Keiron Self is cockahoop at the prespect of a 19th-century action epic in Benin but less enamoured by the imminent, umpteenth iteration of Halloween. Plus eight more! Previews of all these films can also be found in the October issue of Buzz, available to read online now.
THE WOMAN KING
Set in Benin, west Africa in the 19th century, The Woman King tells the little-known story of General Naniscia, played here by Viola Davis. She was the leader of an elite all-female warrior group, the Agojie, who protected the kingdom of Dahomey years before Wakanda was ever dreamt of. The film follows Davis as she becomes embroiled in the events of the time, the building of her warrior unit and their equality with men – a story kept quiet and undiscovered. Rounding out the formidable cast as part of the fighting femmes are recent new 007 Lashana Lynch, the statuesque Sheila Atim (Bruised) and The Underground Railroad’s Thuso Mbedu. John Boyega also lends his less lethal arms as King Ghezo, for whom the Agojie serve. The Woman King should make for an action epic with character depth set to rival Gladiator and Braveheart, mixing history, action set-pieces and some serious female empowerment.
Dir: Gina Prince-Bythewood (12A, 126 mins)
The Woman King opens Tue 4 Oct
AMSTERDAM
A star-studded period mystery thriller from David O. Russell, the director behind the excellent Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and The Fighter, which reunites him with Christian Bale and another wig and facial hair. Set in 1930s America, Bale plays glass-eyed Burt, one of a group of friends who met in the Dutch capital and who also include Harold (John David Washington, Tenet) and Valerie (the ubiquitous Margot Robbie). They witness a murder and, unfortunately, become suspects themselves soon after, so the race is on to clear their names; in the process, they uncover a worrying conspiracy. There are a host of A-list supporting cast members all in period garb and various wigs and prosthetics – Anya Taylor-Joy, Michael Shannon, Rami Malek, Zoe Saldana, Mike Myers and Chris Rock, plus regular Russell collaborator Robert De Niro. A sprightly comedy with lavish trappings and hey, a Taylor Swift cameo too; Amsterdam should be another intelligent caper with Oscar baiting performances and lots of swirly camerawork.
Dir: David O. Russell (15, 130 mins)
Amsterdam opens Fri 7 Oct
THE LOST KING
A crowd-pleasing retelling of the story of the finding of King Richard III’s remains in a council carpark in Leicester, The Lost King reunites the triumvirate involved in Philomena: writers Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, plus director Stephen Frears. The film follows Sally Hawkins as amateur historian Philippa Langley as she becomes obsessed with finding the place where the Plantagenet ruler, much maligned by Shakespeare, was laid to rest. The establishment are not interested in her findings and dogged research, but she continues her quest aided and abetted by her own Richard, bedecked in crown and robe played by Harry Lloyd. Coogan plays her supportive if estranged husband, with James Fleet unwilling to listen as a stuffy academic. The story is well-known, but the journey should be worth taking in the company of this creative team without causing a winter of discontent, or giving anyone the hump.
Dir: Stephen Frears (12A, 108 mins)
The Lost King opens Fri 7 Oct
EMILY
The brief life of Wuthering Heights author Emily Brontë is examined in this blend of biopic and the mythology surrounding the passionate writer. Played by Sex Education’s Emma Mackey, the film concentrates on the lives she touched and the relationships that meant the most to her development before it was cruelly curtailed. So, expect competition with sisters Charlotte and Anne Brontë (Alexandra Dowling and Amelia Gething) – both writers themselves – and, then, the men in her life: elder brother Branwell (Fionn Whitehead), controlling father (Adrian Dunbar) and a fanciable clergyman Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Playing a little fast and loose with history, actor-turned-director O’Connor should hopefully offer a passionate paeon to creativity and a deep delve into the most mysterious Brontë sister amidst the rough majesty of those wild and windy moors. Kate Bush will hopefully be on the soundtrack.
Dir: Frances O’Connor (15, 130 mins)
Emily opens Fri 14 Oct
HALLOWEEN ENDS
The 12th film in the Halloween franchise and the culmination of the last trilogy under the directorial guidance of David Gordon Green, Michael Myers will hopefully terrorise us no more. Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode in a final bloody hurrah set four years after the events of the last sequel, Halloween Kills. She’s living with her granddaughter and writing a memoir determined to put the William Shatner-masked killer behind her; inevitably, the boogeyman has other ideas and the stabbing recommences after a local man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting. (The original Halloween was initially titled The Babysitter Murders, fact fans.) So, a final gory rush of violence and Curtis can hopefully have a calmer life. It’s been a bloated franchise: the John Carpenter original was brisk, brutish and effective, the latest trilogy an improvement on the slew of earlier sequels, but it is time the mask and attendant electro-synth score was hung up for good.
Dir: David Gordon Green (18, 100 mins)
Halloween Ends opens Fri 14 Oct
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
A rural Ireland-located re-teaming of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson with writer/director McDonagh, who previously delivered the classic In Bruges, should be enough for anyone to check out this latest Irish offering. A companion piece to his stage plays The Lieutenant Of Inishmore and The Cripple Of Inishmaan, McDonagh’s latest has Farrell and Gleeson play Padraic and Colm, whose long friendship is suddenly ended by Gleeson, leaving Farrell bereft and confused. He doesn’t understand why it’s ended and Gleeson is not forthcoming, playing his fiddle rather than chatting to his ‘friend’. Farrell confides in the local simpleton, played by Barry Keoghan, and long-suffering sister Kerry Condon, but matters soon escalate as Gleeson threatens to cut off Padraic’s fingers should the dogged ex-pal continue to bother him. Pitch-black humour rubs alongside bucolic charm in a film that offers grandstanding roles for its leading men, and no doubt plenty of surprises for the audience.
Dir: Martin McDonagh (15, 109 mins)
The Banshees Of Inisherin opens Fri 21 Oct
BLACK ADAM
A passion project for Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, this has been in the works for years and finally reaches the big screen in another DC super/anti-hero outing. Johnson plays former slave Teth-Adam: a Spartacus-type figure from the mythical land of Kahndaq, gifted powers from the Egyptian gods. However, when his son is killed and he embarks on a path of vengeance, he is entombed and only reawakens 5000 years later. His no-nonsense brand of violent justice brings him to the attention of the Justice Society Of America, who are the precursor to the Justice League in the DC Comics and made up of not-so-famous superheroes. Think DC versions of Marvel tropes like Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate (a blend of Doctor Strange and Professor X), Noah Centineo’s Atom Smasher (sort of Ant-Man), Quintessa Swindell’s Cyclone (Storm) and Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman (Falcon). With Johnson very much at the forefront as a 12A anti-hero, it may have some ‘edge’ – just not Deadpool edge, as this is no doubt a franchise-building exercise in the bloated superhero market.
Dir: Jaume Collet-Serra (12A, 120 mins)
Black Adam opens Fri 21 Oct
DECISION TO LEAVE
Your Advert Here
With 500K+ views a month, see how our range of advertising options across print and digital could work for you.
Following the excellent The Handmaiden in 2016, Korean director Park Chan-Wook looks set to return to similar, stylish Hitchcockian ground in this twisty-turner thriller that has garnered plaudits from awards festivals. The film follows policeman Hae Joon (Park Hae-il) in Busan as he investigates the death of a climber. Was it an accident or something more sinister? This draws him into the orbit of Seo-rae (played by Tang Wei), the deceased’s wife with who he has an instant connection. His mundane marriage to his wife Jung-an (Lee Jung-hung) is called into question as he falls for another, despite the fact that she might be a murderer. As the evidence mounts against her and the policeman’s marriage crumbles, he has to make a choice. Director Chan-Wook, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Chung Seo-Kyung, will no doubt keep everyone guessing throughout in a sensuous thriller that is bound to entertain.
Dir: Park Chan-Wook (15, 138 mins)
Decision To Leave opens Fri 21 Oct
BROS
A gay romantic comedy that looks set to tickle, this will hopefully redefine who the leads can be in the genre in a confident and hopefully hilarious way. Billy Eichner, star of Billy On The Street and scene stealer in TV shows like Parks And Recreation, has written Bros with director Nicholas Stoller – no slouch at romcoms himself (see Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Aiming for an unapologetically mainstream gay comedy, Bros treats matters the same way as hetero romcoms, but with an honest look at gay characters, placing them front and centre rather than on the sidelines a la Rupert Everett in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Eichner’s nerd falls for beefcake-with-brains Luke MacFarlane, and has acute anxiety about whether they are right for each other; Eichner is also trying to set up a LGBTQ+ museum amidst much infighting. This looks to be a truly diverse, crowdpleasing, landscape-shifting, funny romp through a truthful lens.
Dir: Nicholas Stoller (15, 100 mins)
Bros opens Fri 28 Oct
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS
A caustic comedy that skewers wealth and privilege, Triangle Of Sadness won the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film festival and finally heads to these shores. A superyacht containing a fashion model super couple and other such filthy rich sinks, leaving those who survive trapped on an island. Culture shock ensues. Written and directed by Ruben Ostlund, the man behind the excellent Force Majeure and The Square, this looks to be another uncomfortable comedy that scabrously dissects the foibles of the haves and have-nots. Harris Dickinson plays Carl, a supermodel who can do a happy and sad face, and who – following a row with super-rich influencer girlfriend Yaya, the sadly recently deceased Charlbi Dean – ends up on the superyacht under Woody Harrelson’s stressed captaincy. Below Decks amped to the max with an island indignity to follow, this should continue Ostlund’s run of cringe comedy dramas with added epic vomiting scene.
Dir: Ruben Ostlund (15, 147 mins)
Triangle Of Sadness opens Fri 28 Oct
words KEIRON SELF