Thursday, October 4, 2018

Unforseen Circumstances.

Due to unforseen circumstances, we weren't able to publish our usual Thursday article.

Stay tuned for our next regularly scheduled article!

Monday, October 1, 2018

Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In October (2018)

According to: Selina


20 – The Guilty (10/19)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Nordisk Film / SPRING, New Danish Screen
Director: Gustav Möller
Writer: Emil Nygaard Albertsen, Gustav Möller
Actors: Jakob Cedergren, Jessica Dinnage, Omar Shargawi, Johan Olsen, Jacob Lohmann, KAtinka Evers-Jahnsen, Jeanette Lindbæk, Morten Suurballe, Guuled Abdi Youssef
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 85 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A police officer assigned alarm dispatch duty enters a race against time when he answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman.

Just a note, this film is not in English. As far as I can tell, by the original title: Den Skyldige, it’s in Danish.

I think this film has an interesting concept. It’s a pretty basic kidnapping plot, but we get to see it from a unique perspective.

Most stories show kidnapping through a mix of perspectives. We tend to get to see the actual crime take place and then get to check in with the ‘good guys’ looking to try and rescue the victim. Really, those two perspectives are where all the action can be found. It’s just more of an interesting story to see it that way – at least that’s the general consensus.

In this case, we don’t follow the core of the action.

Emergency dispatchers have one of the most suspense-filled jobs in the world. They get the calls from people at their worst, but never learn the outcome. They have no idea if the officers were able to get to a domestic dispute in time or if the EMTs were able to resuscitate the heart attack victim.

In The Guilty, we follow the kidnapping from the perspective of an emergency services worker. That leaves a LOT of room for suspenseful scenes that we don’t usually get – it also leaves the distinct possibility of an open ending.

There is also the possibility that The Guilty will be slow and fail to hold anyone’s interest… but I have higher hopes than that. This is an interesting and less-used concept. I want to see it succeed.

19 – A Crooked Somebody (10/5)


Tag Line: Better to be an honest nobody than a crooked somebody.
Production Company: Star Thrower Entertainment, Storyboard Entertainment, Synergics Films
Director: Trevor White
Writer: Andrew Zilch
Actors: Michael Mosley, Amanda Crew, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Joanne Froggatt, Clifton Collins Jr., Rich Sommer, Gillian Vigman, Paul Ben-Victor, Randee Heller, Toni Torres, Audrey Wasilewski, Greg Audino, Stephanie Nash, Kate Kilcoyne, Michael Trotter, Nicola Lambo, Susan Chambers
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 102 minutes

IMDb Blurb: An attention-seeking psychic is kidnapped and tries to use the situation to boost his popularity.

I’m of the belief that the majority of the ‘professional psychics’ out there are con artists. I don’t know if there’s anything out there or if there is such a thing as a ‘real’ psychic, but I believe all the ones on TV and having mass readings like the one shown in this trailer are just out to exploit the loss people experience.

That said, if A Crooked Somebody takes the same perspective I have, there’s a huge amount of room for character development. Especially considering the life-threatening aspects introduced.

If anything, the whole story feels like one based on karma to me. It could easily wind up being paint-by-numbers, but I’m hoping the newer influences involved in its creation will give it a different edge.

18 – Viper Club (10/26)


Tag Line: When the government wouldn't help her son, she turned to those who could.
Production Company: CounterNarrative Films, Marakesh Films
Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Writer: Maryam Keshavarz, Jonathan Mastro
Actors: Matt Bomer, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Lola Kirke, Damian Young, Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Colby Minifie, Adepero Oduye, Sierra Boggess, Mattea Conforti, Amir Malaklou, Jerome Charvet, Kristin Villaneuva, Joel Kim Booster, Jack McCarthy
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Length: 109 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A war correspondent gets taken hostage while on assignment, prompting his mother, impatient with the government's lack of concern, to take matters into her own hands.

This movie doesn’t have a fully unique plot. We’re seeing more and more of this kind of story. I think the main reason for that being that the violence is building in the world and it’s become a plot that’s more believable. It needs less suspension of disbelief…

As terrifying as that thought is.

This particular version of the story is told with the help of some incredible actors. Susan Sarandon (Mothers and Daughters, Snitch, The Lovely Bones) and Matt Bomer (Anything, American Horror Story, The Magnificent Seven) are both actors known to do amazing work with what they’re given. That means that even if the script is lacking – and I’m not saying it will be – they could still elevate the story.

The most important thing to remember for this film, I think, is that it’s categorized as a single-genre drama – not an action or thriller. Chances are, we’ll never see what her son goes through. It’s all going to be from the mother’s perspective in trying to save him.

17 – Mid90s (10/19)


Tag Line: Fall. Get back up.
Production Company: A24, Waypoint Entertainment
Director: Jonah Hill
Writer: Jonah Hill
Actors: Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges, Na-kel Smith, Olan Prenatt
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: NR
Length: 84 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Follows Stevie, a thirteen-year-old in 90s-era LA who spends his summer navigating between his troubled home life and a group of new friends that he meets at a Motor Avenue skate shop.

As an 80s baby that grew up in the 90s, I almost feel required to be interested in this film.

The banter, the back and forth, the settings, it’s all immediately nostalgic for me.

Aside from that, I’m incredibly interested in seeing what Jonah Hill (Allen Gregory, 21 Jump Street, Why Him?) can do as a writer/director. Yes, he’s gotten writing credits on some movies in the past, even one TV show, but this will be his first time directing his own story. We’ll get to see a more transparent final product that accurately shows what Hill’s creative mentality can give us.

There are some concerns, however.

Hill is a veteran of film. He knows what he’s doing. That said, this WILL be his first time directing a full-length feature film. That leaves a lot of room for error. On top of that, this movie is categorized as a comedy/drama on IMDb… but the trailer makes it seem more like a single-genre drama. If it’s not marketed correctly, it might not be what people expect.

I’m hoping the production company isn’t trying to mislead the audience. Jonah Hill deserves a real chance at getting his vision appreciated.

16 – 22 July (10/10)


Tag Line: The true story of a day that started like any other.
Production Company: Scott Rudin Productions
Director: Paul Greengrass
Writer: Åsne Seierstad, Paul Greengrass
Actors: Thorbjørn Harr, Anders Danielsen Lie, Jon Øigarden, Jonas Strand Gravli, Lars Arentz-Hansen, Joakim Skarli, Seda Witt, Trim Balaj, Kenan Ibrahimefendic, Maria Bock, Ola G. Furuseth, Isak Bakli Aglen, Anja Maria Svenkerud, Ingrid Enger Damon
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Rated: NR
Length: 133 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A three-part story of Norway's worst terrorist attack in which over seventy people were killed. 22 July looks at the disaster itself, the survivors, Norway's political system and the lawyers who worked on this horrific case.

I find this movie to be interesting because it covers more than just one angle of a terrorist attack. Generally, in films like this, we get one perspective. Either it’s covering the attack itself, or the lead up, or the aftermath. With 22 July, you get to see each aspect of the worst day of a nation’s existence.

Between the historical significance of the event in question, and the way it’s presented in the trailer, I have high hopes for 22 July.

15 – An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn (10/19)


Tag Line: A love triangle with too many sides.
Production Company: Park Pictures, Wigwam Films, Rook Films, BFI Film Fund, Film4, GPS Investment Partners
Director: Jim Hosking
Writer: Jim Hosking, David Wike
Actors: Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement, Emile Hirsch, Matt Berry, Craig Robinson, Maria Bamford, Zach Cherry, Michael D. Cohen, Jacob Wysocki, Sky Elobar, John Kerry, Bettina Devin, Sam Dissanayake, Carl Solomon, Bruce Paz, Gil Gex, Kirsten Krieg, Russ Burd, Adam Foster
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Rated: R
Length: 108 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Lulu Danger's unsatisfying marriage takes a turn for the worse when a mysterious man from her past comes to town to perform an event called "An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn; For One Magical Night Only."

This film looks absolutely ridiculous. I’m not even sure I fully comprehend what it’s about.

The only thing I know for sure is that it has a kick ass cast and a hilarious trailer. I will pretty much watch anything with Craig Robinson (Ghosted, Tragedy Girls, Mr. Robot) in it, and he’s joined by the unique Aubrey Plaza (Legion, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Parks and Recreation). Pretty much everyone else in the cast is worth taking a chance on as well.

14 – A Star Is Born (10/5)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures, Live Nation Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Peters Entertainment, Gerber Pictures, Joint Effort, Malpaso Productions, Thunder Road Pictures
Director: Bradley Cooper
Writer: Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters, William A. Wellman, Robert Carson
Actors: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle, Anthony Ramos, Bonnie Somerville, Andrew Dice Clay, Michael Harney, D.J. ‘Shangela’ Pierce, Willam Belli, Rebecca Field, Rafi Gavron, Marlon Williams, Alec Baldwin, Amanda Fields, Eddie Griffin, Greg Grunberg, Halsey
Genre: Drama, Music, Musical
Rated: R
Length: 135 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A musician helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

I am VERY interested in seeing this film.

My love for Bradley Cooper (Limitless, War Dogs, Avengers: Infinity War) is well-known… but he’s not why I’m looking forward to A Star is Born. (Well, I AM interested in the fact that he’s making his directorial debut here, of course.)

Despite her award for American Horror Story (2011-) – I wasn’t all that happy with Lady Gaga (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Muppets Most Wanted, Men in Black 3) in “Hotel.” Aside from that, the only other acting I’ve seen her do was in Machete Kills (2013) – her acting had to be over-the-top ridiculous in that, too.

A Star is Born gives me a chance to see how Lady Gaga acts when she has to play a normal human being. I’m really looking forward to that.

The plot seems mildly interesting as well, but it’s my curiosity about the lead lady that really keeps me excited for this film.

13 – Can You Ever Forgive Me? (10/19)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Archer Gray, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Director: Marielle Heller
Writer: Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty
Actors: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Ben Falcone, Gregory Korostishevsky, Jane Curtin, Stephen Spinella, Chistian Navarro, Pun Bandhu, Erik LaRay Harvey, Brandon Scott Jones, Shae D’lyn, Rosal Colon, Anna Deavere Smith, Marc Evan Jackson
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 106 minutes

IMDb Blurb: When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception. An adaptation of the memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel.

This movie has an interesting plot – which is made a bit more attention-grabbing due to the fact that it’s a true story.

Now, with most true stories, I don’t know how much is actually grounded in what happened and how much is embellished for entertainment purposes. Still, the story seems to be able to stand on its own merits.

Like the former entry on this list, though, I’m in it for the leading lady.

I can’t recall ever seeing Melissa McCarthy (The Happytime Murders, Life of the Party, Central Intelligence) in a serious part. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with it.

12 – The Super (10/19)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Fortress Features, Wolf Films
Director: Stephan Rick
Writer: John J. McLaughlin
Actors: Patrick John Flueger, Val Kilmer, Lauisa Krause, Mattea Conforti, Taylor Richardson, Paul Ben-Victor, Yul Vazquez, Andrea Lynn Green, Travaris Spears, Melissa Bolona, Colby Minifie, Kim Director, Waltrudis Buck, Okieriete Onaodowan, Amanda Warren, Justine J. Hall, Subhash Mandal, Talia Thiesfield
Genre: Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 90 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A man becomes the superintendent of a large New York City apartment building where people mysteriously go missing.

With Halloween coming up, I’m bound to be more partial and forgiving to horror/thriller movies than I normally would be.

This film looks pretty recipe-ish, but it seems to be a solid claustrophobic/supernatural tale that would easily speak to people near the end of the month. If you’re just looking for some thrills and horror-themes to throw on at a viewing party, or watch with the lights off, this film should scratch the itch.

Why isn’t a clearly recipe film lower on my list?

It was written by John J. McLaughlin (Hitchcock, The Last Good Time, Point Pleasant), one of the writers behind Black Swan (2010). When I saw that, I instantly had a LOT more faith in this film.

11 – Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (10/12)


Tag Line: Halloween comes to life.
Production Company: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Original Film, Scholastic Entertainment, Silvertongue Films, Sony Pictures Animation
Director: Ari Sandel
Writer: Rob Lieber, Darren Lemke, R.L. Stine
Actors: Jack Black, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, Ken Jeong, Chris Parnell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Courtney Lauren Cummings, Shari Headley, Caleel Harris, Peyton Wich, Jessi Goei, Barry W. Jerald Jr.
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Rated: PG
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: Halloween comes to life in a comedy adventure based on R.L. Stine's 400-million-selling series of books.

If you’ve been following Trust the Dice for a while, then you know I absolutely adored the first Goosebumps starring Jack Black (The House with a Clock in its Walls, The Polka King, Kung Fu Panda 3). It stayed true to the books, even offering a true Goosebumps-style twist at the end. As a huge R.L. Stine (Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room, When Good Ghouls Go Bad) fan, I appreciated the homage to his work (it wasn’t really an adaptation).

So, you might be wondering why the sequel didn’t make the top 10.

I’m having some issues with how it’s being marketed, for one.

Jack Black has top billing, which would understandably make anyone think he has a huge part in the film – but the trailer suggests differently. I imagine he actually only appears at the end of the movie to get the book back. (I have not seen the film, so if that’s what happens it’s not technically a spoiler. It IS, however, a shame on the writers for going with the most predictable scenario possible.)

I have a big issue with films giving the impression that an actor is a bigger part of the movie than they actually are. It feels dishonest – like bait and switch. I have a feeling that’s what’s going to happen here.

Film creators need to have faith in their movies. If their finished product is not good enough to get the ratings they want without relying on misleading the audience with a big name, then maybe they should take a few extra months to make a better product.


10 – First Man (10/12)


Tag Line: One giant leap into the unknown.
Production Company: Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks, Perfect World Pictures, Temple Hill Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Director: Damien Chazelle
Writer: Josh Singer, James R. Hansen
Actors: Claire Foy, Ryan Gosling, Pablo Schreiber, Kyle Chandler, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds, Ethan Embry, Jason Clarke, Shea Whigham, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas, Cory Michael Smith, Brady Smith, Brian d’Arcy James, Perla Middleton, Olivia Hamilton, Nelson Bonilla, J.D. Evermore, Gavin Warren, Luke Winters, Steve Coulter, Mark Armstrong
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
Length: 141 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

I’ve never thought about it before… but the first time they sent someone to the moon must have been terrifying. Clearly, there had to be fear where calculations and technology were concerned; such as with the possibility of the rocket blowing up, or life support failing while they were on the moon. But, there’s more than that.

For the family it’s mentally much different than a person just going off to another state – or even to war. You KNOW the dangers there. You know what violence could befall your loved ones. In outer space, you have no clue.

And the first time they sent someone to the moon? They couldn’t have known how to deal with a lot of the technical issues they know how to deal with today. They didn’t even know if they would find some kind of life there. There were dangers to the flight and landing that would have been impossible to predict.

I look forward to seeing a film that shows the mental strain that the family was under, just as much as the astronauts, engineers, and scientists involved.

Also, Ryan Gosling (Blade Runner 2049, La La Land, Only God Forgives) is awesome.

9 – The Kindergarten Teacher (10/12)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Pie Films, Farcaster Films, Imagination Park Entertainment, Liner Films, Manhattan Productions, Maven Pictures, PaperChase Films, Pia Pressure, Studio Mao
Director: Sara Colangelo
Writer: Sara Colangelo, Nadav Lapid
Actors: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rosa Salazar, Gael Garcia Bernal, Daisy Tahan, Michael Chernus, Anna Baryshnikov, Ajay Naidu, Samrat Chakrabarti, Parker Sevak, Haley Murphy, Stefaniya Makarova, Sam Jules, Ato Blankson-Wood, Clark Carmichael, Carson Grant, Kea Trevett, Libya Pugh
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Length: 96 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A kindergarten teacher in New York becomes obsessed with one of her students who she believes is a child prodigy.

I’ve always been a big fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honourable Woman, Frank, White House Down). There’s something real about her. Still, I waffled back and forth on if I wanted to add this movie to my list.

Generally, I get my original 20 together, then I let it rest for a few days and come back to it. There are times when I won’t recall some of the films on my list and other trailers that didn’t make it wind up sticking with me. The Kindergarten Teacher is one that stuck with me. I went back after a couple of days and altered things around. It wound up this high on the list based on how strongly it stuck with me.

The concept is a little far-fetched… or at least I want to hope it is. Rosie is going to be going to kindergarten in a few years and the idea of her being kidnapped at that time is enough to make my chest a little tight. Deep down, though, I know it’s not as unrealistic as I’d like it to be.

The trailer is almost heartwarming at first, when you realize how much Gyllenhaal’s character cares about the young child and wants to help him succeed – then it gets horrifying pretty quickly.

It’s the kind of film you can’t really know how to predict the ending of.

Just as a note: this seems to be a remake of an Isreali film of the same name.

8 – Await Further Instructions (10/6)


Tag Line: Contain. Corrupt. Control.
Production Company: Goldfinch Studios, Premiere Picture, Shudder Films
Director: Johnny Kevorkian
Writer: Gavin Williams
Actors: David Bradley, Abigail Cruttenden, Sam Gittins, Holly Weston, Grant Masters, Neerja Naik, Kris Saddler
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Rated: NR
Length: 91 minutes

IMDb Blurb: It's Christmas Day and the Milgram family wake to find a mysterious black substance surrounding their house. Something monumental is clearly happening right outside their door, but what exactly - an industrial accident, a terrorist attack, nuclear war? Descending into terrified arguments, they turn on the television, desperate for any information. On screen a message glows ominously: 'Stay Indoors and Await Further Instructions'. As the television exerts an ever more sinister grip, their paranoia escalates into bloody carnage.

This trailer gives me chills.

There’s some obvious social commentary about racism mentioned, and where I find that scary in its own right, it’s not where the terror reaches its maximum for me.

There’s a part in the trailer where the assumed mother character starts singing a Christmas carol in a somewhat panicked voice while the surrounding scenes amp up the violence. At that moment, my eyes remain locked to the screen and the chill starts.

At first, I didn’t know why – but after some serious thought, I get it. It’s that horrific feeling of being forced to smile and pretend everything is fine while the world explodes around you. It hits too close to home. Yes, it may seem a bit heavy handed to some, but to me – it was a bit subtler. If the entire film utilizes that same kind of environment and relatable terror – I think it’s going to be worth a watch.

Besides, David Bradley (The Strain, The World’s End, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) is the ultimate grumpy old guy. He’s clearly going to lift his role to epic heights.

7 – The Oath (10/12)


Tag Line: Nothing is more American than family drama.
Production Company: Aperture Media Productions, QC Entertainment, Topic Studios
Director: Ike Barinholtz
Writer: Ike Barinholtz
Actors: Billy Magnussen, Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, John Cho, Max Greenfield, Jon Barinholtz, Meredith Hagner, Jay Duplass, Nora Dunn, Carrie Brownstein, Chris Ellis, Priah Ferguson, Jon Lovett, Matt Corboy, Brett Lapeyrouse, Ithamar Enriquez, Henry Kaufman, Brian Guest
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 93 minutes

IMDb Blurb: In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.

This film just looks straight-up hilarious.

There’s the obvious relatable aspect of the political status of our times and what it’s like to throw conservatives and liberals in a room together and see what happens, but there’s also that family aspect to add another level of uncomfortable humor.

The cast is decent, too.

6 – I Still See You (10/12)


Tag Line: What if your whole world was haunted?
Production Company: Gold Circle Films
Director: Scott Speer
Writer: Jason Fuchs, Daniel Waters
Actors: Bella Thorne, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Price-Francis, Richard Harmon, Hugh Dillon, Louis Herthum, Shaun Benson, Sara Thompson, David Lawrence Brown, Cassandra Potenza, Morgan Holmstrom, Thomas Elms, Stephanie Moroz, Danika Frederick, Gino Anania, Zoe Fish, Emily Lee-ann Muir, Alexandra Wittering
Genre: Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: Set nine years after an apocalyptic event that killed millions and left the world inhabited by ghosts.

I love the supernatural take on disaster that this film examines.

Whenever I see something that suggests a piece of someone could survive their death I wonder what that would be like for survivors. Would it be better or worse?

I Still See You seems to explore both angles of a spirit’s continued existence.

Plus, the cast is amazing and it’s written by the man responsible for the writing in Wonder Woman (2017). I’m all kinds of down to see how this movie goes.

5 – The Hate U Give (10/19)


Tag Line: Two worlds, one voice, no going back.
Production Company: Fox 2000 Pictures, State Street Pictures, Temple Hill Entertainment
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Writer: Audrey Wells, Angie Thomas
Actors: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, Common, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, K.J. Apa, Dominique Fishback, Lamar Johnson, TJ Wright, Megan lawless, Rhonda Johnson Dents, Tony Vaughn, Marcia Wright, Al Mitchell, Karan Kendrick, Javon Johnson, Mike Stoudt, Tye Claybrook Jr., Andrene Ward-Hammond, Drew Starkey, Monique Grant, Kurt Yue
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 132 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right.

There is a cultural relevance in this film that can’t be ignored, especially by those of us that can’t properly understand the plight of minorities. This is a chance for people like me to watch along as a different perspective plays out. In films like this, we get to see why people feel the way they do without someone else getting hurt.

Although the movie looks enthralling – it’s the importance that has it so high on my list.

4 – Bad Times at the El Royale (10/12)


Tag Line: All roads lead here.
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Drew Goddard
Writer: Drew Goddard
Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Jeff Bridges, Nick Offerman, Katharine Isabelle, Manny Jacinto, Xavier Dolan, Cynthia Erivo, Alvina August, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny, Sarah Smyth
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption - before everything goes to hell.

The trailer for Bad Times at the El Royale looks great, but I’m in it for Drew Goddard’s (Daredevil, The Martian, World War Z) involvement.

I’m sure you know who Drew Goddard is as a writer – but he’s less known as a director. If you don’t know, he’s the director who worked with Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Justice League, The Avengers) to create Cabin in the Woods (2012).

I’m all about seeing how he does with this movie. Chances are, I’d watch any film he directed.

3 – Slaughterhouse Rulez (10/31)


Tag Line: Bloodius. Hellius. Maximus.
Production Company: Catalyst Global Media, Sony Pictures International, Stolen Picture
Director: Crispian Mills
Writer: Crispian Mills, Henry Fitzherbert, Luke Passmore
Actors: Simon Pegg, Michael Sheen, Asa Butterfield, Finn Cole, Nick Frost, Hermione Corfield, Jamie Blackley, Bern Collaço, Jo Hartley, Jassa Ahluwalia, Isabella Laughland, Tom Rhys Harries, Kit Connor, Hanako Footman, Ryan Oliva, Lucy Appleton, Rohan Gotobed, Max Raphael
Genre: Action, Comedy, Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: An illustrious British boarding school becomes a bloody battleground when a mysterious sinkhole appears at a nearby fracking site unleashing unspeakable horror.

There’s not too much to say here. The trailer for Slaughterhouse Rulez is hilarious. The plot fits the month’s theme. Simon Pegg (Ready Player One, Terminal, Star Trek: Beyond) and Nick Frost (Into the Badlands, Monster Family, Syrenia) are boss.

I want to see this so badly I’m jumping in my seat a little.

What can I say? Horror/comedy is just my thing.

2 – Venom (10/5)


Tag Line: Embrace your inner anti-hero.
Production Company: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Marvel Entertainment, Pascal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Tencent Pictures
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Writer: Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner, Kelly Marcel, Will Beall, Todd McFarlane, David Michelinie
Actors: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, Marcella Bragio, Riz Ahmed, Ron Cephas Jones, Melora Walters, Michelle Lee, Reid Scott, Sope Aluko, Scott Haze, Mac Brandt, Christian Convery, Wayne Pere, Jared Bankens, Vickie Eng, Peggy Lu
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Length: 112 minutes

IMDb Blurb: When Eddie Brock acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego "Venom" to save his life.

I wrote an entire article on Venom and looking forward to seeing it. You can locate that article here.

1 – Halloween (10/19)


Tag Line: Face your fate.
Production Company: Blumhouse Productions, Miramax, Rough House Pictures, Trancas International Films, Universal Pictures
Director: David Gordon Green
Writer: David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Jeff Fradley, John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Actors: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Haluk Bilginer, Will Patton, Rhian Rees, Jefferson Hall, Toby Huss, Virginia Gardner, Dylan Arnold, Miles Robbins, Drew Scheid, Jibrail Nantambu, Michael ‘Mick’ Harrity, Matthew Anderson, Diva Tyler, Charlie Benton, Sophia Miller
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 109 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

It’s easy to confuse this film for a reboot/remake when you see that it’s simply named Halloween – just like the 1978 version. It’s not, though. It’s so much more epic than that.

This is a sequel. A direct sequel.

I know some films are getting retconned with the creation of this one. A lot of people might be annoyed at that… but the field where I grow my fucks lays barren.

Jamie Lee Curtis (Scream Queens, Spare Parts, Fierce Creatures) reprising her role as a vengeful and well-trained version of Laurie Strode is exactly what I needed in my life. Bring it on.

Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat

The Guilty .20
Reach .19
The Hate U Give .18
22 July .17
Air Strike .16
Apostle .15
Galveston .14
Await Further Instructions .13
Viper Club .12
The Oath .11
First Man .10
I Still See You .9
Slaughterhouse Rulez .8
The Super .7
Hunter Killer .6
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween .5
 A Star is Born .4
Halloween .3
Johnny English Strikes Again .2
Venom .1