This weekend is going to be one of the most exciting of the entire year for us. Denis Villeneuve is a favorite of ours and his new film, Arrival, is our #1 most anticipated film of 2016. On Episode 153 way back in January, we talked about Villeneuve’s strengths as a director and why Arrival could be his best film yet. Don’t get me wrong, that is not a reflection of Villeneuve’s previous films, but more so his continuous progression as a director and now with more resources. His early films, such as Incendies, Maelstrom, Polytechnique and Enemy, are clearly smaller in scale with almost no marketing behind them. Prisoners was Villeneuve’s first foray into Hollywood with a great cast and somewhat of a budget, and he proved he could conjure something both provocative and something audiences would go see in theaters. This led him to Sicario, which was equally successful, even garnering a few Oscar nominations for the film. I fully expect Arrival to feature the same prowess we’ve always seen from Villeneuve, and these new resources give him more space (ahem) for creativity and imagination. And that my friends, is very exciting to me.

Each of Villeneuve’s last four films have fought for spots in my Top 10 or my Top 20 of their respective years. Sicario made it as high as #3 on my particular list last year, I absolutely loved that film. He’s a filmmaker that continues to impress on every level. I love his attention to detail and how that not only brings nuance aesthetically, but how that helps influence the characters in his films. As a result, he renders worlds that are blistering to watch with some of the most interesting characters you’ll see in a given year. Additionally, he’s very good at delivering the very best out of his actors. Hugh Jackman’s performance in Prisoners is arguably the best of his career. Benicio del Toro probably should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor last year too. And while this may be crazy to say, I think Jake Gyllenhaal in Enemy is equally as good as his performance in Nightcrawler, which was the best of 2014. At any rate, my point is that Villeneuve is able to get great performances out of his actors, a trait that is underrated when it comes to his direction.

Arrival features Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, two Oscar-nominated actors that have proven their worth in dramatic roles. And you’re going to put them in the hands of Villeneuve, in a thinking sci-fi epic? Hell yeah, I’m there. Arrival also features the likes of Forest Whitaker and Michael Stuhlbarg as well, who are also very good in their own right. Everything on paper screams that this could end up being one of the year’s best films. And given Villeneuve’s track record, that wouldn’t surprise.

What about you? Are you excited for Arrival?

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Here’s what else is coming to theaters this weekend:

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Almost Christmas
Shut In
Loving (Wide)
Elle (limited)
The Love Witch (limited)

Happy Doctor Strange week! By now, you’re either a fan of this franchise or you simply don’t care. I haven’t met many that find themselves in the middle, although I’m sure there is a few out there. However, most people we interact with find themselves on one side of the fence or another. And if you’ve ever listened to our show, you’ll know we are big fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and we are always glad to go back when a new offering comes our way. Doctor Strange also brings a new element to the MCU, thrusting us into the world of magic and the mystic arts. If you’ve seen the trailer for this film, that element looks exhilarating and trippy. I’m also curious how this new realm will play into the larger scope of the MCU and how this will effect the Avengers themselves. Similar to Ant-Man, this will probably have huge dividends down the road.

Another reason I’m excited for Doctor Strange, is the casting of Benedict Cumberbatch, who looks perfect as Steven Strange. Aesthetically speaking, I’m not saying he jumped off the page of the comic book, but he looks really good in that costume. More importantly, Cumberbatch is an actor that can impeccably ride that line of drama and humor, which is a staple of the MCU thus far. Doctor Strange will also see the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton. That’s a pretty awesome cast if you ask me. Now, I know this film has seen some controversy with the casting of Swinton as the Ancient One. Personally, I can’t speak to it given my background, but I can sympathize with the outrage and I agree Hollywood needs to consider equal representation more. However, it seems that director Scott Derrickson has done some great work in building understanding and that’s great to see. Despite all of that, I love this cast and I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to the MCU.

Speaking of Derrickson, he’s another component to Doctor Strange that I’m looking forward to this weekend. The reason being, he’s mostly been a horror film director. Making a Marvel film is way outside of his wheelhouse, which should raise some red flags on paper. I’m confident that Kevin Feige picked him for a specific reason though, and that’s enough for me. On top of of that, the horror films that Derrickson has made have been pretty descent. I can’t speak to his entire resume, but Sinister and Deliver Us from Evil are films I would definitely recommend. So, it should be fun to see what he does with this property and all of the (ahem) strange quirks he brings to it.

How do you feel about Doctor Strange? Are you excited?

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Here’s what else you can expect this weekend at the box office:

Trolls

Hacksaw Ridge
Loving (limited)
The Eagle Huntress (limited)
Peter and the Farm (limited / VOD)
Army of One (limited)

This weekend on Episode 193, we are going to be discussing Kelly Reichardt’s new film, Certain Women, starring Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams and Laura Dern. As mentioned on this week’s poll post, Reichardt is a director that you should be familiar with if you’re not already. I’m on record of saying that Meek’s Cutoff is the Oregon Trail movie that I’ve always wanted. It’s incredible and it made my Top 10 from 2011. Similarly, Wendy and Lucy is a wonderful and heartbreaking film about freedom, desperation and coping with life. 2008 is the next year in our year-by-year retrospective series and I have no problem spoiling that Wendy and Lucy will be in my Top 10. Reichardt’s 2006 film Old Joy is also really good and probably has a great shot of making my Top 20 for that year. In 2013, I enjoyed Night Moves but overall it’s a small step down from the films mentioned above. It’s still a solid effort that is beautifully shot. Her first two films are the only movies I need to see at this point, but from what I’ve seen, she’s easily one of the best female directors working today.

All of that said, it’s probably not a surprise to hear that Certain Women made my Top 5 most anticipated films coming out this fall. Additionally to Reichardt, the film stars my girl Kristen Stewart. Her career post-Twilight has been absolutely amazing. Stewart’s on-screen presence should mix very well with Reichardt’s shooting style. On top of that, this film also stars Michelle Williams, who has been Reichardt’s muse on a few occasions. Williams’ heartbreaking performance in Wendy and Lucy made that film’s pathos really resonate. The same thing can be said for what she brought to Meek’s Cutoff. Williams wasn’t in Night Moves a few years ago, so it’s nice to see her re-connecting with Reichardt. And how can you not love Laura Dern? She’s always a treat as well.

The premise of Certain Women is intriguing to me and it’s a very Reichardt narrative. It’s about the lives of three women who intersect in a small town, which leads to some compelling conflict. Reichardt doesn’t need much to make something beautiful. She is able to capture small-scale very well, focusing on rich characterization and story. It’s her simplicity that shines in her movies. However, don’t confuse simplicity with plainness. There are complexities to her characters but there’s a simple elegance that keeps her films real and attainable. As a result, the experiences Reichardt conjures are visceral and thematically potent. I expect nothing less in Certain Women, especially with these three actresses and what they bring to the table.

All in all, I cannot wait. Are you excited for Certain Women?

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Here’s what else is coming to theaters this weekend:

Inferno
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
American Pastoral (limited)
Gimme Danger (limited)
Oasis: Supersonic (limited)