There are tons of highly anticipated movies scheduled for release at the end of this year, some of them being awards season contenders. Here are five movies to look forward to as 2017 comes to a close:
1. Coco
This Disney Pixar creation follows its main character, Miguel, through his life and journey to the Land of the Dead. This movie includes aspects of the popular Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. Miguel struggles as his family has banned him from playing music, but he secretly aspires to be a musician and idolizes the late Ernesto de la Cruz. The movie looks visually stunning judging by the trailer and with Pixar and the director of “Toy Story 3” involved, it shouldn’t disappoint. This one is in theaters now, but as of Sunday, November 11 the movie was already the highest grossing animated film in Mexico ever and eventually became the highest grossing movie in Mexico of all time.
2. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Do I even need to explain this one? The eighth episode of Star Wars is set to be released on December 15 of this year. The movie seems to pick up right where The Force Awakens left off, when Rey finds Luke on an island all alone. Throughout the newest trailer, Luke seems frightened by Rey’s strength. You also see Kylo Ren targeting Princess Leia’s ship. Will the iconic Princess Leia character be killed off? There are also a couple of new creatures introduced in this trailer and a re-match between Captain Phasma and Finn occurs. Lastly, viewers are left with a cliffhanger when Rey is seen talking to Kylo Ren, asking for a mentor. Will Rey go over to the Dark Side? Was Luke right for being scared about her strength? This movie comes out December 15, and is a must-see for Star Wars fans.
3. The Greatest Showman
This movie is an original musical following P.T. Barnum’s creation of the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus. The music is written by Broadway songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who were Oscar winners last year for the film La La Land. The Greatest Showman has an amazing cast with a mix of Hollywood and Broadway stars. Hugh Jackman is the lead with Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson all playing roles. The film is described as celebrating the birth of “show business” and shows P.T. Barnum starting from the bottom and eventually creating a worldwide sensation. For those of you uneasy about the whole musical thing, Zac Efron and Zendaya’s characters have a romantic relationship in the film, so there’s something to watch for. Also, Hugh Jackman is a pretty good singer with some significant Broadway experience. The movie opens this Christmas.
4. Darkest Hour
In the spirit of keeping this list diverse, the next film is a historical drama that is receiving some Oscar attention. Gary Oldman plays Winston Churchill, and the movie follows the British leader as he makes a decision to either make peace with the Nazis, or rally a nation and take on Hitler. Churchill is also faced with distractions from his wife, secretaries and King George VI. The movie premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, where Oldman’s performance was praised along with the “riveting” score and amazing screenplay. The film opens in select theaters on November 22.
5. Call Me By Your Name
This movie takes place in Italy in 1983 and is based on a 2007 novel written by Andre Aciman. It is a tale of love between Elio (Timothee Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). Oliver is a summer intern for Elio’s father and the two boys end up falling in love. This film is so important because it is bringing a gay couple to the big screen, but is not just for LGBTQ audiences. This movie goes beyond the same-sex couple aspect, similar to what Moonlight did last year. The film follows the attraction the two characters develop towards each other as they begin to discover their feelings even though acceptance is hard to come by in this time and place. The on-screen chemistry between the two men is amazing, the set is beautiful, and the sophisticated and poetic language creates an unforgettable romance. The film will be released on November 24.
Here are some other movies to watch out for that didn’t make the list:
Pitch Perfect 3 (December 22)
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (November 17)
The Man Who Invented Christmas (November 22)
The Disaster Artist (December 1)