Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.

November 3, 2017

A Bad Moms Christmas

Premise: From IMDb: “Amy, Carla and Kiki struggle to cope when their respective mothers visit for the holidays.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Sequels to hit comedies have uneven track records, though this might just be different enough from its predecessors to engage the same audience again.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Thor: Ragnarok

Premise: From IMDb: “Thor must face the Hulk in a gladiator match and save his people from the ruthless Hela.”
Box Office Prospects: $200 M
Expectations: Good. While the stand alone Thor films have been the weakest of performers in the MCU, this one features another prominent character and the sublime Cate Blanchett as a villain along with Jeff Goldblum, so it might outperform my expectations.
Oscar Prospects: Decent. It could be a tech contender in the sound and visual effects categories, but the year may be too competitive.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Lady Bird (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year.”
Box Office Prospects: $0.75 M
Expectations: Decent. With strong reviews, it may do well on the indie circuit, but unless it becomes an Oscar darling, which I doubt, I see it fading fairly quickly.
Oscar Prospects: Decent. Early reviews were strong and Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut could be an Oscar player in several categories. The problem is it won’t likely light up the box office, so critics will have to play a large part in getting it attention.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Last Flag Flying (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corps medic Larry “Doc” Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, ex-Marine Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. ”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Weak. At one time, this seemed like it could be a hit, but early reviews haven’t been great and although it could still appeal to a certain American demographic, I don’t think it’s nearly as accessible as it needs to be in order to be a success.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. The film initially seemed like a contender, but reviews haven’t been great, so you can probably scratch this one off most your prediction lists.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

LBJ (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson from his young days in West Texas to the White House.”
Box Office Prospects: $0.5 M
Expectations: Poor. A film that no one asked for about a president who’s been featured in two recent films, both depicted differently and neither well received in general, I can’t see there being much excitement about a second biopic in such recent succession.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. The film just kind of appeared in the Oscar race and no one was expecting it to, which means that without exceptional reviews and critical support, you can probably forget about it
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Denzel Washington stars as Roman Israel, a driven, idealistic defense attorney who, through a tumultuous series of events, finds himself in a crisis that leads to extreme action.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Uncertain. A period drama featuring Denzel Washington in a semi-despicable, semi-laudable role could be either a hit or a miss and it’s impossible to know for certain. Washington has had a lot of success in recent years, but I’m not certain this will be more than a mediocre performer for him.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. While it might seem like a strong contender for star Denzel Washington, the reviews haven’t been great. Still, it’s likely with the light competition of Best Actor that Washington could still contend.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

November 10, 2017

Daddy’s Home 2

Premise: From IMDb: “Brad and Dusty must deal with their intrusive fathers during the holidays.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The first film was a hit, hence the sequel, but as I said regarding A Bad Moms Christmas, there’s no telling if lightning can strike twice, especially with two similar Christmas-themed sequels in such rapid succession.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Murder on the Orient Express

Premise: From IMDb: “A lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into the thrilling mystery of thirteen strangers stranded on a train, where everyone’s a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. If released today, the original star-studded affair would have made $131 million at the box office. However, star-studded costume dramas had a much easier time finding an audience in 1974 than they do today. Agatha Christie may have resurged in popularity on the BBC, but in America, it’s chances are a bit weaker. Add to that the fact that the film doesn’t have a lot of appealing elements to attract U.S. Christie fans and it could be a flop.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. The original film was a major Oscar player, but this remake has a lot of things going against it, the least of which is that early response from Christie fans has been underwhelming and even non-Christie fans are wondering why they are tampering with the material when the original is often considered one of the best Christie adaptations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a darkly comic drama from Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Director Martin McDonagh has had success on the specialty circuit, but has never crossed over to the big leagues, making this film’s box office prospects solid, but not terribly exciting.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Frances McDormand is pretty much certain for a nomination and Sam Rockwell has also gotten strong reviews. The film could also contend in screenwriting, but beyond that it may not have much chance.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

November 17, 2017

Justice League

Premise: From IMDb: “Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.”
Box Office Prospects: $350 M
Expectations: Excellent. Wonder Woman excepted, the DCU films haven’t been incredibly well received by critics, but audiences have eaten them up. With the added boost of the Wonder Woman film earlier this year, the first team-up film should be a box office hit.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Superhero films are seldom Oscar players and I doubt this film has much shot outside of the incredibly crowded Best Visual Effects race.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

The Star

Premise: From IMDb: “A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the first Christmas.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Although Christian-themed films have had a bumpy ride in the last couple of years, animated films have a built-in audience. Although the trailer sports some weak animation, that won’t matter to the audience that will make this film successful.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. Although the Best Animated Feature category has a lot of poor contenders this year, this film just doesn’t look like the kind of movie to upend the current dynamic.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Wonder

Premise: From IMDb: “Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Julia Roberts hasn’t been a box office draw for some years and although she plays the mother in this film, it’s really the juvenile stars that will be responsible for the film’s success. The book it’s based on was popular, so the film could be too, but it’s just too early to tell if that will be the case.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. Conceptually, this should be an Oscar contender, but the trailer isn’t great and if the film follows suit, you can forget about it.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

November 22, 2017

Chappaquiddick

Premise: From IMDb: “Ted Kennedy’s life and political career become derailed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in 1969 that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.”
Box Office Prospects: $2.5 M
Expectations: Weak. It’s a challenge enough to get audiences out to see movies based on the lives of presidents, better yet brothers of presidents who served decades in the Senate after scandal prevented him from seeking higher office. It may be dramatic, but it isn’t the kind of film audiences care to sit down with. That there’s been no real advertising campaign so far should speak volumes to the film’s chances.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. While the film has a lot of elements that could make it a contender, there has been almost no effort to get it out there for audiences and that low profile will likely hurt its Oscar chances.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Coco

Premise: From IMDb: “Coco follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who sets off a chain of events relating to a century-old mystery, leading to an extraordinary family reunion.”
Box Office Prospects: $200 M
Expectations: Good. Pixar has had only one flop in its storied existence and that will not be a feat easily duplicated. Coco has all the imagination of their past efforts, which could help it do well with audiences.
Oscar Prospects: Excellent. So far, the Best Animated Feature race is light and Pixar is sure to be a major contender, especially considering how weak entry Brave managed to beat out critically acclaimed Wreck-It Ralph for the win.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Death Wish

Premise: From IMDb: “A mild-mannered father is transformed into a killing machine after his family is torn apart by a violent act.”
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Did anyone really want a remake of the Charles Bronson cult classic? Not really. Bruce Willis hasn’t been much of a box office draw, though he could do reasonably well with this film. However, negative reviews are sure to follow if the subtly racist trailer is any indication.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Molly’s Game

Premise: From IMDb: “The true story of an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. Her players included movie stars, business titans and unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob.”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Decent. This is the kind of film that plays well on the indie circuit but struggles to ascend to the higher echelons of the box office. Still, if it’s well received, it could turn out to be a surprise hit, but right now I’m doubtful.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a strong pedigree and it’s possible the film enters the Oscar race a strong contender, but it’s best chance is in the overcrowded Best Actress race, which could hinder the film’s chances.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Call Me By Your Name (Nov. 24) (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Summer of 1983, Northern Italy. An American-Italian is enamored by an American student who comes to study and live with his family. Together they share an unforgettable summer full of music, food, and romance that will forever change them.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Decent. While this would appear to be a surefire specialty box office hit, the cross-over appeal could be elevated once it becomes an Oscar darling. Of course, Moonlight winning Best Picture didn’t earn it more attention, so this could be a bit too high a prediction.
Oscar Prospects: Excellent. Reviews are exceptional and with the Academy’s newfound ability not to ignore gay-themed films (Moonlight won Best Picture just last year), it’s sure to be a major contender this year in several upper categories.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Darkest Hour (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Within days of becoming Prime Minister, Winston Churchill must face his most turbulent and defining trial: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Uncertain. At this point, audiences may be tired of Dunkirk-centerd films and that could spell trouble for this film. With Oscar support, it could do well, especially with the much loved Gary Oldman at the center of it; however, it’s the kind of history lesson that will struggle in wide release.
Oscar Prospects: Decent. Joe Wright has earned Oscar nominations for three of his five films to date and although this film may not be in striking distance of a lot of categories, Best Actor seems like a lock at this juncture.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.