The summer movie season did not begin promising with the event films released over the Memorial Day weekend, "The Fall Guy" and "Furiosa", failing to generate much excitement or box-office. But as the season progressed, the fortunes managed to bounce back, largely thanks to the sequels and animated movies helping to lure audiences back into theaters. While it fell short from last year, this year's US summer box-office take will be about 3.6 billion dollars which is still quite impressive.
Now we are approaching the fall season that will wrap up this year. The movie output will be effected much like the summer due to two strikes over the previous year that brought production to a standstill with far fewer films to release in theaters in 2024. But there are some intriguing movies on the way and here are a few that have captured my attention:
All dates are subject to change:
"THE SUBSTANCE"
Release date: September 20, 2024
The French filmmaker, Coralie Fargeat is finally delivering a follow-up to her 2017 breakthrough debut, the action-thriller, "Revenge". With "The Substance" (which Fargeat was recognized for the Best Screenplay prize at this year's Cannes), the film is a feminist critique on aging and beauty told through a deranged, body-horror black comedy. Demi Moore stars as a long-time host of a popular aerobics program who is unceremoniously dropped from the show by her crass boss (Dennis Quaid) solely due to her age. After excepting an experimental black market drug, she is transformed into a younger version of herself (played by Margaret Qualley), getting her old job back as a new girl named "Sue". Yet there are also some unexpected side-effects which creates havoc to her mind and body.
"MEGALOPOLIS"
Release date: September 27, 2024
There has been a lot of chatter about Francis Ford Coppola's self-financed new film, "Megalopolis". After making it's world premiere at Cannes, the critical reviews have been decidedly mixed to downright panned, in addition to disturbing reports about Coppola's behavior on set. Yet there is no denying that the filmmaker's longtime passion project certainly appears to be very intriguing and you can see the reported one hundred million dollar budget on the screen. As far as the story, "Megalopolis" is set in the distant future with Adam Driver playing an architect who clashes with a corrupt mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) over how to rebuild the city of New Rome after a devastating disaster. I'm certain Coppola had little difficulty attracting this starry cast which includes Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne and Dustin Hoffman.
"ANORA"
Release date: October 18, 2024
Sean Baker, the indie director behind "Tangerine", "The Florida Project" and "Red Rocket", is one of the most thrillingly subversive filmmakers working today, tackling subjects in his films which involve struggling, marginalized people, typically sex workers. Yet Baker is never exploitive, delicately revealing their lives with compassion and humanity. With "Anora" (which won the top prize of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival), Mikey Madison plays Ani who works in a New York City strip club going by the name, "Anora". Since she can speak some Russian, Anora is set up with clients who speak the language. She meets a young man named Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn) and they fall in love. In order not to be deported, Vanya and Anora get married. But Vanya belongs to a very wealthy Russian family who are not happy about his new bride and will do whatever they have to do to end this relationship.
"A REAL PAIN"
Release date: November 1, 2024
Actor, Jesse Eisenberg moves behind the camera again for the second time as a writer and director with "A Real Pain". This comedy-drama follows two cousins (played by Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin) who take a trip to Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. But the more time they spend together, the more problems resurface between them, particularly around their family history.
"THE PIANO LESSON"
Release date: November 8, 2024
Based on August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning play, "The Piano Lesson" examines the bitter conflict in a family regarding a treasured heirloom: a piano which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor. The arguments are between a brother, Boy Willie (John David Washington) and his sister, Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) who have very different viewpoints on what should be done with this piano. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Malcolm Washington, son of Denzel and brother to star, John David. Corey Hawkins, Ray Fisher, Erykah Badu and Samuel L. Jackson also star.
"GLADIATOR 2"
Release date: November 22, 2024
I will be the first to admit I groaned loudly when I heard a sequel was being made of "Gladiator", Ridley Scott's swords and sandals Roman epic that improbably became the Best Picture Oscar winner in 2000. Now twenty-four years later, "Gladiator 2" will soon be on the big screen with an eighty-six year old Scott back in the director's chair. I will also admit I was won over by the trailer and the cast which features Paul Mescal as our new gladiator along with Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington in prominent roles. The plot doesn't seem to stray too far from the original film with betrayal, revenge and bloody battles in an arena to be the driving force of this story. Yet it still does help make this new "Gladiator" very compelling. And I love the calculated attempt to try and recreate a "Barbenheimer" phenomenon with "Gladiator 2" being released on the same day as the long-awaited, highly anticipated movie version of the Broadway musical, "Wicked". "Wickiator", perhaps?
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