Winter 2021-22 Movie Preview

Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close

All Mahershala Ali does is show up and deliver breathtaking, award-worthy performances. Swan Song features Ali doing double duty, as his character decides whether to tell his family he’s dying or to keep quiet and replace himself with a double? This looks like a highly charged, emotional story with masterclass acting from Ali and Glenn Close. Not to mention, you don’t have to leave your house to watch it. 

Michael B. Jordan, Chante Adams

You had us at starring Michael B. Jordan and directed by Denzel Washington. It’s based on the real story of 1st Sergeant Charles Monroe King as he writes a journal for his new son. Everything about this screams tearjerker that makes you call your dad from the theater lobby. And the trailer is not playing fair with Coldplay “Fix You” ratcheting up the emotions. Take your dad or father figure to this on Christmas day and you could save the money on a present.

Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins

If ever there were two actors made to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, it’s Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. AppleTV+ has brilliantly only released teaser trailers, so we haven’t seen any performance footage yet, but the film is already appearing on many best of the year lists. In case you’ve forgotten your high school English reading, Shakespeare’s Macbeth features the title character and his wife listening to the prophecy of three witches, who claim he will be king. They then murder a bunch of people to hang on to power, before finally being murdered themselves. Sorry, but it’s called The Tragedy of Macbeth for a reason. If nothing else, Apple should get a nice boost from all the extra credit reports assigned over the holiday school break.

Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Diane Kruger

If there’s one thing we’re in favor of in action movies, it’s girl power. Put some of the best actresses in film as an international team of spies and you’ve sold us a ticket. Lupita Nyong’o plays Khadijah, former MI6 agent and tech specialist. The action-packed trailer tells us that 355 is the name of a female spy who worked with George Washington during the American Revolution. This one is flying under the radar, but with very little major competition, this could be a breakout hit.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza Gonzalez

Yes, this is a Michael Bay action movie, so we know what we’re getting. However, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II can raise the quality of anything, and Jake Gyllenhaal has such range that he manages to find the perfect groove for every movie. Abdul-Mateen II is Will, a veteran who needs money for his wife’s surgery. His brother Danny (Gyllenhaal) gets him involved in a bank robbery that leads to the pair taking an EMT and an injured cop hostage. This sounds like a fascinating story that probably deserves a better hand than Bay, but Yahya is on our “will watch in anything” list.