Monthly Must Sees | November 2019

Welcome back to another edition of ‘Monthly Must-Sees.’  In case you’re new to the Matrix (and haven’t clicked on that link), this is where we take you through cinema’s best offerings for the upcoming month.

This was a tough one to come up with only five movies to discuss on this list because there is a lot of important movies being released in November. My honorable mentions are going to be more numerous than the previous time I’ve worked on this column. There is something for everyone this month — animation, crime, horror, and so much more.

Honorable Mentions

• The Lodge
• The Report
• Ford V Ferrari
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• The King
• Waves

And now the top five…

5. Frozen II

Disney Animation Studios continues to be one of the most reliable sources for quality animated films in North America. Closing out the resurgence for Disney Animation this decade is Disney Animation’s fifth sequel in their 58-movie-long catalog in Frozen II.

After the backlash to their shorts like Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, one would think any fever for the follow up to their 2013 hit would be tempered. But with strong trailers and stunning animation, Frozen II has garnered considerable intrigue from general audiences.

Frozen II has returning directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, and voice actors Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff. The film will follow our returning characters as they journey away from their kingdom on a quest to an enchanted land as they discover the origins of Elsa’s powers.

Release Date: November 22

4. Marriage Story

Netflix has a few major releases this month. One is in the honorable mentions (The King) and the other we will get to in a minute but not to be forgotten about is director Noah Baumbach‘s latest drama, Marriage Story.

Marriage Story stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johanson and is seen as a potential Oscar contender as it follows a family in crisis.

Currently, the film sits on wide critical acclaim and will hit theaters in a limited release on month before landing on Netflix.

Release Date: November 6 (Theaters), December 6 (Netflix)

3. Knives Out

Whodunits are in short supply.  Luckily Brick and Looper writer/director Rian Johnson has potentially delivered a great one, following the controversial The Last Jedi.

Debuting to wide critical approval in the film festival circuit, Knives Out could also be a potential Oscar contender with its massive cast that includes heavyweights such as…

…Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, LaKieth Stanfield, Don Johnson, Christopher Plummer, Kathrine Langford, and Ana de Armas. 

(Wow, what a cast!)

Release Date: November 27

 2. Doctor Sleep

This might be higher on the list than most would put it, but this is a personal pick for me.

Doctor Sleep is Haunting of Hill House and Gerald’s Game director Mike Flanagan‘s adaptation of the Stephen King’s masterful novel. Attempting to bridge the gap between Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece in The Shining, and King’s original writing, Flanagan’s film serves as both an adaptation of Doctor Sleep (King’s sequel to The Shining) and also a sequel to Kubrick (a version that King has famously detested).

Flanagan has proven to be one of the sharpest horror directors out there with his psychologically charged Oculus and his stripped-down home invasion thriller Hush, Flanagan is an exciting director. As a massive fan of the book, I can’t wait.

Release Date: November 8

1. The Irishman

The other big Netflix release this month is the much talked about and acclaimed Martin Scorsese gangster film The Irishman, which reunites the director with his frequent collaborators in Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel. The film also boasts the likes of Al Pacino, Ray Romano, Anna Paquin, and Jessie Plemons.

The film has already been hailed as a masterpiece and will feature Scorsese’s much talked about attempt to de-age his actors in a 210-minute long epic. Expect big things and maybe a few golden statues from this film.

Release Date: November 1 (Limited Theaters, November 27 (Netflix)

What are you excited for this month? Did we leave any out? Sound off in the comments!