It’s hard to believe I went through a season of feeling disappointed every time I was able to see a movie in the theater. It’s true, though. More than date night and girls night ended without us finding a movie to watch. Clearly, in 2018, those days are behind us! We have now what can only be described as an embarrassment of movie riches. In other words?
TOO MANY MOVIES. NOT ENOUGH TIME!
I have made this list of movies for you half a dozen different ways, trying to figure out how to best break up the films so you didn’t get overwhelmed. But this collection of movies refuses to be divided or conquered, so I’m just going to tell you what’s out and what’s coming. I’ll tell you which ones sound good to me, but as always, your mileage may vary and your opinions may differ. So grab your big purse and stuff it full of snacks. We’re going to the movies!
Already in theaters
- A Star is Born: Starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Getting all sorts of excellent reviews, third remake of a classic film, reportedly a major tearjerker. I can’t wait to see it.
- Bad Times at the El Royale: Starring Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Fanning. Seven strangers stay at creepy-looking hotel and bad things happen. It’s a no for me.
- Bohemian Rhapsody: Starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury of Queen. I do love a good musician biopic.
- Can You Ever Forgive Me: Starring Melissa McCarthy. Based on a true story of biographer who made up stories for her books. Not for me, but it has gotten great reviews.
- First Man: Starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. Space and family drama about NASA’s first mission to the moon. I’m actually quite scared of space, so thanks-but-no-thanks. However, it looks good if you like that sort of thing.
- Halloween: Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and a scary guy. Apparently it’s pretty good if you like violent horror movies.
- Smallfoot: Well, first of all, Zendaya is Meechee… Animated movie also starring the voices of Channing Tatum, Common, Danny Devito, Gina Rodriguez, and more. A community of yetis discovers the world below its mountain (and humans). I saw this with my girls and it’s cute.
- The Hate U Give: Starring Amandla Stenberg, Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, and Common. Based on a YA novel by Angie Thomas. Teen girl witnesses the police fatally shoot her best friend. I need to read this book and watch this movie yesterday.
- The Nutcracker & the Four Realms: Starring Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren. Looks beautiful and creepy and no way, no thanks, I don’t even like the ballet.
- The Front Runner: Starring Hugh Jackman as politican Gary Hart. Not my thing, but it might be yours.
- Venom: Starring Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed. A Spiderman-adjacent story about a good(ish) guy who becomes a host of an alient symbiote that looks really gross. Looks okay, has gotten pretty bad reviews. Maybe a renter?
Coming Out in November
- Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (Nov 9): Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the latest rendition of the Grinch. I don’t know why we need another one, but have I laughed at all the trailers? Yes, yes, I have. I’ll be taking my girls to see this one soon.
- The Girl in the Spider’s Web (Nov 9): Starring Claire Foy. Based on the book. Hacker races to recover stolen nuclear codes. Way too violent for me.
- Instant Family (Nov 16): Starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a couple who adopts three siblings. I’m afraid this will be offensive at worst, tone deaf at best.
- Widows (Nov 16): Starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell. Four women burdened by their dead husband’s criminal debts work together. Looks good but too violent for me.
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Nov 16): Starring Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Jude Law. The next installment of this Harry Potter prequel. I haven’t seen the first one yet, but I want to see both!
- Ralph Breaks the Internet (Nov 21): Sequel to Wreck-It Ralph. The trailer was funny, but I never saw the first one. Maybe a good one for the kids after we eat all the turkey and all the pie?
- Creed II (Nov 21): Starring Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and the whole Rocky crew. Creed trains to fight the son of Ivan Drago. My husband can’t wait to see this one; I couldn’t care less.
- Robin Hood (Nov 21): Starring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx. Same old story, but I don’t even care. I want to see this right now. Or as soon as it’s released.
- Green Book (Nov 21): Starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. Musician and bodyguard go on tour through the Deep South in the 60s. This looks fantastic.
- Anna and the Apocalypse (Nov 30): This is a Christmas teen zombie musical. So, basically three genres I love with all my heart and one I hate with the fire of a thousand suns. (It’s the zombies. I hate zombies.) Not sure I’ll see it, but I kind of want to. And kind of don’t.
Coming Out in December
- Mary Queen of Scots (Dec 7): Starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie as young European queens in the 16th century. Historical dramas aren’t my thing, but maybe it’s yours?
- Vox Lux (Dec 7): Starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law. Set in 1999, two sisters experience the sharp rise and fall of fame as musicians.
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Dec 14): Animated Spider-Man movie about an alternate universe, a young man who gets spidey powers and mentored by Peter Parker. Looks great, and my oldest daughter and I can’t wait to see it!
- Mary Poppins Returns (Dec 19): Starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. THIS IS THE MOVIE WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Are my expectations sky-high for this sequel? You bet. Will I see it on opening night? I am sure gonna try!
- Aquaman (Dec 21): Starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe. Set in the DC Universe, so odds aren’t good that the movie will be good.
- Bumblebee (Dec 21): Starring Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena. Set in the Transformers world, in 1987. A teen finds Bumblebee the Autobot in a junkyard. Um, nah.
- Welcome to Marwen (Dec 21): Starring Steve Carell. Based on a true story. Victim of a vicious attack loses memory and copes by creating a miniature World War II village in his yard. Interesting and probably inspiring story, but I probably won’t see it.
- Vice (Dec 25): Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Jesse Plemons, Sam Rockwell, Tyler Perry. About Dick Cheney. Doesn’t sound great to me.
- On the Basis of Sex (Dec 25): Starring Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates. About Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I definitely want to see this one.
- Holmes & Watson (Dec 25): Starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. A spoof of Sherlock Holmes. Will Ferrell is funny but this doesn’t look great.
So, to recap, I want to see A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Hate U Give, The Grinch, both Fantastic Beasts movies, Robin Hood, Green Book, Spider-Man, Mary Poppins Returns, and On the Basis of Sex. CLEARLY that’s impossible. But it’s good to have goals, right?
How about you? What are your fall/winter movie goals?
