An eye-catching cast leads the upcoming legal drama “The Mauritanian”. Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, and Zachary Levi tell the troubling story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi who languished in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp for 14 years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was held without charge and without a trial. The film is directed by Kevin Macdonald and will finally get its release following several COVID-19 related delays.

The first trailer dropped this morning and it leaves a pretty mixed impression. On one hand it’s filled with lines of stilted made-for-the-screen dialogue. On the other hand there is an undoubtedly rich story to be told and (with the exception of Cumberbatch’s hilariously exaggerated accent) the cast looks up to it. It all comes down to the script and if it can avoid the temptation to preach and let its story do the talking.

“The Mauritanian” currently has a February 19, 2021 release date. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I love Thanksgiving! It’s a wonderful time to be with those we love, to eat great food, and be thankful for the many blessings we have. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, whether you’re here in the States or abroad, I just want to say thank YOU. Thank you for reading my stuff and following my site. Thank you for the many likes, comments, and discussions over the past year. You may not realize it, but every one of you who has spent time here have been encouragements and have helped make this thing truly fulfilling.

So once again thank you and all the best to you and your families.

Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck star in the upcoming dramedy (I really hate that word) “Our Friend”. The film is from director Gabriela Cowperthwaite best known for her critically-acclaimed documentary “Blackfish” and is written by Brad Ingelsby who earlier this wrote the terrific “The Way Back’.

In “Our Friend” Dane (Segel) puts his life on hold in order to help his two best friends Matt and Nicole (Affleck and Johnson) after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Dane’s experience with his friends and their two young daughters turns into a heartbreaking yet life-changing experience. The film is based on a true story and originally premiered at the 2019 Toronto Independent Film Festival. The first trailer makes good use of its high-profile cast and its emotionally meaty material has loads of potential.

“Our Friend” is set to release January 22, 2021. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Disney’s “Godmothered” is coming to Disney+ just in time for the holiday season. This part fantasy, part family comedy comes from director Sharon Maguire best known for her “Bridget Jones” movies. Disney was kind enough to provide me with a screener around the same time as its new trailer dropped. At first glance I can see the film appealing to some audiences more than others. And for better or worse it’s hard to miss the similarities to “Elf”. Tell me if you agree.

In a world fittingly known as The Motherland Jillian Bell plays Eleanor, a fairy godmother-in-training who learns that her beloved profession is on the outs. Determined to prove that the world still needs fairy godmothers, Eleanor targets a cynical single mother (played by Isla Fisher) whose hardened shell could prove to be tough to crack. It’s an undeniably sweet concept and I’m always up for a little Christmas cheer. We’ll see where this one lands.

“Godmothered” premieres December 4th exclusively on Disney+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

It took some time but we’re finally getting our first look at Doug Liman’s “Chaos Walking”, an upcoming sci-fi adventure that I’ve been really curious about. In addition to loving good science-fiction, I was immediately grabbed by the cast: Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland, and (the biggest draw for me) Mads Mikkelsen. Several other good names fill out what looks like a really strong ensemble. And while Liman doesn’t always hit his marks, when he does the results can be terrific (see “The Bourne Identity” and “Edge of Tomorrow”).

“Chaos Walking” is based on a popular young adult sci-fi trilogy that I know nothing about. Basically a mysterious girl crash lands on a planet inhabited solely by men (and a few not-so-hospitable creatures). The girl is discovered by a young man played by Holland who pledges to protect her against the bevy of dangers, one of those being Mikkelsen’s ruthless Mayor Prentiss. The kicker is that the men are afflicted by something called “the Noise” which puts all of their thoughts on display either audibly or visually. Interesting concept.

“Chaos Walking” is set for a January 22, 2021 release. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

While many of Meryl Streep’s more recent films have seen her in supporting roles, she still knocks out the occasional starring turn. And while the Academy is prone to shower accolades on any Streep performance, I find she’s at her best when given meatier lead roles. It looks like she gets one in the upcoming film “Let Them All Talk”, a Steven  Soderbergh dramedy streaming soon exclusively on HBO MAX.

The film sees Streep playing an author who reunites with old friends played by Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest. The “Gang of Three” as they were once known come together with all of the surface niceties but soon old wounds start to fester. The film also stars the wonderful Gemma Chan and Lucas Hedges.

“Let Them All Talk” premieres December 10th on HBO MAX. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.