*Trigger warning: This article contains content about sexual assault and drug addiction.
A new year means a new lineup of movies. Mark your calendars for these five upcoming movies that are coming to theaters in early 2023!
1.“M3GAN”
This movie is such an unsettling take on the rise of artificial intelligence. An 8-year-old girl named Cady, played by Violet McGraw of “The Haunting of Hill House” recently became an orphan and is forced to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams). Unfortunately, Gemma doesn’t know a thing about taking care of children. So she introduces Cady to M3GAN, a robot she’s been working on that doubles as a friend and protector of Cady. “M3GAN” starts to take an unsettling turn as the aunt and niece realize the robot will do anything to protect Cady and has a mind of its own, which goes as far as killing and attacking. What once seemed like an innocent friend and protector turns into a culprit of unsettling and unthinkable events. This is definitely a modern take on a doll like we see in Annabelle (2014), but adding the AI makes it significantly scarier.
“M3GAN” will be released in theaters on s Jan. 6. You can watch the trailer here.
2. “A Man Called Otto”
Otto (Tom Hanks) is an unpleasant man, who doesn’t exactly enjoy the world around him. This is because he is a recent widower and was forced to retire after his wife’s death. He visits his wife’s grave often, complaining about the downsides of his daily life. But when a new family moves in next door, Otto’s life takes a turn. The pregnant mother that moves in, Marisol (Mariana Traviño) is persistent in making sure Otto is not grumpy or unhappy. These neighbors are at first a burden to Otto, but it slowly turns into an unconventional friendship that saves his life from sadness as he is no longer alone. His meetings with his wife’s grave even become more positive and optimistic. By the end of the trailer, he seems to have found a source of happiness after thinking it was impossible.
“A Man Called Otto” will be released in theaters on Jan.13. You can watch the trailer here.
3. “Women Talking”
Inspired by real events in 2010 and a 2018 novel, “Women Talking” is a heartwrenching yet powerful story about women in the Mennonite religious community struggling with the truth of their faith. They undergo a series of abuse and sexual assault and decide that enough is enough. “Women Talking” follows eight women’s journeys, specifically around the characters Ona (Rooney Mara), Salome (Claire Foy), Mariche (Jessie Buckley) and Agata (Judith Ivey) as they work together to break through the chains that the community has put on them. Each character has their own story, and the film seems to highlight and validate the truth of the women this movie was based on.
“Women Talking” will become available in theaters everywhere after a wide release on Jan. 20. You can watch the trailer here.
4. “Of an age”
Based in the summer of 1999, Kol (Elias Anton) is an amateur ballroom dancer with a partner named Ebony (Hattie Hook). After a car ride with Ebony’s brother Adam (Thom Green), it is revealed that he and Kol are both gay and single. They go on to have a 24-hour romance before Adam must leave for South Africa. The sadness seeps through the trailer as they must put their fantasy to an end and come to terms with not being able to be together — or will it work out in the end? This movie seems bittersweetly romantic as we will get to see how their relationship turns out, whether it was made for a lifetime or just one moment.
“Of an Age” will be released in theaters on Feb.10. You can watch the trailer here.
5. “A Good Person”
Allison (Florence Pugh) was once a fiancé with a wonderful life and future family. The happy life comes to a screeching halt as she loses her future sister-in-law in a car accident. She goes on to become an addict with no hope left for herself. That is until she crosses paths with her once-to-be father-in-law, Daniel (Morgan Freeman). Daniel once blamed Allison for their loss and they were closed off to each other at first. But after attending the same Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at church, they begin to rekindle their relationship. They become close friends and dare I say each other’s, guardian angels. I never thought I’d see Freeman and Pugh as friends in a film, but the trailer shows me how wonderful their friendship gets as they mourn their losses and work through it together. This seems like a beautiful, heartwarming film of recovery and unlikely companionship.
“A Good Person” will be released in theaters on March 23. You can watch the trailer here.
By Amena Ahmed