1 UCLA Festival of Preservation (Siskel) A rush of restored work via the invaluable archive opens with a 35mm print of Frank Borzage’s aching, monumental 1940 melodrama, “The Mortal Storm,” capturing what happens between friends when fascism takes a nation; L. Q. Jones’ superbly shaggy dog SF classic, the 2024-set post-apocalyptic “A Boy And His Dog” (1975) and Christopher Munch’s immaculate miniature of murmurous desire, “The Hours and Times” (1991). Screenings throughout November
2 Orlando (Siskel) Sally Potter’s oracular ode to the nonbinary, both poker-faced and fantasticated, with Tilda Swinton in the otherworldly glory of her youth. 35mm. November 15 & 21
3 Dark Waters Todd Haynes makes a modern-era true-crime picture on fast turnaround for Participant about the eddying effects of chemical corporation poison released in awards season? Is it Safe? Opens November 22
4 Queen and Slim Propulsive visualist Melina Matsoukas (“Formation”) makes her feature directorial debut in a latter-day outlaw couple saga—”A black Bonnie and Clyde?!”—from a screenplay by Lena Waithe, from a story by Waithe and James Frey. Let it detonate. Opens November 27
5 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Director Marielle Heller (“Diary of a Teenage Girl,” “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) could make it three terrific pics in a row if she lives up to her description of how she approached the work after the substantial creative and financial success of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”: Mister Rogers is the bad guy. What? Say no more. Opens November 27
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
Film Top 5: November 2023 Todd Haynes, Sofia Coppola, Ridley Scott, and Emerald Ferrell all have new films in November. Or you can sing along to "Sound of Music."
