You guessed correctly, devoted Her Campus community. Kenyon College chapter’s token Film major is about to very generously list off some movies for you again.
This year has already supplied us with several impactful films emerging from across the world, gracefully and truthfully depicting narratives built upon acceptance, complex relationships, identity, and growth. The upcoming film lineup before us now, however, is a mixed bag stuffed with equal amounts of raunchy sex scandal and debilitating emotional pain. If you’re lucky, you might even get both in the same film. The following list details my most anticipated films of this upcoming fall, their release dates, and who I’ll be dragging along to the movie theater for each screening (as always, in no particular order).
1. Babygirl – in theaters December 2025, 2024
The film:
Looking for a film that will round out your year with shallow internet discourse about female sexuality? Babygirl, an erotic thriller directed and written by Bodies Bodies Bodies director Halina Reijn, portrays a New York CEO (obviously Nicole Kidman) who engages in a sexual affair with an intern (Harris Dickinson—omg). Being so utterly in the dark about how this film will present itself only intrigues me further. The only vibe I can currently interpret from the film is a sort of reversed 50 Shades of Grey for Saltburn-loving college girls. We’ve experienced a uniquely expansive past two years for films that approach dialogue centering on women’s sexuality, age, and bodies (think The Substance, Poor Things, Anora, etc.), and Babygirl appears eager to contribute to the conversation.
Who I’ll Bring:
My entire family, in town for Christmas.
2. Nosferatu – in theaters December 2025
The film:
Vampire films are immortal, and with the upcoming Nosferatu film being the third cinematic interpretation of the original narrative, I’m inclined to believe we can only anticipate more vampire media approaching in the near future. Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers of The Lighthouse and The Northman, revives the 1922 film originally released as an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Bill Skarsgård remains close to his horror roots starring alongside Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, and Nicholas Hoult. Robert Eggers’s comprehension of period-piece makes this film feel like a confident, promising watch (especially for film bros).
Who I’ll bring:
My dad, who will list off every film this one drew inspiration from.
3. Queer – in theaters November 27, 2024
The film:
Cried during Call Me By Your Name? Turned on by Challengers? Concerned by Bones and All? Luca Guadagnino, whose name I’ve just realized I’ve been saying wrong this entire time, is blessing the queer community, and middle school girls who make those TikTok edits, with a brand-new 1940s romance starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey. Queer, an A24 film based on William S. Burroughs’s 1985 novella of the same title, follows an American expatriate (Craig) living in Mexico City who romantically pursues a young student (Starkey). Guadagnino is famed for his analysis, through filmmaking, of queer identities and sexuality, and Queer is expected to be one of his most honest and self-reflective.
Who I’ll bring:
Whole squad.
4. All We Imagine as Light – in select theaters November 15th
Paypal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light has received immense critical acclaim, and has brought female directors and global cinema to the forefront of the conversation surrounding the best pictures of the year. The film follows Prabha (Kani Kusruti), a nurse living in Mumbai with a much younger coworker Anu (Divya Prabha), as Prabha navigates her relationship with her estranged husband, and Anu grapples with a secret romance. The film appears impactful in both visual imagery and narrative, and illustrates the interconnection of several female-driven stories in their interaction with the city of Mumbai.
Who I’ll bring:
Film nerds.
5. The Brutalist – December 20, 2024
Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist depicts a Hungarian-Jewish architect (Adrien Brody) escaping post-war Europe to rebuild his life with his wife (Felicity Jones), and navigating and witnessing the modernization of America as his life changes with the meeting of a wealthy client. The trailer for The Brutalist presents its audience with a stunning yet enigmatic collection of sequences from the film, leaving us endlessly curious about the performances or plotline. The film’s marketing is effective in its willingness to be reserved, motivating the viewer to pursue the film further. The historical epic will also premiere near Christmas, allowing a very busy film-viewing schedule to fill up my Winter break.
Who I’ll bring:
Not sure yet. Depends on who’s down for a nearly four-hour run time.
Honorable Mentions:
Heretic (dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods) – in theaters November 8th, 2024.
Nickel Boys (dir. RaMell Ross) – in theaters December 13, 2024
Bird (dir. Andrea Arnold) – in theaters November 8, 2024