“Last Flag Flying”
Cast: Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne
Synopsis: Thirty years after serving together in the Vietnam War, Larry “Doc” Shepherd, Sal Nealon and the Rev. Richard Mueller reunite for a different type of mission: to bury Doc’s son, a young Marine killed in Iraq. Forgoing burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Doc and his old buddies take the casket on a bittersweet trip up the coast to New Hampshire. Along the way, the three men find themselves reminiscing and coming to terms with the shared memories of a war that continues to shape their lives.
What You Need to Know: Quite frankly, there’s never not a good reason to pay attention to whatever film Richard Linklater has cooked up. Even in his “lesser” efforts (meaning, I didn’t adore “Everybody Wants Some!!” as much as “Before Midnight”) Linklater possess such a strong sense of his vision that it’s hard to ever call one of his films a disappointment. “Last Flag Flying”, while an obvious successor to many of his films with themes of aging and loss that he’s touched on before, is also something of a departure. A spiritual successor to Hal Ashby’s “The Last Detail,” the film more than plays to each actor’s strengths. Our critic said, ” ‘Last Flag Flying’ coalesces into a poignant portrait of honor, the bonds of brotherhood and coming to terms with mortality.”
Release Date: November 3rd
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Cast: Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell,
Synopsis: After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby, the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command, Officer Dixon — an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence — gets involved, the battle is only exacerbated.
What You Need to Know: Do everything in your might to not walk into Martin McDonaugh’s brilliant “Three Billboards Outside Epping Missouri” with any sort of preconceptions. The film with gleefully buries all of them, mixing anarchistic, righteous rage, toxic masculinity and the breadth of human compassion and composing something wildly hilarious, gruesome and beautiful. The surprise hit at this years Toronto International Film Festival and delivering awards worthy performances from both Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell, the latest by Martin McDonagh (“In Bruges”, “Seven Psychopaths”) might be his greatest achievement to date. Our critic said, “McDonagh has choreographed an almost impossible feat of a brutally dark comedy that, thanks to both Rockwell and McDormand, elicits an emotional response you simply don’t see coming.”
Release Date: November 10th
“Thelma”
Cast: Eili Harboe, Kaya Wilkins, Ellen Dorrit Petersen
Synopsis: Thelma, a shy young student, has just left her religious family in a small town on the west coast of Norway to study at a university in Oslo. While at the library one day, she experiences a violent, unexpected seizure. Soon after, she finds herself intensely drawn toward Anja, a beautiful young student who reciprocates Thelma’s powerful attraction.
What You Need to Know: The latest film by director Joachim Trier may be able to pull off one of the greatest genre melds of 2017 by combining cerebral science fiction with a delicate coming of age story about a young woman exploring her sexuality. Undoubtedly prepared to knock the wind out of you by side stepping any sort of basic, conventional narrative beats, there’s a likelihood Trier’s film won’t be for everyone. But ever since his quietly devastating “Oslo, August 31st” (a masterpiece you must see if you haven’t already) he’s been one to watch, and this picture could launch him to the next level, with our critic writing, “with this exploration of transmutative powers and those who hope to control and cast out sins and aberrations, Joachim Trier could make a mean-ass Marvel movie if Fox were to ever be so bold.”
Release Date: November 10th
“Mudbound”
Cast: Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Carey Mulligan
Synopsis: Set in the rural American South during World War II, “Mudbound” is an epic story of two families pitted against one another by a ruthless social hierarchy, yet bound together by the shared farmland of the Mississippi Delta.
What You Need to Know: Following her blistering and beautifully shot break out film “Pariah,” and her biopic “Bessie,” director Dees Rees is back with the potential Oscar contender “Mudbound.” Our critic, who saw the film when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, said “ ‘Mudbound’” soars thanks to the impressive performances of the ensemble cast and, notably, Rees’ intent on depicting the harsh reality of this pre-Civil Rights era, warts and all.” With Netflix distributing we’ll just have to wait and see if that hinders any of its award prospects.
Release Date: November 17th