For the 55th year, the excellent and eclectic of national and international cinematic art descends on the Windy City for a fall conclave. The 55th Chicago International Film Festival begins on Wednesday, October 16th with the Opening Night bow of Edward Norton’s period crime drama Motherless Child and continues until October 27th with the Closing Night documentary premiere of The Torch chronicling the life of blues legend Buddy Guy. Norton’s film leads an eleven-day showcase of 21 different themed programs containing over 120 films.

Tickets are available online from their website or at the central box office hosted the AMC River East location downtown. Chicago-based Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic and 25YL staff writer Don Shanahan has credentials to cover the festival for our website. Check back here for future coverage and capsule film reviews throughout the rest of the month.

Motherless Child is the first of several Gala and Special Presentation headliners gracing the festival schedule this year. They may carry an extra charge, but attendees will be among the first to see these films anywhere in the country. Here are the top 10 big-name films to catch at this year’s 55th Chicago International Film Festival.

THE IRISHMAN

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese's THE IRISHMAN, an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th Century.

This is the biggest “get” of the bunch. Ever since its premiere at the New York International Film Festival, the bouquets have been flying towards the newest from Martin Scorsese bankrolled by Netflix. With few likely opportunities to see this one on the big screen, this Gala Presentation becomes a truly special event.

JOJO RABBIT

Writer director Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE), brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, JOJO RABBIT, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as JoJo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic.

Perennially during “awards season,” the Audience Award winner coming out of the Toronto International Film Festival is an immediate Oscar frontrunner. That is indeed the case with director Taika Waititi’s steep satire. Enjoy an early look at its salacious snickers before it arrives in theatres in November.

KNIVES OUT

Knives Out-In theaters November 27, 2019. Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Noah Segan, Edi Patterson, Riki Lindhome, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer.

This star-studded murder mystery has been anointed the Festival Centerpiece of the 55th Chicago International Film Festival. Director Rian Johnson will be appearing on the red carpet and leading a post-film discussion. See the movie’s ripe surprises before its Thanksgiving release.

FORD V. FERRARI

Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in FORD v FERRARI, based on the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

More than mechanical muscle appears to be on display with the combination of Christian Bale and Matt Damon for Logan director James Mangold. This zippy historical drama promises brawn and style and was a late addition to this festival slate.

JUST MERCY

JUST MERCY In theaters this December. https://www.justmercyfilm.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JustMercyFilm/ https://www.instagram.com/justmercyfilm/ https://twitter.com/JustMercyFilm Michael B. Jordan ("Black Panther," "Creed," "Creed II") and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx ("Ray," "Baby Driver," "Django: Unchained") and Brie Larson ("Room," "The Glass Castle," "Captain Marvel") star in "Just Mercy," an inspiring drama that brings one of the most important stories of our time to the big screen.

With a wide release date not until mid-January 2020, the newest feature from director Deston Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12) stands as the most advance acquisition on this top-ten list. The Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan vehicle has Oscars on its mind. See it way before the rest in Chicago. Director of Photography Brett Pawlak and actors Karan Kendrick and Tim Blake Nelson are scheduled to be in attendance.

MARRIAGE STORY

An incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach and starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda and Ray Liotta.

Like The Irishman, Marriage Story from noted filmmaker Noah Baumbach will someday be very accessible as a Netflix release. The big screen is still the best place to absorb the marital challenges between Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Early reviews have the two of them in the acting races for the Academy Awards.

THE REPORT

The Report is a riveting thriller based on actual events. Idealistic staffer Daniel J. Jones (Adam Driver) is tasked by his boss Senator Dianne Feinstein (Annette Bening) to lead an investigation of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program, which was created in the aftermath of 9/11.

Speaking of Adam Driver, the talented actor also wowed critics and audiences back at January’s Sundance Film Festival with this scandalous thriller based on true events surrounding post-9/11 terrorist containment and treatment. Director Scott Z. Burns’ expose will continue to draw attention with every festival stop it makes.

HARRIET

Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.

Director Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou, Talk to Me) will be in attendance to present her hotly anticipated biopic. Cynthia Erivo from Widows plays the titular Underground Railroad heroine. Chicago will be graced with the lauded filmmaker for a talkback.

HONEY BOY

From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har'el (Bombay Beach, LoveTrue) brings to life a young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.

The Shia LeBeouf resurgence is in full swing after this summer’s Peanut Butter Falcon. Honey Boy, however, stands to be his opus. He wrote this autobiographical story of a young actor (played by Noah Jupe and Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges at different ages) pulled by many troubling influences and stars as his own father.

A HIDDEN LIFE

Based on real events, from visionary writer-director Terrence Malick, A HIDDEN LIFE is the story of an unsung hero, Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his love for his wife Fani and children that keeps his spirit alive.

Always bubbling to the top of the pedigree department is the equally revered and misunderstood Terrence Malick. His ominous and newest epic (which is surprisingly only the second-longest film on this list after The Irishman) set in World War II Austria makes its Chicago debut well before its mid-December release.