What’s coming to theaters for rest of 2018
At the movies, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are a mix of blockbusters and Oscar heavyweights — and sometimes they’re the same thing.
There’re lots of familiar faces (Mary Poppins), big stars (Clint Eastwood, Jennifer Lopez, Will Ferrell), superheroes (Aquaman, Deadpool, SpiderMan), queens (”Mary, Queen of Scots”) and … Dick Cheney? (Yes, Dick Cheney. See “Vice” below.)
As many as half of the movies expecting to be nominated for Academy Awards in January will come to a theater near you in the next five weeks. (Mary Poppins and “Vice,” I’m looking at you.)
But some other Oscar contenders might never get to Milwaukee movie theaters at all.
Like a major-league team looking to buy a pennant, Netflix has spent millions signing up some of the most creative and talented filmmakers in the world, and their work is catching up with us. Last year, the streaming service’s drama “Mudbound” earned four Academy Award nominations, including best supporting actress for Mary J. Blige.
This year, Netflix has a serious Oscar contender for best picture: Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” a semiautobiographical, blackand-white drama set in 1970s Mexico that took home top honors at the Venice Film Festival. To get the rest of Hollywood to take it more seriously, the streaming service is showing “Roma” in a handful of theaters it hits Netflix Dec. 14.
But, as of this writing, there’s no indication that one of those theaters will be in Milwaukee.
Here are the movies that coming to Milwaukee movie theaters for the rest of 2018. As always, dates are subject to change.
Nov. 30
“The Possession of Hannah Grace”: Horror movie about a new worker at the morgue who, processing on the body of a woman who died during an exorcism, discovers the devil’s still in there.
Dec. 12
“Once Upon a Deadpool”: They took “Deadpool 2,” cut out some of the hard-R-rated stuff, and added some new goofy framing scenes with Ryan Reynolds and Fred Savage, for a PG-13rated edit of the movie.
Dec. 14
“At Eternity’s Gate”: Appleton native and former Milwaukee experimental theater actor Willem Dafoe is getting awards-season buzz for his all-in portrayal of Vincent van Gogh in his final years, directed by artistfilmmaker Julian Schnabel.
“The Favourite”: The director behind “The Lobster” takes on Restoration England in this comedy about an aging queen and two younger women vying for control in her court. With Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz,
Emma Stone — all three of whom are getting awardsseason attention for their performances.
“Mortal Engines”: Dystopian action-fantasy based on a young-adult book series about a giant city on wheels and the rebels out to stop it. Produced by Peter Jackson.
“The Mule”: Clint Eastwood directed in and stars in this based-on-a-true-story drama about an old man who, to save his house and family, becomes a mule in Michigan for a Mexican drug cartel. Bradley Cooper plays the federal agent out to bring him, and the cartel, down.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”: Animated Spidey story about webslingers from multiple universes joining forces to save all of them. With an A-list voice cast including Nicolas Cage, Mahershala Ali, Hailee Steinfeld.
“Vox Lux”: Natalie Portman is drawing comparisons from her Oscar-winning performance in “Black Swan” with this one, as a pop legend whose life takes a jarring turn.
“Wildlife”: A teenager finds himself caught between his overwhelmed mother (Carey Mulligan) and adrift father (Jake Gyllenhaal) in 1960s Montana. Acclaimed directorial debut of actor Paul Dano, who cowrote the movie, adapted from Richard Ford’s novel, with actress Zoe Kazan.