2020 is primed to be a big year for cinema, both in the realm of big-budget blockbusters and under-radar indies. Each month we’re going to be taking a look at five upcoming films that you need to see in cinemas, encouraging Aussies to get out and experience these stories on the big screen.
The year is going to be starting off with quite a few highly anticipated releases coming to Australian cinema, from a live-action adventure following Dr. Dolittle, to a period piece by coming-of-age queen Greta Gerwig.
Little Women (Released 1st January 2020)
After the critically acclaimed Lady Bird, it’s perfectly understandable to jump at the prospect of another coming-of-age by Greta Gerwig. The writer and director has developed her own unique and insightful voice, and it will be interesting to see how she brings that to 1860 New England as she tackles the classic story of Little Women, following the lives of the March sisters in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Early acclaim has made this one of January’s most anticipated releases.
1917 (Released 9th January 2020)
Rave reviews have been riding behind this British-American war epic, easily one of the most anticipated features of early 2020. It follows two young British soldiers at the height of WWI in Northern France, both of whom are given the seemingly impossible mission to deliver a message of ambush across enemy territory. Sam Mendes is behind the wheel of this one, which stars George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch. It definitely looks like something you need to see in cinema.
Dolittle (Released 16th January 2020)
Robert Downey Jr’s biggest role since his long-running attachment to the Marvel Universe is an interesting one. This blockbuster live-action adventure looks epic in scale, realised by director Stephen Gaghan. In the film, Downey Jr plays the role of Dr. John Dolittle, a veterinarian who has the ability to speak to animals. Many big names will also voice the animals, including Emma Thompson and Octavia Spencer.
Just Mercy (Released 16th January 2020)
Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan give incredibly powerful and emotionally resonate performances as they track the history of attorney Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his incredible working pursuing justice for wrongfully accused Death Row inmates. In follows the case of Walter McMillian, played by Foxx, whose story highlight the explicit biases and racist agendas that plague the justice system. We saw it earlier this year at the 55th annual Chicago International Film Festival, and can attest to how powerful Just Mercy is.
A Hidden Life (Released 30th January 2020)
What will auteur Terrence Mailk throw at us this time? The visionary director has a penchant for turning in unusually powerful and memorable films, and this historical drama is looking to very much continue that legacy. Strong early reviews paint a promising picture as Malik brings to life the story of a Austrian peasant farmer, played by August Diehl, who during WWII refused to fight for the Nazis.
