Here are some films to look for, and pocket, as we enter the thick of autumn.
A Bad Mom’s Christmas – November 1
Recently at a theater, I overheard a patron seeing a poster for “A Bad Mom’s Christmas” and noting, “Oh yeah, Bad Moms. That movie was okay.” That had felt like, to me, the general opinion of the public when the film released last year. But for STX Entertainment, it was their first film to pass $100 million domestically, and you know what that means: sequel time. The Christmas-themed follow up brings back stars Mila Kunis, Kristin Bell (“The Boss”), and Kathryn Hahn (“Captain Fantastic”) and teams them up with Christine Baranski (“The Good Fight”), Cheryl Hines (“Son of Zorn”), and Susan Sarandon (“Feud”). So pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy the show.
“Thor: Ragnarok” – November 3
Hey there’s a new Marvel film coming out this week. This time, they’ve tapped Taika Waititi (“What We Do in the Shadows”) to direct. What’s resulted is a two-hour long guitar riff and a bunch of people just having a good time. It’s Marvel. You know exactly what you’re getting.
“Daddy’s Home 2” – November 10
2015’s “Daddy’s Home” may not have been the most critically acclaimed in either Mark Wahlberg (“Transformers: The Last Knight”) or Will Ferrell’s (“The House”) career, but, much like “Bad Moms,” it did end up being the latter’s highest grossing– outdoing even “Elf.” With such a success, you had to know an executive was going to greenlight a sequel, and not even Mel Gibson’s (“Hacksaw Ridge” director) pure creepiness can overpower my love of the pure bundle of joy that is John Lithgow (“The Crown”).
“Justice League” – November 17
DC’s film franchise is riding a high after “Wonder Woman” blew up this summer’s box office and was received with critical praise. Now DC brings together their answer to Marvel’s “The Avengers” by bringing together their greatest heroes to fight an otherworldly threat. Even if the film is more like “Batman vs. Superman” than “Wonder Woman,” it would still be worth seeing just for the spectacle alone.
Pixar’s Coco – November 22
Hey, there’s a new Pixar movie.