Fall Film Slate | Sophie Harasha

As the movie summer season comes to a close, the fall season is filled with a new lineup of films. I’m going to break down the films I’m most excited about this upcoming season.

Triangle of Sadness - Oct 7, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDvfFIZQIuQ)

This movie, starring Harris Dickinson, Thobias Thorwid, Charlbi Dean, and Woody Harrelson, is directed by Ruben Ostlund, a Swedish filmmaker. He is known for Force Majeure (2014), The Square (2017) and Involuntary (2008). The film follows models and influencers aboard a luxury yacht, where a storm heightens tensions between everyone on board, leaving survivors on an island. Based on the limited information the trailer presented, the film seems to be an artistic take on social class, the fashion industry, hierarchy, and, “beauty as currency” as the director is quoted in saying. The trailer is a memorable one, using a haunting yet beautiful song to juxtapose the ship going through a storm and the elite passengers becoming ill. It also introduces the tone and general idea of the film, without giving away any plot specifics, as a good trailer should. As of now, Triangle of Sadness has a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes out of 61 reviews. It won the Palem d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, the highest award given at the festival. It also got an 8 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, the longest of the festival. At the Cannes or Venice Film Festival, those who weren’t at the festival are able to gauge how good a film was based on the length of its standing ovation. Most of the films at Venice are premiered there so before any reviews come out, fans are able to see a preliminary audience enjoyment. For reference, The Banshees of Inisherin and Blonde got a 14 minute standing ovation, among the longest at the entire Venice festival. Eight minutes is admirable and thus the film seems to be fairly well-liked by critics. I personally am a fan of films that tackle societal issues in a modern or unique way. I liked Parasite for that reason, which is another film that tackles social class with a fresh take. I’m not too familiar with this specific filmmaker, but the trailer and synopsis seems interesting, so I’m looking forward to seeing this film.

My Policeman - Oct 21, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAEgWXOH1mY)

This film, starring Harry Styles and David Dawson is a queer love story set in Britian in the 1950’s during a homophobic period. Harry Styles, coming off of horror thriller Don’t Worry Darling, steps into the ring again with this new starring role. David Dawson, known for roles in The Road to Coronation Street, The Secret Agent, and Year of the Rabbit, co-stars along Styles. Emma Corrin, known for their role as Princess Diana in The Crown, also stars. The premise follows police officer Tom Burgess (Styles) and Marion (Corrin) who are a married couple. However, Tom forms a secret relationship with Patrick Hazelwood (Dawson). Given the time period, this queer relationship is heavily frowned on in society and once Marion finds out, there is a test of true love and real love. This film, released by Amazon Prime, is based on the 2021 book under the same name written by Bethan Roberts. Based on the trailer, it seems to be leaning into the more period style and seems to have time jumps as well. I’m excited to see Styles in a new leading role; his performance in Don’t Worry Darling was exactly how I imagined. He’s not going to win a ton of awards for this film but he did what he needed to do. However, for this film, his performance seems more dynamic and seems like he’s more comfortable in front of the camera. The film seems pretty stylistic and look of the film, and explores themes of love, betrayal, and loyalty. I’m excited for Dawson and Corrin’s performances, as well as Styles stepping into a new type of role.

Aftersun - Oct 21, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9jOaggGPKQ)

This film is about an eleven year old girl, Sophie, (Frankie Corio) reminiscing about her relationship with her young, idealistic father (Paul Mescal). This is the director, Charlotte Wells, feature directorial debut. The film explores themes of childhood naivety, parental relationships, and nostalgia. As of now, it has an astonishing 97% of 58 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Corio and Mescal’s performances were praised, as well as Wells’ direction. The movie is mainly told through the lens of Sophie, exploring her rose colored view of the world, specifically a trip with her father. Her father, Calum, tries to maintain this vision for his daughter, while he struggles under the weight of adulthood and fatherhood. The film also follows Sophie 20 years later, when the rose colored lens disappears, and grapples with her childhood and her relationship with her father. This film reminds me a lot of The Florida Project. That film is told through the perspective of a 7 year old girl, highlighting the experiences she had living in the projects near Disneyland, while the audience sees the gritty reality of the situation. I can’t wait to see how Wells explores themes of childhood and then once the childhood innocence is gone, how those perceive the world. This is one of my most highly anticipated movies.

Wakanda Forever - Nov 11, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlOB3UALvrQ)

This new film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a sequel to the super successful 2018 film, Black Panther. Fans are looking forward to this film and how it handles the loss of the actor who played black panther, Chadwick Boseman. He passed on August 28, 2020. Director Ryan Coogler and Marvel head Kevin Feige decided not to recast black panther for the sequel and instead allowed the film to acknowledge Boseman’s death by returning to Wakanda in post-T'Challa’s death. The trailer evokes powerful imagery and the score so fear seems incredible. Needless to say, there should be something for the casual fan and die-hard Marvel fans.

Bones and All - Nov 23, 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nu7Z9AxGNg)

This is one of my most anticipated movies. Director Luca Guadagnino and Timothee Chalamet reunite after their major success on the 2017 film, Call Me By Your Name, for this new cannibalism flick. (I guess Guadagnino took inspiration from his former lead, Armie Hammer.) The film follows a young man (Chalamet) and a young woman (Taylor Russell) who live in the margins of society. They embark on a road trip through the backroads of America, and ultimately back to pasts they’ve tried to avoid. Oh, and did I also mention that they’re cannibals? I am so excited for this film. Call Me By Your Name had a very clear and artistic vision for the film, and based on trailers it seems like Bones and All share that specific aesthetic vision. What starts as a seemingly semi-normal coming of age story between two lost teenagers quickly turns into a gory thriller about society’s hidden secret. An unlikely romance is formed between the two after their mutual love for human flesh. Critical response has overall been positive. The film has 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7/10 on IMDB. When it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, it got a 10 minute standing ovation, according to Deadline. That is among the longest of the festival, with the longest at Venice being 14 minutes. With Chalamet and Russell’s performance and Guadagnino’s direction, I can’t wait to follow this coming of age romantic film around the framework of cannibalism. Even though I am not usually a fan of gory horror films, I’ll make an exception for this movie.

White Noise - Dec 2, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqJD7ae11mU)

Following his success with Adam Driver in Marriage Story, the director Noah Baumbach is set to return this year with another highly anticipated film, White Noise. The film is based on the 1985 novel of the same name written by Don DeLillo. Greta Gerwig joins Driver in this film about a Hitlar scholar (Driver) at a small liberal arts college in Middle America. He and his fourth wife (Gerwig) face the fear of death after “Airborne Toxic Event” casts chemical waste and lethal clouds all over the town. The book itself is considered a dark comedy, so I’m interested to see Baumbach’s style of adaption and if he stays true to this tone. Gerwig is also stepping in front of the camera again as she has taken a prominent role behind the camera with films such as Lady Bird, Little Women, and is directing the highly anticipated Barbie film. Baumbach and Gerwig are married in real life. As it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, it got a measly 150 second standing ovation, a disappointing turnout for the esteemed cast and director. However, critical reviews post-festival seem relatively positive, with a 80% of 65 reviews, but a 6.7/10 on IMDB. I’m looking forward to this film mainly for a new Baumbach piece.

The Whale - Dec 9, 2022 (Trailer not yet released)

Produced by A24, The Whale is a psychological drama directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Brendon Fraser and Sadie Sink. The film follows Charlie (Fraser), a 600 pound middle aged man, as he tries to reconnect with his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sink). Their relationship became estranged after Charlie left his family for a man, who later passed away. Due to the guilt, sadness, and pain, Charlie binge ate, resulting in his overweight appearance. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival with a 6 minute standing ovation, praising Fraser’s performance and Aronofsky’s direction. This made national headlines after the ovation moved Fraser to tears. I cannot wait to see Fraser’s triumphant return and see Sink in a new dynamic role. Plus, A24 never fails so I have very high expectations with this film about the complexity of a parental relationship.

Babylon - Dec 23, 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuB1Q9qUR_o - censored version)

You may have heard of this movie for multiple reasons. Maybe it was for its stellar cast including stars like Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, and Diego Calva. Maybe because it’s the newest film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, director of such amazing films like La La Land, Whiplash, and First Man. Or maybe it’s because the trailer is definitely… explicit. Whatever the reason was, I think the film is going to be a good one. It follows Manny Torres (Calva), a Mexican-American immigrant trying to make his way up the film industry ladder, starting as an assistant. It’s set in the 1920’s, as film transitions from silent movies to the “talkies” (a name for the films we enjoy now that have sound and dialogue). The film is set in a fun era, the roaring 20’s, so we see that extravagant aesthetic throughout the trailer. It feels like a mix of The Great Gatsby with its 1920’s gaudy theme and Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood with the old Hollywood feel to it. I fully trust Chazelle with this balance. He is one of my favorite directors in terms of his artistic view. La La Land is one of my favorite films that utilize its aesthetic as almost a character of its own. Shot on 35mm film, Chazelle really wanted to pay homage to the “golden” age of Hollywood and 50’s era filmmaking. By doing so, he captured an almost unbelievable and magical color, painting the background of the film beautifully. It made audiences feel immersed with the dreamlike state of idyllic Hollywood and thus more invested in the story and characters of the film. La La Land was the film that truly made me fall in love with the filmmaking and its endless possibilities. It launched my appreciation and love for the art form. With this new film Babylon, Chazelle is examining a new era of Hollywood, focusing on the 20’s rather than the 50’s. This film, like La La Land and his others, seem to have a clear and throughout artistic and aesthetic vision. Although very little reviews and rating on this film so far, it seems like it’s going to be an visually appealing film with incredible performers and a very purposeful director. I have no doubt this film will be equally entertaining and cinematic. Needless to say, I have full trust in Chazelle and am very excited for this film.

Glass Onion - Dec 23, 2022 - Netflix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xR_lBtEvSc)

Detective Benoit Blanc is back. In this standalone Knives Out sequel directed by Rian Johnson, Daniel Criag returns as detective Benoit Blanc in the new whodunnit film. Although Criag is reprising his role, a whole new cast joins him including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista. This film is not a continuation of Knives Out, it follows a whole new storyline and a new ensemble cast. The film follows a tech billionaire Miles Bron (Norton) as he invites his friends on a trip to his private Greek Island. But after someone ends up dead, Detective Blanc is in charge of figuring out the case. Knives Out was one of my favorite films of 2019. It was the perfect mix of mystery, suspense, heart, and unexpected twists. Although a classic whodunnit, Johnson managed to create a whole cast of characters to care about and had emotional connections to the leads. The film kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and surprisingly, the ending was not what I had expected. Therefore I have high hopes for this new installment of Blanc’s adventures. This film seems very puzzle oriented based on the trailer and there’s no doubt there’ll be twists and turns. The cast is stacked and the dynamic between each character will be fun to see play out on screen. Critical response seems very good as well, with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.1/10 on IMDB with critics calling it “wildly entertaining”. Knives Out was a super fun, entertaining, shocking, and thrilling film to watch with friends and I expect Glass Onion to be the same. So instead of watching Elf for the fourth time during the holiday season, grab some friends and some popcorn for a fun movie night.

All in all, this next movie season is sure to be a good one with the perfect mix of emotion, gore, and overall entertainment.