All the movies you should see in November
Your guide to this month's biggest and buzziest movies, including Spectre, Spotlight, and Creed
November 6
Spectre
What it is: The 24th James Bond blockbuster (and the fourth to star Daniel Craig) finds 007 on the trail of a top-secret criminal organization called Spectre.
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Why you should care: It starts with the last 007 film, Skyfall, which earned some of the best reviews — and the highest box-office gross — in the franchise's decades-long history. Much of the creative team behind Skyfall has been reassembled for Spectre, including director Sam Mendes, screenwriters John Logan and Neal Purvis, and pretty much every character who wasn't killed off in Skyfall, while filling out the cast with talents like Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, and Monica Bellucci. And the plot, while shrouded in secrecy, heralds the long-awaited return of 007's greatest foes while mixing in some truly insane-looking action set pieces.
What else is coming out: The Peanuts Movie, a big-budget animated adaptation of the beloved Charles Schulz comic; Room, a harrowing drama about a mother (Brie Larson) held captive in a small garden shed with her young son; Trumbo, a Bryan Cranston-starring biopic of the legendary Spartacus screenwriter who was blacklisted for his Communist beliefs; Miss You Already, a dramedy about a pair of longtime friends (Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore) dealing, respectively, with a cancer diagnosis and a pregnancy; Lost in the Sun, a thriller about the unlikely bond between a criminal on the run (Josh Duhamel) and the young boy (Josh Wiggins) he enlists as an accomplice.
November 13
Spotlight
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What it is: The real-life story of the Boston Globe investigative journalism team that uncovered a history of sexual abuses committed by members of the clergy in Boston's archdiocese.
Why you should care: Evoking such based-on-a-true-story classics as All the President's Men and The Insider, Oscar hopeful Spotlight aims to document the painstaking work that went into the Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation. The film relies on the talents of an extremely accomplished cast that includes Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Stanley Tucci. And by all accounts, Spotlight manages the tricky task of telling an extremely emotional story with tact and grace; screenings at film festivals in Venice, Telluride, and Toronto have been greeted with almost universally positive reviews.
What else is coming out: By the Sea, a lavish romantic drama about a failing marriage, pairing real-life couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie for the first time since Mr. and Mrs. Smith; The 33, a drama about the effort to rescue the 33 men who were trapped in the 2010 Chilean mining accident; Love the Coopers, a holiday comedy with a sprawling ensemble cast that includes Diane Keaton, John Goodman, and Olivia Wilde; Man Up, a charming indie rom-com about a woman (Lake Bell) who impulsively pretends she's the blind date of a charming stranger (Simon Pegg); Kilo Two Bravo, an Afghanistan-set war drama about the mission to rescue a group of soldiers who accidentally trigger a land mine; James White, a drama about an irresponsible twenty-something (Christopher Abbott) who attempts to turn his life around when his mother (Cynthia Nixon) is diagnosed with a serious illness; Entertainment, a black comedy centered on the life of comedian Gregg Turkington, better known by his stage persona Neil Hamburger; My All American, an inspirational sports drama based on the true story of college football player Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock), whose career was cut short by a battle with bone cancer; Heist, a bland-looking crime thriller that haphazardly blends elements of Ocean's Eleven and Speed.
November 20
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
What it is: The final installment in the insanely popular Hunger Games franchise follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she leads a revolution against the despotic President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the fellow residents of the Capitol.
Why you should care: Among Hollywood's top-tier franchises, The Hunger Games is a welcome outlier. It's about a human being, not a superhero. It's based on source material that was written years ago, not decades ago. And its central protagonist is a woman (Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen). Those who have read Suzanne Collins' novels know there are some big, big scenes to come. Mockingjay, Part 2 is the final installment in the Hunger Games franchise — and given that the series has basically improved with each movie, it's safe to assume big things from this last trip to Panem. (At least until they reboot it.)
What else is coming out: Secret in Their Eyes, a grim crime thriller about an FBI agent (Julia Roberts) who teams up with a fellow agent (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to solve the long-unexplained murder of her own daughter; Carol, a drama about two women (Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara) who unexpectedly fall in love in 1950s New York.
November 25
Creed
What it is: This evolution of the Rocky franchise pivots the focus to Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), who enlists his father's old sparring partner and friend Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) as a trainer in his own quest for boxing glory.
Why you should care: There was every reason to believe that the Rocky franchise — the subject of an ever-declining string of sequels, with a belated 2006 capper that felt like a worthwhile ending point — had finally been put to bed. But Creed provides an unexpected and intriguing reason to revisit Rocky that feels like both a new start and a rich tribute to the series' past. With Stallone revisiting the role that made him an icon more than 40 years ago, Creed will undoubtedly feel poignant. But it also has an ideal new star in Michael B. Jordan —reteaming with Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler — who has easily established himself as one of Hollywood's most promising young talents.
What else is coming out: The Good Dinosaur, Pixar's latest, which is set in a world where dinosaurs and humans live side-by-side; The Night Before, a comedy about a trio of aging friends (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, Seth Rogen) who decide to embark on one last wild, debauched Christmas Eve together; Victor Frankenstein, a comedy/thriller re-imagining of the classic Mary Shelley novel starring James McAvoy as the title character and Daniel Radcliffe as his assistant, Igor.
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.