Greg's Movies to Look Forward to for Fall/Winter 2019

     It is hard to believe to we are already more than three-quarters through the movie-going year!  2019 has been a wild ride with many surprises and some large disappointments.  The busiest quarter of film is always the last month.  This is due to the awards season push, as well as a hidden blockbuster pocket that starts around Christmas. There were many movies that didn't quite make the list for my most anticipated.  I have not been wowed by trailers of Renee Zellweger playing Judy Garland. I think it will be a solid performance, but I'm not so confident in the film itself.  It is no secret that Zombieland is one of my all time favorite movies. That being said, I'm not sure director Reuben Fleischer can strike gold twice with its sequel, especially after making god-awful films such as Gangster Squad and Venom. There were plenty of other movies debuting, such as Pain and Glory, Honey Boy, Doctor Sleep, Ford vs. Ferrari, and Queen & Slim, which all look like solid movies, and can count as honorable mentions. This list, however had to be short and sweet, and easily accessible to all of my readers. I  refuse to promote films that are only showing in select art theaters, as I find incredibly unfair that you can't see a great movie just because it isn't showing in your area.  With all that out of the way, here it is, my most anticipated movies for the rest of the year.

1. Joker (October 4th)

     

     Probably the most controversial choice on this list, but I am still intrigued by Todd Phillips comic book movie. Joaquin Phoenix is one of the best actors of his generation and I've heard his take on the seminal villain is breathtaking. Inspired by 1970s films like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, it is yet to be seen whether or not Phillips crafts a responsible version of the character. Past depictions and glorification of the Joker have been known to correlate to violence, such as James Holmes and the Aurora Movie Theater Shooting. All the controversy and opinions that have been made known more than month before its release make Joker one of my films to see. 

2. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (October 11th)

     This is by far the most mysterious movie on this list. This movie has been kept under wraps in an astonishing manner. By the time production was announced, it turned out the movie was already finished in secret by Breaking Bad showrunner Vince Gilligan. The film follows Jesse Pinkman immediately after the events of the series finale of Breaking Bad.  The trailer  gives no answers as to what to expect from this movie, which I almost prefer.  When it drops on Netflix on October 11th, we will have all the answers we seek.  

3. The Lighthouse (October 18th)

     I wrote a couple of years ago how disappointed I was in writer/director Robert Eggers' The Witch.  I wasn't so disappointed with the movie, but the released trailer. The film itself is very psychological, and a newly formed A24 marketed it as a run-of-the-mill horror movie.  A couple of years later, A24 is the best independent studio in cinema.  They are working again with Eggers on his newest film The Lighthouse. Marketed properly as a black and white psychological thriller, the movie has gotten exceptional reviews at film festivals.  Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson have both proven their talents in small-budget, independent releases, so let's see if they can do it again!

4. Jojo Rabbit (October 18th)

     Hollywood has a long history of lampooning and satirizing Nazi Germany. From The Great Dictator to The Producers, comedy has made the Third Reich the butt of many jokes. Yet many audiences are acting as if Jojo Rabbit is revolutionary in this concept. I think the idea is brilliant, and it has yet to be seen if writer/director Taika Waititi (What We Do In the Shadows, Thor Ragnarok) can pull of this level of satire. Critics seemed to be divided at the Toronto Film Festival, yet the movie won the coveted Audience Award. This is truly enigmatic, so I will have to take it in for myself.

5. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (November 22nd)

     Casting Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers has the making of the most wholesome film of all time. Director Marielle Heller wowed last year with her surprise hit Can You Ever Forgive Me? Early reviews out of Toronto had this film pegged as one of the feel good films of the year. As a major believer in Mr. Rogers' life philosophy, I am hoping for an amazingly charming film!   

6. The Irishman (November 27th)

     It's finally happening! For years we have heard about Martin Scorsese's planned mobster epic that has been stuck in development hell. Finally, de-aging technology made making the film possible.  It is a return to gangster form for actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, and a newly unretired Joe Pesci.  Most of the time, these actor combinations have hit the screen together, we have been given cinematic magic, such as Mean Streets, Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, and Heat. Let's just forget Righteous Kill ever happened. Netflix has given Scorsese all the time and money in the world to complete his vision, as his last couple of dream projects haven't turned out as he envisioned. (see Gangs of New York & Silence.) If all goes according to plan, we should have another Martin Scorsese masterpiece on our hands.    

7. Knives Out (November 27th)

     Many fans were furious with Rian Johnson's take on the legendary saga with Star Wars: Episode VIII. I personally thought most of the movie was a vast improvement over the previous entry. Johnson returns to making original films with his whodunit caper, Knives Out. In perfect Agatha Christie form, the film has a stellar cast playing a variety of characters. The cast includes Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Toni Colette, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lakieth Stanfield, and Christopher Plummer to name a few. Early reviews had Knives Out as a fast-paced and quick-witted film. A modern take on Christiesque tale sounds welcome to this writer!

8. Marriage Story (December 6th)

     

    Noah Baumbach has been one of the most original writer/directors of the last 15 years, yet he has yet to strike Oscar gold for any of his films. This is about to change with Marriage Story. The film, which stars Scarlett Johannson and Adam Driver as a divorcing couple may be the film to beat for Best Picture. Divorce dramas have dominated the Oscars before, such as Kramer vs. Kramer in 1979. This is not going to be an easy, happy-go-lucky viewing, but could be a classic for a new era.  

9. The Two Popes (December 20th)

   
     I think it is safe to say the Netflix has the best fall lineup of any of the studios.  Their fourth entry on this list, The Two Popes, follows the transfer of power from the conservative Pope Benedict XVI to the radical Pope Francis.  Even though most of this story is probably fictionalized, look for the two lead actors, Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins to put on an acting clinic.  Fernando Meirelles delivered the classic City of God, so look for another dialogue rich drama to contend for all of the major awards.  

10. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (December 20th)

     This is the movie I am the most unsure about putting on this list. The new Star Wars trilogy has been a roller coaster ride filled with plot holes and confusing moments.  I am not super confident in director J.J. Abrams, but I am a little more sure about him directing Episode IX than previously hired director Colin Trevorrow. The trailers have not been revealing in the slightest, but all of the footage shown has been conflicting and bizarre. As a huge fanatic, I am hoping the Skywalker Saga is brought to a close in a perfect way, a la Avengers: Endgame did with the Infinity Saga.  

11. Uncut Gems (December 25th)

     The most outlandish and unknown choice on my list is the Safdie Brothers' Uncut Gems. The film stars Adam Sandler as a jewelry store owner looking to repay his debts. Sandler has been proven best when starring in dramatic roles, like his brilliant performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love. The Safdie Brothers dazzled with their feverish last feature, Good Time. Adding A-list stars like Sandler, along with co-stars Idina Menzel, Kevin Garnett, and The Weeknd, (you read that right) look for Uncut Gems to be one of the most innovative and original films of the year.  

12. Little Women  (December 25th)

          The final entry seems like a surefire hit on paper. Greta Gerwig chose Louisa May Alcott's seminal novel Little Women to be her follow-up project after after her brilliant debut Lady Bird. The film has a loaded cast, tarring Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh,  Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep. We already have a brilliant film version of Little Women from 1995, so it will be interesting to see how Gerwig chooses to adapt the novel. Who knows? She may be in competition with her significant other, Noah Baumbach for Best Director.

    There we have it! Were there any films I missed, or you think I should highlight? I should see all of these films and have reviews posted promptly after seeing them. As always, see you at the movies!