Angelina Jolie seems on the 77th Tony Awards in New York on June 16, 2024. Jolie brings opera singer Maria Callas to life in “Maria.” (Picture by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
VENICE, Italy — A few of Hollywood’s largest stars are on the brink of descend on the Venice Movie Competition this week, from George Clooney and Angelina Jolie to Woman Gaga and Brad Pitt.
However whereas the attract of A-listers on these picturesque docks is a welcome return to kind after final yr’s lower-wattage version amid the strikes, the highlight that issues most shall be on their movies. Together with Cannes, Venice – which runs from Aug. 28 by Sept. 7 – is likely one of the most glamorous launching pads for awards season. The movies that do effectively on the Lido shall be dominating the dialog till the Oscars in March.
On this yr’s lineup, there’s each huge Hollywood fare (“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 2” to “Wolfs”) and an enormous array of intriguing movies from auteurs world wide. At festivals, one of the best factor is to maintain an open thoughts and see as a lot as attainable — you by no means know what may hit. Within the meantime, although, listed here are 10 movies to get enthusiastic about at Venice.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” (Sept. 4)
Regardless of which aspect of the “Joker” discourse you had been on 5 years in the past, the truth that all concerned would carry the sequel again to Venice to play in competitors is promising. “Joker: Folie à Deux” doesn’t want the competition buzz, in spite of everything. The primary movie remodeled $1 billion and was nominated for 11 Oscars. Venice chief Alberto Barbera instructed Deadline that it’s utterly completely different from the primary, a dystopian musical that’s “one of the vital daring, courageous and artistic movies in latest American cinema” and “confirms Todd Phillips as one of the vital artistic administrators working for the time being.” It’ll be in theaters Oct. 4.
“Maria” (Aug. 29)
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín is to not be ignored when he makes a movie a couple of well-known lady with a tragic narrative (see: “Spencer,” “Jackie”). This time he’s teamed with screenwriter Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”) and Angelina Jolie to carry opera singer Maria Callas again to life in “Maria.” The soprano was a tabloid fixture, maybe most well-known for her affair with Aristotle Onassis, who would find yourself leaving her for an additional of Larraín’s tragic girls: Jacqueline Kennedy. Callas died in 1977, at age 53, however stays one among classical music’s bestselling artists. “Maria” is enjoying in competitors and in search of distribution.
“Queer” (Sept. 3)
Luca Guadagnino returns to Venice with “Queer,” an adaptation of the William S. Burroughs novel, starring Daniel Craig in a efficiency that Barbera has known as “profession defining.” It follows an American expat to Mexico Metropolis on a quest for a drug. There, he encounters all kinds of characters and develops an obsession with a younger man. The novel was written within the early Nineteen Fifties, a form of companion piece to “Junkie,” however not revealed till 1985. Others have tried to adapt it earlier than, together with Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. “Queer” can be in search of distribution.
READ: Lav Diaz’s ‘Phantosmia’ to premiere in Venice movie fest
“The Room Subsequent Door” (Sept. 2)
Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, with Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton starring? We barely even want an outline to get enthusiastic about that, which might be good as a result of particulars are obscure. He’s mentioned that it’s about an imperfect mom and a resentful daughter who’re estranged due to a “profound misunderstanding.” Along with tackling topics like battle, loss of life, friendship and sexual pleasure, Almodóvar mentioned, “it additionally talks in regards to the pleasure of waking as much as birds bringing a brand new day at a home constructed on a pure reserve in New England.” It’ll additionally make a cease on the New York Movie Competition earlier than a December launch.
“Babygirl” (Aug. 30)
Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn made the wildly enjoyable “Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies,” so we’re particularly curious what “Babygirl” holds. The erotic thriller stars Nicole Kidman (who 25 years in the past got here to Venice with “Eyes Huge Shut”) as a strong CEO who begins an affair with a youthful intern performed by Harris Dickinson (“Triangle of Disappointment,” “The Iron Claw”). Antonio Banderas additionally co-stars. A24 plans a December theatrical launch.
“The Brutalist” (Sept. 1)
This 3 1/2-hour drama from filmmaker Brady Corbet follows architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his spouse Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) on a decadeslong journey as they flee Europe following World Battle II and try and arrange a life in America. There, Toth meets industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Man Pearce), who commissions him to design a modernist monument, altering their lives for higher and worse. Corbet (“Vox Lux”) just isn’t at all times going to be a filmmaker for everybody, however he’s by no means not attention-grabbing. “The Brutalist” is in search of distribution within the US; Common is distributing internationally, although no launch date has been set.
“Youth (Homecoming)” (Sept. 6)
There are fairly just a few revolutionary choices within the nonfiction house: Errol Morris’ “Separated,” in regards to the Trump administration’s border coverage; Asif Kapadia’s future-looking “2073”; “Pavements,” Alex Ross Perry’s hybrid doc in regards to the Stephen Malkmus band; and Andres Veiel’s “Riefenstahl.” However just one made it to the principle competitors: Wang Bing’s “Youth (Homecoming),” the conclusion to his verité documentary trilogy through which he adopted migrant employees in Zhili, China’s textile factories throughout 5 years. It’s in search of distribution.
“April” (Sept. 5)
Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili’s sophomore movie is about Nina, an OB-GYN working in rural Georgia who additionally performs abortions, regardless of the legal guidelines of the nation. When a new child dies in her care, an investigation fuels rumors about her morality and professionalism. Three years after the abortion drama “Taking place” snagged the highest prize at Venice, the thrill is that this shall be one of many breakouts. Kulumbegashvili’s debut, “Starting,” in regards to the bombing of a Jehovah’s Witnesses church, made waves on the competition circuit in 2020. “April,” which is in search of a US distributor, can be set to play at TIFF and the New York Movie Competition.
“The Order” (Aug. 31)
Jude Legislation produced and stars on this Nineteen Eighties-set crime thriller a couple of white supremacist group who his FBI agent character suspects is tied to a collection of crimes within the Pacific Northwest. Nicholas Hoult performs the group’s charismatic chief within the Justin Kurzel-directed movie, to be launched in theaters in December.
“Harvest” (Sept. 3)
“Attenberg” and “Chevalier” filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari returns to the principle competitors with “Harvest,” an adaptation of the Jim Crace novel set in a medieval English village the place the locals use three newcomers as scapegoats for financial turmoil. It’s apparently the rationale star Caleb Landry Jones did his “Dogman” press with a Scottish accent final yr. Mubi has distribution rights in a number of European territories, however no dates or US plans have been introduced.
BONUS: “Disclaimer” (Aug. 29)
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This isn’t a movie, however this collection coming to AppleTV+ on Oct. 11 is from Alfonso Cuarón, who wrote and directed the seven-episode psychological thriller starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Blanchett performs a journalist who discovers she’s a personality in a novel that reveals her darkish secret.
