Looking at the Weekend: Nov. 11-13, 2016

Sci-fi spectacles tend to be big box office draws and I see no reason why this won’t be the same. The key question is whether Arrival can top Doctor Strange‘s second weekend. It will be close, but ultimately Arrival should be able to eke out a narrow victory.

Our Highest Rated Films: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk; Arrival
Our Best Awards Ratings: Arrival (Oscars); Bill Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Oscars); Elle (Oscars)

OTHER LIMITED RELEASES

The Anthropologist
National Bird
Seasons

Nov. 11-13, 2016
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Almost Christmas (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.0 Wesley Lovell: (7) Peter J. Patrick: (0) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): The trailer was incredibly funny and this seems like the kind of Christmas gathering that produces plenty of humor and warmth. Peter J. Patrick (PP): A holiday comedy in name only, this looks dreadful. Thomas LaTourette (TL): This Christmas family farce looks pretty dreadful with very little humor to be seen in the trailer.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Arrival (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	8.7 Wesley Lovell: (8) Peter J. Patrick: (9) Thomas LaTourrette: (9)	8.0 Wesley Lovell: (8,Oscars) Peter J. Patrick: (8,Oscars) Thomas LaTourrette: (8,Oscars)	Categories: Picture (WL,PP,TL) Director (WL,TL) Actress (WL,PP,TL) Supporting Actor (WL) Adapted Screenplay (WL,PP,TL) Original Score (WL,TL) Film Editing (WL,PP,TL) Cinematography (WL,PP,TL) Production Design (WL,TL) Costume Design (WL) Makeup (WL) Sound Mixing (WL,PP,TL) Sound Editing (WL,PP,TL) Visual Effects (WL,PP,TL)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): My trepidation here is that it’s been so highly praised but the trailers have been unexceptional that I’ll likely be disappointed. Peter J. Patrick (PP): The year’s most highly anticipated sci-fi film should be a strong awards contender as well as a box-office hit. Thomas LaTourette (TL): It sounds like a thinking person’s sci-fi film, and a strong performance by Amy Adams, make this a film that should be worth seeing.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Shut In (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.0 Wesley Lovell: (4) Peter J. Patrick: (9) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	1.7 Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (5,Critics) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: Actress (PP) Supporting Actor (PP)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Only star Naomi Watts could get me to this movie. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Promising looking thriller with Naomi Watts and Jacob Tremblay has potential. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Yet another scary film, and yet another that I have no desire to see.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	9.0 Wesley Lovell: (10) Peter J. Patrick: (7) Thomas LaTourrette: (10)	6.0 Wesley Lovell: (4,Oscars) Peter J. Patrick: (6,Oscars) Thomas LaTourrette: (8,Oscars)	Categories: Picture (WL,PP,TL) Director (WL,PP,TL) Actor (WL,PP) Actress (WL) Supporting Actor (WL) Supporting Actress (TL) Adapted Screenplay (WL,TL) Original Score (WL,TL) Film Editing (WL,PP,TL) Cinematography (WL,TL) Sound Mixing (WL,TL) Sound Editing (WL,TL) Visual Effects (TL)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Few directors demand that you watch everything they put out even when initial reports aren’t what you were expecting. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Once highly anticipated film is getting mixed reviews but still seems worth checking out. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The very first reviews were mixed, but Ang Lee’s latest film sounds like a fascinating tale of a soldier coping with PTSD and a visit back home.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Elle (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	6.0 Wesley Lovell: (7) Peter J. Patrick: (7) Thomas LaTourrette: (4)	5.3 Wesley Lovell: (5,Oscars) Peter J. Patrick: (6,Oscars) Thomas LaTourrette: (5,Oscars)	Categories: Foreign Film (WL,TL) Actress (WL,PP,TL) Adapted Screenplay (WL,TL)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): The trailer isn’t great, but considering the talent involved, it may be worth checking out. That it’s also France’s official submission to the Oscars suggests it’s probably pretty darned good. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Isabelle Huppert’s Oscar ticket could be one of those rare foreign language crossover hits. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Early reviews are decent and Isabelle Huppert has gotten a lot of press for the role of a woman who does not let a rape dominate her, but I found the trailer to be off-putting and rather unpleasant.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
The Fiancé (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	1.0 Wesley Lovell: (0) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Thomas LaTourrette: (1)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): What a corny, lame concept and that trailer pretty much kills my interest in the film. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Tiresome looking horror movie destined to be forgotten in a week. Thomas LaTourette (TL): A woman is turning into a sasquatch and her fiance wants to do her in. It simply looks terrible.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Kiki, Love to Love (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.3 Wesley Lovell: (3) Peter J. Patrick: (3) Thomas LaTourrette: (4)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): The trailer doesn’t do the film much good, but there are enough elements that I wouldn’t object to watching it at some point in the future. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Strained looking Spanish sex comedy. Thomas LaTourette (TL): I could not find a subtitled trailer and my Spanish let me down, so I am not certain what this sex farce will be about.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
The Love Witch (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	2.3 Wesley Lovell: (1) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Thomas LaTourrette: (4)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): This sexual pastiche just doesn’t intrigue me. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Dopey looking comedy-horror combination should be quickly forgotten. Thomas LaTourette (TL): It’s a throwback to 60s-70s sexploitation films, and while early reviews are good, I am feeling more wary as it looks like it might be more dumb than funny.