There are two major new movie releases in U.S. theaters this week, and we have all the details for you.
2023 has been a huge year for cinema, with the summer period flourishing thanks to the releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer. The movies were released around the same time and many theater-goers actually did the double-feature, which was affectionately named 'Barbenheimer'.
The year has also been impacted by the writer and actor strike in Hollywood, as several productions have faced delays into 2024. Now those strikes are over, productions can recommence.
Martin Scorcese's Killers of the Flower Moon was another huge release as that is expected to be an awards darling. The Marvels came out recently, too, and underwhelmed at the box office.
Barbie became the most successful movie ever directed by a solo female director, earning $1.44 billion at the box office, while Oppenheimer has made $942m. No pressure for the movies that follow then...
New Movie Releases this week
Napoleon - 22 November, 2023
One of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2023 is Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.
Official premise:
'A look at the military commander's origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.'
Here's a selection of reviews to wet your appetite for this one...
“For all its brawn and atmosphere and robustly choreographed combat, this is a distended historical tapestry too sprawling to remain compelling, particularly when its focus veers away from the central couple. While Scott can be commended for his ambition, neither he nor (David) Scarpa manage to build those many plot pieces into a fluid narrative.” - David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter.
“A deliciously insinuating portrayal of the doomed emperor from Joaquin Phoenix, whose derisive face suits the framing of a bicorne hat and jaunty tricolour cockade. Scott doesn’t detain the audience with metaphysical meaning and certainly doesn’t withhold the old-fashioned pleasures of spectacle and excitement.” - Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian.
“A historical epic which is constantly on the lookout for subtle ways to undercut historical epics. Scott’s take on Napoleon is distinctively deadpan: a funny, idiosyncratic close-up of the man, rather than a broader, all-encompassing account." - Catherine Bray of Empire.
Napoleon cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, Youssef Kerkour, Phil Cornwell, Ian McNeice, Paul Rhys, John Hollingworth and Mark Bonnar.
Wish - 24 November, 2023
The choice for the kids this weekend is Disney's Wish.
Official premise:
'Young Asha makes a wish so powerful that it's answered by a cosmic force, a little ball of boundless energy called Star. With Star's help, Asha must save her kingdom from King Magnifico and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.'
Wish is inspired Disney's 100th anniversary, which ties together a major theme across most Disney films—of wishes coming true
Wish cast: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Harvey Guillén, Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef, and Jon Rudnitsky.
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