January movie releases: Oscar contenders from Till to The Fabelmans

A whole new year of Cineworld moviegoing is about to open up before us.

Need some help in navigating the dizzying and exciting array of movies headed your way this January? Scroll down to check out our round-up of the unmissable new year releases.

 

1. Till (released January 6)

The horrific true story of young Emmett Till's racially motivated killing underscores this vital and powerful drama. Set in 1955, the movie dramatises Emmett's mother Mamie's attempts to seek justice, as she's pitted against the institution of embedded racism in America's Deep South.

Director Chinonye Chukwu directs with flair, never shying away from the ugliness at the story's heart or the impassioned mission of Emmett's devoted parent. In the central role of Mamie, Danielle Deadwyler stuns and is surely a lock for a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars.


2. A Man Called Otto (released January 6)

Tom Hanks, a grumpy man? Say it isn't too. The Nicest Star in Hollywood™ shifts gears to play a people-hating busybody in this English-language version of the hit Swedish movie.

When his wife dies and he is forced to retire from his job of nearly 40 years, grumpy 60-year-old Otto decides to kill himself. But his attempts are constantly interrupted by his boisterous new neighbors, which leads to an unlikely friendship.


3. Empire of Light (released January 9)

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes pivots from his heart-rending war drama 1917 to an affectionate and whimsical ode to the magic of cinema. Empire of Light is set in a fading English seaside town that's barely held together by the illusory yet tangible magic of the local picture house.

The lives of the cinema's workers unspool in front of our eyes with the top ensemble cast including Oscar winners Olivia Colman and Colin Firth, Micheal Ward and Toby Jones.



4. TÁR (released January 13)

Cate Blanchett may be on course to win her third Oscar in this bold and blistering new drama. Blanchett plays the dedicated conductor of a leading German philharmonic orchestra who commands time with the merest twitch of her musical baton.

However, Lydia Tár's dedication to her job causes her personal life to unravel, resulting in a fragmentary and haunting drama that's superbly marshalled by director Todd Field. Blanchett is said to be unforgettable in the title role, by turns charismatic, appalling and utterly mesmerising. 


5. M3GAN (released January 13)

An apparently innocent children's doll goes rogue in this nail-biting thriller from the combined powerhouse horror talents of Jason Blum (Get Out) and James Wan (The Conjuring).

Seeking a humanoid companion for her orphaned niece, a well-meaning woman (Allison Williams) makes the biggest mistake of her life when said robot develops a mind of its own.


6. Babylon (released January 20)

Forget the gentle whimsy of Charlie Chaplin. Hollywood's so-called 'Golden Age' gets a cocaine-addled twist in this diabolically entertaining epic from La La Land helmer Damien Chazelle.

As Hollywood prepares to transition from silent cinema to talking pictures, a host of miscreants paint the town red with all manner of bacchanalian excess. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie star.


7. Unwelcome (released January 27)

A young couple's idyllic Ireland home is revealed to be anything but in this creature feature chiller from Grabbers director Jon Wright.

Ant-Man's Hannah John-Kamen and Romeo and Juliet's Douglas Booth play the homeowners grappling with unfriendly locals and terrifying goblins.


8. The Fabelmans (released January 27)

Steven Spielberg spins a gentle ode to his own childhood in this must-see salute to the magic of the movies. Spielberg's on-screen family, the Fabelmans, acts as a facsimile of his own, the story focusing on young Sammy Fabelman, his nascent movie-going experiences and his eventual move into Super 8 moviemaking.

Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen and Judd Hirsch form an excellent cast in this Oscar-tipped nostalgia-fest from one of Hollywood's most revered industry titans.


As we approach the new year, have you considered a Cineworld Unlimited membership? You can feast on all these blockbusters, and lots more besides, from just £10.99 a month.

Find out more about Unlimited here and by watching the video below.