A relentless Liam Neeson, The Rock showing his big guns again and a socially awkward Jesse Eisenberg with a sudden addiction to violence, these are just some of the movies you can expect to see on CATCHPLAY+ in November. Here are our picks of the most exciting films next month.
The Art of Self Defense
Release date: 4 November
The movie is a pretty wild tale of a meek and mild accountant who turns to martial arts as a form of self-defence, but learns more than he signed up for. The Art of Self-Defense was not shown in local cinemas so it's your chance to catch it on CATCHPLAY+. It has a heck of a premise that leaves you guessing and wondering for the better part of the runtime of 104 minutes. Jesse Eisenberg plays Casey, who was beaten up and left for dead by a motorcycle gang. He decides to join a karate dojo, and soon, he turns from a gentle guy to an alpha male, whose fists costs him his job as an accountant. He turns to his sensei for wisdom, but finds out that things are not what they seem. We won’t spoil the ending for you, but let’s just say it is satisfying.
Green Book
Release date: 6 November
This is the movie that gave Mahershala Ali his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, playing Jazz musician Dr Don Shirley. In a movie set in a time where racism is prevalent, Green Book boldly tackles the issue using Shirley, a world-class African- American pianist. As he prepares to go on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962, he hires a driver and part bodyguard who’s a white Caucasian. Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) is a tough-talking Italian-American from Bronx. The two are as different as chalk and cheese, but they fight through their differences and develop an unexpected bond while on the road, and confronting racism during the height of the segregation era. The movie was written by Lip’s son, who pieced together the story from letters that Lip wrote to his wife, as well as interviews between his father and Dr Shirley, making Green Book all the more personal to watch.
Cold Pursuit
Release date: 13 November
Yes, Liam Neeson is out on a hunt again. This time, he is hunting down his son’s killers. And no, there’s no way of him giving up. Nels Coxman (Neeson) is an ordinary snowplow driver, until his son dies under shady circumstances. Then he goes all commando-like, and goes on a quest to avenge his son. He takes on a psychotic drug lord with a bunch of sleazy henchmen, and becomes pretty deft at it. Turning into a coldblooded killing machine, Coxman sets off a massive turf war between drug lords and chaos ensues. Yup, sounds like the Liam Neeson we know. If you like his Taken movies, you’ll enjoy Cold Pursuit too.
Hobbs & Shaw
Release date: 14 November
Move over Vin Diesel, there’s a new crew in town. This spin-off from the Fast and Furious franchise is a no brainer. Who wouldn’t want to see more of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham? Although it did not have the star power of the Fast and Furious movies, it is plenty electrifying and explosive, in part, thanks to the addition of Vanessa Kirby, whom we last seen in the latest Mission: Impossible movie. Kirby plays Shaw’s sister Hattie, who is being framed for something, and Hobbs and Shaw are roped into help find the culprit behind it. Enters Idris Elba, the high tech assassin who famously proclaims “I’m Black Superman!”, much to fans’ delight. If you love the Fast and Furious series, you can’t miss this. If you’re not a Fast and Furious fan, you don’t have watch the movies to enjoy Hobbs & Shaw.
The Mustang
Release date: 15 November
Like The Art of Self Defense, The Mustang was not shown in local cinemas. Don't miss it now! A raw and gritty drama, it’s based on an actual rehabilitation programme in Carson City, Nevada. We follow Roman (Matthias Schoenaerts), a convict in Nevada prison who cannot seem to escape his violent past. He needs to participate in a mandatory “outdoor maintenance” programme as part of his law-required social rehabilitation. He was accepted into the selective wild horse training section of the programme, which sees him breaking in an unbreakable mustang, and in the process, Roman digs deep into himself and finds his humanity. A touching story about second chances, The Mustang will have you reflecting on your life.
Captive State
Release Date: 20 November
This is one alien movie that tells the story of both the oppressors and the oppressed. It’s a decade since an extra-terrestrial force occupied Chicago. The aliens are now rulers of the human race, running the government and being the “higher beings”. Humans, at least the ones who are compliant, are kept in restricted areas, mostly impoverished. But with oppression, there will always be a rebellion, and Captive State tells the story of how humans rise from tragedy to fight against their otherworldly dictators. This sci-fi thriller may be about aliens invading and successfully conquering earth, but its undertones may be relevant for all those who feel oppressed. The film stars Ashton Sanders, recognised by his role as Chiron in Moonlight, and the ever-dependable John Goodman.
