USC School of Cinematic Arts
Holiday Movie/TV Preview 2016
New Films
Trolls
Release Date: November 4, 2016
Supervised Sound Editing by Erik Aadahl ‘98
Trolls After their village is invaded, the upbeat troll Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and the pessimistic Branch (Justin Timberlake) team up to rescue their friends from the evil King Gristle (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
Hacksaw Ridge
Release Date: November 4, 2016
Produced by Bill Mechanic ‘79
Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), a WWII American Army Medic, becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor – without even firing one shot during the Battle of Okinawa.
Doctor Strange
Release Date: November 4, 2016
Written and Directed by Scott Derrickson ‘95
Produced by Kevin Feige ‘95
After his career is destroyed, a former neurosurgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) is trained by a sorcerer (Tilda Swinton) to protect the world from evil using the mystical arts.
Arrival
Release Date: Novemeber 11, 2016
Produced by Shawn Levy ‘94
A linguist (Amy Adams) is recruited to lead a team of investigators who try to communicate with aliens.
Moana
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Re-Recording Mixing by Tom Johnson ‘81
Supervised Sound Editing by Tim Nielsen ‘99
In ancient Polynesia, a demigod (Dwayne Johnson) and a Chieftain’s daughter embark on a journey to lift a terrible curse.
Bad Santa 2
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Produced by Andrew Gunn
Willie (Billie Bob Thornton) teams up with his sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox) once again to rob a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve.
Allied
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Directed and Produced by Robert Zemeckis ‘73
In 1942, an intelligence officer (Brad Pitt) and a resistance fighter (Marion Cotillard) fall in love during a deadly mission and find their relationship tested against the background of war.
Rules Don't Apply
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Cinematography by Caleb Deschanel ‘69
In 1958 Hollywood, a romance between an aspiring young actress (Lily Collins) and her driver (Alden Ahrenreich) brews, despite it being forbidden by their mutual boss Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty).
Office Christmas Party
Release Date: December 9, 2016
Story by Timothy Dowling ‘96
Under the threat of being shut down, a company branch throws an epic Christmas party to woo a big potential client that could help save their jobs.
Rogue One
Release Date: December 16, 2016
Story/Executive Producer/VFX Supervising by John Knoll ‘84
Starring Forest Whitaker
A group of spies from the Rebellion go on a risky mission to steal the plans for the Death Star.
Collateral Beauty
Release Date: December 16, 2016
Produced by Bard Dorros ‘99
Retreating from life following a tragedy, a successful ad man (Will Smith) questions life and begins to write to Love, Time, and Death.
Passengers
Release Date: December 21, 2016
Produced by Ori Marmur ‘93
Produced by Neal Moritz ‘85
Two passengers (Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt) on a spacecraft traveling to a distant planet are awaken 90 years too soon from their induced hibernation.
Why Him?
Release Date: December 23, 2016
Produced by Shawn Levy ‘94
An overly protective dad (Bryan Cranston) forms a rivalry with his daughter’s billionaire boyfriend (James Franco).
20th Century Women
Release Date: December 25, 2016
Produced by Megan Ellison
Three women (Annette Benning, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig) in 1970’s Santa Barbara explore love and freedom.
Live By Night
Release Date: December 25, 2016
Produced by Jennifer Todd
Supervised Sound Editing by Erik Aadahl ‘98
Based on the 2012 novel of the same name, the Prohibition-era drama follows a bootlegger (Ben Affleck) who becomes a notorious gangster.
New TV Shows
Mars
Release Date: November 14, 2016
Executive Produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard
Part scripted drama and part documentary segments, the series follows the first crew of humans to visit the Red Planet in 2033.
Search Party
Release Date: November 21, 2016
Written by Robbie Pickering ‘06
Produced by Brittney Segal ‘11
After the disappearance of a former college acquaintance, four twenty-year-olds try embark to solve the mystery.
Incorporated
Release Date: November 30, 2016
Produced by Jennifer Todd
A man (Sean Teale) infiltrates and attempts to upend a giant corporation with unlimited power.
Captive
Release Date: December 9, 2016
Executive Produced by Doug Liman
The eight-episode Netflix series follows hostage situations around the whole world, showing the viewpoints of everyone involved.