Welcome to Reel News, where Erin Keeney and Riley Winn break down the upcoming box office releases, and tell you what’s going to be worth your money at theaters. This week we take a look at Daniel Isn’t Real, In Fabric, and The Aeronauts.
First up is Daniel Isn’t Real, the story of Luke, an awkward college freshman who is revisited by Daniel, the imaginary friend he created as a child in order to cope with trauma in his home. While at first Daniel seems helpful, his manic, charismatic energy soon pushes Luke to the brink of insanity. The film stars Miles Robbins (son of actors Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon) as Luke, and Patrick Schwarzenegger (son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver) as Daniel. “I hope this films opens more conversations about mental illness and PTSD, and seeking help,” says Keeney, noting the timely nature of the film’s message. “I think it could spark some important discussions.” Daniel Isn’t Real opens on December 6.
In Fabric is the latest movie from acclaimed horror director Peter Strickland, and is being released by the indie studio A24, known for Moonlight, Lady Bird, and The Farewell. The story is about a lonely woman who buys a dress from a mysterious shop attendant who promises the dress will change her life. “Well, it does, but not in the way you might think,” says Winn. The dress unleashes an evil curse and threatens everyone who comes in contact with it. As the dress is passed from person to person, devastation follows. As Keeney puts it: “It’s like a nightmarish Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! I’m intrigued.” In Fabric comes to theaters December 6.
Finally we have The Aeronauts, the story of a determined scientist and a headstrong young window who take to the skies on a life-changing balloon expedition. This film takes us back to Victorian England, and is the story of a pioneering meteorologist who wants to prove that meteorology is more than just “a fad.” He teams up with a daredevil balloon pilot and they set out on a history-making journey. Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and Oscar-nominee Felicity Jones co-star, “five years after their stellar performances in The Theory of Everything,” says Keeney. Shot with spectacular practical and digital effects, the stakes are high in this film, with actual balloons flying as high as 8,000 feet. Keeney says, “I’m excited to see this one on the big screen.” The Aeronauts opens December 6.
If you’re looking to see a movie this weekend, Winn says, “make it Knives Out.”
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