Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers, for they have finally ended the last vestiges of summer and allowed the full splendor of autumn to take hold while delighting all of New England in the process. Though, perhaps, the real congrats should go to the Yankees, who genuinely self-destructed at the worst possible moment and in the funniest way they could have. The weather may be unseasonable, shitloads of leaves might be on every single car and sidewalk, and you might be three more cups of cider away from never wanting to hear the word “apple” again, but it is unmistakably fall in Boston. And with the complete shift of the seasons comes IFFBoston’s Fall Focus, once again returning to the Brattle (and now the Somerville!) from October 31 to November 4 to bring you the best of festival season – no plane ticket to Venice, Toronto or Telluride required.
Per usual, the good folks over at IFFBoston have selected a fantastic program of sure-to-be-talked-about awards season favorites and some more eclectic cuts that might just delight you. We’ve picked five of the buzziest flicks at this year’s fest, all of which are, at the very least, worth experiencing on the big screen as early as possible. As always, you can go to the IFFBoston website to grab your tickets – and don’t delay, they’ll go fast – but if you need help picking some out, we’ve got you covered.
Nightbitch
If your trick-or-treaters are striking because you won’t buy the full-sized candy bars or the wig that would have put together your Hawk Tuah costume is going to arrive on November 5, you should make some last-minute Halloween plans with Marielle Heller’s latest film. Nightbitch tells the tale of a frustrated stay-at-home mom, played by Amy Adams, who finds herself… becoming a dog when the sun sets. We caught it at TIFF and highly recommend it to any moms out there who need a half-way-to-Mother’s-Day pick-me-up.
‘NIGHTBITCH’ :: Thursday, October 31 at 7 p.m. at The Brattle, 40 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA
Devo
Does election season have you feeling crazy? Perhaps like a de-evolved creature of pure anxiety and ruthless anger? This documentary about the patron saints of devolution, electro-noise new wave, and unexpected top 40 hits may help you equalize just a little bit. Featuring new interviews with Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale, Devo may offer a new way to creatively express your frustrations with society, provided you’re willing to go full-on spud. Yukon gold, Russet, Idaho – they don’t care: as we saw at Sundance, Devo loves the potato salad potential of humanity but hates it when it sprouts eyes.
‘DEVO’ :: Friday, November 1 at 9 p.m. at The Brattle, 40 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA
Nickel Boys
We’re obliged per an embargo not to say anything about the quality of this Ramell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening) adaptation of the Colson Whitehead best-seller. Still, we can tell you that it is a particularly unique cinematic experience. You’re transported into the minds of two young men – in true first-person fashion — who have been sentenced to attend a reformatory school in Florida, one that has a well-earned reputation for viciousness and cruelty. So, if you like your cinematic techniques relatively novel and your cinematography gorgeous, give this a shot – it’s unlike anything else you’ll see this year.
‘NICKEL BOYS’ :: Sunday, November 3 at 1:45 p.m. at The Brattle, 40 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA
A Real Pain
It’s pretty surprising that a ticket to this Jesse Eisenberg feature didn’t just come with a New Yorker tote bag. After all, if you’re a subscriber or a person who listens to their Radio Hour, you’re likely familiar with Eisenberg’s work as a writer. We didn’t care much for his first feature, which was directly adapted from one of his short stories, but this original screenplay has attracted positive attention from all sorts of audiences. A Real Pain follows two brothers (Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin) as they adventure through Poland to honor their recently departed grandmother – all while fighting Neil Simon-style once their old conflicts resurface. Color us intrigued!
‘A REAL PAIN’ :: Sunday, November 3 at 8:30 p.m. at The Brattle, 40 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA
The Brutalist
70mm screenings are always a special occasion, especially for brand-spanking new releases, like the one that IFFBoston will be holding at the Somerville for Brady Corbet’s festival favorite. The Brutalist stars Adrian Brody as a Hungarian immigrant who makes his way to the States after World War II, and finds himself tackling the project of a lifetime – unless he loses himself fully in his work. Make no mistake: this is one hell of a get for the festival, and if you have to go to one feature this year, we’d recommend this one. Just make sure you don’t load up on soda during the movie or at dinner beforehand: At 215 minutes, you’ll have to wait for the intermission in order to get some sweet relief.
‘THE BRUTALIST’ :: Monday, November 4 at at 6:30 p.m. Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square in Somerville, MA