Godzilla, Cliff Booth, and Rocky Balboa headline November's films

November is a weird time for the film industry, as buzzy blockbusters and family-friendly fare arrive in multiplexes for the holidays alongside more limited-release prestige films that are angling to join the larger award season conversation. This is just a more complicated way of saying that there’s something for everyone at movie theaters this month. From monster-movie sequels (Godzilla Minus Zero) and nostalgic thrillers (Paper Tiger) to franchise prequels (The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping), there’s almost every kind of movie hitting your local theater over the next month. (And that’s not even counting whatever Nicolas Cage is doing in Madden over on Prime Video.) 

I Play Rocky (November 6)

It’s officially fall, and the first hint of awards season is in the air, as evidenced by the arrival of this aggressively heartfelt biopic about Sylvester Stallone and the making of the classic 1976 film Rocky. Anthony Ippolito, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Stallone, stars, and the story highlights his underdog fight to see his vision brought to life. The film hails from director Peter Farrelly, best known for being one half of the duo that brought us such comedy classics as Dumb And Dumber and There’s Something About Mary, and was a runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. I Play Rocky also stars AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, Jay Duplass, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Stephan James, Tracy Letts, Kiki Seto, and Robert Morgan.

Club Kid (November 6)

In more surprisingly heartwarming fare, Instagram-comedian-turned-filmmaker Jordan Firstman’s A24 dramedy Club Kid is the most unexpectedly moving title on this month’s list. The film follows the story of Peter (Firstman), a thirtysomething gay man in New York who’s getting a little old for his party promoter lifestyle. His world is turned upside down by the arrival of the son he never knew he had (Reggie Absolom), which prompts both a burst of much-needed self-awareness and a heartwarming exploration of fatherhood in all its forms.

Godzilla Minus Zero (November 6)

The long-awaited follow-up to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One—yes, Godzilla has an Oscar now—brings everyone’s favorite kaiju back to the big screen. But this time, he’s not alone. Most people have probably heard by now that there’s another monster in this sequel, and its exploration of the popular “Let Them Fight” meme is both exhilarating and tragic. Buckle up for more philosophical ruminations on post-World War II trauma and the long-tail impact of humanity’s nuclear ambitions, as well as some serious monster-on-monster violence and destruction.

Wild Horse Nine (November 6)

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell star in this throwback comedy thriller from director Martin McDonagh, which follows a pair of CIA agents dispatched to Easter Island on the eve of the 1973 Chilean coup. Described as a mix of In Bruges and The Banshees Of Inisherin, the film mixes familiar McDonagh themes (sudden violence, the complexity of male friendship) with a softer, bittersweet treatise on aging. Malkovich is already getting Oscar buzz for this, so update your prediction brackets accordingly. Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey also make appearances. 

Madden (November 11)

David O. Russell’s latest offers an intriguingly weird combination of star and subject matter as Nicholas Cage dons a blonde wig and a fat suit to play legendary NFL coach and colorful broadcast analyst John Madden. The biopic will chart his journey from his Raiders coaching days to his Super Bowl victory and the subsequent launch of the video game franchise that made him famous to a generation that never saw him call a single play. Christian Bale stars as Al Davis opposite Cage.