the iconic secret agent. This time he will be traveling to Mexico, Rome and beyond to take down a sinister organization called “Spectre” and defeat his enemy, played by Christopher Waltz. This may the last Bond movie with Craig in the leading role, so go see it!
This movie is getting a lot of attention and amazing reviews. And as I previously wrote, this was a movie that I was so psyched to see. I did, and let me tell you that it is beyond amazing. Brie Larson is phenomenal and the boy who plays her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) has an amazing emotional depth for someone his age. The movie follows the story of Joy Newsome who was captured at age 17 and has been living in a small shed for seven years, five of those with her son. This movie will definitely be awarded at the Oscars, so go see it! Seriously!
This movie follows the Spotlight investigative journalism team at The Boston Globe investigating claims that there are over 90 priests who sexually assaulted children in Boston in the early 2000s. The real Spotlight team won a Pulitzer Prize for their work. The movie stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci and Northwestern alum Brian D’Arcy James. I have seen this one too and it is worth every Oscar Buzz that it is getting, and that’s a lot. Multiple sites, including Huffington Post, predict that it will be nominated for Best Picture, arguably the biggest honor. Also, as a journalist, it really gets you pumped up about investigative reporting. A definite must see.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 – Nov 20
“Mockingjay Part 2” definitely does not need any type of introduction. Everyone knows what this movie is and have seen the trailer. 15 million times. The franchise that gave Jennifer Lawrence her immense fame is coming to an end with this movie and it is sure to exceed everyone’s expectations. We will finally see whether Katniss and the rebels of District 13 will take out The Capitol and more importantly, President Snow. The film will have something for everyone from romance to action to major drama, and for those who have read the books, you know to bring your tissue box.
Adapted from a 2005 Argentinian novel, this movie tells the story of Jess, played by Julia Roberts, an FBI investigator whose daughter was viciously murdered. Her co-investigator, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) uncovers a new lead on the case 13 years later. The trailer is chill-inducing and shows that this is a must-see. And the scene where she finds her daughter was shot in just two takes! And Roberts gave such powerful performance on set that people were in awe, asking if she was okay afterwards. This may be a contender at the Academy Awards as well!
The Good Dinosaur – Nov 25
This is the latest movie to come from the creative geniuses at Pixar and Disney. It explored the question, “What if the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs missed?” It shows a period where dinos and humans lived together. It follows a long-neck dinosaur (the Apatosaurus, but “The Land Before Time” ruined scientific names for me), named Arlo. Arlo gets taken down a river, separating him from his family. While trying to find his way home, he comes across a prehistoric boy, which he names Spot. The Pixar short shown before the movie will be “Sanjay’s Super Team,” which is the first Pixar film to center around Hindu deities and the first to be directed by someone of Indian descent. It’s about a boy who would rather watch cartoons than pray in the mornings, but then sees Vishnu, Durga and Hanuman as Avengers. Definitely a pair of feel good family movies.