November is a big month for sophomore films from new directors, with
Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby), Christos Nikou (Apples) and Kitty Green (The Assistant) all delivering followups to their acclaimed debut features. It also gives
us the English language debut of Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself), this year's Palme d'Or winner and new movies from established auteurs
like Ridley Scott, David Fincher, Amat Escalante and
Todd Haynes. Phew.
Fingernails (Nov 3rd, cinemas/AppleTV+)
Greek director Christos Nikou (Apples) makes his English language debut with this romantic sci-fi
drama. Fingernails is set in a near future where a new
technology claims to be able to identify true love. Such tech has
scientifically proven that Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) belong
together, but Anna isn't so sure and her doubts are exacerbated when she
falls for another man, Amir (Riz Ahmed).
The Royal Hotel (Nov 3rd, cinemas)
If movies like Wake in Fright and Wolf Creek have taught us one thing it's that foreigners should avoid the
Australian outback. The young protagonists of The Royal Hotel ignore such advice to their detriment. Director Kitty Green reteams with her The Assistant star Julia Garner, who plays Hanna, an American who takes a job in a remote outback bar
with her travelling companion Liv (Jessica Henwick). When the girls make enemies of some local men... well, you know how
this goes.
How to Have Sex (Nov 3rd, cinemas)
Writer/director Molly Manning Walker scooped the Un Certain Regard prize at this year's Cannes Film
Festival with her feature debut. The film follows three young British women who experience the highs and
lows of sexual freedom on a hedonistic holiday at a Mediterranean
resort.
Bottoms (Nov 3rd, cinemas)
Director Emma Seligman reteams with her Shiva Baby star Rachel Sennott for high school comedy Bottoms, which the two co-wrote. In a lesbian riff on traditional high school
comedies, the film sees Sennott and Ayo Edebiri play two friends who start a fight club as a
way of hooking up with their school's cheerleaders.
Dream Scenario (Nov 10th, cinemas)
Norwegian writer/director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) makes his American debut with Dream Scenario. The film stars Nicolas Cage as a college professor who becomes a global sensation when he
starts to appear in the dreams of millions of strangers he has never
encountered. His fame takes a dark turn when the dreams begin to turn to
terrifying nightmares.
Anatomy of a Fall (Nov 10th, cinemas)
Directed by Justine Triet (In Bed with Victoria; Sybil), this year's Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner stars Sandra Hüller as a German writer who finds herself accused of her husband's death
when he suffers a fatal accident in France, the only witness being the
couple's blind 11-year-old son.
The Killer (Nov 10th, Netflix)
Director David Fincher reteams with his Se7en writer Andrew Kevin Walker for an adaptation of
the graphic novel by Alexis Nolent (a.k.a Matz). The film stars Michael Fassbender as a hitman who finds himself battling his own employers as he
becomes involved on an international manhunt.
May December (November 17th, cinemas)
Directed by Todd Haynes, May December stars Natalie Portman as Elizabeth, an actress whose latest role requires her to play the
part of Grace (Julianne Moore), a woman who caused a tabloid scandal 20 years ago due to her
relationship with an underage boy, Joe (Charles Melton), who is now her husband. Hoping to gain insight, Elizabeth ingratiates
herself with the controversial couple, reigniting their uncomfortable
history in the process.
Napoleon (Nov 22nd, cinemas)
Directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, who previously collaborated on All the Money in the World, Napoleon stars Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous French leader. The film charts Napoleon Bonaparte's
rise to power and his romantic relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby).
Lost in the Night (Nov 24th, cinemas)
Written and directed by Amat Escalante (The Untamed), Lost in the Night stars Juan Daniel Garcia as Emiliano, a young man investigating
the disappearance of his activist mother, much to the chagrin of an
international mining company and the local authorities. His search leads
him to the home of a famous artist.