From lessons in stereotypes to experiencing an imaginative prequel to Willy Wonka, next week has a lot to offer.
“Wonka”
America’s favorite white boy returns Dec. 15, playing the ambitious and charismatic Willy Wonka. In this film though, it’s simply just Wonka. Everyone knows Wonka as the famous chocolate maker, but how did he become that? “Wonka” is meant to answer the question, making the film a highly anticipated prequel and movie musical. Probably one of the most exciting answers audiences will get is learning where the oompa loompas come from. Timothée Chalamet represents one of the most beloved fictional characters, so it will be interesting to see how well he portrays Wonka. What I find funny is how Chalamet is playing a character his ex-girlfriend’s father once played in 2005.
“American Fiction”
First premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and winning the People’s Choice Award, “American Fiction” will finally release in theaters Dec. 15. The movie stars Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown and Tracee Ellis Ross among others. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright) is a struggling author who decides to write a “Black book” to prove his point of what white audiences expect from Black authors. Ellison writes the book under a pseudonym and before he knows it, his work goes viral. The film is a satirical drama that explores uneducated America and the degradation stereotypes can cause.
“Carol & The End of the World”
A sci-fi, end-of-the-world series, “Carol & The End of the World” will be released on Netflix Dec. 15. This is an animated show that takes place in an alternate universe where planet Earth will be destroyed by another planet in a few months time. Main character Carol (Martha Kelly) finds herself lost, not knowing what to do with her remaining time. She sets out on a mission to find the meaning of her life and does as much as she can to find her purpose. The show feels accurate as to how everyone would feel if they were suddenly told they only have a short time left on Earth.
