The High Five: November

You'll likely notice that one of November's highest-profile releases, Lincoln, is conspicuously absent from this list.  As evidenced by my recent review of Steven Spielberg's masterful film, I've already been fortunate enough to see Lincoln twice, so therefore, I'm no longer anticipating the release.  However, I'm excited for my friends, family, and fellow film lovers to see the film when it releases November 9 in limited release and then expands November 16.

1. Life of Pi (November 21) - Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) has done the seemingly impossible in bringing Yann Martel's deeply philosophical novel to the big screen, but if anyone can do it, it's the eclectic director whose past films include such diverse titles as Sense and Sensibility, Hulk, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  Life of Pi follows an Indian boy who is stranded aboard a lifeboat with a variety of zoo animals as he struggles to survive.  The novel is full of strange and wondrous sights, and the film looks to bring them to vivid life, and in 3-D, to boot.  (An Oscar-winning filmmaker bringing a modern classic to life in beautiful 3-D?  Is Life of Pi this year's Hugo?)  I'm excited to see how Lee and screenwriter David Magee handle the challenging, tricky conclusion, and to experience the feast for the eyes promised in the trailer.

2. Silver Linings Playbook (November 21) - David O. Russell follows up The Fighter with a decidedly different sort of film.  Based on the book by Matthew Quick, Silver Linings Playbook follows a man (Bradley Cooper) recently released from a state institution who moves back in with his parents (Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver) who falls for a girl who might be trouble (Jennifer Lawrence).  The film has played to raves on the festival circuit and has plenty of Oscar buzz, and the trailer looks like a nice blend of comedy, romance, and familial drama (with some dancing thrown in for good measure).  I'm especially excited to see Lawrence's performance.  After wowing critics in Winter's Bone and launching into superstardom with The Hunger Games earlier this year, Lawrence is on a hot streak, and she's already being considered one of the strongest contenders for Best Actress at this year's Academy Awards.

3. Skyfall (November 9) - Quantum of Solace was a massive disappointment, especially following the superb Casino Royale, but Sam Mendes looks to have crafted a magnificent 23rd chapter in the beloved spy franchise.  Daniel Craig resumes Bond duties with Judi Dench as M, and is joined by a new Q (Ben Whishaw, who is currently tugging at heartstrings in a serious way in Cloud Atlas) and a flamboyant villain (Javier Bardem).  The film looks gorgeous, intense, and fun - all the qualities one hopes for from a blockbuster of this ilk.  Skyfall is already tearing up the international box office, and it will no doubt do the same when it opens here.

4. Hitchcock (November 23) - Psycho is one of my favorite films of all time, so I'm understandably excited for Hitchcock, which focuses on the making of Hitchcock's horrific masterpiece.  Anthony Hopkins stars as the master of suspense, and though his voice seems a little off, a performance can satisfy as interpretation rather than imitation.  The terrific supporting cast includes Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, and James D'Arcy, and through the make-up and costuming, the cast starts to look (appropriately) uncannily like the stars they are playing (check out Johansson as Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, to the right).  Movie aficionados should expect a fun, interesting look at the making of a true classic.

5. Wreck-It Ralph (November 2) - Disney has experienced an animated rejuvenation in recent years, adding The Princess and the Frog and Tangled to its fairy tale line-up, along with other solid offerings like Bolt and Winnie the Pooh.  Wreck-It Ralph is an exciting film for two main reasons: it lies outside of the usual pantheon of Disney worlds, and it's a film that looks to satisfy gamers in a way that video game adaptations never really manage.  By populating an original story set in the world of arcade gaming with recognizable stars like Bowser, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Q*Bert, Disney is paying homage to the medium while also showing off their own story-telling prowess.  Wreck-It Ralph looks to be one of the year's best animated films.

Other Notable Releases: Flight (November 2), This Must Be the Place (November 2), Anna Karenina (November 16), Rise of the Guardians (November 21), Killing Them Softly (November 30)