"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Friday, October 1, 2021
Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In October (2021)
According to: Selina
20 – No Time To
Die (10/8) Production/Distribution:
Eon Productions, B25, Cinesite, Danjaq, Universal Pictures, Andes Films, Cineforum,
Forum Film Bulgaria, Forum Hungary, Gulf Film, Meloman, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(MGM), NOS Audiovisuais, SF Film Finland, SF Film, SF Norge A/S, Svensk
Filmindustri (SF), Toho-Towa, Tulip Entertainment, United Artists Releasing, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures Argentina, Universal Pictures
Canada, Universal Pictures International (UPI), Universal Pictures do Brazil, Paramount+,
Studio Distribution Services, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) Director: Cary
Joji Fukunaga Writer: Neal
Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Ian Fleming Actors: Daniel Craig,
Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fienne, Christoph Waltz, Ben
Whishaw, Baomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, David
Dencik, Rory Kinnear, Dali Benssalah, Priyanga Burford Genre: Action,
Adventure, Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: 163
minutes IMDb Blurb: James Bond has left active service. His peace is
short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for
help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous
new technology. I’ve mentioned it before, but I much prefer the campier versions
of Bond to Daniel Craig’s (Knives Out, Logan Lucky, The Girl with the Dragon
Tattoo). Still, I have to acknowledge how popular these modern Bond films
are. So, I have to add it, but I will also admit that I probably won’t watch
it. For what it’s worth, the flick does look good. It just doesn’t
have that humorous, tongue-in-cheek aspect that I look for in my James Bonds. 19 – Antlers (10/29) Production/Distribution:
Phantom Four Films, Double Dare You (DDY), Mirada Studio, 20th Century Fox
Argentina, 20th Century Fox, Searchlight Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Argentina, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Mexico, Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures Director: Scott
Cooper Writer: Henry
Chaisson, Nick Antosca, Scott Cooper Actors: Keri
Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas, Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory
Cochrane, Amy Madigan, Cody Davis, Sawyer Jones, Arlo Hajdu, Dendrie Taylor,
Dorian Kingi Genre: Drama, Horror,
Mystery Rated: R Length: 99
minutes IMDb Blurb: In an isolated Oregon town, a middle-school teacher
and her sheriff brother become embroiled with her enigmatic student, whose dark
secrets lead to terrifying encounters with a legendary ancestral creature who
came before them. Antlers was supposed to be released in April of 2020.
I remember seeing the teaser for the first time pretty well. It hooked me and
Cat instantly – we may have even put it on, or considered it for, a Top 20 at
that point. Unfortunately, like many movies, it was delayed by the emergence of
COVID-19. Finally, it’s getting its theatrical release. I’m still looking forward to seeing it, but the hype has died
down a bit and there are a ton of other phenomenal movies coming out this month
– many of which also suffered coronavirus delays. If Antlers had been released on time, it would have
found a spot higher on my list. Through no fault of its own, though, I find myself
a little less excited than I should be. Hopefully, it’s as good as I initially
believed it would be and makes me regret how low I’ve put it. 18 – The
Survivalist (10/1) Production/Distribution:
Highland Myst Entertainment, LB Entertainment, Lucky 13 Productions, Yale
Productions, Quiver Distribution Director: Jon
Keeyes Writer: Matthew
Rogers Actors: Jonathan
Rhys Meyers, John Malkovich, Jenna Leigh Green, Ruby Modine, Jon Orsini,
Thaddeus Street, Simon Phillips, Charlie Sara Genre: Action,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 91
minutes IMDb Blurb: A year and a half after the fall of civilization
due to a viral outbreak, a former FBI agent forced to protect a young woman
immune to the disease from a dangerous gang leader hunting her. There are two movies coming out this month with almost
identical plots – just in different settings. This one and Survive the Game
(2021). I think the big question here is not just why I chose The
Survivalist, but why I chose it instead of the other film. First, let’s look at the trailers. Survive the Game does not have the same quality as The Survivalist. When looking at the
companies involved, that shouldn’t make sense. All the companies involved in
the production and distribution of The Survivalist are smaller, whereas
Lionsgate took an interest in distributing Survive the Game. That means the money is there. That leads me to question why
the smaller of the two films has the better quality. Usually, when this happens,
the bigger company has minimal faith in the film its supporting. Why take up the opportunity to distribute, then? There are a lot of reasons, some of which are tax related. In
the effort to not go too deep into the business aspect, I’ll just go into the
most obvious of reasons: sometimes, the names in the film seem like an audience
draw. In the case of Survive the Game you have Bruce Willis
(Breach, Hard Kill, Trauma Center) and Chad Michael Murray (Colors of
Love, Write Before Christmas, Riverdale). I have no issues with Murray. Willis – on the other hand –
is a whole different story. Back in the 80s and 90s, Bruce Willis could do no wrong. If
you look at his more recent projects on IMDb, however, something has clearly
changed. I don’t know if he’s just taking everything for the paychecks, or if
he’s stopped caring. Either way, he’s not dependable anymore. You can’t pick a
movie based on his name and expect it to be good anymore. Hell, in the trailer for Survive the Game, you can
pick out several line deliveries of his that feel like they’re coming from
someone a hell of lot more inexperienced than him. In The Survivalist, however, you have Jonathan Rhys
Meyers (Awake, Edge of the World, American Night) and John Malkovich (Ava,
Rogue Hostage, The New Pope). I’ll grant that Meyers can occasionally come up a touch short,
but Malkovich is pure gold. Even in awful movies, he comes off as a pure
professional. Looking at it from those angles, I knew that if either one
of these films were going to make my list, it would have to be The
Survivalist. At the very least, it looks like a solid action film. 17 – V/H/S/94
(10/6) Production/Distribution:
Bloody Disgusting, Cinepocalypse Productions, Raven Banner Entertainment, Studio71,
Shudder Director: Simon
Barrett, Chloe Okuno, Ryan Prows, Jennifer Reeder, Timo Tjahjanto Writer: Simon
Barrett, David Bruckner, Chloe Okuno, Ryan Prows, Jennifer Reeder, Timo
Tjahjanto Actors: Anna
Hopkins, Steven McCarthy, Sean Patrick Dolan, Tim Campbell, Dru Viergever, Dax
Ravina, Kimmy Choi, Christian Lloyd, Conor Sweeney, Slavic Rogozine, Thiago Dos
Santos, Kevin P. Gabel, Daniel Williston Genre: Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 100
minutes IMDb Blurb: A police S.W.A.T. team investigates about a
mysterious VHS tape and discovers a sinister cult that has pre-recorded
material which uncovers a nightmarish conspiracy. I enjoyed V/H/S (2012) and V/H/S/2 (2013). V/H/S:
Viral (2014) wasn’t for me, though. Still, I find myself looking forward to
this fourth installment. It’s going by the same basic framing as the others:
people find and watch a series of VHS tapes that have horrific, even cursed,
origins. This goes back to my enjoyment of anthologies. You get a
small look at various directors and writers and it helps you decide if you’re
interested in seeing more of them. It also means that even if you dislike one chapter,
there’s a possibility you’ll love a different one. One bad part doesn’t kill
the whole film. I’d have put V/H/S/94 higher, but the fact that the
last installment didn’t impress me makes me a little nervous. 16 – Black as
Night (10/1) Production/Distribution:
Amazon Studios, Blumhouse Productions, Amazon Prime Video Director: Maritte
Lee Go Writer: Sherman
Payne Actors: Asjha
Cooper, Mason Beauchamp, Keith David, Abbie Gayle, Fabrizio Guido, Tunde
Laleye, Al Mitchell, Sammy Nagi Njuguna, Derek Roberts Genre: Drama,
Horror, Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: 87
minutes IMDb Blurb: A teenage girl with self-esteem issues finds
confidence in the most unlikely way, by spending her summer battling vampires
that prey on New Orleans' disenfranchised with the help of her best friend, the
boy she's always pined for, and a peculiar rich girl. I love vampires. Not the sparkly kind. Real, horror-based
vampires. So, this movie is right up my alley. It looks like a lot of fun. Very ‘Buffy for the new
generation.’ I really trust Sherman Payne (Charm City Kings, Legacies,
Tales) as the writer for this kind of concept. He’s done great work for
shows such as Scream (2015-2019) and Shameless (2011-2021). On
top of that, the main actor – Asjha Cooper (There’s Someone Inside Your
House, Chicago Med, All American) is getting some serious exposure right
now, and I think we could be looking at a rise to house-hold name with her. The factors are all there for an amazing flick, and the
trailer is just badass. 15 – Broadcast
Signal Intrusion (10/22) Production/Distribution:
Queensbury Pictures Director: Jacob
Gentry Writer: Phil
Drinkwater, Tim Woodall Actors: Harry
Shum Jr., Kelley Mack, Jennifer Jelsema. Steve Pringle, James Swanton, Justin Welborn,
Michael B. Woods, Arif Yampolsky Genre: Crime,
Drama, Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 104
minutes IMDb Blurb: In the late 90s, a video archivist unearths a
series of sinister pirate broadcasts and becomes obsessed with uncovering the
dark conspiracy behind them. Broadcast Signal Intrusion looks creepy as fucking
hell. It’s got some mystery intrigue to it, but I’m here for the pure Halloween
creep factor. Everything from the soundtrack to the visuals makes my skin crawl,
and I cannot wait to turn the lights off and see where this flick takes me. Also, Harry Shum Jr. (Shadowhunters, Glee, All My Life)
is a bit on the underrated side. I think he’s going to elevate the whole movie. 14 – The Guilty
(10/1) Production/Distribution:
Amet Entertainment, Bold Films, Endeavor Content, Fuqua Films, Nine Stories
Productions, Netflix Director: Antoine
Fuqua Writer: Nic
Pizzolatto, Gustav Möller, Amil Nygaard Albertsen Actors: Jake
Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, Christina Vidal, Eli Goree, Ethan
Hawke, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Christiana Montoya, David Castañeda, Adrian
Martinez, Oscar Balderrama, Becky Wu, Bret Eric Porter, Maurice Webster, Beau
Knapp Genre: Crime,
Drama, Thriller Rated: R Length: 90
minutes IMDb Blurb: A demoted police officer assigned to a call
dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a
kidnapped woman. This is an English remake of a film that came out a few
years ago. It looked amazing then, and this version doesn’t seem to disappoint
either. 911 operators have a significantly difficult job. They have
a minute or two to talk to a caller and triage their issue. When you weave into
that the amount of Karens that call in with noise complaints and other bullshit
situations that are not emergencies… it becomes even harder. The trailer alone picks up on that issue when it seems Jake
Gyllenhaal’s (Spirit Untamed, Velvet Buzzsaw, Stronger) character almost
hangs up on the victim because he thinks it’s a prank. I feel like films like this not only give a suspense factor,
but they raise awareness about a very difficult job that gets taken for granted
by way too many people. I’m looking forward to this one. 13 – The Many
Saints of Newark (10/1) Production/Distribution:
Chase Films, HBO Films, Home Box Office (HBO), New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., Warner
Bros. Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO Max Director: Alan
Taylor Writer: David
Chase, Lawrence Konner Actors: Michael
Gandolfini, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Billy Magnussen, Alessandro Nivola,
Corey Stoll, Ray Liotta, John Magaro, Gabriella Piazza, Leslie Odom Jr.,
Michela De Rossie, Joey Diaz, Samson Moeakiola, Chase Vacnin, Mattea Conforti,
Lesli Margherita, Daryl Edwards, Alexandra Intrator, Nick Vallelonga, William
Ludwig, Robert Vincent Montano Genre: Crime,
Drama Rated: R Length: 120
minutes IMDb Blurb: A look at the formative years of New Jersey
gangster Tony Soprano. Time for a confession: I’ve never seen any of The
Sopranos (1999-2007). There’s no specific reason for it, I just haven’t.
There was always something I wanted to see a little more. It’s on my list, but
not all that high. Regardless, I know how popular it was (and still is), so I
can’t ignore this prequel to it. It seems like it could be interesting even as a stand-alone.
The cast has an insane amount of talent, and – since it’s a prequel – I doubt
viewers would need to know all that much about the show. Sure, there may be
some references that people like me lose, but I doubt it would affect the film
all that much. Seeing The Many Saints of Newark might even give me
the kick in the ass I need to see the series. Time will tell. 12 – Venom: Let
There Be Carnage (10/1) Production/Distribution:
Marvel Entertainment, Pascal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Columbia
Pictures, Sony Pictures Productions and Releasing (SPPR), Sony Pictures
Releasing Argentina, Sony Pictures Releasing Canada, Sony Pictures Releasing
International, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal
Pictures International (UPI), Disney+ Director: Andy
Serkis Writer: Kelly
Marcel, Tom Hardy Actors: Tom Hardy,
Stephen Graham, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Scroobius
Pip, Reid Scott, Peggy Lu, Sean Delaney Genre: Action,
Sci-Fi, Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: 90
minutes IMDb Blurb: Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal
protector Venom, one of Marvel's greatest and most complex characters. I know this is a bit low on my list for a superhero flick,
but I have some good reasons for my choice. When Venom (2018) trailers first started making their
rounds, the fanbase freaked out about the PG-13 rating. Venom, after all, is a
pretty violent Marvel character. Never-the-less, I felt pretty confident that
the creators could make a decent Venom film that fit withing the rating. In an attempt to bring people over to my way of thinking, I
posted a whole article filled with other violent films with PG-13 ratings that
worked. Not the least of which was The Dark Knight (2008). The Joker is also a significantly violent character, but Heath
Ledger’s (Brokeback Mountain, Casanova, I’m Not There) performance in
the aforementioned PG-13 Batman film was legendary. It made up for the rating. Now, Venom wasn’t awful, but it did wind up being
hurt by its MPAA rating. As a result, I’m going into Venom: Let There Be
Carnage with more skepticism. Not just because of the titular protagonist,
though. In the comics, Carnage makes Venom look like a pussycat. I
honestly don’t believe he can be portrayed correctly in a non-R-rated film. Don’t get me wrong, the graphics in the trailer look
amazing. The story looks interesting, and as much as like Tom Hardy (Peaky
Binders, Dunkirk, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Venom – I think Woody Harrelson (Kate,
Midway, The Highwaymen) is an even better choice for Carnage. Still, I’ll
be shocked if they get it right with a PG-13 rating. Harrelson would have to
pull off Ledger-level performance to compensate. He’s capable of it, but that’s
still a lot to ask. So, I’m looking forward to Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
I’m just controlling my excitement a bit. 11 – Runt (10/19) Production/Distribution:
Calvin Productions, Infinite Contrast, Wagging Tail Productions, 1091 Pictures Director: William
Coakley Writer: William
Coakley, Christian Van Gregg, Armand Constantine Actors: Brianna
Hildebrand, Cameron Boyce, Jason Patric, Tichina Arnold, Charlie Gillespie,
Aramis Knight, Vivian Bang, Seth Lee, Mitch Silpa, Carson Boatman, Liana
Mendoza, Scott Peat, Nicole Elizabeth Berger, Cyrus Arnold Genre: Drama,
Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: 95
minutes IMDb Blurb: Neglected and unsupervised, a group of high school
seniors are pulled into a downward cycle of violence. As good as Runt looks, it would not be so high on my
list if it wasn’t for the involvement of the late Cameron Boyce (Steps,
Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything, Bunk’d). In 2019, Boyce died at the age of 20. He was most well-known
for his part as Carlos (Cruella de Vil’s son) in the Descendants series
(2015-2019). It was a part he absolutely killed at. He had a huge amount of talent and I believe he had a career
ahead of him that would have been legendary. I kind of group him together with
Anton Yelchin (Rememory, Thoroughbreds, Star Trek) when I think about
him. They both had that spark of potential that made me excited to see what
they intended to do with their careers. With this being Boyce’s final movie, I find it impossible to
ignore. I will be watching it.
10 – Ron’s Gone
Wrong (10/22) Production/Distribution:
Locksmith Animation, Twentieth Century Fox Animation, Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures, 20th Century Fox Argentina, 20th Century Studios, Forum
Hungary, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Argentina, Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures Germany, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, Disney+ Director: Sarah
Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine, Octavio E. Rodriguez Writer: Peter
Baynham, Chad Gomez Creasey, Trevor DeVooght, Carol Heikkinen, Laura Kruegel, Miranda
Leiggi, Geoff Rodkey, Kelly Rubinsohn, Sarah Smith Actors: Zach
Galifianakis, Jack Dylen Grazer, Olivia Colman, Ed Helms, Justice Smith, Rob
Delaney, Kylie Cantrall, Ricardo Hurtado Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG Length: 106
minutes IMDb Blurb: The story of Barney, an awkward middle-schooler and
Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device. Ron's malfunctions
set against the backdrop of the social media age launch them on a journey to
learn about true friendship. Ron’s Gone Wrong looks absolutely adorable. I’ll grant that there are some serious trope-y aspects that
seem woven throughout the trailer, but that doesn’t change anything for me. Not
really. A kid’s film like this isn’t really directed toward me, so I’m
more concerned about how it would appeal to younger generations. Naturally, I
asked my daughter to take a look at it. She seemed interested, for the most part. I think it may be
a little old for her yet, but she did say she wanted one (referring to the
robot). That says something, I think. I see potential here, and I’m looking forward to checking it
out. 9 – There’s
Someone Inside Your House (10/6) Production/Distribution:
21 Laps Entertainment, Atomic Monster, Netflix Director: Patrick
Brice Writer: Henry
Gayden, Stephanie Perkins, Théodore Pellerin, Asjha Cooper, Dale Whibley, Jesse
LaTourette, Burkely Duffield, Diego Josef, Zane Clifford, BJ Harrison, Emilija
Baranac, Jade Falcon, William Edward, Anthony Timpano, Aason Nadjiwan, Sarah
Dugdale, Andrew Dunbar Actors: Sydney
Park, Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: TV-MA Length: 96
minutes IMDb Blurb: The graduating class at Osborne High is being
targeted by a masked assailant, intent on exposing the darkest secret of each
victim, and only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings. This looked like a basic slasher flick when I first started
looking into it, but the trailer fixed my perspective on that. The plot for the killings is just different enough to pique
my interest. The plot goes into teens with secrets being killed by someone
wearing a mask of their face. Sure, the ‘teens with secrets’ part is pretty
much ever slasher flick ever, but the rest of it is where I get intrigued. Automatically, the plot twist eliminates some of the most
obnoxious slasher tropes. I like that idea. That means I go into this movie
knowing there are certain aspects that can’t possibly go in certain disappointing
ways. I have some theories about how it will go, but I don’t want to go into that
just in case I’m right. At the very least, There’s Someone Inside Your House should
be a whole lot of Halloween fun. 8 – Army of
Thieves (10/29) Production/Distribution:
Pantaleon Films, The Stone Quarry, Film United, Netflix Director: Matthias
Schweighöfer Writer: Shay
Hatten, Zack Snyder Actors: Matthias
Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O. Fee, Stuart Martin, Guz Khan, Jonathan
Cohen, Noémie Nakai Genre: Action,
Crime, Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 127
minutes IMDb Blurb: A prequel, set before the events of Army of the
Dead, which focuses on German safecracker Ludwig Dieter leading a group of
aspiring thieves on a top secret heist during the early stages of the zombie
apocalypse. I enjoyed Army of the Dead (2021). I get the issues
that some critics had with it, but I don’t think most of those issues hold
water. It was a fun film, with an interesting ending. Army of Thieves is kind of a prequel. To the best of
my knowledge, it won’t actually go into the start of the zombie apocalypse or
anything, though. In fact, I’ve heard that there won’t be much in the way of
zombies involved at all. If anything, it’s an origin story for the safe-cracker
character Ludwig Dieter, played by Matthias Schweighöfer (100 Things, You
Are Wanted, Hinterland). Even people who disliked Army of the Dead have
admitted that Dieter was the best character in the film. I have to agree. He injected
a much-needed dose of comedic relief. Even before I saw the trailer, the fact
that the prequel focused on him was a huge selling point. Zack Snyder (Wonder Woman, Justice League, Sucker Punch)
is still credited as a writer, but Schweighöfer directed this project on his
own. I think that means we’ll get a really honest portrayal of the character.
Hopefully with the same infusion of comedy. 7 – Night Teeth
(10/20) Production/Distribution:
42, Unique Features, Netflix Director: Adam
Randall Writer: Brent
Dillon Actors: Sydney
Sweeney, Megan Fox, Alexander Ludwig, Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry, Alfie Allen, Jorge
Lendeborg Jr., Raúl Castillo, Ash Santos, Bryan Batt, Sydney Bell, Nandy Martin Genre: Action,
Crime, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 107
minutes IMDb Blurb: A college student moonlighting as a chauffeur picks
up two mysterious women for a night of party-hopping across LA. But when he
uncovers their bloodthirsty intentions - and their dangerous, shadowy
underworld - he must fight to stay alive. And we’re back to vampires – which is not a complaint. It makes sense to me that Megan Fox (Til Death, Midnight
in the Switchgrass, Rogue) would play a vampire, since she doesn’t seem to
actually age. But that’s beside the point. Netflix is bringing it with the blood-suckers. I could not
be more pleased about it. The last Netflix original I saw involving vampires
was Blood Red Sky (2021) and that one blew me away. I have high expectations
now – which means this new batch of Dracula-birthed films has a lot to live up
to. Night Teeth gives me some Fright Night (2011)
remake vibes. Not in the plot so much as in the feel of it. This is, also, not
a complaint. In fact, I’d say it’s the driving force behind why I put it so
high on my list. I have high hopes for this one. 6 – The Last Duel (10/15) Production/Distribution:
20th Century Studios, Pearl Street Films, Scott Free Productions, TSG
Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Argentina, Forum Hungary, Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures Argentina, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Director: Ridley
Scott Writer: Nicole
Holofcener, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Eric Jager Actors: Jodie
Comer, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Clare Dunne, Adam Driver, Harriet Walter,
Marton Csokas, Alex Lawther, Zeljko Ivanek, Clive Russell, Nathaniel Parker,
Adam Nagaitis, Michael McElhatton, Caoimhe O’Malley Genre: Drama,
History Rated: R Length: 152
minutes IMDb Blurb: King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de
Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel. The story told in this trailer is about as dramatic as it comes.
It touches on assault, victim blaming, history, etc. Alone, that would draw my
attention a bit, but that’s not what got it on the list. There were a lot of great trailers this month, and some
fantastic films got fully cut from my Top 20. The Last Duel may have
been a runner up or much lower on this list if it wasn’t for its writers. The last time we had a film written by Ben Affleck (Gone Baby
Gone, Live by Night, The Town) and Matt Damon (Promised Land, Gerry,
Downsizing), we got Good Will Hunting (1997). I’ve never met anyone
who dislikes Good Will Hunting – for good reason. In this case, we also
have Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Enough Said, Friends with
Money). I’m not overly familiar with her work, but I do know she was hired
because Affleck and Damon wanted a woman’s perspective in order to get the
sensitive topics correct – and I cannot ignore that. Ridley Scott’s (Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Alien)
involvement certainly doesn’t hurt, either. It seems like the creative team took exceptional care with The
Last Duel and put a lot of effort into making it realistic and relatable. I
have no doubt that will come out in the final product. I’m looking forward to it. 5 – Last Night in
Soho (10/29) Production/Distribution:
Complete Fiction, Film4, Focus Features International (FFI), Perfect World
Pictures, Working Title Films, Focus Features, United International Pictures
(UIP), Universal Pictures Argentina, Universal Pictures International (UPI) Director: Edgar
Wright Writer: Edgar
Wright, Krysty Wilson-Cairns Actors: Anya
Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, Diana Rigg, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Elizabeth
Berrington, Jessie Mei Li, Rita Tushingham, Synnove Karlsen, James Phelps,
Margaret Nolan, Lisa McGrillis, Oliver Phelps Genre: Drama,
Horror, Mystery Rated: R Length: 116
minutes IMDb Blurb: An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able
to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. But the
glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack
and splinter into something darker. I saw the poster for this film at the theater before I heard
about it. Immediately I wondered how that had happened, considering the cast. With Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma., Radioactive, Split),
Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit, The King, The Justice of Bunny King),
Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, The Painted Veil, Heidi), Matt Smith (Doctor
Who, His House, Patient Zero), and Terence Stamp (Crow, Bitter Harvest,
Viking Destiny) how can you go wrong? Not only that, but it’s written and directed by Edgar Wright
(Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). I don’t think
anything of his comes up short. The trailer takes you on a journey, as well. We see time
jumping, or some kind of hallucination, mixed with a slow and creepy rendition
of ‘Downtown’. It’s nothing if not eye-catching. 4 – The French
Dispatch (10/22) Production/Distribution:
American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush, Studio Babelsberg, Searchlight
Pictures, Forum Hungary, Kinomania, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Argentina, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Sony
Pictures Releasing (WDSSPR) Director: Wes
Anderson Writer: Wes
Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola, Hugo Guinness Actors: Timothée
Chalamet, Léa Seydoux, Bill Murray,Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe,
Elisabeth Moss, Christoph Waltz, Toheeb Jimoh, Frances McDormand, Owen Wilson,
Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright, Edward Norton, Benicio Del Toro, Rupert Friend,
Fisher Stevens, Liev Schreiber, Anjelica Huston, Jason Schwartzman, Alex Lawther,
Henry Winkler, Steve Park Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Romance Rated: R Length: 108
minutes IMDb Blurb: A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of
an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings
to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch
Magazine". I have some sensory sensitivities and nothing speak to me
visually quite as much as the symmetry of a Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom,
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs) film. He could direct a flick on eye-trauma
and it would probably be so perfectly directed that it would still be
comforting to me. Considering my lack of tolerance for that kind of trauma,
that’s saying something. In this case, The French Dispatch is also an
anthology, which I’ve already expressed my love for in a previous blurb. The cast is so insanely good that I couldn’t possibly go
into all of them here, either. The French Dispatch is going to be amazing. 3 – Muppets
Haunted Mansion (10/8) Production/Distribution:
Disney Branded Television, Disney+, The Muppets Studio, Walt Disney Television Director: Kirk R.
Thatcher Writer: Bill
Barretta, Kirk R. Thatcher, Kelly Younger Actors: Will
Arnett, Ed Asner, Danny Trejo, Taraji P. Henson, Sasheer Zamata, Darren Criss,
Yvette Nicole Brown, John Stamos, Chrissy Metz, Craig Robinson, Justina Machado,
Jeannie Mai Jenkins, Alfonso Ribeiro, Shai Jackson, Brian Henson, Pat Sajak, Bill
Barretta, Matt Vogel, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, David Rudman, Peter Linz Genre: Comedy, Family,
Fantasy Rated: TV-PG Length: 90
minutes IMDb Blurb: On Halloween night, Gonzo is challenged to spend
one night in The Haunted Mansion. I was flabbergasted to learn that this was the very first
Muppets Halloween movie. Do you know how long the Muppets have been around? They
were first created in the 70s – just about 50 years ago. I think I always just
assumed they had a bunch of them, but nope. Since this is their first, I’m dying to see it. I want to
know what they did this time, that they never thought to do before. For an idea
to strike the creators for the first time in 50 years? That needs viewing. There are a ton of guest actors, all of which would be a
draw on their own. How could this not be the cutest thing ever? 2 – Halloween
Kills (10/15) Production/Distribution:
Universal Pictures, Miramax, Blumhouse Productions, Trancas International Films,
Home Again Productions, Rough House Pictures, Parco Co. Ltd., United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures Argentina, Universal Pictures
International (UPI), Peacock Director: David
Gordon Green Writer: John
Carpenter, David Gordon Green, Debra Hill, Danny McBride, Scott Teems Actors: Jamie Lee
Curtis, Kyle Richards, Judy Greer, Anthony Michael Hall, Scott MacArthur,
Robert Longstreet, Will Patton, Nick Castle, Andi Matichak, Thomas Mann, Nancy
Stephens, James Jude Courtney Genre: Crime,
Horror, Thriller Rated: R Length: 106
minutes IMDb Blurb: The saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode
continues in the next thrilling chapter of the Halloween series. Any other Halloween, this would be my number 1. What is October without Michael? Even the worst of his
movies gets better during the spooky month. Even if only by a little bit. The whole franchise is built around Halloween. And we’re at
a point where we’re getting GOOD follow-ups now. No one’s out here killing
Laurie Strode in the first ten minutes, anymore. Of course, it looks like Michael might get unmasked for a little
bit. I’m interested in what happens with that. It’s a risky move. It could wind
up being glorious, but it could also remove that other-worldly feel that makes
Michael scary. There’s nothing I like more than when a movie takes a big risk.
I want to see how this plays out. 1 – Dune (10/22) Production/Distribution:
Warner Bros., Legendary Entertainment, Villeneuve Films, Warner Bros. Pictures
Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, HBO Max Director: Denis
Villeneuve Writer: Jon
Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth, Frank Herbert Actors: Timothée
Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Stephen
McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Chen
Chang, Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Babs
Olusanmokun, Benjamin Clémentine, Souad Faress Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: 155
minutes IMDb Blurb: Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science
fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of
the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. There was no way this wasn’t going to be my number 1. I
loved the original trilogy. I know there are other books in the series, but I can
only speak on the first three. Dune is not an easy read. The language is fine, but
there are a lot of talky political scenes that were difficult for me to pull my
focus through. I’m usually a quick reader, but Dune took me a while. Still, it’s
got a great plot and amazing characters in an imaginative setting. I wind up
looking back favorably. Now, there have been Dune movies before – but none
have stood up to the books. It’s a sad fact. This one shows some serious
promise, though. With a director like Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049,
Sicario, Maelstrom) at the helm, it’s easy to expect the fantastical. With
the cast of giants at his back? I feel like it’s impossible for this iteration
to fail. My only issue was that there was a perfect spot for my
favorite Dune quote in the trailer, and they didn’t go for it. It better
be in the film.
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