10 Exciting Movies to Watch: From ‘Joker 2’ to ‘Queer’

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are gearing up for the Venice Film Festival this week, which runs from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7. George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, and Brad Pitt are among the many A-listers expected to make a glamorous appearance. This year’s festival promises to be a return to form after a more subdued edition last year.

Venice, along with Cannes, is one of the prime launching pads for awards season. Films that perform well here often gain momentum leading up to the Oscars in March. This year’s lineup is a mix of big Hollywood productions like “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 2,” and “Wolfs,” alongside intriguing films from global auteurs. Here are 10 films that are generating buzz at Venice this year.

No matter which side of the “Joker” debate you were on five years ago, the sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux,” scheduled for Sept. 4, is already promising. The first film earned over $1 billion and received 11 Oscar nominations. Venice festival head Alberto Barbera describes the new film as a dystopian musical, calling it one of the most daring and creative works in recent American cinema. Directed by Todd Phillips, it hits theaters on Oct. 4.

“Maria,” playing on Aug. 29, is the latest film from Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, known for his tragic depictions of famous women like in “Spencer” and “Jackie.” This time, he collaborates with screenwriter Steven Knight and Angelina Jolie to bring opera singer Maria Callas’s life to the screen. Maria Callas, a famous soprano who had an affair with Aristotle Onassis, remains one of classical music’s bestselling artists. “Maria” is in competition and is seeking distribution.

Luca Guadagnino returns with “Queer,” an adaptation of William S. Burroughs’s novel, set for screening on Sept. 3. Starring Daniel Craig in what Alberto Barbera calls a “career-defining” performance, the film follows an American expat in Mexico City who becomes entangled in a series of adventures and an obsession with a young man. Attempts to adapt the novel date back to the 1980s. “Queer” is also seeking distribution.

Pedro Almodóvar makes his English-language debut with “The Room Next Door,” playing on Sept. 2. Starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, the film revolves around an imperfect mother and a resentful daughter who become estranged due to a profound misunderstanding. Although details are sparse, the film tackles themes such as war, death, and friendship. “The Room Next Door” will also feature at the New York Film Festival before its December release.

On Aug. 30, Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn will present “Babygirl,” sparking curiosity post her success with “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” The erotic thriller stars Nicole Kidman as a powerful CEO who begins an affair with her younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson. The supporting cast includes Antonio Banderas. A24 has scheduled a December theatrical release.

On Sept. 1, Brady Corbet’s 3 1/2-hour drama “The Brutalist” will screen. The film follows architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) as they flee post-WWII Europe and settle in America. An industrialist commissions Toth to design a modernist monument, impacting their lives for better or worse. Distributed by Focus Features and Universal, the film’s release date is yet to be announced.

Documentary enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to, but Wang Bing’s “Youth (Homecoming)” is particularly noteworthy. The film, screening on Sept. 6, is the conclusion to a vérité documentary trilogy that follows migrant workers in China’s textile factories over five years. “Youth (Homecoming)” is competing for the top prize at Venice and is also seeking distribution.

Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April,” playing on Sept. 5, follows Nina, an OB-GYN in rural Georgia who performs abortions despite local laws. When an infant dies in her care, an investigation puts her professionalism under scrutiny. After Kulumbegashvili’s debut “Beginning,” the buzz is that “April” could be a breakout hit. It will also screen at TIFF and the New York Film Festival and is seeking a U.S. distributor.

On Aug. 31, Jude Law’s “The Order” will be shown. Law stars and produces this 1980s crime thriller about a white supremacist group. His FBI agent suspects the group’s involvement in a series of crimes in the Pacific Northwest. Nicholas Hoult plays the group’s charismatic leader, with Justin Kurzel directing. The film is set for a December release.

Athina Rachel Tsangari’s “Harvest,” screening on Sept. 3, is another contender. The film is set in a medieval English village and follows locals who blame newcomers for their economic troubles. Starring Caleb Landry Jones, “Harvest” is adapted from Jim Crace’s novel. Mubi holds distribution rights for several European regions, though U.S. plans have not been announced.

While not a film, Alfonso Cuarón’s series “Disclaimer” is worth mentioning. Premiering on AppleTV+ on Oct. 11, it stars Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Blanchett plays a journalist who discovers she’s a character in a novel revealing her dark secret.

Source: Nexstar Media Inc., Deadline