Opening This Week: Knives Out, Queen & Slim, The Irishman
Written by Scottie Knollin
WEEK OF: November 25, 2019
Rian Johnson, fresh off his stint behind the camera on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, returns to form with a modern whodunit, Knives Out. The director of indie hits like Brick and Looper has gathered an impressive ensemble, including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, and Christopher Plummer.
The Agatha Christie-esque mystery debuted at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it received rave reviews. David Rooney called the film an “ingeniously plotted, tremendously entertaining and deviously irreverent crowd-pleaser,” in his review for The Hollywood Reporter.
In her feature directorial debut, Queen & Slim, Melina Matsoukas brings to life characters from a screenplay by Lena Waithe, based on a story by Waithe and James Frey. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Chloe Sevigny, Flea, and Jodie Turner-Smith, in her screen debut.
The thriller follows the titular characters, played by Turner-Smith and Kaluuya, respectively, as their first date takes an unexpected turn. A policeman’s murder sets the stakes for a on-the-run, outlaw flick.
After it premiered at this year’s AFI Fest, Queen & Slim earned mostly favorable reviews.
Knives Out is set to open at most theaters across North Dakota. Queen & Slim will play in major markets, including theaters in Fargo, Grand Forks, and Bismarck.
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Debuting on Netflix just in time for the holiday weekend is Martin Scorsese’s much-anticipated The Irishman. Though it’s received theatrical runs in many major cities, including New York and Los Angeles, North Dakota film fans will stream the 3-hour drama from the comforts of their homes. Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, The Irishman has been a hit with critics. And, many awards season prognosticators have the film listed as the one to beat at the upcoming 92nd Academy Awards.
Amazon Prime is also releasing a potential awards contender this week in The Report, a political drama with Adam Driver, Annette Bening, and Jon Hamm. The film first premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, where it earned mostly positive reviews before Amazon purchased distribution rights. It also screened at the Hamptons International Film Festival before earning a limited release (mostly for awards eligibility) in several major cities. Amazon closes out November by releasing it to stream for free for Prime members.
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