Monday, September 30, 2024

Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In October (2024)

According to: Selina


20 – Treasure Trackers (10/1)
 

Director: Drew Garcia, Nathan Garcia
Writer: Harris Kauffman, David Altman, Edward Nakfoor, Howard Weinberger
Actors: Cooper Tomlinson, Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Kim Sandwich, Amelia Salazar, Patrick G. Keenan, Jim Johnson, Leora Berry
Genre: Adventure, Family
Rated: PG
Length: Unknown
 
IMDb Blurb: A trio of misfit middle schoolers band together to investigate their small town’s mythic treasure, only to uncover a Halloween curse.
 
Treasure Trackers immediately reminded me of The Goonies (1985). I love the idea of kids today growing up with some version of that same kind of story. It’s fun and nostalgic, and although it could never take the place of The Goonies for my generation, perhaps it could bring the same feelings to the next generation.
 
Let’s hope.
 
19 – Piece by Piece (10/11)
 

Director: Morgan Neville
Writer: Morgan Neville, Oscar Vazquez, Aaron Wickenden, Jason Zeldes
Actors: Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, ItzKiff, Jay-Z, N.O.R.E., Daft Punk, Busta Rhymes, Pusha T, Taaes2008, Aaron Wickenden
Genre: Animation, Musical, Biography
Rated: PG
Length: 1h 33min
 
IMDb Blurb: A vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams, told through the lens of LEGO animation.
 
They made this documentary a Lego movie. A LEGO MOVIE.
 
I’m not a huge fan of documentaries. I’d rather watch my fantasies and read my facts. That said, you don’t have to be into documentaries to be interested in Piece by Piece. I’m not even interested in Pharrell Williams, the person this documentary is about, and it’s on my list.
 
There’s great music and Legos involved. You really can’t go wrong.
 
18 – Salem’s Lot (10/3)
 

Director: Gary Dauberman
Writer: Gary Dauberman, Stephen King
Actors: Lewis Pullman, Spencer Treat Clark, Pilou Asbæk
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 1h 53min
 
IMDb Blurb: Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.
 
I’ve never seen the original Salem’s Lot (1979), nor have I read the book. So, I have no idea what’s going on in the trailer, but it’s Stephen King (Pet Sematary, Carrie, Firestarter), so I have a decent amount of faith. In most of the film, if not the ending.
 
17 – Conclave (10/25)
 

Director: Edward Berger
Writer: Peter Straughan, Robert Harris
Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow
Genre: Thriller
Rated: PG
Length: 2h
 
IMDb Blurb: When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
 
There’s an insane cast at work here in a storyline I never thought I’d see. I imagine it will be more of a slow burn, but there are enough thrills to keep me completely absorbed, even in just the trailer. I can only imagine the direction of the full-length film.
 
16 – Smile 2 (10/18)
 

Director: Parker Finn
Writer: Parker Finn
Actors: Kyle Gallner, Naomi Scott, Drew Barrymore, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 2h 12min
 
IMDb Blurb: About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her past.
 
The first Smile (2022) was all right. I liked it fine, but Cat loved it. Admittedly, it stuck with me more than I expected it to. Enough that a sequel makes sense to me – depending on what they do with it.
 
It would be very simple for the studio to release a cash grab that is exactly what the first one was and still have an audience for it. I’m worried that’s what’s happening here. However, I can’t fully explain why without spoiling the first one. I will say that parts of the trailer seem to point the story in a direction that the first one also went in, with little difference.
 
I hope that’s not what it is. I hope the trailer is just a creative way to make audiences think there’s little difference between the two movies.
 
15 – Memoir of a Snail (10/25)
 

Director: Adam Elliot
Writer: Adam Elliot
Actors: Eric Bana, Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Genre: Animation, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 1h 34min
 
IMDb Blurb: A bittersweet memoir of a melancholic woman called Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails, romance novels, and guinea-pigs.
 
Stop-motion animation is not my favorite; it takes a lot to get me interested in it. In this case, there’s a heartwarming story and a look at life through the eyes of nostalgia. I’m in a season of my life where that hits home almost a little too hard.
 
I love the quote that we can only understand life backward but are forced to live it forward. That makes sense to me on every level. Hearing it in the context of this trailer gave me chills.
 
14 – White Bird: A Wonder Story (10/4)
 

Director: Marc Forster
Writer: Mark Bomback, R.J. Palacio
Actors: Bryce Gheisar, Priya Ghotane, Teagan Booth, Kevan Van Thompson, Helen Mirran, Laura Hudeckova, Gillian Anderson, Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt
Genre: Drama, Family, War
Rated: PG-13
Length: 2h
 
IMDb Blurb: Struggling to fit in at his new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian is visited by his grandmother and is transformed by the story of her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
 
There’s hopefulness in White Bird: A Wonder Story. It tugs at the heartstrings, not just because of the grandmother’s story but also because of the possibility of the boy being redeemed.
 
As much as I love a revenge story, I am also a sucker for a good redemption. In this case, that redemption comes from a story of how much hate there is in the world, which speaks to me on a cultural level as much as it does on a human level.
 
I’d have tissues ready for this one.
 
13 – Terrifier 3 (10/11)
 

Director: Damien Leone
Writer: Damien Leone
Actors: Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Jason Patric, Daniel Roebuck, Samantha Scaffidi, Bryce Johnson, Bradley Stryker
Genre: Holiday, Horror
Rated: Unrated
Length: 2h 5min
 
IMDb Blurb: Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.
 
Terrifier (2016) became an instant cult classic when it first came out, which has spawned these sickening sequels. Sure, it features your basic unkillable slasher type, but there’s more to Art the Clown than most of the evil antagonists in slashers these days – and his kills are insane.
 
For Halloween, there’s no excuse to miss Terrifier 3.
 
12 – We Live in Time (10/11)
 

Director: John Crowley
Writer: Nick Payne
Actors: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Grace Delaney, Lee Braithwaite, Aoife Hinds, Adam James, Douglas Hodge
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: R
Length: 1h 47min
 
IMDb Blurb: An up-and-coming chef and a recent divorcée find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.
 
It really wouldn’t have mattered what this movie was. If you’re going to pair Florence Pugh (Marcella, Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer) and Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge, The Amazing Spider-Man, Breathe) in a film, I’m going to have to go see it. The two of them have excellent comedic timing and drama chops. I simply HAVE to see what their chemistry is like. I have extremely high hopes for this romance.
 
11 – The Silent Hour (10/11)
 

Director: Brad Anderson
Writer: Dan Hall
Actors: Mark Strong, Joel Kinnaman, Mekhi Phifer, Michael Eklund, Sandra Mae Frank, Jonathan Koensgen, Sean James Sutton
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 1h 39min
 
IMDb Blurb: A detective with hearing loss and a deaf witness to a murder must lean on each other to outsmart killers they can’t hear coming when cornered in an abandoned apartment block.
 
I’m addicted to stories like this one. The cop shows with action and mystery and semi-likable, but extremely flawed, characters. In this case, the twist of deafness adds a whole lot to the story. Communicating with the witness through sign language gives it another realm to work in.
 
I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with it.
 

10 – Die Alone (10/18)
 

Director: Lowell Dean
Writer: Lowell Dean
Actors: Frank Grillo, Carrie-Anne Moss, Douglas Smith, Kimberly-Sue Murray, Steven Roy, Jonathan Cherry, Amy Matysio
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
Length: 1h 31min
 
IMDb Blurb: Tells the story of a young man who has amnesia. He bands together with a rugged survivalist in a zombie-like outbreak to find his girlfriend.
 
Zombies are some of my favorite horror creatures, and Die Alone looks like a solid zombie flick. It even has the ever-ethereal Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, Memento, Wisting) in it. That’s not why I found myself interested in Die Alone, though.
 
The design of the zombies caught me.
 
There’s one moment in the trailer where we get a shot of a zombie with plants growing out of his face. It’s done very simply but so well that it looks brilliant. Like a high-budget version of a movie I saw a few years back at a film festival, Brain Freeze (2021). I loved Brain Freeze, so it’s a compliment coming from me.
 
I’m very much looking forward to this one.
 
9 – Venom: The Last Dance (10/25)
 

Director: Kelly Marcel
Writer: Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy
Actors: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Rhys Ifans, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Peggy Lu
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
Length: 1h 50min
 
IMDb Blurb: Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.
 
Here’s the obligatory hero (even if he is an anti-hero) movie of the month.
 
Venom is not my favorite of the hero movies that have taken over, but it’s certainly not the worst. I find them enjoyable enough. Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road) also does a great job as the titular character.
 
It won’t be a thinker, but Venom: The Last Dance will undoubtedly be fun. I don’t know about you, but I like fun.
 
8 – Woman of the Hour (10/11)
 
 
Director: Anna Kendrick
Writer: Ian McDonald
Actors: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jakle
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Rated: Unrated
Length: 1h 35min
 
IMDb Blurb: Cheryl Bradshaw, a single woman looking for a suitor on a hit 1970s TV show, chooses charming bachelor Rodney Alcala, unaware that, behind the man’s gentle facade, he hides a deadly secret.
 
I’m unfamiliar with the true story Woman of the Hour is based on, but I’m not surprised it is based on one. I don’t think a woman on earth has been in the dating scene and hasn’t had some off experiences. Creepy moments that have made their breathing speed up and their mind race. If they’re lucky, that’s all they’ve had.
 
Match that with these dating shows we keep getting, and you have to wonder how many women deal with both combined.
 
A movie based off that one terrifying bad date, and the dating show that led to it, is a great idea.
 
I’m also looking forward to seeing how Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Noelle) does as a director. She one of those actors I would follow to any film, so I can’t wait to see if that translates to her directing.
 
7 – Scarygirl (10/4)
 

Director: Ricard Cussó, Tania Vincent
Writer: Craig Behenna, Matt Everitt, Nathan Jurevicius, Cristin O’Carroll, Les Turner, Polly Watkins
Actors: Anna Torv, Sam Neill, Liv Hewson, Remy Hii, Tim Minchin
Genre: Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG
Length: 1h 30min
 
IMDb Blurb: As her world is shrouded in darkness, a young girl must overcome her fears and travel to a mysterious city of light, save her father from a dangerous scientist and prevent the destruction of her planet.
 
This strange animation style really speaks to me. I don’t get that awful uncanny valley feeling, and it doesn’t go far enough that I’m sending gagging gifs back and forth with Cat. It’s cute but still gives enough oddity for that sci-fi/horror feel. It hits that sweet middle spot that’s just perfect, along the same lines as Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
 
The story is cute, reminiscent of Jordan Peele’s (Nope, Get Out, Us) Wendell & Wild (2022). I’m looking forward to seeing if it can live up to the movies it brings to mind.
 
6 – V/H/S/Beyond (10/4)
 

Director: Jay Cheel, Jordan Downey, Christian Long, Justin Long, Justin Martinez, Virat Pal, Kate Siegel
Writer: Evan Dickson, Jordan Downey, Mike Flanagan, Christian Long, Justin Long, Justin Martinez, Virat Pal, Kevin Stewart, Benjamin A. Turner
Actors: Various
Genre: Horror
Rated: Unrated
Length: 1h 54min
 
IMDb Blurb: Six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi inspired hell landscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense.
 
The V/H/S (2012) movie series has a hold on my heart that I cannot fully explain. The past couple have exceeded my expectations, too. I remain cautiously optimistic about what’s to come. It seems like aliens are the theme for this turn in the anthology.
 
With people like Justin Long (Lady of the Manor, The Real Stephen Blatt, Live Free or Die Hard) and Mike Flanagan (Hush, Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House) involved this time, it’s going to be out-of-this-world (terrible pun, terrible).
 
5 – Saturday Night (10/11)
 

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman
Actors: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard
Genre: Comedy, Drama, History
Rated: R
Length: 1h 49min
 
IMDb Blurb: At 11:30pm on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live.
 
Saturday Night Live is one of those TV shows that everyone knows about and has seen—at least once. Its influence on pop culture is undeniable, so it was just a matter of time before someone made a movie explaining how it came to be.
 
I’m excited to see how that first show went down and curious about how a newer generation of actors will represent the people I grew up laughing at. I’m a little confused about Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner, Teen Wolf, The Outfit) as Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters, Workin’ Moms, 50 First Dates), but open-minded. He’s a good actor. He could pull it off. I think Ella Hunt (Anna and the Apocalypse, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Dickinson) will be a fantastic Gilda Radner (The Last Detail, Haunted Honeymoon, The Woman in Red).
 
I hope writer/director Jason Reitman (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Demolition, Tully) does right by the show.
 
4 – Brothers (10/1)
 

Director: Max Barbakow   
Writer: Macon Blair, Etan Cohen
Actors: Marisa Tomei, Brendan Fraser, Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage, Glenn Close, Devyn Dalton
Genre: Action, Comedy
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
 
IMDb Blurb: Two criminal twin brothers, one trying to reform, embark on a dangerous heist road trip. Facing legal troubles, gunfights, and family drama, they must reconcile their differences before their mission leads to self-destruction.
 
How about this cast?
 
Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, High Tide, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, Doom Patrol, The Whale), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, Avengers: Endgame, Dune: Part Two), Glenn Close (The Wife, Guardians of the Galaxy, Tehran) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, She Came to Me). Every name on that list is a person I’d happily follow from project to project without caring what they’re about. In this case, there’s a funny premise and an interesting concept.
 
Brothers is going to be hilarious.
 
3 – The Platform 2 (10/4)
 

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Writer: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, David Desola, Egoitz Moreno, Pedro Rivero
Actors: Ken Appledorn, Tadashi Ito, Óscar Jaenada, Hovik Keuchkerian, Antonia San Juan, Milena Smit, Natalia Tena, Bastien Ughetto
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
Length: 1h 39min
 
IMDb Blurb: A thrilling physical journey that allows an approach to the darkness, where it is scary to look. It appeals to the viewer’s civil responsibility and forces them to face the limits of their own solidarity.
 
The first Platform (2019) was incredible. I thought the concept was brilliant from the start, but the full version of the movie was so much better than I could have expected.
 
I was a bit confused by some of the faces I saw in the trailer for The Platform 2 just because of the outcome of the first one, but I’m assuming that will all be explained in the film. I can’t wait to see where they go with the story.
 
2 – A Different Man (10/4)
 

Director: Aaron Schimberg
Writer: Aaron Schimberg
Actors: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, Miles G. Jackson, Patrick Wang, Neal Davidson
Genre: Comedy, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 1h 52min
 
IMDb Blurb: After undergoing facial-reconstructive surgery, Edward becomes fixated on an actor in a stage production based on his former life.
 
A Different Man looked amazing immediately. Based on the trailer, it felt fresh. There was something so undeniably interesting about watching Sebastian Stan (Avengers: Endgame, Sharper, Pam & Tommy) try to come to terms with the loss of this strange identity through the minute and thirty seconds it was on screen. I’m more than willing to sit through a nearly 2-hour version.
 
1 – Joker: Folie à Deux (10/4)
 

Director: Todd Phillips
Writer: Scott Silver, Todd Phillips
Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Lady Gaga, Ken Leung, Catherine Keener, Brendan Gleeson, Harry Lawtey, Steve Coogan
Genre: Crime, Drama, Musical, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 2h 18min
 
IMDb Blurb: Arthur Fleck is institutionalized at Arkham, awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.
 
I have been foaming at the mouth, waiting for Joker’s (2019) sequel.
 
Joaquin Phoenix (Her, You Were Never Really Here, C’mon C’mon) brought the Joker to life so realistically that thinking of arcs such as The Killing Joke becomes terrifying. He made the Joker a real man, and that made him so much creepier. I wondered how they would bring Harley Quinn to life with him.
 
Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born, American Horror Story, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For) was a fantastic choice for the part. She can bring in that insane, yet somewhat child-like, personality that Harley is known for.
 
The fact that it’s a musical just feels right to me.
 
I cannot wait to see Joker: Folie à Deux.
 
Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat
 
 White Bird: A Wonder Story .20
 Daddy’s Head .19
 My Hero Academia The Movie: You’re Next .18
10 Lives .17
 Canary Black .16
 Die Alone .15
The Silent Hour .14
Brothers .13
 Panda Plan .12
 Monster Summer .11
 Rippy .10
Caddo Lake .9
 The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist .8
V/H/S/Beyond .7
 The Platform 2 .6
 Salem’s Lot .5
 Joker: Folie à Deux .4
Terrifier 3 .3
 Smile 2 .2
 Venom: The Last Dance .1
 
FAQ:
          What makes a movie eligible for Trust the Dice’s Top 20?

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