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Don’t Look Up, November 17thWest Side Story, November 29thNightmare Alley, December 1st Notice how “Nightmare Alley” is being shown just a day before the New York Film Critics Circle votes on their awards. Although, I don’t think that film will be a factor with NYC critics. It does seem as though Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” will be duking it out for the title of most critically-acclaimed movie of 2021....

The gist of the controversy has to do with Disney featuring a same-sex couple, including kissing, in the film. Now in Singapore, “Lightyear” was stamped with an NC-16 rating for its “overt homosexual depictions.” The ratings board in Singapore admitted that Disney turned down the option of releasing two versions of the movie which would have allowed younger viewers to watch it. If you remember, the scene involving this same-sex kiss had been originally cut from the film, but reinstated following uproar from Pixar employees claiming that Disney had been censoring “overtly gay affection....

Hawley looks to bring the dark, almost miraculous spell of his writing to the big screen by telling the true story of NASA Captain Lisa Nowak (Lucy in the movie as played by Natalie Portman), who made headlines in 2007 by driving from Houston to Orlando, with a knife and a BB gun, to confront a former lover, astronaut (Jon Hamm) and his new girlfriend (Zazie Beetz). What triggered the violent act?...

I get it, people were justifiably in a dire mood during the first year of the pandemic. “Nomadland,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, was a moody third film from the Chinese-American filmmaker, after her triumphant 2018 indie, “The Rider.” It was all about isolation and finding your place in life. It clicked with many critics, and, clearly, Academy voters. However, it’s not a film that will necessarily age well....

Is that a bad sign? I’m not entirely sure, but if Universal had confidence in this one then they’d lift it way before that. Or maybe they just don’t want spoilers leaking online. Then again, I’m hearing the spoilers in this movie aren’t really as big of a deal as in “Get Out,” and “Us.” It’s said to be a fairly straightforward UFO invasion movie. “Nope” is one of the most anticipated summer movies of 2022....

“When I saw the movie, initially I thought it would antithetical to the character for me to campaign,” he said. “But these people were a joy to work with. The movie came out in July and it didn’t get any love from the film festivals. [Cannes head] Thierry Fremaux said no, so I was like, ‘Let’s give this movie a little bit of attention so people may discover it because I think it’s worthy of that....

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Yes, after Gunn attempted to delete controversial tweets last week, but was caught in the process, Hollywood is, to put in simple terms, in total freak-out mode. It’s panic in la-la land as artists try to erase their past on Twitter and Facebook. That is what happens when you give social media blabbermouths all the power in the world to wreak havoc and censor anything and everything deemed “un-pure.” “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson has followed in Gunn’s footsteps and deleted 20,000 old tweets, probably because he doesn’t want to risk being on the Twitter community’s neverending hit-list....

Based on the trailer alone, Reeves’ direction looks like a direct visual sibling of David Fincher’s “Se7en,” especially with those darkly lit yellowish tints, and crisp digital frames. I dig it, although it gives ofd the vibe that there is nothing distinctive or unique about this latest Batman incarnation. Also, Pattinson as Batman is still a question mark, we don’t see very much “acting” from him here, but I’m inclined to think he’ll do just fine in the role....

“The Bubble” makes Apatow’s last film, “The King of Staten Island,” look like a masterpiece. That one had a good Pete Davidson performance at the center of its narrative. Most Apatow’s are driven by great central performances, this one doesn’t have one. It’s Apatow’s silliest movie. A movie within a movie that recalls the hijinks of “Tropic Thunder.” This is a peculiar one for Apatow, not grounded in pertienence and straying far away from the realist comic gold of his best films, “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin....

Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker (a playfully over-the-top Andrew Garfield), rose from humble beginnings to create the world’s largest religious broadcasting network. Their message of love, acceptance and prosperity was eventually shattered by financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and a cheating scandal. Sporting Faye’s iconic eyelashes, and a pound of makeup, Chastain and Garfield are the sole reason to watch writer-director Michael Showalter’s overlong and conventionally constructed movie. Chastain is perfect for the role, forget about the prosthetics for a second, she truly gets what Faye was all about — a walking contradiction of faith, acceptance and greed....

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Don’t let the title mislead you, this is the story of real-life serial killer Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne), the “good” nurse of the title. Cullen, was known as the “Angel of Death,” and regarded as one of the most prolific murderers in modern American history. He was allegedly responsible for the deaths of almost 300 of his patients over a 15-year time span. Jessica Chastain plays Cullen’s co-worker at the hospital, and fellow nurse, who started to suspect Cullen’s nefarious ways....

Not that shocking. This would be part of the overall deal Chase just signed with HBO. Maybe ‘Newark’ was a test-run for Chase and HBO, but the early viewing numbers for the movie are said to be very good on the network’s streaming service, HBO Max. Chase cast Michael Gandolfini, son of the late great James Gandolfini, as Tony Soprano — his dad masterfully played the part for six seasons on HBO’s The Sopranos....

There is currently no release date for Baumbach’s film, although I keep hearing October rumors. Telluride passed on the film. I’m not entirely sure what the deal is with no TIFF bow as it possibly just wasn’t submitted for Toronto. In case you haven’t heard, this is the film Baumbach poured blood, sweat and tears into. A $140 million ambitious adaptation of Don DeLillo’s absurdist satirical novel. It’s the kind of book that would be perfectly suited for Charlie Kaufman’s style....

Split into three chapters (“A Dark Spirit”, “Scorched Earth”, “Bad Animals, Bad”), the film zeroes in on Statham’s Patrick Hill, a one-man killing machine who infiltrates armored truck company, Fortico Security, to find the psychopath (Scott Eastwood) who killed his son. He’s tapped to partner on assignments with Bullet (Holt McCallany) and hot-headed Dave (Josh Hartnett). Both quickly learn how lethal the new guy they call “H” is when he singlehandedly manhandles seven men in a kidnap-robbery attempt on their truck....

More to come …. Best Picture: “Black Panther”“BlacKkKlansman”“Bohemian Rhapsody”“The Favourite”“Green Book”“Roma”“A Star Is Born”“Vice” Best Director: Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman”Pawel Pawlikowski, “Cold War”Yorgos Lanthimos, “The Favourite”Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma”Adam McKay, “Vice” Best Actor: Christian Bale, “Vice”Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born”Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate”Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book” Best Actress: Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma”Glenn Close, “The Wife”Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born”Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?...

EARLIER: I’m currently tracking these 2023 films. If I’m missing any then please let me know. This is the start of my blueprint for our annual “Most Anticipated” list, which usually runs in December. I know, I know, a tad too early? But you have to start early with these. 2023 looks good on paper, but if this year has taught us anything, it’s not to have our expectations raised too high as plenty of films get pushed back or delayed....

I’ve loved several of his movies, especially “Lost City of Z,” and “Two Lovers,” but the Brooklyn-born filmmaker has always been hit-and-miss. With that being said, there is no reason to be worried just yet with “Armageddon Time,” Gray is a filmmaker for acquired tastes and his films, not to mention the classicist style he tends to use, will always be divisive. All of this to say, I received this morning a 10-word email review from a West Coast based screenwriter who attended Tuesday’s screening....