With spooky season behind us, there are very few horror movies coming to streaming and cinemas in November, however, the month will be abundant with potential Oscar hopefuls as the award circuit begins to take shape. Over on streaming, Netflix have two releases gunning for Oscar nominations that premiere in November. Firstly, on the 15th November, is the acclaimed crime-drama musical “Emilia Perez”, which is currently looking like a shoo-in for a Best Picture nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards in March. A less likely awards contender is period drama “The Piano Lesson”, which will be available on the stream platform from the 22nd.
There are plenty more Oscar hopefuls being released theatrically throughout November also, with A24’a current frontrunner, “Anora”, hitting the big screen this Friday. Sean Baker‘s drama won the Palme d’Or at Cannes earlier this year and is looking increasingly likely to taking home the top prize at the 97th Academy Awards. Also releasing this Friday is Steve McQueen‘s riveting World War II drama “Blitz”, which stars Saoirse Ronan as a mother of a son who gets lost in London during the German Blitzkrieg. Another first day release is Clint Eastwood‘s courtroom drama “Juror #2”, which recieved a warm reception at its world premiere at AFI fest on Sunday.
Later in the month we have 2024’s answer to “Barbenheimer”, as Ridley Scott‘s “Gladiator II” will by vying for box office dominance against the big screen adaptation of the theatrical production “Wicked”. While the musical is yet to have its premiere, Scott’s long awaited sequel has garnered some early buzz ahead of its review embargo lifting. Another November release heavily expected to feature in award season is Edward Berger’s Vatican-based thriller “Conclave”, which will be in cinemas from Friday the 15th. Other possible Oscar players include; “Piece by Piece”, “All We Imagine Is Light” and “Moana 2”, plus there is also the release of the third instalment in the beloved Paddington Bear franchise, “Paddington in Peru” and festive caper “Red One”.
The only notable horror release of the month is A24’s Hugh Grant vehicle “Heretic”, which is out this coming Friday but has some Halloween advanced previous to get them seasonal scares in.
Which November release are you most excited for?
Blitz (12A)
Dir: Steve McQueen
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, Paul Weller
Synopsis: In World War II London, nine-year-old George is evacuated to the countryside by his mother, Rita, to escape the bombings. Defiant and determined to return to his family, George embarks on a journey back home as Rita searches for him.
Anora (18)
Dir: Sean Baker
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Alexsei Serebrykov
Synopsis: Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
Heretic (15)
Dir: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Cast: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East
Synopsis: Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.
Juror #2 (12A)
Dir: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Tomi Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch, Kiefer Sutherland
Synopsis: A juror for a high-profile murder trial finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the accused killer.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (12A)
Dir: Ian Bonhote, Peter Ettedgui
Cast: Christopher Reeve, Dana Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Matthew Reeve, Will reeve
Synopsis: Actor Christopher Reeve rises to stardom when he lands the role of Superman in the 1970s. When a horse-riding accident leaves him paralyzed in 1995, Reeve spends the rest of his life searching for a cure for spinal cord injuries.
Small Things Like These (12A)
Dir: Tim Mielants
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Emily Watson
Synopsis: In 1985, Bill Furlong, a devoted father, uncovers disturbing secrets at the local convent; as he investigates, he discovers shocking truths about his own past and life.
Red One (12A)
Dir: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J. K. Simmons
Synopsis: When a villain kidnaps Santa Claus from the North Pole, an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative joins forces with the world’s most accomplished tracker to find him and save Christmas.
Piece by Piece (PG)
Dir: Morgan Neville
Cast: Pharrell Williams
Synopsis: LEGO bricks tell the life story of singer/songwriter and record producer Pharrell Williams — from his childhood in Virginia to his success in the music and fashion industry.
Paddington in Peru (U)
Dir: Dougal Wilson
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Ben Whishaw
Synopsis: Paddington and his adopted family, the Browns, decide to visit his aunt Lucy in Peru, but circumstances lead them towards misadventures in the Amazon rainforest and mountains of Peru.
Rob Peace (15)
Dir: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Cast: Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Curtis Morlaye, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Michael Kelly, Mare Winningham, Camila Cabello
Synopsis: Raised by his devoted mother, a brilliant young man risks everything he’s worked for to free his imprisoned father.
Emilia Perez (15)
Dir: Jacques Audiard
Cast: Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, Edgar Ramirez
Synopsis: A Mexican lawyer is offered an unusual job to help a notorious cartel boss retire and transition into living as a woman, fulfilling a long-held desire.
Gladiator II (15)
Dir: Ridley Scott
Cast: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington
Synopsis: Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Conclave (12A)
Dir: Edward Berger
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini
Synopsis: Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events — participating in the selection of a new pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.
Wicked (TBC)
Dir: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, Peter Dinklage
Synopsis: Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.
All We Imagine as Light (15)
Dir: Payal Kapadia
Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon
Synopsis: Prabha, a nurse living in Mumbai, looks for a place in the city where Anu, her roommate, and her lover can finally make love. The two women travel to a coastal town that becomes a space of freedom for their desires.
Joy (12A)
Dir: Ben Taylor
Cast: Bill Nighy, Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton
Synopsis: Set in the 1960s and 1970s, a nurse, a visionary scientist and an innovative surgeon work to develop the first test tube baby.
The Piano Lesson (12A)
Dir: Malcolm Washington
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins
Synopsis: The Charles family grapples with family legacy and difficult decisions as they determine the fate of their heirloom piano, exploring deeper themes along the way.
Moana 2 (PG)
Dir: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
Cast: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Hualalai Chung, Rachel House, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey, Alan Tudyk
Synopsis: Moana journeys to the far seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors.
Dan Loves Film 
Thank you for these suggestions
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No problem
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Conclave came out on October 25 here (I’m in California) and I saw it today. I agree that it is Oscar-worthy from the excellent screenplay, all-star cast, acting, score, and more!
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Cannot wait to see it in a couple weeks
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