The sequel and premiere of Puss in Boots by Antonio Banderas opens with a biographical nod to Whitney Houston at the top of the Christmas movie lineup, arriving on screens this week.
Puss in Boots
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a continuation of the beloved animated saga. DreamWorks Animation brings back the world’s most famous feline, who first charmed audiences in Shrek 2.
More than a decade after the first installment premiered in 2011, this fearless cat sets out on a globe-spanning quest. The journey leads him to the Black Forest as he seeks the legendary wish that could restore the eight lives he has already spent, or perhaps nine lives if fate favors him again.
I want to dance with someone
British actress Naomi Ackie stars as Whitney Houston in this biopic directed by Kasi Lemmons and written by Anthony McCarten, the author behind several acclaimed music films. The project has drawn comparisons to notable music biopics that explored the arc of iconic performers.
From her beginnings as a choir girl to becoming one of the most awarded artists of all time, the story traces her rise and the personal struggles that accompanied star power, up to the era surrounding the Grammys in 2012. The portrayal aims to capture the strength, talent, and vulnerability that defined Houston’s extraordinary career.
Broker
Hirokazu Kore-eda, one of the most respected Japanese directors, presents his Korean-language debut in this emotionally charged drama about the possible relinquishment of children and the many people needed to make that choice. The cast features acclaimed performers including Song Kang-ho, known for Parasite, and Chinese-Korean pop sensation Lee Ji-eun in one of her high-profile appearances on the festival circuit.
Set in Busan, the film follows a woman who abandons her newborn at a deposit, and the journey that unfolds as two men and a mysterious guest navigate the moral and legal questions surrounding guardianship in search of a suitable parent.
Eugénie Grandet
Director and novelist Marc Dugain brings to life this adaptation of Balzac’s novel of the same name. The film centers on the Grandet family, led by Felix Grandet, a frugal man who hides a vast fortune while remaining cold to his daughter Eugénie’s suitors.
The sudden arrival of a nephew, an orphan and a ruined Parisian dandy, unsettles the household and sparks upheaval. This project marks the second Balzac adaptation released this year, following Xavier Giannoli’s Lost Illusions earlier in the season.
Say it loud and loud
A cultural center in a working-class neighborhood and a retired rapper who teaches hip hop history anchor this story. Say it loud and loud is a French-Moroccan ensemble drama about a group of young people who confront social prejudice and family pressure as they chase their musical dreams.
The director drew directly from his own experiences, establishing a community center similar to the film’s setting while crafting the script. The movie has earned praise at Cannes for its energy and social resonance.
Crimes of the Academy
Actor Christian Bale embodies detective Augustus Landor, hired to unravel the murder of a cadet at the West Point military academy in 1830. He enlists the help of a bright young student with poetic leanings named Edgar Allan Poe, whose letters and verses provide clues along the way.
Directed by Scott Cooper, The Academy Murders draws from the novel of the same name by Louis Bayard and marks a limited theatrical release before landing on streaming platforms later this season.