Upcoming films bring Oscar Winners, sequels and holiday releases
“Ender’s Game”
Nov. 1;
Starring: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis
Orson Scott Card’s beloved 1985 young adult novel has been brought to the big screen (including IMAX) with a fleet of major talent. Asa Butterfield, who starred in Martin Scorsese’s fabulous family film “Hugo” plays Ender, a young boy who fights for the survival of humankind after an alien attack.
“Free Birds”
Nov. 1;
Featuring the voices of: Woody Harrelson,Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler and George Takei
Two turkeys (voiced by real-life pals and Oscar nominees Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson) team up and travel through time to reverse the history of eating turkey during the holidays.
“Last Vegas”
Nov. 1;
Starring: Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen
Four Oscar winners go to Las Vegas. This seems like it will be one of those sitcom-level films that was a lot more fun to make than to watch.
“Thor: The Dark World”
Nov. 8;
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård and Idris Elba
“The Avengers” franchise continues with the sequel to “Thor” (2011).Thor will fight some villains, fly around and stop the destruction (while causing much of his own) and save humanity. As always, stay after the credits for a bonus scene.
“The Starving Games”
Nov. 8;
Directed and written by: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer; Starring: Maiara Walsh and Brant Daugherty
From the writing and directing team that brought you “Date Movie,” “Meet the Spartans,” and “Vampires Suck.” Need I say more?
“The Best Man Holiday”
Nov. 15;
Starring: Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Nia Long and Regina Hall.
The sequel to the 1999 film “The Best Man”reunites a group of college friends 15 years later over the Christmas holidays. Love, friendship and feuds ensue.
“Delivery Man”
Nov. 22;
Starring: Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt
Hollywood constantly remakes foreign films. This Vince Vaughn vehicle is a remake of the 2011 French film “Starbuck.” If there are going to be remakes, they should be of bad films. The original film got mixed reviews, so maybe this will be a rare remake that improves on the original. Probably not, but you never know.
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Nov. 22;
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland
Katniss Everdeen (Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence) continues to fight for her life in the Hunger Games, a brutal life-or-death competition in the future televised in Panem, the desolate land where America used to be. Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee should prove to be a major asset.
“Frozen”
Nov. 27:
Featuring the voices of: Kristen Bell, Alan Tudyk and Idina Menzel.
Disney’s revamped retelling of The Snow Queen tale. Disney’s non-Pixar films in the last 15 years have mostly been disappointing, so hopefully they will regain their stature with their new holiday release.
“Homefront”
Nov. 27;
Written by: Sylvester Stallone; Starring Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder and Kate Bosworth
[Said in a gravelly Jason Statham voice] Jason Statham stars as a former DEA agent who moves his family to a quiet town but gets involved with local meth dealers. The film is written by Sylvester Stallone. That says a lot about what the film will be like.
“Oldboy”
Nov. 27;
Directed by: Spike Lee; Starring Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley and Michael Imperioli.
There is not a shred of reason to remake the 2003 South Korean film “Oldboy,” which is based on a manga. The story is about a man (Brolin) who is mysteriously imprisoned for 20 years and suddenly let free. While the remake may be unnecessary, Spike Lee’s reinterpretation may be a worthy film on its own terms.