Winter Movie Preview

With another Central New York winter right around the corner, we all know we will be spending plenty of time indoors. Luckily for us, there are several promising films opening in the next few months that will surely help chase away those inevitable winter blues. While there are plenty that offer intrigue, whether it be another prequel from a beloved franchise (The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping), another visit with the family (Focker-in-Law), or an animated take on a childhood classic (The Cat in the Hat), there are three that stand out to me among the others.

Godzilla Minus Zero

OPENING DATE: November 16
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 2h 15min
GENRE: Japanese, Monster Horror, Action
STARRING:  Minami Hamabe, Jun Kunimura, Ryûnosuke Kamikig
DIRECTOR: Takashi Yamazaki
WRITERS:  Takashi Yamazaki

When Godzilla Minus One took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 2024, it became the first Godzilla film ever to win an Academy Award. The iconic monster, who first appeared in 1954 and has since starred in 38 films, had never taken home the coveted statuette until Takashi Yamazaki’s dazzling production.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this achievement is how seemingly unassuming the film was. Released at a time when the Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Monsterverse was in full swing, with Godzilla and King Kong crossovers, the Japanese production of Minus One was completely unrelated to the flashier franchise-building seen in the United States.

Minus One was a throwback to the Godzilla films of old. He was, once again, a monster through and through. He wasn’t misunderstood. He wasn’t there to help. He was a terrifying creature who was hell-bent on destruction.

After the resounding success of Minus One, it will be fascinating to see how Minus Zero continues the saga. Given that the new release will face much higher expectations than its predecessor, this direct sequel could establish Yamazaki’s franchise as the superior source of kaiju craftsmanship.

Avengers: Doomsday

OPENING DATE: December 18
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 2h 45min
GENRE: Marvel, Action Epic, Sci-Fi
STARRING:  Robert Downey Jr.Pedro Pascal, Chris Hemsworth
DIRECTORS: Anthony Russo,Joe Russo
WRITERS:  Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Stephen McFeely

The last time we saw the Avengers on screen, they delivered one of the most beloved and impactful superhero films ever made. Endgame was everything you’d want an action blockbuster to be: thrilling, unpredictable, and compelling. Featuring one of the great villains in the history of the genre, it was the perfect culmination of years of storytelling.

Since that time, the MCU has never quite risen back to that impeccable level of execution. The recent release of Spider-man: Brand New Day injected some life and promise back into the universe, which bodes well for the upcoming Doomsday.

Aside from the return of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and the fact that many X-Men characters are going to play a major role in the proceedings for the first time in the MCU, much of the buzz surrounding Doomsday centers on Robert Downey Jr. Though Tony Stark died in Endgame, Downey Jr. is stepping into the shoes of the villain Dr. Victor Von Doom. Given that the magnetic performer and his beloved Iron Man kicked off the MCU back in 2008, his return as a different character is exciting to some and baffling to others. It is difficult to believe that he would ever return unless he felt the character and its arc were truly something special, so expectations couldn’t be higher for this potential juggernaut.

Dune: Part 3

OPENING DATE: December 18
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 2h 20min
GENRE: Action, Adventure, Drama
STARRING:  Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa
DIRECTOR: Denis Villeneuve
Writers:  Denis Villeneuve, Brian K. Vaughan, Frank Herberty

Denis Villeneuve’s first two installments in the Dune franchise were complex and haunting spectacles. Based on the classic novel by Frank Herbert and anchored by strong performances from Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson, the films stood in stark contrast to other blockbuster adventures, like those found in the MCU. Herbert’s material is dense and heavy, punctuated by weighty themes and complex plotlines.

Serving as the finale to a series that has already been nominated for 15 Academy Awards, Dune: Part Three will undoubtedly be a major player in the upcoming awards season, and for good reason. Villeneuve, as he has done multiple times throughout his career, finds a way to fuse spectacle and storytelling in a way that is rarely seen in films of this scale. There are multiple memorable scenes in Part One and Part Two that are as thrilling as they are beautiful. Astounding in scope and execution, the desert landscape of the foreboding planet Arrakis is hypnotically awe-inspiring.

Dune: Part Three is opening on the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, setting up a fascinating battle at the box office. Surely, Doomsday will come out ahead based on its ability to appeal to a wider audience (Dune is heavily rooted in science fiction and features deep lore), but if “Barbenheimer” taught us anything, it’s that audiences are more than willing to double up on blockbusters if the execution is worth the investment.

Brian Miller