Whether you’re after the adventure of Disney or real-life dramas that will have you grabbing the tissues, November delivers some amazing movies that are worth watching in the cinema. As award season is not too far away, there are also some Oscar-worthy contenders on our list. So here’s our pick of the top five films showing in Riyadh this November.
Encanto
Disney continues its enlightened world tour with this tale of magic and music, set in the mountains of Colombia. The story revolves around a family who lives in a house infused with special powers, as if Mary Poppins is living in the walls – staircases become slides, the bricks are musical, it probably has great WiFi. The Madrigal family occupy this funhouse, each of whom is blessed with their own set of magical powers. All, that is, but Mirabel.
Mirabel looks set to ponder her shortcomings as her siblings talk to animals, or dazzle with their supernatural good looks and strength, until a cosmic disruption threatens the magic that hums throughout her homelife. Will our short bespectacled hero save the day? Well, this is Disney. But will your kids remain enthralled throughout? Of course they will.
Out November 25
House of Gucci
“They had it all: wealth, style, power. Who wouldn’t kill for that?” says Stefani Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga, in this film that oozes glitz and glamour. After the pop superstar proved her acting abilities in A Star is Born, she’s back in another role that looks like it was tailor-made, Gucci-style, just for her.
Gaga proves she can cut it among Hollywood A-listers, as the all-star cast includes Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Irons, and a whole lot of Italian accents that can match any gangster movie. Gaga has some big as well as fashionable shoes to fill, as she brings to life Patrizia Reggiani, the former wife of Maurizio Gucci. The film tells the thrilling story of how she plotted to assassinate her former husband, so get ready for some shoulder pads and killer heels.
Out November 25
King Richard
No, wait, come back! This isn’t another blockbuster cluster-bore about a long-decomposed British king. The title refers to Richard Williams, who was instrumental in propelling his two daughters (Venus and Serena) into the sporting stratosphere. It follows the rise of the Williams sisters from LA’s violent city of Compton to the zenith of tennis.
Mining from the same black ambition goldmine as, say, Beyoncé’s father Matthew Knowles, or Michael Jackson’s dad Joe, Richard worships at the altar of hard work and determination: “I wrote a 78-page plan for their careers before they were even born”. Clearly, there could be several interpretations of such a colourful character, but how many people would watch a film about a tennis-obsessed control freak? That’s probably why the title role is played by Will Smith, one of cinema’s most likeable stars.
Out November 19
Spencer
As interest in the British royal family seems to have reached an all-time high, thanks to Netflix’s The Crown and the ongoing Harry and Meghan show in the media, Spencer is riding the wave of interest in the monarchy and certainly has got critics hooked.
Starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, it is set over three turbulent days during Christmas at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. As rumours grow about problems between Princess Diana and Prince Charles, we see the demise of their relationship. The Oscar buzz for Kristin Stewart is in the air, as the film has already been praised at major movie events, from the Venice Film Festival to the Toronto International Film Festival.
Out November 4
