20TH CENTURY STUDIOS THE TOTAL PACKAGE
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BRUCE R. MILLER | Sioux City Journal I f, like many, you said, “Why are there no good films in theaters?” We’ve got the answer: They’ve been saving them for the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. More than likely, the year’s biggest Oscar winners will come from this period, particularly since studios are launching big “for your consideration” events before their films’ names are even known. What’s coming in the next few months? We’ve got the list...and the ones most likely. NOVEMBER BELFAST (now): Director Ken- neth Branagh tells a version of his family’s story in the 1960s, growing up with fighting in the streets and an unsettled future. Oscar potential: Best Picture, best acting, directing. TICK, TICK…BOOM! (Nov. 19): Lin-Manuel Miranda uses a Jon- athan Larson off-Broadway show to tell the story of the “Rent” cre- ator. Andrew Garfield plays Lar- son. Oscar potential: Best Actor. KING RICHARD (Nov. 19): Will Smith plays the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Wil- liams. Oscar potential: Best Ac- tor, Best Picture. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (Nov. 19): How do you reboot a clas- sic film? By bringing in another generation and discovering their connection to the original Ghost- busters. Oscar potential: Special effects. C’MON C’MON (Nov. 19): Joaquin Phoenix plays a man who bonds with his nephew. Oscar potential: Best Actor. RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY (Nov. 24): A pharma giant has ruined a town, but it also has spawned an evil that lies below. Oscar potential: None. ENCANTO (Nov. 24): The Madrigal family has special powers. Daughter Mirabel, however, doesn’t but she must muster her own strength to help the others. Oscar potential: Lin-Man- uel Miranda wrote the music. Enough said. HOUSE OF GUCCI (Nov. 24): Fash- ion was only the start of it. That wild Gucci family had more in- trigue than the Corleones. With Robert De Niro, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in tow, this could be the one that makes Ridley Scott a big Oscar winner. Oscar poten- tial: All around. 8-BIT CHRISTMAS (Nov. 24): A kid works to get a video game system for Christmas, circa 1980s. Oscar potential: None. THE UNFORGIVABLE (Nov. 24, limited release): Sandra Bull- ock plays a woman looking for redemption while also seeking her sister. Oscar potential: Best Actress, natch. BRUISED (Nov. 24): Halle Berry directs herself as a single mom who may lose her son if she doesn’t have a way to give him a better life. She gets in the MMA ring and battles on. Think: Fe- male “Rocky.” Oscar potential: Very slight chance for Best Ac- tress. LICORICE PIZZA (Nov. 26): When you’re a successful kid actor, you’ve got real problems when you try to enter the “real” world. Benny Safdie stars. Oscar poten- tial: Slim to none. AN INTRUSION (Nov. 26): A stalker makes life hell for a family. But there could be a method to the madness. Oscar potential: None. THE TOTAL PACKAGE Upcoming releases give the gift of quality cinema AMAZON Riz Ahmed in “Encounter.” MGM Lady Gaga and Adam Driver in “House of Gucci.” MGM Peter Dinklage stars as “Cyrano.” 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper in “Nightmare Alley.” Mirabel, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, is a member of a magical family in “Encanto.” DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER THE POWER OF THE DOG (Dec. 1): Benedict Cumberbatch stakes his claim to the Daniel Day Lewis crown as a pushy rancher whose life is changed when his brother brings home a new wife. Oscar potential: Pic- ture, Actor, Supporting Actor… this could run the board. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (Dec. 3): An animated version of the popular kids book series. Oscar potential: None. SILENT NIGHT (Dec. 3): Christ- mas dinner in the country. Lily- Rose Depp is here, as well as in another Christmas film. Oscar potential: None. THE HAND OF GOD (Dec. 3): Di- rected by Paolo Sorrentino, this is another one of those “story of my life” films that includes great joy and tragedy. Oscar potential: Best Foreign Language Film; Best Picture, perhaps acting prizes. It’s this year’s “Roma.” BENEDETTA (Dec. 3): Paul Ver- hoeven courts controversy with this drama about an Italian nun who had an affair with another nun. Oscar potential: None. ENCOUNTER (Dec. 3): Riz Ahmed is back for another shot at Best Actor. Here, he’s a veteran who tries to protect his children from an alien encounter. Oscar poten- tial: Best Actor. DEADLOCK (Dec. 3): Bruce Willis leads a band of mercenaries on a mission against the govern- ment. They take refuge in an energy plant and hold people hostage. Oscar potential: None. WOLF (Dec. 3): Lily-Rose Depp gets another shot at the hol- idays with this look at a man who thinks he’s a wolf trapped in a human’s body. Oscar poten- tial: None. RED ROCKET (Dec. 3): Simon Rex was a hit at the Cannes Film Fes- tival for his work in this drama about a porn star who returns home. Oscar potential: Best ac- tor. SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (Dec. 3): Animation studio Aardman’s favorite stop-motion character gets another shot at laughs in this story of a missing Timmy. Oscar potential: None. BEING THE RICARDOS (Dec. 10): Aaron Sorkin got a shot at rewriting “To Kill a Mock- ingbird.” Now he’s taking on “I Love Lucy.” In this behind-the- scenes drama, he looks at the turmoil Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz faced. Oscar potential: Feast or famine. WEST SIDE STORY (Dec. 10): Ste- ven Spielberg decided to remake a classic with an updated script and a cast of age-appropriate actors. Oscar potential: Could be big. THE LAST SON (Dec. 10): Sam Worthington goes on the hunt so he can save his life. Oscar potential: Limited. DON’T LOOK UP (Dec. 10): A comet could destroy Earth. But who is going to sound the alarm? Two astronomers try to get the attention of officials. Meryl Streep plays the president. Adam McKay directs. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Timothee Chalamet also star. Oscar potential: Through the roof. MOSLEY (Dec. 10): A farm ani- mal goes on an adventure. Ani- mated. Oscar potential: Slim to none. OFF THE RAILS (Dec. 10): Kelly Preston made her final screen appearance in this comedy about friends celebrating the life of their deceased bestie. Oscar potential: None SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Dec. 17): Who IS in this film? The rumors have swirled for more than a year and it could or could not be a meeting of the Spider-Men. Tom Holland is here, but it could be his last role in the Spidey-tights. Oscar potential: Hardly. NIGHTMARE ALLEY (Dec. 17): Bradley Cooper courts danger when he engages with a psychi- atrist, played by Cate Blanchett. Guillermo Del Toro directs. Os- car potential: Yup. THE TENDER BAR (Dec. 17): A boy finds friendship: and direc- tion in a bar. Ben Affleck plays the good-time guy who looms as his potential mentor. Oscar potential: Maybe. SWAN SONG (Dec. 17): Maher- shala Ali plays a man diagnosed with a terminal disease who is given an out that would protect his family from grief. Oscar po- tential: Could be. THE LOST DAUGHTER (Dec. 17): A vacation turns creepy when a woman focuses on another guestand her connection to the past. Oscar potential: Little. SING 2 (Dec. 22): Those singing animals get another shot at star- dom. Oscar potential: Doubtful. THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (Dec. 22): Neo and Trinity are back for more back-bending work. Oscar potential: Sure. PARALLEL MOTHERS (Dec. 24): Pedro Almodavar directs his muse, Penelope Cruz, in this story about a pair of moms and their approach to the change in their lives. Oscar potential: Oh sure. AMERICAN UNDERDOG (Dec. 25): Zachary Levi plays football star Kurt Warner. Oscar poten- tial: No. A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN (Dec. 25): Michael B. Jordan plays a soldier who writes to his son, just before he dies, to provide rules for a better life. Oscar po- tential: Doubtful. THE TRAGEDY OF MacBETH (Dec. 25): Joel Coen (without Ethan) offers his take on the story of Macbeth. Oscar potential: Best Picture, Best Acting, Best Direc- tion. JOCKEY (Dec. 29): A jockey wants one more race. Oscar potential: Independent Spirit Award is more likely. CYRANO (Dec. 31): Peter Din- klage gets his shot at playing the man who’s good at advising oth- ers about love but not so good at handling his own affairs. Oscar potential: Big maybe. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2021
Transcript of 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS THE TOTAL PACKAGE
BRUCE R. MILLER | Sioux City Journal
If, like many, you said, “Why are there no good fi lms in theaters?” We’ve got the answer: They’ve been saving them for the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. More than
likely, the year’s biggest Oscar winners will come from this period, particularly since studios are launching big “for your consideration” events before their fi lms’ names are even known. What’s coming in the next few months? We’ve got the list...and the ones most likely.
NOVEMBER
BELFAST (now): Director Ken-neth Branagh tells a version of his family’s story in the 1960s, growing up with fi ghting in the streets and an unsettled future. Oscar potential: Best Picture, best acting, directing.
TICK, TICK…BOOM! (Nov. 19):Lin-Manuel Miranda uses a Jon-athan Larson off -Broadway show to tell the story of the “Rent” cre-ator. Andrew Garfi eld plays Lar-son. Oscar potential: Best Actor.
KING RICHARD (Nov. 19): Will Smith plays the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Wil-liams. Oscar potential: Best Ac-tor, Best Picture.
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (Nov. 19): How do you reboot a clas-sic fi lm? By bringing in another generation and discovering their connection to the original Ghost-busters. Oscar potential: Special eff ects.
C’MON C’MON (Nov. 19): Joaquin Phoenix plays a man who bonds with his nephew. Oscar potential: Best Actor.
RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY (Nov. 24): A pharma giant has ruined a town, but it also has spawned an evil that lies below. Oscar potential: None.
ENCANTO (Nov. 24): The Madrigal family has special powers. Daughter Mirabel, however, doesn’t but she must muster her own strength to help the others. Oscar potential: Lin-Man-uel Miranda wrote the music. Enough said.
HOUSE OF GUCCI (Nov. 24): Fash-ion was only the start of it. That wild Gucci family had more in-trigue than the Corleones. With Robert De Niro, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in tow, this could be the one that makes Ridley Scott a big Oscar winner. Oscar poten-tial: All around.
8-BIT CHRISTMAS (Nov. 24): A kid works to get a video game system for Christmas, circa 1980s. Oscar potential: None.
THE UNFORGIVABLE (Nov. 24, limited release): Sandra Bull-ock plays a woman looking for redemption while also seeking her sister. Oscar potential: Best Actress, natch.
BRUISED (Nov. 24): Halle Berry directs herself as a single mom who may lose her son if she doesn’t have a way to give him a better life. She gets in the MMA ring and battles on. Think: Fe-male “Rocky.” Oscar potential: Very slight chance for Best Ac-tress.
LICORICE PIZZA (Nov. 26): When you’re a successful kid actor, you’ve got real problems when you try to enter the “real” world. Benny Safdie stars. Oscar poten-tial: Slim to none.
AN INTRUSION (Nov. 26):A stalker makes life hell
for a family. But there could be a method to the madness. Oscar potential: None.
THE TOTAL PACKAGEUpcoming releases give the gift of quality cinema
AMAZON
Riz Ahmed in “Encounter.”
MGM
Lady Gaga and Adam Driver in “House of Gucci.” MGM
Peter Dinklage stars as “Cyrano.”
20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper in “Nightmare Alley.”
Mirabel, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz,
is a member of a magical family in “Encanto.”
DISNEY
ENTERTAINMENT
DECEMBER
THE POWER OF THE DOG (Dec. 1): Benedict Cumberbatch stakes his claim to the Daniel Day Lewis crown as a pushy rancher whose life is changed when his brother brings home a new wife. Oscar potential: Pic-ture, Actor, Supporting Actor…this could run the board.
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (Dec. 3): An animated version of the popular kids book series. Oscar potential: None.
SILENT NIGHT (Dec. 3): Christ-mas dinner in the country. Lily-Rose Depp is here, as well as in another Christmas fi lm. Oscar potential: None.
THE HAND OF GOD (Dec. 3): Di-rected by Paolo Sorrentino, this is another one of those “story of my life” fi lms that includes great joy and tragedy. Oscar potential: Best Foreign Language Film; Best Picture, perhaps acting prizes. It’s this year’s “Roma.”
BENEDETTA (Dec. 3): Paul Ver-hoeven courts controversy with this drama about an Italian nun who had an aff air with another nun. Oscar potential: None.
ENCOUNTER (Dec. 3): Riz Ahmed is back for another shot at Best Actor. Here, he’s a veteran who tries to protect his children from an alien encounter. Oscar poten-tial: Best Actor.
DEADLOCK (Dec. 3): Bruce Willis leads a band of mercenaries on a mission against the govern-ment. They take refuge in an energy plant and hold people hostage. Oscar potential: None.
WOLF (Dec. 3): Lily-Rose Depp gets another shot at the hol-idays with this look at a man who thinks he’s a wolf trapped in a human’s body. Oscar poten-tial: None.
RED ROCKET (Dec. 3): Simon Rex was a hit at the Cannes Film Fes-tival for his work in this drama about a porn star who returns home. Oscar potential: Best ac-tor.
SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (Dec. 3): Animation studio Aardman’s favorite stop-motion character gets another shot at laughs in this story of a missing Timmy. Oscar potential: None.
BEING THE RICARDOS (Dec. 10): Aaron Sorkin got a shot at rewriting “To Kill a Mock-ingbird.” Now he’s taking on “I Love Lucy.” In this behind-the-scenes drama, he looks at the turmoil Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz faced. Oscar potential: Feast or famine.
WEST SIDE STORY (Dec. 10): Ste-ven Spielberg decided to remake a classic with an updated script and a cast of age-appropriate actors. Oscar potential: Could be big.
THE LAST SON (Dec. 10): Sam Worthington goes on the hunt so he can save his life. Oscar potential: Limited.
DON’T LOOK UP (Dec. 10): A comet could destroy Earth. But who is going to sound the alarm? Two astronomers try to get the attention of offi cials. Meryl Streep plays the president. Adam McKay directs. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Timothee Chalamet also star. Oscar potential: Through the roof.
MOSLEY (Dec. 10): A farm ani-mal goes on an adventure. Ani-mated. Oscar potential: Slim to none.
OFF THE RAILS (Dec. 10): Kelly Preston made her fi nal screen appearance in this comedy about friends celebrating the life of their deceased bestie. Oscar potential: None
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Dec. 17): Who IS in this fi lm? The rumors have swirled for more than a year and it could or could not be a meeting of the Spider-Men. Tom Holland is here, but it could be his last role in the Spidey-tights. Oscar potential: Hardly.
NIGHTMARE ALLEY (Dec. 17):Bradley Cooper courts danger when he engages with a psychi-atrist, played by Cate Blanchett. Guillermo Del Toro directs. Os-car potential: Yup.
THE TENDER BAR (Dec. 17): A boy fi nds friendship: and direc-tion in a bar. Ben Affl eck plays the good-time guy who looms as his potential mentor. Oscar potential: Maybe.
SWAN SONG (Dec. 17): Maher-shala Ali plays a man diagnosed with a terminal disease who is given an out that would protect his family from grief. Oscar po-tential: Could be.
THE LOST DAUGHTER (Dec. 17):A vacation turns creepy when a woman focuses on another guestand her connection to the past. Oscar potential: Little.
SING 2 (Dec. 22): Those singing animals get another shot at star-dom. Oscar potential: Doubtful.
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (Dec. 22): Neo and Trinity are back for more back-bending work. Oscar potential: Sure.
PARALLEL MOTHERS (Dec. 24):Pedro Almodavar directs his muse, Penelope Cruz, in this story about a pair of moms and their approach to the change in their lives. Oscar potential: Oh sure.
AMERICAN UNDERDOG (Dec. 25): Zachary Levi plays football star Kurt Warner. Oscar poten-tial: No.
A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN (Dec. 25): Michael B. Jordan plays a soldier who writes to his son, just before he dies, to provide rules for a better life. Oscar po-tential: Doubtful.
THE TRAGEDY OF MacBETH (Dec. 25): Joel Coen (without Ethan) off ers his take on the story of Macbeth. Oscar potential: Best Picture, Best Acting, Best Direc-tion.
JOCKEY (Dec. 29): A jockey wants one more race. Oscar potential: Independent Spirit Award is more likely.
CYRANO (Dec. 31): Peter Din-klage gets his shot at playing the man who’s good at advising oth-ers about love but not so good at handling his own aff airs. Oscar potential: Big maybe.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2021
