As the Sun slides down the end of the scorpion’s tail, leaving behind a season of scares, it slips into something a bit more light and comfortable. Stretching from November 22 to December 21, Sagittarius Season calls for road movies, action, laughs, and a little intellectual stimulation. The archer and the centaur represent the ninth sign of the zodiac wheel. It’s a mutable fire sign known for its big personalities, bright smiles, travels, adventures, and philosophizing. Let this watchlist guide you in honoring the sign’s signature traits and in celebrating directors and actors born under it.
Point Break (1991)
A sign of kicks and thrills, Sagittarians often chase the biggest highs, leading to even bigger crashes. In Point Break, novice detective Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) tracks down a band of rowdy surfers-turned-criminals known as the “Ex-Presidents.” The outlaws’ leader, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), befriends Utah, taking him in and teaching him how to surf. As the two bond, Utah’s mission becomes complicated by his new friendships and emotions. Sagittarius director Kathryn Bigelow imbues this meditative portrayal of masculinity with an atmospheric moodiness while delivering all the classic beats of a crowd-pleasing action flick.
Opening Night (1977)
John Cassavetes wore his Sagittarius traits on his sleeve. He lived passionately, indulged in vices, and forged his own path. His trailblazing, boots-on-the-ground style of filmmaking often included casting his friends and his life partner, Gena Rowlands. In Opening Night, Cassavetes takes a peek at the underbelly of a Broadway play and its unstable star, who’s terrified of aging out of the business—sound familiar? As Myrtle (Rowlands) falters under the pressure of her performance, a devastating car crash outside of the theater sends her into a maddening spiral of hallucinations and identity crises.
While Sagittarius Season is usually a time of celebration, drinks, and camaraderie, a film like Opening Night portrays the tipping point of a good time. It’s like that final shot of scotch that sends you into a blackout or that little dagger of a last word that seals a seething argument. The film embodies a fragile balancing act that occurs not only in a struggling stage production but also in any teetering relationship or shaken nervous system. It’s a reminder of just how close we can be to the edge before we even recognize our own feet dangling off of it. It’s a perfect, dark, contemplative film to indulge in on a dark November night.
Thelma & Louise (1991)
Sagittarians are the travelers of the zodiac. Therefore, they love a good road movie—and one of the best just so happens to be made by a Sagittarius, Ridley Scott. From its rebellious beginnings to its defiant ending, Thelma & Louise delivers nonstop thrills. Two unhappy people fleeing their suburban lives and chasing nothing but the open road sounds like heaven to a Sagittarius. Plus, it features a famous Sagittarius actor in one of his early roles: Brad Pitt. Throw in a cowboy hat, gun, a top-down convertible, and that’s a trusted recipe for a good time.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
‘Tis the season of comfy sweaters, pajama pants, and spiked eggnog. Although the “Day of the Dude” is in March, The Big Lebowski feels like a November movie. With a stack of heavy-hitting Sagittarians in the cast and crew (Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, and Joel Coen), the film undoubtedly contains that signature slacker attitude known of the star sign. Spawning a generation of Dude disciples, The Big Lebowski has been cemented in the cultural lexicon. When it’s too cold outside to do anything, you could go bowling, whip up a White Russian, or just throw on The Big Lebowski for a guaranteed good time. But that’s just like my opinion, man.
Duel (1971)
Represented by the centaur carrying a bow and arrow, Sagittarius knows a thing or two about going to battle—and so does Steven Spielberg, born December 18. Before sharks, dinosaurs, and aliens, Spielberg set his eyes on a beast of a different nature. In his feature film debut, Duel, which is unfortunately underseen due to its original made-for-TV release structure, Spielberg’s antagonist is a semi-truck. The story is simple: a truck is chasing a car. Really, that’s basically it. What makes it so intriguing is the style, flair, and suspense Spielberg infuses into the narrative. He’s created this menacing monster solely from the angles, editing, music, and other tricks up his sleeve—it works so well. What unfolds is a duel between classes: a white-collar salesman driving his car, seemingly being followed by a semi-truck (the working class). As the stakes rise, Duel reaches an epic conclusion.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
How about one more Coen Brothers for the road? Plus, as the philosopher of the zodiac, it’s fitting to honor one of cinema’s great philosophical characters, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). The antagonist in No Country for Old Men, co-directed by Sagittarius filmmaker Joel Coen, is one of cinema’s scariest villains. Chigurh hunts down stolen drug money, destroying anything and anyone in his path, as long as fate allows. Leaving lives to chance and killing people like animals for slaughter, Chigurh is ruthless. He’s also a murderer unlike any other. There is a certain charm to him that disarms his victims. People with Sagittarius placements often have a charming quality—whether they use that charm for good or evil is up to the flip of a coin.
Contempt (1963)
A legendary filmmaker and his biggest inspiration were both born under the sign of Sagittarius and finally collaborated on a film in 1963. In Contempt, French New Wave master Jean Luc-Godard directs the German Expressionist icon Fritz Lang to create a meta-narrative about a failing marriage set against the backdrop of a movie production. Lang plays himself, set out to adapt Homer’s The Odyssey.
As Camille, the wife of a writer on the movie, Brigitte Bardot wanders from Rome to Capri, radiating beauty underneath her French fringe and long lashes. She follows the film crew around, but her career-hungry husband pawns her off into the arms of movie producers, leading her to form a growing contempt for her husband. Simultaneously a commentary on filmmaking, a modern retelling of The Odyssey, and the crumbling of a marriage, the film’s layers and kinetic storytelling fit the temperament of a scorned Sagittarius whose revenge often takes the form of a quiet withdrawal.
Drive My Car (2021)
One impressive feat of the mutable fire sign is a sort of balancing act only they can pull off. There’s simultaneously a seriousness and playfulness to them; there’s a natural curiosity and a tendency to put their guards up; ultimately, they’re the business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back type of zodiac sign. One movie that strikes a similarly interesting balance—one of simplicity and complexity—is Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car. Surprisingly, the simplicity lies within its subtext, underneath the plot-heavy narrative.
On the surface, the film’s plot sounds convoluted: a stage director puts together a multilingual production of Uncle Vanya while grieving his dead wife, who he caught in an affair with a young actor he’s now going to cast in the play, all while being driven around by an unsuspecting young woman with whom he forms an emotional bond. Underneath the plot twists and narrative structure, there’s a deeply human message about connecting through the art of storytelling—which Hamaguchi (a Sagittarius) definitely knows a thing or two about.
Jane Fonda in Five Acts (2018)
One of, if not the, most prolific people born under this sign has to be Jane Fonda. Not only has she been in some phenomenal films—my personal favorites include They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969) and Klute (1971)—but she’s also trailblazed her way through a decades-long career as an activist. From her infamous Vietnam era mugshot to her ubiquitous workout VHS tapes, Fonda has been all over screens for a while now, and for many reasons. Lately, she’s on our social media feeds advocating for climate change action and other civil rights. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Learn for yourself in the documentary Jane Fonda in Five Acts.
Tree of Life (2011)
To reiterate, Sagittarius Season is a big-picture thinking kind of season, making it the perfect time to watch Tree of Life, a film that truly boasts a larger-than-life premise and narrative structure. Directed by and starring a Sagittarius (Terrence Malick and Brad Pitt, respectively), this is a canon film for the existential fire sign. It’s a film that asks life’s biggest questions while dancing eloquently with potential answers and meditating on life itself. It’s experimental, colorful, confusing, and beautiful—just like Sagittarius.
List Courtesy of Kasey Dunifer
Feature Image Design by Kasey Dunifer