Nicolas Cage playing a truffle forager who is on a mission to save his beloved truffle pig from violent assailants sounds a bit like a parody. So it may come as a surprise that not only is “Pig” real, and serious, it is also one of the year’s best reviewed films. And, it’ll be available to stream on Hulu starting Friday. In the Los Angeles Times review of writer-director Michael Sarnoski’s debut, critic Noel Murray writes that, “though its plot follows the same rough outline of a ‘John Wick’-style shoot-em-up, ‘Pig’ is actually a quiet and often melancholy meditation on loss, anchored by a character who wishes he could shake free of the person he used to be.” (AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr)
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, many movies are premiering on Wednesday this week, both in theaters and on television, including:
• “Becoming Cousteau”: The acclaimed documentary finally makes it to Disney+ on Nov. 24, taking an inside look at the life of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the underwater adventurer, explorer and author who became a devoted environmentalist. Directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus, “Becoming Costeau,” is, as the AP’s Jake Coyle writes, “A defining documentary portrait of the French oceanographer — the real-life Steve Zissou — as a fish only truly content below the surface.” (AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr)
• “Encanto”: Animated tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place. Every child in the family has a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal — except for Mirabel. Featuring the voices of Stephanie Beatriz, Lin‑Manuel Miranda and Diane Guerrero, it’s from Disney, in theaters Nov. 24.
• “House of Gucci”: Inspired by the true story of the family empire behind the Italian fashion house Gucci. Starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, with Salma Hayek and Al Pacino. In theaters, Nov. 24.
• “8-Bit Christmas”: Ten-year-old Jake hopes to get the ultimate 1980s Christmas gift — a Nintendo game system — in this family film adaptation of Kevin Jakubowski’s book starring June Diane Raphael, Steve Zahn and Neil Patrick Harris as the adult Jake, playing exclusively on HBO Max beginning Nov. 24.
• “A Boy Called Christmas”: In this origin story of Father Christmas, based on the 2015 holiday fantasy book by Matt Haig, a boy sets out on an extraordinary adventure to find his father, who is searching for the fabled village of Elfhelm. Starring Henry Lawfull, Sally Hawkins, Toby Jones, Kristen Wiig, Michiel Huisman, Jim Broadbent and Maggie Smith, it streams Nov. 24 on Netflix.
• “Bruised”: In Academy Award-winner Halle Berry’s directorial debut, she stars as a disgraced mixed martial arts fighter who hopes to gain custody of her son and is coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager/boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto). Also starring Adriane Lenox and Sheila Atim. It opened in limited theaters last week and is available as of Nov. 24 on Netflix.
• “The Humans”: This horror-tinged family drama opened in limited theaters last week and is on on Showtime starting Nov. 24, with Troy native Steven Yeun (“The Walking Dead,” “Minari”), Amy Schumer and Richard Jenkins gathering for Thanksgiving in an aging Manhattan duplex. It’s written and directed by Stephen Karam, based on his Tony-winning play.
• “Robin Robin”: When her egg rolls into a rubbish dump, Robin is raised by a loving family of mice. When Robin sets off on a heist to prove she can be a good mouse, she ends up discovering who she really is in this stop-motion animated musical special from Aardman Animations (“Chicken Run,” “Wallace and Gromit”) featuring voices of Gillian Anderson and Richard E. Grant. Begins streaming Nov. 24 on Netflix.
• “A Castle for Christmas”: Famed author Sophie Brown (Brooke Shields), travels to Scotland hoping to buy a small castle of her own, but the prickly owner, Duke Myles (Cary Elwes), is reluctant to sell to a foreigner. Working to find a compromise, the pair butt heads, but find more than they expected in this romantic comedy streaming Nov. 26 on Netflix.
• “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City”: New film from the “Resident Evil” franchise about the once-booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corp. Now the city is a wasteland, with evil brewing below the surface. Starring Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hopper, Robbie Amell and Avan Jogia. In limited theatrical release Nov. 26, it’s planned to go wide on Dec. 25.
