The crowning of a new Black Panther, a cannibalistic road trip and much more await at the movies this month
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ November 11th (Theaters)
The biggest film in Marvel’s Phase 4 slate has finally arrived. At the dawn of King T’Challa’s (the late Chadwick Boseman) death, invading forces from around the world target Wakanda’s vibranium, unleashing chaos. It will be the duty of Shuri (Leititia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Okoye (Danai Gurira) to defend the nation, especially when a mysterious civilization emerges from the depths of the sea. The mantle of the Black Panther will have to be taken up by a new hero this time around, one strong enough to hold Wakanda together during their most turbulent time in their long history.
‘The Friendship Game’ November 11th (Theaters / VOD)
This mind-bending and terrifying film from Scooter Corkle is about Teens in a small town who come across an object with mysterious cosmic powers and a baffling sort of consciousness. Over the course of a night, the object tests their loyalties with increasingly destructive consequences and unravels the mystery about their missing friend. Cobra Kai star Peyton List will be in the lead role, along with Brendan Meyer, Kelcey Mawema, Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Dylan Schombing rounding out the rest of the main cast.
‘Poker Face’ November 16th (Theaters) November 22nd (VOD)
This crime thriller not only stars the one and only Russell Crowe, but was also written and directed by the longtime movie star as well! Tech billionaire and gambler Jake Foley (Crowe) hosts a high-stakes poker game between childhood friends, offering them the chance to win more money than they’ve ever dreamed of. The evening takes a turn when he unveils his elaborate plan seeking revenge for their betrayals and to play, they’ll have to give up the one thing they’ve spent their lives trying to keep…their secrets. As if that wasn’t enough, as the game unfolds, thieves break in and they must band together to survive a night of terror.
‘The Wonder’ November 16th (Netflix)
The Wonder comes from director Sebastián Lelio and is based on the 2016 novel by Emma Donoghue. Set in The Irish Midlands in 1862, the story follows a young girl who stops eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is brought to a tiny village to observe the strange eleven-year old Anna O’Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy). Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. A tale of two strangers who transform each other’s lives, a psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.
‘The Menu’ November 18th (Theaters)
Mark Mylod has made a name for himself in television with his work on various episodes of HBO hits Game of Thrones and Succession, and is now looking to make a splash with The Menu. The film is a mix of black comedy and delectable horror thrills, following a young couple (played by Anya Taylor-Joy & Nicholas Hoult) who travel to a remote island for an exclusive culinary experience. The island is home to a restaurant named Hawthorne where the clientele is A-list only, and the celebrity chef (Ralph Fiennes) in charge of dinner has some shocking surprises in store for his guests. It should be a gruesomely fun and sharply satirical ride.
‘Taurus’ November 18th (Theaters / VOD)
This may be a blasphemous choice for us here at Knotfest, but Taurus is arguably the biggest music film of November. Written and directed by Tim Sutton, Taurus follows a rising but troubled musician (played by Colson Baker) who searches for the inspiration to record his next song, pushing himself deep into the void. He’s just completed his biggest tour to date but is plagued by feelings of disconnect and isolation. Baker is best known as MGK, but has been popping up in movies more and more in projects like The Dirt, Bird Box, Project Power and others. This latest film also stars his partner Megan Fox as well as Ruby Rose, Scoot McNairy and more. Exploring fame, addiction, the artistic process, and the music industry, Taurus is a soulful and universal cautionary tale.
‘Bones and All’ November 23rd (Theaters)
Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino has steadily become a strongly acclaimed voice to pay attention to in the movie landscape, most notably thanks to his double whammy of 2017’s coming-of-age romance Call Me By Your Name followed by his 2018 remake of cult horror favorite Suspiria. His latest is Bones and All, which reunites him with star Timotheé Chalamet for yet another coming-of-age romance, but with a bit of a horror twist. The film follows Maren (Taylor Russell), a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and Lee (Chalamet), an intense and disenfranchised drifter. The two meet and join together for a thousand-mile odyssey which takes them through the back roads, hidden passages and trap doors of Ronald Reagan’s America. But what exactly brings the two young lovers close? Probably their shared desire for human flesh.
‘Devotion’ November 23rd (Theaters)
Directed by J.D. Dillard, this historical war drama promises to deliver some thrilling aerial combat and a timeless tale of comradeship in extraordinary times. Set during the Korean War, the film tells the true story of elite fighter pilots Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Tom Hudner (Glen Powell). The two young men risk their lives and learn to trust one another as they become the most celebrated wingmen of the entire war. Boasted by great performances and thrilling action, Devotion is not one for historical buffs to miss out on.
‘The Fabelmans’ November 23rd (Theaters)
Who better than to fictionalize and tell his own life story than one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Steven Spielberg? The Fabelmans is a wondrous take on Spielberg’s own upbringing and is dedicated to the memories of his parents. Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, a young man named Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth. Part memoir and part ode to the power of movies, The Fabelmans is certainly Spielberg’s most personal film to date. It could possibly be his most moving as well.
‘Strange World’ November 23rd (Theaters)
In this new animated adventure feature from the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios, a legendary family of explorers known as the Clades embark on a journey to the mysterious and very much alive planet of Avalonia. Their differences threaten to topple this latest and most crucial mission, so they’ll have to find a way to come together however they can in order to succeed. Director Don Hall (Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) brings inspiration from the worlds of pulp magazines and films like Journey to the Center of the Earth. The cast will include Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union and Lucy Liu.
‘White Noise’ November 25th (Theaters)
Based on the 1985 novel by Don DeLillo, White Noise is an apocalypse tale with a healthy dose of black comedy. Directed by Noah Baumbach and at once hilarious and horrifying, lyrical and absurd, ordinary and apocalyptic, White Noise dramatizes a contemporary American family’s attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world. Jack Gladney (Adam Driver), professor of Hitler studies at the College-on-the-Hill, husband to Babette (Greta Gerwig) and father to four children/stepchildren, is torn asunder by “the Airborne Toxic Event,” a cataclysmic train accident that casts chemical waste over his town.
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