November is here and it brings with it cold weather, Thanksgiving and the perfect escape from the extended family – more excellent movies to see!
Starting off strong, we have Predator: Badlands. The seventh film in the mainline Predator franchise, the movie’s plot follows a young Predator on a remote planet that teams up with an unlikely ally, an android named Thia, as they search for the ultimate adversary. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, this film will be his third outing in the Predator world after Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, both of which were well-received. He seems poised for another win here when it releases on Nov. 7.
For a dystopian thriller, look no further than The Running Man. Based on the 1982 novel by Stephen King, the story follows the eponymous game show where one “runner” must stay alive for 30 days while a group of hunters try to track him down and kill him. The film boasts a stacked cast including Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Coleman Domingo (Sing Sing) and William H. Macy (Shameless). Directed by Edgar Wright, known for his cinematic flair with films like Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver, this adaptation is shaping up to be one of the best of the year. It releases on Nov. 14.
If you want a coming-of-age comedy, don’t miss Jay Kelly. Famous actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) begins a trip through Europe with his manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), which winds up having a profound impact on both men. Directed by Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story), the film looks to have a lot of charm from both of the leading men, and it’s always a joy to see Sandler stepping outside his acting comfort zone. It releases on Nov. 14 in limited theaters before coming to Netflix in December.
For a comedy-drama with an interesting premise, check out Rental Family. The film stars Brendan Fraser (The Whale) as a lonely American actor living in Tokyo who starts working at a rental family service, which provides stand-in roles for people’s lives. As he continues the new job, he finds unexpected joy from interacting with his new family. The trailer looks to have a lot of laughs and heartfelt moments to spare. It releases on Nov. 21.
If you need more action, Sisu: Road to Revenge should have you covered. A sequel to the 2022 film Sisu, the movie’s plot follows the unkillable Finish Army commando Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) as he tries to rebuild his family’s home in 1946 to honor their deaths during World War II. The Red Army discovers this and vows to kill him. If this is anything like the first film, which consisted of one man absolutely dismantling a German platoon with some of the most cathartic kills put to screen, then this sequel should hopefully be just as magnificent to watch when it releases on Nov. 21.
