The awards season is officially underway for movie lovers and cinephiles! November into December features limited-release runs, as well as expansions of smaller independent flicks that caught the eyes of distributors at last year’s film festivals, all itching for some good word-of-mouth buzz that could potentially lead to big wins on Oscars night. While some of these films will continue to run very limited, (usually only in major metropolitan areas like New York City and LA) there are a select few that have garnered wide-release platforms, hitting our local movie theaters throughout November. And, as always, if newer flicks aren’t quite to your taste, there are still plenty of awesome repertory screenings happening throughout the Hudson Valley.
Whether you’re in the mood for a new drama or some good ol’ fashioned classic Universal monster flicks, your local cinemas have you covered. Here are six movie events happening at Hudson Valley independent theaters, so mark your calendars for this November.
The Sacrifice
The final film of renowned Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky is a captivating and soul-thrilling journey into the psychology of a wealthy Swedish family, who live on an isolated island when they hear that World War III has begun. Tarkovsky’s normal flair for a wickedly distressing and morbid sense of reality are on full display throughout the movie’s runtime. It features sensational performances from Erland Josephson and Susan Fleetwood, all locked together by the cinematography of Sven Nykvist, a long-time collaborator of Ingmar Bergman. The Sacrifice is one of those types of movies that once you finally watch it, you can’t believe you’ve never seen it, and every time you watch it again after that, it further grows in beauty, continuing to add to the triumph of its director’s legacy. A miracle of a movie.
The Sacrifice screens November 1-3 at Time & Space Ltd.
Anora
Sean Baker’s two most recent films, The Florida Project and Red Rocket, were highly anticipated, festival-award-winning showcases of the director’s eerily natural capability to capture the experiences of characters not often seen on the big screen. His latest film, Anora, features all of this hype and buzz, with the added note that it’s one of the best movies released so far this decade. That’s pretty exciting. Described as Pretty Woman meets Uncut Gems, the film revolves around the titular Anora, a Brooklynite sex worker who becomes entangled in the affairs of a Russian oligarch family after she marries Ivan, a young and troublesome student studying in America. Many of Baker’s traditional-isms are on display: from character types to lighting techniques, along with naturally sounding dialogue, creating a mix of carefully scripted text and improvised moments. What makes Anora so special is the firecracker performance from its star, Mikey Madison, who is almost a sure bet for a Best Actress nomination across most awards this coming season.
Anora starts November 8 at Upstate Films Starr Cinema.
Meanwhile on Earth
Writer/director Jérémy Clapin has a knack for finding the extraordinary within the ordinary, while showcasing his feelings through bizarre metaphors. For proof of his insanely unique eye for cinematic storytelling, look no further than his 2019 animated film, I Lost My Body, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film that year, an impressive feat given that the story centers around a conscious, disembodied hand as it traverses Paris to find its previous “owner.” His latest work, Meanwhile on Earth, may be live action, but its existential conversation and mind-blowing visual storytelling have never been more present. The film centers around a mourning woman who begins to receive messages from her brother, an astronaut who she believed was deceased after he disappeared during his first mission. Every color of the rainbow aids Clapin in presenting a story about love, loss, and the costs of hope.
Meanwhile on Earth starts November 8 at Story Screen Cinema.
House of Frankenstein & House of Dracula Double Feature
When it comes to the debate between who makes it onto the Mount Rushmore of Horror Movie Monsters, the Wolf Man and the Invisible Man can be contenders, but two spots are most assuredly reserved for Frankenstein’s Monster and the artist formerly known as Vlad the Impaler. A double feature of 1944’s House of Frankenstein and 1945’s House of Dracula is an absolutely awesome way to spend an evening. These films were released with practically the same level of hype as some Cinematic Universe’s are today, with each film featuring other Universal monsters and characters from various films, including a prominent Lon Chaney Jr. as Lawrence Talbot AKA the Wolf Man. The event will include an appearance by special horror host Baron Misuraca of Cemetary Cinema in New York City.
House of Frankenstein & House of Dracula screens November 9 at The Rosendale Theatre.
Chinatown
The good folks over at Jacob Burns Film Center have programmed an impressive collection of noir films for the month of November, perfectly titled “Noirvember.” This series includes everything from post-war classics like Mildred Pierce and Gilda, to more modern entries into the genre like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Bound, and Klute. But the most exciting entry in the series is a 50th-anniversary screening of Chinatown, arguably one of the greatest films ever made in any genre. The film follows Jack Nicolson as private eye Jake Gittes, who becomes entangled in a tale of murder and deceit after he is hired to look into the extramarital affairs of a woman’s husband. The screening will be introduced by film critic Odie Henderson, who’s work at the Boston Globe and RogerEbert.com and has featured some of the best film appreciation and examination of the past decade.
Chinatown screens November 17 at Jacob Burns Film Center.
Gladiator II
If you were to write a list of popular movies from the past 30 years that definitely do not need a sequel, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator from 2000 would be an easy addition. And yet, the director has returned to the world of Rome nearly 25 years later and has absolutely nailed the landing. Gladiator II operates simultaneously as an almost remake of his original film, while continuing the legacy of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, (played by Russell Crowe in a star-making and award-winning performance) in the original movie. In Gladiator II, fans of the gladiatorial games within the Colosseum are treated to the fights and triumphs of Lucius, the young child from the first film who has grown into a handsome and talented individual played by Paul Mescal. After Lucius’s home is destroyed, he must wage battle in a path to revenge against the generals and leaders of Rome, aided by Macrinus (Denzel Washington), as well as returning characters Lucilla (Connie Neilsen), Juba (Djimon Hounsou) and Senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi). The film also features amazing performances from Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn, as well as practical set pieces that will have your jaw on the floor and your fists pumping in the air, screaming, “Strength and Honor!”
Gladiator II starts November 22 at The Moviehouse.
