Must See: Buzz-Worthy Movies of November

With cinematic releases ranging from space exploration to brilliant scientists, November is a month to spend your free time at the movie theater. Grand Central has compiled a list of the top five you need to see today.

“Interstellar” – November 5

Plot:

“Interstellar” is the ninth film directed by Christopher Nolan (who also directed “The Dark Knight” trilogy and “Inception”). Though the plot has been mostly kept under wraps, what is known is that a group of astronauts must travel through a wormhole to find a new planet for humans to live on.

The Buzz:

As one of the most anticipated films of the year, many recent reviews are comparing Nolan’s “Interstellar” to Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay, is sure to take audiences on an original adventure into outer space.

Nolan has also brought on some of the best actors in show business to enhance his film, such as Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. “Interstellar” looks to be one of the most exciting and suspenseful films in recent memory, and with Christopher Nolan behind the camera, it’s almost guaranteed to blow audiences away.

“The Theory of Everything” – November 7

Plot:

This biopic about Stephen Hawking is based on a memoir written by his wife, Jane. The film focuses on the relationship between Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and Jane (Felicity Jones), and the emotional journey the two went on together after Hawking was diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21.

The Buzz:

Redmayne, who has appeared in a variety of films from the popular musical, “Les Miserables,” to the upcoming sci-fi adventure “Jupiter Ascending,” is getting rave reviews for his portrayal of Hawking. From the trailer, it’s clear that Redmayne gives a special performance, capturing the mannerisms and physical characteristics of Hawking.

According to Variety, Redmayne “spent six months researching Hawking’s life, watching every scrap of interview footage he could find, and only got to meet the real man five days before filming began.” Variety also reported that Hawking shed a tear when he saw the film, and called the film “broadly true.”

“Foxcatcher“ – November 14

Plot:

“Foxcatcher” details the true story of Olympic wrestlers and brothers Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), and their close relationship with multi-millionaire sponsor, John du Pont (Steve Carell). Unfortunately, due to jealousy, loyalty and the desire to be the best, this relationship leads to a disturbing series of events which eventually causes one of the most horrific tragedies in American sports history.

The Buzz:

While Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum are receiving praise from critics for their darker, dramatic roles in this flick, Steve Carell is getting the highest praise for his haunting, unrecognizable transformation into the paranoid schizophrenic, John du Pont.

Director Bennett Miller (“Capote,””Moneyball”) received the Best Director award for “Foxcatcher” at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Miller stated that he liked to cast comedic actors in dramatic roles because “there’s always a sharp aspect to their troubled psyches that the world rarely gets to see.” Miller has proven that he can transform a comedic actor into a dramatic one when he directed Jonah Hill in the 2011 film “Moneyball,” which earned Hill his first Oscar nomination.

 

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” – November 21

Plot:

Jennifer Lawrence reprises her role as Katniss Everdeen, who is teaming up with the rebellion in District 13 to save Peta (Josh Hutcherson) and to take down president Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the capitol.

The Buzz:

“The Hunger Games” seems to be one of the only non-superhero franchises left and the third film, “Mockingjay Part 1,” has formed a strong global following. With an all-star cast that includes Woody Harrelson, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman and newcomer to the franchise Julianne Moore, it’s clear Hollywood is putting faith in this film, especially with a budget of $250 million (shared between both “Mockingjay” films). Movie critics expect this film to be one of the highest grossing of the year.

 

“The Imitation Game“ – November 21^st

Plot:

During World War II, mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is in charge of assisting the allies by leading his team of code-breakers to crack the German Enigma Code, which the Germans use for all of their communication. As it turns out, he had some secrets of his own.

The Buzz:

Benedict Cumberbatch, who is best known for headlining the show “Sherlock” and for playing Khan in “Star Trek Into Darkness,” is gaining all kinds of attention for his portrayal of Alan Turing.

Critic James Rocchi of film.com called Cumberbatch’s performance excellent, stating that he is “vain and insecure, arrogant, yet with the skills to back that arrogance up.”

“The Imitation Game” may seem more subtle than the other November releases, but the buzz surrounding Cumberbatch should be enough to get audience members in theater seats.