6. The Killing of the Sacred Deer
Release date: 10/20
“Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.”
Pros: Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster was among 2015’s greatest films, and his latest looks to be an equally stunning kick to the nether-region. It appears to be far less surreal and humorous too, but that shouldn’t be an issue with the likes of Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman to guide our way.
Cons: I’m a fan of Lanthimos’ earlier Greek films, but I’m hoping he doesn’t revert back to their loose narratives and fluid interpretations.
5. Creep 2
Release date: 10/24
“A video artist looking for work drives to a remote house in the forest to meet a man claiming to be a serial killer. But after agreeing to spend the day with him, she soon realizes that she made a deadly mistake.”
Pros: 2014’s Creep remains the rare found footage(ish) horror movie to avoid almost all of the format’s numerous issues while also delivering a funny, scary, thrilling experience. Director/co-writer Patrick Brice returns for the follow-up alongside star/co-writer Mark Duplass which should mean more of the good stuff.
Cons: One of the big appeals of the first film was the uncertainty as to the title character’s intent up until the very end. This one won’t have that benefit and may suffer in the suspense department because of it.
4. The Foreigner
Release date: 10/13
“A humble businessman with a buried past seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official, whose past may hold clues to the killers’ identities.”
Pros: Jackie Chan in full-on serious mode has given us some solidly dramatic action thrillers (The Shinjuku Incident, New Police Story), and director Martin Campbell (Criminal Law, Casino Royale) knows how to deliver terrific thrills.
Cons: Campbell hasn’t landed a feature since 2011’s ill-fated Green Lantern, and it’s been even longer since Chan’s last great movie.
3. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
Release date: 10/13
“The story of psychologist William Moulton Marston, the polyamorous relationship between his wife and his mistress, the creation of his beloved comic book character Wonder Woman, and the controversy the comic generated.”
Pros: Who would have guess we’d get two equally fantastic Wonder Woman origin stories this year? Writer/director Angela Robinson delivers a beautiful, sexy, funny, and affecting biopic here about the man and women behind the world’s most iconic female superhero. It’s a gorgeous look at love, family, and the process of creation, and it’s guaranteed to surprise.
Cons: The sexual content may leave some viewers thinking it’s not for them, but it really is a stunning eye-opener more explicit in its language than its visuals.
2. The Square
Release date: 10/27
“The Square is a poignant satirical drama reflecting our times – about the sense of community, moral courage and the affluent person’s need for egocentricity in an increasingly uncertain world.”
Pros: The writer/director of the brilliant Force Majeure returns with a film every bit as biting, hilarious, and incisive, but this time he’s targeting society as a whole. His latest takes a microscope and a razor to humanity’s ideas of value and image, and the result is stunning.
Cons: There’s a through line here following our lead, but the 142 minute film feels episodic at times in how it shifts between side characters and subplots. This isn’t a bad thing, but it may turn some people off.
1. Blade Runner 2049
Release date: 10/6
“A young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years.”
Pros: Ridley Scott’s classic didn’t need a sequel, but if it has to exist we could hardly do better than Denis Villeneuve in the director’s chair. Harrison Ford’s back (and destined to die in this one), and a supporting cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, and Dave Bautista promises talent and personality alongside Roger Deakins’ gorgeous visuals. Hopefully the film maintains the spirit and atmosphere of Scott’s original.
Cons: Jared Leto, obviously.
Related Topics: Most Anticipated
