Anora
Writer/director Sean Baker (Tangerine; Red Rocket) scooped the top prize Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival
with Anora. It's yet another film from Baker with a sex worker protagonist, in this
case Anora (Mikey Madison), a Vegas stripper who falls for Vanya (Mark Eidelstein), the son of a Russian oligarch. Anora and
Vanya's relationship is threatened when it's discovered by the latter's
parents. [Nov 1st cinemas]
Juror #2
Clint Eastwood's latest film as director, Juror #2 stars Nicholas Hoult as a jury member on a murder trial who wrestles with a moral
dilemma when he comes to believe he may have a personal connection to the
trial. [Nov 1st cinemas]
Small Things Like These
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Claire Keegan, director Tim Mielants' (Patrick) Small Things Like These stars Cillian Murphy as a man who uncovers a
conspiracy involving the Catholic Church in his small Irish town. [Nov 1st
cinemas]
Heretic
Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (Haunt; 65), Heretic stars Hugh Grant as a man who receives a visit
from two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East)
whom he subjects to a series of sinister games in order to test their
faith. [Nov 1st cinemas]
Blitz
Written and directed by Steve McQueen (Lovers Rock; Widows), Blitz sees Saoirse Ronan play Rita, a young mother who
sends her nine-year-old son George (Elliott Heffernan) to live in the English countryside
during the London blitz. When George decides to make his way back to
London on his own, Rita begins a frantic search for her son. [Nov 1st
cinemas; Nov 22nd Apple TV+]
Bird
Writer/director Andrea Arnold (American Honey) returns with another drama exploring society's underclass in Bird. The film sees newcomer Nykiya Adams play 12-year-old Bailey, who lives
in a squat with her father (Barry Keoghan) and brother (Jason Buda). Bailey's life is affected by the arrival of a stranger named Bird (Franz Rogowski). [Nov 8th cinemas]
Emilia Pérez
Written and directed by Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone, A Prophet), Emilia Pérez stars Karla Sofía Gascón as the titular Emilia, a Mexican cartel
leader who attempts to fake her death with the aid of a lawyer (Zoe Saldaña). Oh, did we mention it's a full-blown song and dance musical? [Nov 13th
Netflix]
Gladiator II
Ridley Scott returns to Ancient Rome for a belated sequel to his 2000
epic Gladiator. Written by David Scarpa from a story by Scarpa and Peter Craig, Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, a young man forced to fight in the Colosseum when
his home is conquered by the Roman empire. [Nov 15th cinemas]
Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
Writer/director Tyler Taormina (Ham on Rye) puts his distinctive spin on the holiday season with Christmas Eve in Miller's Point. Co-written with Eric Berger, the film sees a family gather for what could be their last ever
Christmas Eve in their ancestral home, with two teenagers sneaking out for
a night of rebellion. [Nov 15th cinemas]
Conclave
Director Edward Berger follows up his acclaimed All Quiet on the Western Front with Conclave, adapted from the book by Robert Harris. Scripted
by Peter Straughan, the film stars Ralph Fiennes as
a cardinal who uncovers a Vatican conspiracy when the Catholic church's
leaders gather to select a new pope. [Nov 29th cinemas]