It’s been a
bad year for movies. The summer box office declined 15% from last year. Studio
executives have been quick to blame Rotten
Tomatoes, the review site aggregator, for the decline in revenue. The truth
is though, revenues are down because this summer’s movies were bad. Apart from Dunkirk, it’s hard to think of a single
good movie that came out over the summer. With all this in mind, let’s take a
look at what’s coming out for the rest of the fall.
October 6
Blade Runner 2049:
There’s reasons to be skeptical of any Blade
Runner sequel. The biggest reason is—why did Blade Runner need a sequel? The Ridley Scott classic featured a
classic score with a visually striking depiction of a future dystopian Los
Angeles. Blade Runner successfully mixed
a film noir plot with existential anxiety. Nothing about the film screamed a
need for a follow-up. The sequel does have Denis Villeneuve of last year’s Arrival behind the camera. Go see it,
but be wary.
October 13
Marshall: This film biography of Thurgood Marshall seems
promising enough. Just having a biography of Marshall, the first
African-American Supreme Court justice, is a step in the right direction. The
film’s plot does not attempt a Cliff-Notes version of Marshall’s remarkable
life. Rather it focuses on his defense of a black chauffeur accused of sexual
assault in Connecticut by a wealthy white socialite. Marshall joins forces with
a Jewish attorney. The film’s purported examination of race and antisemitism in
mid-century white America has the makings of something worth seeing in
theaters.
November 3
Thor: Ragnarok: November has also become a spot for Marvel
and Warner Brothers’ tent-pole movies. Like most of Marvel’s movies, the first
two Thor films have been perfectly pleasant, but wholly unremarkable—more interested
in filling in their place in the MCU than creating an enjoyable movie
experience. The trailers for Thor
suggest the level of cheekiness and humor that audiences have come to expect
from the MCU, but with a more vibrant color palette. It’s seems like Marvel has finally recognized that these are comic book characters and the films
should/can reflect that.
November 17
Justice League: Ugh. After the utter disasters of Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, Warner Brothers is back again.
This time for a return engagement with director Zack Snyder and his love of fascist imagery. Snyder’s
films also feature drawn out and incoherent CGI climaxes—something that
undermined Patty Jenkins’ promising Wonder
Woman. Joss Whedon stepped in for Snyder during the film’s reshoots giving
the film some hope that it won’t be a three hour dour slugfest. Wait for the
reviews before going to see it.
November 24
Murder on the Orient Express: Directed by Kenneth Branagh,
this adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous novel boasts an impressive cast.
Branagh plays Hercule Poirot, Christie’s detective. The rest of the
cast includes Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz, Judy Dench, Josh Gad,
Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, and troublingly Johnny Depp. Your opinion of Johnny
Depp may be a good barometer for whether you want to see this movie or not. Hopefully Depp actually tries to play a character rather than just another
version of himself.
December 15
Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Compared to The Force Awakens and Rogue
One, Disney has remained tightlipped about Last Jedi. They’ve only released a single trailer, but that won’t deter
audiences. Rey (Daisy Ridley) has tracked down Luke Skywalker and begun her
Jedi training. Kylo-Ren has killed his father and has to live with the
consequences. Meanwhile General Leia has to lead the Resistance against the
First Order. The only questions is, will you go see it on the first day or wait
till the weekend?
No comments:
Post a Comment