James Gray, whose last film Ad Astra took viewers on a journey through the depths of space, returned to Earth for his next film, Armageddon Time. This autobiographical coming-of-age period drama, set in 1980s New York City, received rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival and has continued to get praise in recent screenings at the Telluride Film Festival. The first official trailer for the film, based on Gray’s memoir, has been released, giving audiences a taste of what they can expect from what is expected to be one of the year’s most well-acclaimed dramatic hits as it makes its way through the film festival circuits before its Oscar-friendly November release date. In Armageddon Time, played by Banks Repeta, the writer-youth director in Queens is examined through the eyes of a young man named Paul Graff (Jaylin Webb), whose a bond with a classmate (Repeta).
The trailer gives us a taste of Gray’s introspective, politically conscious ensemble drama, which explores a watershed moment in his storyteller’s life and also stars Jeremy Strong and Anne Hathaway as Paul’s parents, Irving and Esther Graff, and Anthony Hopkins as his grandfather, who urges Paul to fight against racism and do what’s right for his fellow man.
What we’ve seen so far suggests that Armageddon Time is shaping up to be a thoughtful and moving drama that doesn’t shy away from discussing the political consequences of Reagan’s America.
It’s true that Gray’s film isn’t always subtle with its messaging, as several festival reviewers have pointed out, but it’s easy to understand why it might be so resonant thanks to its strong performances and meticulous attention to time and location. This recent trend of filmmakers examining their roots, upbringing, and family history in their work is noteworthy. For instance, Alfonso Cuaron won numerous Oscars for his film Roma, while Kenneth Branagh got an Oscar for his film Belfast last year.
Furthermore, Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans may very well give Gray a run for his money this award season. After the brilliant Two Lovers (2008) and the critically acclaimed The Immigrants (2013), it’s apparent that Gray’s film will take a more sobering look at what became of our country amidst this shifting terrain. This preview suggests that Gray’s perspective will have a wider lens, while also being unafraid to investigate the intimacies of this sensitive childhood narrative, which is not to imply that it will be devoid of emotional contemplation. Gray has been on a roll as of late, and with such a stellar ensemble connected, here’s hoping that Armageddon Time maintains his streak of outstanding films. Fortunately, it won’t be long until we can all witness for ourselves this festival favourite that has received rave reviews. On October 28th, Armageddon Time will open in select theatres before expanding statewide on November 11th.