Glintz Zilbalodis’ animated awards contender Flow, about animals seeking a new home, leads the lineup of films opening in U.S. theaters on November 22, alongside a slate of compelling documentaries. Lucy Lawless makes her directorial debut with Never Look Away, chronicling the life of CNN war camerawoman Margaret Moth. Porcelain War tells the story of a Ukrainian family who stayed behind to defend their home during the war. Raoul Peck pays tribute to South African photographer Ernest Cole in Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, while Steve Pink’s The Last Republican explores the journey of Adam Kinzinger, a Republican Congressman who publicly condemned Donald Trump after January 6th.
Also in theaters is Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the beloved musical Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Flow
Directed by: Gintz Zilbalodis
A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. From the boundless imagination of the award-winning Gints Zilbalodis (Away) comes a thrilling animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community. Steeped in the soaring possibilities of visual storytelling, Flow is a feast for the senses and a treasure for the heart.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%. IndieWire: A, Screen Rant: 9/10.
Official Trailer:
Never Look Away (Documentary)
Directed by: Lucy Lawless
CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth fearlessly captures footage of war zones. After receiving catastrophic injuries in the crosshairs of battle, she returns to work with more courage than ever. An intimate portrait of a trailblazing female photojournalist. Features interviews with Moth’s family and friends, including CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. A Sundance film festival premiere directed by Lucy Lawless.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%. Next Best Picture: 6/10, Screen Anarchy: 4/5.
Official Trailer:
Porcelain War
Directed by: Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev
When the Russians invade Ukraine, husband-and-wife artists Slava and Anya, their faithful dog Frodo, and dear friend Andrey, seize their destiny as they choose to stay and fight. Setting aside their civilian life and past selves, Slava and Andrey join a special ops unit on the frontlines, while Anya makes delicate porcelain art amid constant bombardment.
As war ravages their homeland, the three artists choose to stay in their native Ukraine, armed with their art, their cameras, and for the first time in their lives, their guns.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%. The Film Stage: B+, Film Threat: 8.5/10.
Official Trailer:
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
Directed by: Raoul Peck
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck’s Ernest Cole: Lost and Found is a new documentary chronicling the life and work of Ernest Cole, one of the first Black freelance photographers in South Africa, whose early pictures, shocking at the time of their first publication, revealed to the world Black life under apartheid. Cole fled South Africa in 1966 and lived in exile in the U.S., where he photographed extensively in New York City, as well as the American South, fascinated by the ways this country could be at times so vastly different, and at others eerily similar, to the segregated culture of his homeland. During this period, he published his landmark book of photographs denouncing the apartheid, House of Bondage which, while banned in South Africa, cemented Cole’s place as one of the great photographers of his time at the age of 27. After his death, more than 60,000 of his 35mm film negatives were inexplicably discovered in a bank vault in Stockholm, Sweden. Most considered these forever lost, especially the thousands of pictures Cole shot in the U.S. Telling his own story through his writings, the recollections of those closest to him, and the lens of his uncompromising work, the film is a reintroduction of a pivotal Black artist to a new generation.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%. Next Best Picture: 8/10, Times (UK): 3/5.
Official Trailer:
The Last Republican
Directed by: Steve Pink
Displaying an unwavering commitment to putting country over self, Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger sacrificed his career and personal relationships by publicly demanding accountability for Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection. Filmed during Kinzinger’s final year in Congress, The Last Republican reveals behind-the-scenes insights into the explosive January 6 committee hearings while delving into what drove him to take a stand as well as the lasting impact of his decision.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%. Collider: 8/10, Awards Radar: 3/4.
Official Clip:
Wicked
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Review Summary:
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%. RogerEbert.com: 3/4, Time Out: 4/5.
Official Trailer:
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