By Nikhita Datar
Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula
[3 minute read]
It’s weird to think that very shortly, 2021 will be coming to a close. With that being said, Hollywood is releasing what seem to be a couple of hopeful major award-grabbing movies. Here’s what films to look forward to for the rest of the year, which you can watch over winter break in preparation for awards season:
- Dune
Based off of a novel written in 1965 by Frank Herbert, this narrative brings together all of the elements of film that we love to see on the big screen: a star-studded ensemble cast (Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, and Oscar Isaac), innovative costume design, a hard-hitting soundtrack (composed by Hans Zimmer), and intricate visual design that is attributed to director Denis Villeneuve. I would recommend this movie with a warning: it’s definitely not for everyone. Not much background is explained in the film, so if you haven’t previously watched David Lynch’s adaptation of the book or read the novel itself, you may have a more difficult time understanding the plot. With minimal dialogue and more focus on the sound/visual elements, it might feel slow to some.
- Eternals
The movie industry’s biggest franchise is finally gracing us with another highly-anticipated film with Marvel movie Eternals. Similar to Dune, the ensemble cast is filled with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Including Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, and Gemma Chan, and directed by recent Academy Award winner Chloe Zhao, this film is said to be different from anything that Marvel has ever released before. If you like larger-than-life stories, then this is the perfect fit for you.
- Spencer
If you’re a fan of Netflix’s The Crown, then this movie is the perfect match for you. With Kristen Stewart in the titular role, this story named after Princess Diana’s maiden name unpacks the Christmas festivities at Queen Elizabeth II’s Sandringham Estate leading up to the divorce between Diana and Prince Charles. Directed by Pablo Larraín, who also made Jackie, this film is predicted to make Stewart a potential Oscar candidate from the looks of the trailer itself. If you’re a history buff or simply want to know more about the beloved Princess Di, then Spencer is the movie to watch.
- House of Gucci
Led by Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, and Adam Driver, this biographical crime drama tells the story of the family behind the well-known designer brand. It is based off of the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden and could very well be another contender for major awards in the upcoming 2022 season. It seems to be a nice mix of crime and history, and has the potential to uncover unknown information about the brand.
Featured Image by Geoffrey Moffett on Unsplash
Nikhita is a sophomore studying Pharmacology & Drug Development and Cinematic Arts. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Nikhita speaks English, Hindi, Kannada, Spanish, Korean, and a bit of American Sign Language. From a young age, Nikhita has always been fond of traveling and experiencing new cultures. She’s been abroad a number of times and has visited almost every state in the U.S. Nikhita loves meeting and connecting with people from different backgrounds and finding similar cross-cultural shared experiences. At USC, Nikhita works as a student research assistant at the Institute for Addiction Science and is a fellow at the Korean Studies Institute. She is a member of Film and Television Writers of USC as well as The Women’s Network. In her free time, she loves trying new foods, dancing, watching films, painting, or playing the violin.