Upcoming Releases, November 2018

We've reached November, well almost. And with it comes a mix of some of the most anticipated film releases of the year. Let's see what pre-Christmas presents await us in November. It's a slate that gives us reason to be thankful. OK, enough with the holiday puns.

Friday, November 2:
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms: It's hard to get much more holiday season appropriate than this Disney film, which started its ad campaign a year ago. Needless to say, we've been waiting and with this cast (which includes Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and Kiera Knightly), there's plenty to get excited about.

Bohemian Rhapsody: Almost everyone has heard and enjoyed Queen music, even if you didn't always know it was them. In fact, shows like "Glee" even brought it to life for new generations. Rami Malek is an incredibly talented actor, too, and I'm sure he'll be great as Freddie Mercury. The film had some troubled production and drew mixed reviews, so it may not be an incredible experience through and through. Still, this looks pretty fascinating. And I bet it has a killer soundtrack.

Nobody's Fool: By now, we pretty much know what to expect in a comedy with Tiffany Haddish in the lead or co-lead. "Night School" worked in September, and this will likely generate some laughs, too. And these kind of films are a nice escape from obligations, shopping and family functions that accompany the season.

Friday, November 9:
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch: Does the world need another re-make of "The Grinch?" Probably not. But when you can make a fun looking animated film with Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the titular character, you gotta do it, right? 'Tis the season after all.

The Girl In The Spider's Web: I was one of those that liked what David Fincher did with "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," which was one of my favorite films the year it was released. I thought Rooney Mara did well, too. But both Fincher and Mara have been replaced for this sequel. It still looks compelling, and it's hard to find a better female lead right now than Claire Foy. This one looks like it might be a touch more restrained, too, so I'll be curious to see how it goes.

Overlord: They can't all be winners. I mean, this could be OK, I guess, but the trailer doesn't do it for me. It's about a group of American paratroopers who drop into Nazi occupied territory and discover human experimentation. It's an OK concept, and I like J.J. Abrams who is part of the producing team, but the trailer was frenetic and looked like something more befitting Halloween than what I'd want to see around Veteran's Day...

Friday, November 16:
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald: The love of "Harry Potter" and its expanded universe has never abated, though it's been years since the final book and movie were released. Fortunately we have "Fantastic Beasts," the new series of films written by J.K. Rowling. The first was great, and this sequel has been hotly anticipated. This will likely be the film of an impressive month of new releases.

Widows: This film from Steve McQueen, who did "12 Years a Slave," comes from screenwriter Gillian Flynn, the author of "Gone Girl." It has an impressive cast, led by Viola Davis, and looks like a lot of fun, too.

Instant Family: This family film finds Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a couple that decide to start a family and do so by adopting three kids at once. This seems like the kind of family film you'd expect to join the Box Office this time of year.

Wednesday, November 21:
Ralph Breaks The Internet: "Wreck-It Ralph" was one of the more fun and enduring animated releases in recent years, and it makes sense that this sequel would be a hotly anticipated film, due out a day before Thanksgiving.

Robin Hood: Does the world need another take on Robin Hood? No, it doesn't. But we get one anyway, and this one looks pretty action-oriented. Taron Edgerton and Jamie Foxx take the lead, and it looks like it could be fun.

Green Book: This biopic is about a concert pianist (Mahershala Ali) who hires a white driver (Viggo Mortensen) to take him on a concert tour in the South, and the unexpected friendship that forms.

Creed II: Michael B. Jordan is back as the son of Apollo Creed in this follow up to the film that broke out a couple years ago and put Sylvester Stallone back in Oscar conversations. This one looks to feature Adonis (Jordan) trying to protect his legacy and battling a familiar Russian foe.

The Front-Runner: This political biopic is about Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman) and the affair that derails his Presidential Campaign. It comes from director Jason Reitman.