Women and Hollywood is organizing a casual meeting in London in the early evening of December 4. If you’re interested in participating, please email Melissa Silverstein at melissa@womenandhollywood.com. If you know of a good place to get drinks in Central London, any suggestions are welcome.
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING
Last Christmas – Written by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings
Kate (Emilia Clarke) harrumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom (Henry Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers. As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart — and you gotta have faith.
Find screening info here.
The Kingmaker (Documentary) – Directed by Lauren Greenfield (Opens in NY and LA)
“The Kingmaker”: Lauren Greenfield
“The Kingmaker” is a fascinating story of behind-the-scenes power. It is also a story of corruption. Imelda Marcos – who spent her husband’s tenure as president of the Philippines as his emissary – is remembered by most for her shoes. When the Marcos family was deposed, the closet of shoes was the image of greed and corruption transmitted across the world. But the shoes were just a front. The Marcos stole money from their country. So much money. In fact, the family still owns Herald Square in Manhattan. And then there’s the art. In the “Kingmaker” scene that sticks out most in my mind, Marcos puts the Monet and two other incredibly valuable pieces on display for the filmmaker, Lauren Greenfield. Yet when a commission tries to reclaim the stolen money, those pictures are mysteriously no longer on the wall. Marcos has created her own reality. She reminds me a lot of Donald Trump in that way. She is plotting her return to power through her son and it seems she is not only a “Kingmaker,” but also a puppeteer. She might appear to be a sweet grandma, but it’s just a cover for her ruthlessness. (Melissa Silverstein)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Lauren Greenfield.
Mickey and the Bear – Written and Directed by Annabelle Attanasio (Opens in NY November 13; Opens in LA November 22; Opens in Wide Release November 29)
“Mickey and the Bear”
It’s April in Anaconda, Montana, and headstrong teenager Mickey Peck (Camila Morrone) is doing what she can to keep her single, veteran father (James Badge Dale) afloat, navigating his mercurial moods, opioid addiction, and grief over the loss of his wife. Secretly, Mickey fantasizes of going to college on the west coast and finally living life on her own terms. When Hank’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, Mickey must decide between familial obligation and personal fulfillment as she puts everything on the line to claim her own independence.
Good Girls Get High – Directed by Laura Terruso; Written by Laura Terruso and Jennifer Nashorn Blakenship (Also Available on DirectTV)
With graduation looming, two academically gifted “good girls,” frustrated with their social standing in the high school hierarchy, get stoned on their last night of senior year. After their evening of experimentation goes hilariously awry, they ultimately learn that being “bad girls” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
A Dog Called Money (Documentary) (Opens in the UK) (Also Available on MUBI)
The film documents director Seamus Murphy as he travels to Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Washington, D.C. with British musician PJ Harvey, and the subsequent making of her album “The Hope Six Demolition Project,” recorded as a live public sound-sculpture at London’s Somerset House.
Tokyo Twilight (Theatrical Re-Release) (One Week Only in NY)
“Tokyo Twilight”
Yasujirô Ozu’s intense examination of family conflict, from 1957, follows two daughters, raised only by their father, emotionally struggling as adults with their own romantic relationships. Suddenly, a long-lost acquaintance appears. Could it be their mother?
Find screening info here.
Love Is Blind – Written by Jennifer Schuur (Also Available on VOD)
A funny and irresistible story of a young girl who literally cannot see or hear her mother, despite living under the same roof. With the help of an eccentric young psychiatrist (Benjamin Walker), and a local accidental hero, our heroine (Shannon Tarbet) falls in love and eventually takes hold of her future – despite not seeing what’s in front of her.
Shakira in Concert: El Dorado World Tour (Concert Documentary) (Opens November 13)
Shakira is a truly global superstar who, by the age of 18, had taken Latin America by storm, before conquering international markets at 24 with her crossover hit “Whenever Wherever.” Since then, she has continued to break barriers and records around the world with her unique blend of Latin sounds, rock and roll, and world music. Now, she celebrates her triumphant return to the stage in 2018 with a thrilling concert film documenting her acclaimed El Dorado World Tour. Following the hugely successful release of her album El Dorado, Shakira returned to the world stage with her most celebrated show yet.
Find screening info here.
Sunday Girl (Opens in NY and LA)
When independent, 20-something, carefree Natasha (Dasha Nekrasova) finds herself accidentally dating five men at the same time, she realizes that she must break up with four of them.
Find screening info here.
Noelle (Available on Disney+ November 12)
“Noelle”
Kris Kringle’s daughter, Noelle (Anna Kendrick), is full of Christmas spirit and holiday fun, but wishes she could do something “important” like her beloved brother Nick (Bill Hader), who will take over from their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle suggests he take a break and get away – but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING
Honey Boy – Directed by Alma Har’el
“Honey Boy”: Amazon Studios
Described by director Alma Har’el as “a meta-cathartic coming-of-age story,” “Honey Boy” is written by Disney Channel alum Shia LaBeouf and inspired by his own life. The Sundance winner takes place over the span of a decade and sees Otis (Lucas Hedges), a former child star, in rehab and struggling to make sense of his relationship with his father, James (LaBeouf), an alcoholic rodeo clown. The film jumps between the present and the past, with Noah Jupe playing a young Otis. “Honey Boy” is not an easy film to watch. Otis’ relationship with his father is totally believable, and totally heartbreaking. Desperate for his father’s approval and love, the child actor senses that James’ only reason for sticking around are the checks he collects on Otis’ behalf. “Honey Boy” explores its themes in a thoughtful, artistic way without feeling preachy. Given LaBeouf’s public persona and infamous performance art, some may be hesitant to give the film a chance, but they’d be missing out on a brutally honest, brave, and heartfelt portrait of a father and son. (Laura Berger)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Alma Har’el.
Find screening info here.
A Fish in the Bathtub (Theatrical Re-Release) – Directed by Joan Micklin Silver (Opens in NY)
“A Fish in the Bathtub”
Sam (Jerry Stiller) and Molly (Anne Meara) are a classic bickering old couple, and their marriage has been 40 years of sparring. Yet, when Sam refuses to move the carp he’s keeping in their spare bathroom, Molly becomes fed up and unexpectedly leaves. Molly moves in with their grown son and starts dating an old friend. The couple’s daughter convinces Sam to try to win his wife back and rediscover his own sense of romance.
Find screening info here.
Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man (Documentary) – Directed by Lily Zepeda; Written by Lily Zepeda and Tchavdar Georgiev (Opens in LA; Opens in NY November 22)
To strangers, Jack Sim might come across as an eccentric entrepreneur who is obsessed with toilets, but to those who know him he’s “Mr. Toilet,” a crusader for global sanitation. Born in the Singapore slums, Sim knows first-hand the agonies of not having a proper loo. He uses humor as his weapon to fight an uphill battle against bathroom taboos. He founded the World Toilet Organization and spent the last 13 years lobbying 193 countries to raise awareness for proper sanitation. He even successfully lobbied the United Nations to create World Toilet Day. Now he is plunged into his biggest challenge yet when asked to secure six million toilets for the “Clean India” initiative. But with few resources and no help from the government, his epic project and reputation are in jeopardy. Jack’s once supportive staff begins to doubt him, and when his family bonds start to fray over his obsessive dedication, Mr. Toilet realizes there is a price to pay for being the world’s #2 man.
Find screening info here.
Better Days – Written by Wing-Sum Lam, Yuan Li, and Yimeng Xu
When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly 10 million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian (Dongyu Zhou) has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei (Jackson Yee) and the two form a strong friendship. Before they can completely retreat into a world of their own, the two are dragged in the middle of a murder case of a teenage girl — in which they are the prime suspects.
Find screening info here.
Let It Snow – Written by Victoria Strouse (Available on Netflix)
When a snowstorm hits a small midwestern town on Christmas Eve, a group of high school seniors find their friendships and love lives colliding thanks to a stranded pop star, a stolen keg, a squad of competitive dancers, a mysterious woman covered in tin foil, and an epic party at the local Waffle Town. Come Christmas morning, nothing will be the same.
Ballet Blanc – Written and Directed by Anne-Sophie Dutoit (Opens in LA)
An innocent-looking young boy mysteriously appears in a nondescript small town as some fear he’s set to unleash his reign of terror.
Lady and the Tramp – Written by Kari Granlund and Andrew Bujalski (Available on Disney+ November 12)
In this timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog (voiced by Tessa Thompson) and a tough, but lovable stray (voiced by Justin Theroux) embark on an unexpected adventure, and despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.
TV PREMIERES
Back to Life – Created by Daisy Haggard (Premieres November 10 on Showtime)
“Back to Life”: Showtime
Created by and starring Daisy Haggard, “Back to Life” has drawn positive, apt comparisons to “Fleabag” and “Broadchurch,” but it also shares DNA with “Orange Is the New Black” and pretty much any story set in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Miri Matteson (Haggard) went to prison as a teenager, and in the first episode, she’s released after serving 18 years. Over the course of the season, the audience slowly finds out exactly what Miri did to end up behind bars – as well as the version that everyone else living in her seemingly idyllic hometown believes. In that way, “Back to Life” is a mystery. But overall, it’s a very specific story – a woman coming home from prison – told in a universal way. Miri, like so many of us, is just trying to figure out her next move. She’s also accepting that her actual life is panning out very differently from what she had originally imagined. (Rachel Montpelier)
Dublin Murders – Created by Sarah Phelps (Premieres November 10 on Starz)
“Dublin Murders”: Steffan Hill/Starz/Fremantle
In the summer of 2006, Rob Reilly (Killian Scott), a smart suited homicide detective and his partner Cassie (Sarah Greene) are dispatched to investigate a child’s murder and find a community caught between old and new Ireland. “Dublin Murders” is drawn from Tana French’s internationally bestselling novels. Each book is led by a different detective from the same team, and their signature is an intense emotional connection between cop and crime. This eight-part series delivers psychological mystery and darkness with a taproot that drops deep down into Ireland’s past, foreshadows the present, and brings insight to its future. The series blends the first two novels, “In The Woods” and “The Likeness,” threading the stories together in order to build a vibrant world wherein actions, discoveries, and revelations in one story impact upon and have consequences in the other.
All Hail Beth – Created by Misha Calvert (Premieres November 11 on BRIC TV)
“All Hail Beth”
After a lifetime spent on the sidelines, ignored by everyone from her boss Duncan (Randall McNea) to her self-obsessed friends Jasmine and Kiara (Ashley Monique Menard and Marguerite Genard), Beth (Layla Khosh) gives up. The next day, however, she is inexplicably transformed into the Babylonian Goddess Ishtar — and all of New York is suddenly aware of her celebrity status. Former friends fawn at her feet, bullies beg for forgiveness, strangers offer her everything from the flowers in their hands to their total adoration – including what becomes a polyamorous overture from the show’s two love interests, Chad (Cronin Cullen) and Toto (Jonathan Iglesias). Over the course of the series, Beth must learn how to manage her power, reclaim her confidence, and find happiness, with a few helpful tips from fellow Babylonian Goddess Aya (Christina Toth).
Dolly Parton: Here She Comes Again! (Documentary Special) (Premieres November 12 on ABC)
The hour-long special brings viewers an intimate look at the life and career of country music legend Dolly Parton. For more than 60 years, Parton has entertained audiences around the world with her talent, wit, and trademark style. Robin Roberts recently traveled to Parton’s famed Dollywood Theme Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, sitting down with the cultural icon for a deeply personal interview about her life journey and unparalleled career, sharing the stories that have, quite literally, become the songbook of her life.
Very Ralph (Documentary) – Directed by Susan Lacy (Premieres November 12 on HBO)
“Very Ralph,” the first documentary portrait of fashion icon Ralph Lauren, reveals the man behind the icon and the creation of one of the most successful brands in fashion history. With an uncanny ability to turn his dreams into reality, Ralph Lauren has built a multi-billion-dollar, global powerhouse out of his aspirations, becoming a living embodiment of American optimism and the American Dream. For more than 50 years, he has celebrated the iconography of America and defined American style, translating his vision and inspiration into one of the world’s most widely recognized brands. In Very Ralph, as he enters his sixth decade in business, Lauren reflects on his journey from a boy from the Bronx who didn’t know what a fashion designer was, to becoming the emblem of American style all around the world.
The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park (Docuseries) – Directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg (Premieres November 13 on AMC and Sundance)
“The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park” takes viewers on a visceral journey back to 1986 to relive and re-examine one of the most infamous crimes in recent American history: the brutal murder of Jennifer Levin in Central Park at the hands of Robert Chambers. The series will expose evidence that was inadmissible in the trial and will also examine the circumstances that made the story unfold the way it did: America’s untamed ambition in the mid-1980s, the rarified lifestyle of New York’s Upper East Side, sexism, elitism, an all-out tabloid media war that blamed the victim, and an imperfect justice system.
VOD/STREAMING RELEASES
“The Weekend”
One Child Nation (Documentary) – Directed by Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang (Amazon Prime, November 8)
Baby Jane – Directed by Katja Gauriloff, Written by Katja Gauriloff and Veera Tyhtilä (VOD, November 11)
The 5th Dementia (Documentary) – Directed by Serene Meshel-Dillman (VOD, November 12)
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (VOD, November 12)
After the Wedding (VOD, November 12)
Amplify Her (Documentary) – Directed by Nicole Sorochan and Ian Mackenzie, Written by Nicole Sorochan, Tracey Friesen, and Ian Mackenzie (VOD, November 12)
Aquarela (Documentary) – Written by Aimara Reques and Victor Kossakovsky (VOD, November 12)
Caravaggio: The Soul and the Blood (Documentary) – Written by Laura Allievi (VOD, November 12)
The Farewell – Written and Directed by Lulu Wang (VOD, November 12)
Silent Forests (Documentary) – Directed by Mariah Wilson (VOD, November 12)
Up There – Written by Zoe Kanters, Michael Blaustein, and Daniel Weingarten (VOD, November 12)
The Weekend – Written and Directed by Stella Meghie (VOD, November 12)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BLOG
GLAAD Report: Number of LGBTQ Series Regulars on Broadcast TV Reaches All-Time High
Class Is Now in Session: Crowdfunding Picks
Margot Robbie & “Birds of Prey” Scribe Christina Hodson Team Up for Women’s Script-Writing Program
Annette Bening Will Be Honored with AARP Movies For Grownups Career Achievement Award
Ava DuVernay’s Anthology “Cherish the Day” Reaches Full Gender Parity
Apply Now: Women and Hollywood Internship
Chicago Arts Center Sisters in Cinema Announces Documentary Fellowship Recipients
Ellen DeGeneres to Receive Carol Burnett Award at the 2020 Golden Globes
Elaine May to Be Honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
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