DECEMBER 30, 2016

The Movies: FENCES vs. LIVE BY NIGHT vs. HIDDEN FIGURES vs. 20^th CENTURY WOMEN vs. THE FOUNDER vs. GOLD vs. PATERSON

Fences – So we finally wrap up the year with a decent grouping of smaller films. The biggest of these could be Fences. Starring and directed by Denzel Washington and based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences is about the African-American experience in the 1950s with Washington playing a father during a tumultuous time in American history. This definitely is a major awards contender and possibly become this year’s most important socially conscious film after the failures of The United States of Jones, The Birth of a Nation, and Ghostbusters.

Live by Night – If Fences isn’t the biggest movie of the week, it’ll be Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, Live by Night. Based on a Dennis Lehane novel, Live by Night marks a return to the prohibition crime drama, which has given us great works such as Miller’s Crossing and some of Boardwalk Empire (plus not as good ones such as Public Enemies and Lawless). Maybe a return to the director’s chair will give Affleck some much needed energy following the twin disappointments of Batman v. Superman and The Accountant. This film was even moved up from 2017 to qualify for the 2016 awards, which either shows a real confidence in the quality of this film or a real confidence in the lack of quality of all the other films. I don’t think the trailer looks “exceptional,” but it’s an era I like exploring.

Hidden Figures – If Fences isn’t the biggest socially conscious movie of the week, it’ll be Hidden Figures. Telling the story of African-American women (played by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle  Monáe) who aided NASA during the 1960s, this movie might be hamstrung by its PG rating. “PG” is so rare that you have to wonder if this film will really delve into the difficulties they faced, or if it’ll be glossed over, just giving us a movie where people do math.

20^th Century Women – If Hidden Figures isn’t the biggest women-centric movie of the week, it’ll be 20^th Century Women. Directed by Mike Mills (Thumbsucker and Beginners), 20^th Century Women stars Annette Bening (last month’s Rules Don’t Apply), Elle Fanning (also in this month’s Live by Night), and Greta Gerwig (also in this month’s Jackie) as three generations of women living in 1970s California. Sure, the trailer makes it look like pretty much every other 1970’s-based movie, but it’s hard to judge a movie on a trailer, especially one that adheres so closely the “1970s/1980s template” (cue the classic rock song while people sit around a record player, then someone hanging out by a car smoking).

The Founder – If 20^th Century Women isn’t the biggest period piece of the week, it’ll be The Founder. The Founder, which was originally set to be released the same day as Suicide Squad and Nine Lives (that Kevin Spacey cat movie), was pushed to some amorphous time in December. Some reports say it’s going to be released on December 16, while others have it in set firmly January, which, if true, probably means they gave up on all awards hopes for it. If that’s the case, it’s disappointing since the trailer was one of the best of the year, showcasing a keen self awareness and a dark humor. A particularly skeevy Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc as the movie follows the controversial rise of the man behind the McDonald’s franchise, and he’s surrounded by a great cast including Laura Dern, Nick Offerman, and Patrick Wilson. It’s also written by Robert Siegel who was responsible for the terrific films Big Fan and The Wrestler. The only real question is its director John Lee Hancock, who directed the truly terrible The Blind Side.

Gold – If The Founder isn’t the biggest movie about capitalism run amok this week, it’ll be Gold. Starring Matthew McConaughey, the film has a trailer that makes it look like The Wolf of Wall Street, and a poster that makes it look like Uncharted. But McConaughey seems to be having fun, so it might be good for a watch.

Paterson – If Gold isn’t the biggest movie with a one-word title this week, it’s Paterson. Directed by art house favorite Jim Jarmusch (who earlier this year came out with the documentary Gimme Danger about Iggy Pop), Paterson stars Adam Driver as a poet/bus driver living in New Jersey, and continues Jarmusch’s trend of understated, quiet and classy insights into average people leaving ordinary lives (or as his last film, Only Lovers Left Alive, showed vampires leading ordinary lives).

So that’s December (and for that matter the year). A month that seems somehow packed yet empty. For all the movies set to be released, very few jump out as ‘must sees.’ December 2016 lacks the edgy or surprising films that this month generally gives us, like The Revenant, The Hateful Eight, and Anomalisa in 2015. Even Live By Night looks like a conventional, albeit good, crime drama. Could the most inventive movie this season be a feel-good, PG-13 musical? Nevertheless, even if there are few ‘stand outs,’ there are plenty to see, even if they aren’t opening weekend musts. So take in what you can because in January, it’s time for xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.