Thanksgiving Weekend Movie Guide: 'Knives Out' And 'Queen & Slim'

This Thanksgiving weekend, a wealthy patriarch's untimely death and a romantic date gone awry are both taking over the big screen.

Daniel Craig and Chris Evans bring to life a modern-day whodunit mystery in "Knives Out" with a star-studded ensemble, including Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette and Don Johnson.

Meanwhile, Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith star in a provocative thriller about contemporary social justice issues in the road trip movie "Queen & Slim."

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“Knives Out” — Daniel Craig, Chris Evans; directed by Rian Johnson

From Rian Johnson, the writer-director of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” comes a modern-day murder mystery surrounding the premature death of a wealthy patriarch. Infused with Agatha Christie’s whodunit tropes, “Knives Out” entices audiences to put on their detective hats and solve the burning question at hand: Was it suicide or murder?

At the center of the story is the victim, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a peevish old man who has amassed a fortune from his career as a world-renowned crime novelist. In the early morning hours following his 85th birthday celebration, Harlan is found dead in his study. Seemingly, with a knife in his cold hands, it appears the octogenarian has killed himself. But wait! What could be the motive for his suicide?

Enter Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), a world-famous private detective who just doesn’t buy it. In fact, the Southern gumshoe’s first inkling is “foul play.” As he delves deeper into the case, he is thrust into the Thrombey dynasty that is full of grifters and charmers (Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette and Don Johnson). Luckily, there’s Marta (Ana de Armas), Harlan’s good-natured caregiver and confidante who soon becomes an ally for Blanc.

In the end, Blanc sums it up: “I have eliminated no suspects.” Does this mean Harlan Thrombey is also a suspect? How about the kind-hearted Marta — is she a suspect, too? Well, it’s certainly a labyrinth of intrigue, deceit and deception.

See it. Well-acted and well-crafted, Johnson’s mystery film is full of delectable surprises in every nook and cranny and in every twist and turn. If you think you’ve finally solved the mystery, think again!

Watch the trailer:

“Queen & Slim” — Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith; directed by Melina Matsoukas

Melina Matsoukas’ feature directorial debut is a road trip movie about contemporary social injustices pertaining to gender and racial divides. At the core, it is a love story that unfolds at the unlikeliest of times between two fugitives on the run.

In the movie, Daniel Kaluuya plays Slim, a retail store clerk who tries to woo a criminal defense lawyer named Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith). The African American couple’s first romantic date together is about to turn nightmarish when they are pulled over by a white cop who turns violent.

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Moments later, a gunshot is fired, and Slim unintentionally kills the cop in self-defense with the cop’s own gun, forcing the couple to escape town and go on the lam. But somehow, the whole incident is captured on video and goes viral. Soon, the two fugitives are hailed as heroes like Bonnie and Clyde.

See it. While the narrative languishes on some tiresome contrivances, the movie overall is wildly entertaining!

Watch the trailer:

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