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From ‘Bridget Jones’ To ‘Spa Night,’ 16 Films We Can’t Wait To See In 2016
This year Hollywood has already brought us super-heroic civil wars, fabulously forgetful fish, and hilariously bad moms, but 2016 still has a lot of cinematic sweetness on the way.
Whether you prefer popcorn fare and laser rays, potential Oscar winners, or the story of a gay porn superstar, Hollywood has saved the best of 2016 for last.
These are the 16 films we still can’t wait to see this year.
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Premieres: September 16
15 years after she stole our hearts with Bridget Jones’s Diary, one of our favorite quirky gal pals of the big screen is back, and yes, her love life is more complicated than ever. (Though having two total DILFs vying for your attention isn’t a bad problem to have.) Also, with a killer soundtrack that features new tracks from Years & Years and Ellie Goulding, as well as old favorites from Annie Lennox and Sister Sledge, we have no doubt Ms. Jones came to party. So grab your BFFs, some cookie dough ice cream, and get ready for a girls night out that’s long overdue.
Snowden
Premieres: September 16
Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone gathers an all-star cast for this biographical political thriller based on the controversial true story of American computer professional Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to The Guardian in 2013.
Goat
Premieres: September 23
Director Andrew Neel’s peek into the homoerotic and homophobic world of fraternity hazing won’t set any new cinematic standards, but with a cast of nearly naked men that includes James Franco, Nick Jonas, and Gus Halper the eye candy quotient makes this trip well worth the price of admission.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premieres: September 30
Equal parts X-Men and Harry Potter with a dash of every fairy tale you’ve ever heard, Tim Burton’s latest fantastical film about people with peculiar abilities who are outsiders is tailor-made for garnering a huge LGBTQ fan base.
Spa Night
Screening: September 30 – October 6 at The Roxy in San Francisco, CA.
When 18-year-old David Cho (played by Joe Seo) takes a job at an all-male spa to help support his financially-struggling immigrant parents, he unexpectedly awakens his own hidden desires and begins to discover his true self. This steamy coming-of-age story from director/writer Andrew Ahn has been a darling of the film festival circuit garnering several awards. The film is slated for a home video release in December from Strand Releasing, but if you’re in the San Francisco area you can catch select screenings at The Roxy theater September 30 – October 6.
King Cobra
Premieres: October 21
The film loosely based on the life of gay porn star Brent Corrigan – and the events that led to the shocking murder of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis by two aspiring producers who wanted to buy out Corrigan’s contract – has been garnering mostly positive reviews since it hit the film festival circuit in April. Featuring a rock-solid cast that includes James Franco, Molly Ringwald, Christian Slater, Alicia Silverstone, Keegan Allen and Garrett Clayton as Corrigan, the film will officially hit theaters October 21 and give moviegoers a peek at one of the darkest moments in modern gay porn history.
Moonlight
Premieres: October 21
From the gay teen struggling with his sexuality and homophobic thugs to the drug-dealing bad boys and the crack-addicted mother, Moonlight is a film filled with characters that could easily fall in the cliché category, but director/screenwriter Barry Jenkins masterfully turns the expected on its head in this coming-of-age film for an rare cinematic feat that is one of the year’s best. (h/t Prince of Snarkness)
Hacksaw Ridge
Premieres: November 4
Don’t let the fact that this film is directed by bat-shit crazy Mel Gibson stop you. The historical drama has been enjoying powerful positive buzz since it made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Based on a true story, the film follows the inspiring life of Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), a U.S. Army medic who refused to bear arms during World War II because of his religious beliefs, and still managed to save the lives of more than 75 people, single-handed, while under fire during the Battle of Okinawa. Grab the tissues and get ready for a good old fashioned ugly cry.
Bleed For This
Premieres: November 4
Miles Teller and his newly-buff bod bring to life the inspiring true story of boxer Vinny Paz and his refusal to back down after a devastating car accident left him with a broken neck that threatened to end his boxing career.
Loving
Premieres: November 4
The moving true story behind the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia – which struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage and laid the groundwork for arguments in support of same-sex marriage, will absolutely resonate with LGBT filmgoers this November.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Premieres: November 18
The queen of the wizarding world herself, J.K. Rowling, brings us the first chapter in a Harry Potter prequel trilogy that finds Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) on a hunt for several dangerous creatures that escape from a magically expanded briefcase and threaten the balance between muggles and magic users.
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La La Land
Premieres: December 2
With a soundtrack that is bound to be a new addition to Karaoke night at gay bars around the globe, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in a new musical about a jazz pianist who falls for an aspiring actress and discovers how quickly career success can tear young love apart.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Premieres: December 16
While we’re still waiting to officially see the first LGBT character in a Star Wars film (We’re not giving up on Poe Dameron yet.), Rogue One continues to diversify our favorite galaxy far, far away by highlighting strong women and people of color as major players in the latest instalment of the Star Wars saga. The fact that the film takes place shortly before the events of Episode IV is filling fans with nostalgic goodness – as well as the return of a certain Sith Lord.
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The Founder
Premieres: December 16
The shady true story of how salesman Ray Kroc took over the McDonald brothers’ hamburger restaurant chain and built a fast food empire finally hits theaters with a limited release in December after two previously scrubbed release dates in August and November. However, with director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks) helming the picture and Oscar winner Michael Keaton as the scheming Mr. Kroc, this film should be worth the wait.
Passengers
Premieres: December 21
As if seeing the dream team of Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt joining their star power on screen wasn’t enough to have us heading for theaters at warp speed, early buzz that the film could potential Oscars bait is already buzzing around the interwebs. Director Morten Tyldum’s tale of a spacecraft that malfunctions while transporting thousands of people across the galaxy to a distant colony planet and causes two people to awaken from their sleep chambers 90 years early already has us on the edge of our seats.
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Hidden Figures
Premieres: December 25
Based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures follows the story of a team of African-American woman who provide NASA with the important mathematical data needed to launch the nation’s first successful space missions. The feel-good film should be a standout this awards season, but with Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae costarring, we already know this film wins fiercest cast.
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