BLOCKBUSTER OF THE MONTH
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
(Disney) Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac. The First Order continues to overwhelm the fragile new Republic and it looks like only a return of the Jedi can save them. The last Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker has been found; but as it turns out, he may not be all that eager to bring the defenders of the Force back into duty. It was recently announced that the director of this film will spearhead the next Star Wars trilogy. December 15
INDEPENDENT PICKS
The Dancer
(Myriad) Soko, Gaspard Ulliel, Mélanie Thierry, Lily-Rose Depp. At the dawn of the Belle Epoque at the Folies Bergéres danced an American who used the stage name Loie Fuller. She was an inspiration for Toulouse-Lautrec. She revolutionized dance and became a bitter rival to fellow American Isadora Duncan although she remains largely unknown today. This is a story that should have been told years ago. December 1
Padmavati
(Paramount Classics) Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari. The epic tale of Sultan Alauddin Khilji, who fell in love with Padmavati the Queen of Mewar because of her beauty and courage, and despite the fact that she was already married. The film has been mired in controversy from the Hindi community in India who claim it distorts historical facts based on its trailer. Nevertheless it’s coming to the United States thanks to a major studio which is resurrecting their indie and foreign film label that has been largely dormant for almost a decade. December 1
I, Tonya
(Neon) Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Bobby Cannavale. Figure skater Tonya Harding is poised to be the best in the world but her humble background works against her. Furthermore her friend Nancy Kerrigan has become her greatest rival. Then an attack on Kerrigan’s knee leads to one of the most bizarre stories in the history of sports. Robbie is considered a contender for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance here. December 8
Love and Saucers
(The Orchard) David Huggins. A seemingly ordinary 72-year-old man living in Hoboken, New Jersey begins to have strange memories. They are memories of being abducted by extraterrestrials, examined, and ultimately experimented upon. From there the memories begin to get even more bizarre; he remembers losing his virginity to an alien female. The memories become so persistent and so real that he begins to paint pictures of them. This is not your ordinary documentary about alien abduction. December 12
Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds
(Well Go USA) Tae-hyun Cha, Kyung-soo Do, Jung-woo Ha, Lee Joon Hyuk. A firefighter in Seoul dies on the job unexpectedly. He is to be escorted to the afterlife by three guardians. However, the afterlife isn’t exactly a piece of cake; he must pass seven trials over 49 days and prove that in life he was innocent of sin. That’s when his trial really begins…this is the first of two Along with the Gods movies that Well Go will be distributing in the States over the next few months. December 22
In the Fade
(Magnolia) Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto, Numan Acar, Ulrich Tukur. A German woman whose husband and son are killed in a bomb blast discovers that the perpetrators are not who the police think. When it becomes clear to her that justice will not be served, she begins to contemplate alternative means of exacting vengeance for the dead. December 27
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