Ever since the pandemic began to wane, many have been wondering if we could ever go back to the way things were. Especially for movies, there was a downward spiral amidst COVID-19.. But now that we are finally back to square one, 2023 feels like the rejuvenation of the almost lost art of cinema. The theaters are no longer empty and the movies are back with delightful vigor. We have already seen some masterful hits this year such as Oppenheimer, Barbie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Mission Impossible and Dead Reckoning Part One. But if you are wondering if there are some films to anticipate for the rest of the year, you are in for a treat. Here are some of the movies we think will be worthwhile for all the cinephiles out there.
- Killers of The Flower Moon
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: October 20, 2023
It seems that the supposed godfather of modern cinema, Martin Scorsese, will soon be inspiring us to take a bow, again. After his successful The Irishman in 2019, this is the first time in four years that we are being offered the privilege to enjoy his work on the big screen. His movie “Killers of The Flower Moon” takes us back to the 1920s, when members of the Osage Native American Tribe in Oklahoma were murdered after oil was found below their land, and the FBI decided to investigate it. With a star-studded cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Brendan Fraser, and many more, Scorsese breathes life into the thrilling plot. The movie was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a nine-minute long standing ovation.
- The Killer
Director: David Fincher
Release Date: November 10, 2023
Described as a story about a very methodical and solitary killer waiting for his targets quietly, all while wondering if he is slowly losing his sanity, David Fincher’s latest thriller is bound to break the ceiling this November. Critics are already showering it with positive reviews as we all wait impatiently for it to hit the screens. At the Venice Film Festival, David Fincher took to the stage and announced that he wants the viewers to become very nervous about the person behind them in line at Home Depot. After the release of Gone Girl in 2014, this is the first time we get to see a Fincher thriller. That is almost a decade of waiting and we hope it sends shivers down the spine.
- Napoleon
Director: Ridley Scott
Release Date: November 22, 2023
It is not every day that we get a historical drama about a ruthless emperor and Joaquin Phoenix gets to play that role. But we are happy that a certain Ridley Scott is making that a reality. The widely celebrated director behind some of the modern-day classics such as Gladiator, Blade Runner, and The Martian is still going stronger than ever.. In Napoleon, we get to witness the story of the commander rising through the ranks ruthlessly to become a tyrant and with all the greed, politics and blood involved, we believe it will be worth every penny.
- Saltburn
Director: Emerald Fennell
Release Date: December 1, 2023
The Academy Award-winning screenwriter behind Promising Young Woman comes back with a second feature for the Fennell canon. Both written and directed by the versatile Emerald Fennell, Saltburn features a student who is invited to a friend’s wealthy estate during the summer. While it may seem like a pretty innocent plot for a teen drama, it is, in reality, a psychological thriller involving greed, class and obsession. The movie boasts a strong cast including Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan, Carey Mulligan, Ewan Mitchell and others. After everything to already hit theaters this year, a vacation-turned-madness is one of the best ways to end the year on a high note.
- Poor Things
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Release Date: December 8, 2023
For fans of The Lobster who were in awe by its dystopian but also comedic setting which carried a serious social commentary underneath, the same director who is is back to give us something of similar taste again. With an impressive cast of Emma Stones, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and others, Yorgos Lanthimos creates an absurdist drama for us to enjoy. The movie takes us on an adventure of a young woman who runs off with a lawyer across continents after she is brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist. The trailer has already given us a glimpse into the weirdly done storytelling, vividly colorful shots and Mark Ruffalo taking a long pause after getting slapped in the cheeks to say, ‘Ouch!’.
- Rebel Moon
Director: Jack Snyder
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Jack Snyder is back again with his trademark visuals and styles. His upcoming movie Rebel Moon is a sci-fi action-packed blockbuster that follows a young woman with a mysterious past on an intergalactic mission to seek aid because her home planet is under attack. The trailer dropped recently and with Snyder’s radiant visuals, dynamic particle effects and signature slow-motion shots, we hope his first-ever space opera will soon gather a cult following.
Saugata Debnath can be reached at [email protected]