"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.
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.
Streaming Services: N/A Movie Name/Year: Promising Young Woman (2020) Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller Length: 113 minutes Rating: R Production/Distribution: FilmNation Entertainment, Focus
Features, LuckyChap Entertainment, Film & TV House, GEM Entertainment, United
International Pictures, Universal Pictures International, Universal Pictures, The
Searchers Director: Emerald Fennell Writer: Emerald Fennell Actors: Adam Brody, Carey Mulligan, Clancy Brown, Jennifer
Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Alli Hart, Loren Paul, Bo Burnham, Christopher
Mintz-Plasse, Alison Brie, Gabriel Oliva, Bryan Lillis, Francisca Estevez,
Lorna Scott, Connie Britton, Casey Adams, Vince Lozano, Molly Shannon, Max Greenfield,
Chris Lowell Blurb from IMDb: A young woman, traumatized
by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed
her path.
Selina’s Point of View: When I first saw
the trailer for Promising Young Woman, I expected it to be more like
what Hunted wound up being. In fact, some parts made me think it might
even go even further, into torture porn areas. That is not what
it was. It definitely
dipped into that ‘revenge’ kind of plot, but it goes a different – more realistic
– route. If anything, I’d call it psychological. Normally, that
kind of misrepresentation in a trailer would annoy me. This time it doesn’t. I
don’t think there was any other way to serve up a summary of the film without spoilers.
And, if there’s one thing I hate more than misrepresentation in a trailer, it’s
ruining the entire movie. So, in this case,
I find it acceptable.
Everything about
this film was on point. The acting was amazing, and the characters felt real. The plot was not
nearly as one dimensional as I expected. There was so much more to it. After I
watched, I had to sit quietly for about an hour just to digest it. There was
one twist I saw coming from a mile away, but the ending practically redefined
risky. I was shocked to learn
that this was Emerald Fennell’s (The Danish Girl, Chickens, Vita &
Virginia) first time writing, or directing, a full-length feature film. I
saw a lot of inspiration taken from Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange, The
Shining, Full Metal Jacket) in the settings/shots – a reliance on symmetry. The script also felt
more experienced than it apparently was. I need to see more from her. Promising
Young Woman
was a great movie, but it will make you think. It’s not the type of thing to
put on after a long day of work to just turn your brain off to. This is an
unforgettable piece of cinema.
We keep hearing
that theaters are going to reopen and then finding out there’s been another
postponement. (Wear your damn masks!) We’re going to be optimistic and keep to
our original format for the Top 20. We’re considering all films coming out –
whether digital, straight to DVD, or in theaters – as eligible for this list.
However, we felt the need to still include a disclaimer. (Once theaters are fully opened, this disclaimer will no longer be used.)
There are certain
states that meet all the requirements to reopen, and are doing well. In those
states, we absolutely support people going to the movies, as long as they
remain cautious and the theaters are following all safety precautions.
However, a lot of
states are opening before medical experts believe they should.
If you live in one
of those states, especially those with rising COVID-19 cases, we urge you to
stay home. There are a lot of great movies that continue to be released
digitally, and we hope you stick with those. We understand that cabin fever is setting
in with everyone right now, we’re not immune to it, but put your health and
safety – and the health and safety of your family – first.
That said, all the
release dates mentioned are tentative. Revisit this article
throughout the month, we'll post small updates about postponed films as we are
alerted to the delays.
Thank you for
sticking with us through these strange times.
20 – Evil Takes
Root (9/15)
Production/Distribution:
Elevate Pictures, Genre Labs, UP & AWAY Productions, Distributors, Mill
Creek Entertainment, Carnaby International
Director: Chris
W. Freeman
Writer: Chris W.
Freeman, Aaron Mack
Actors: Nicholas
Gonzalez, Sean Carrigan, Stevie Lynn Jones, John Churchill, Adetokumboh M’Cormack,
Constance Brenneman, Reagan Belhorn, Thomas Downey, Jane Mowder, Laurence
Hokes, Deanna Sherman, Jeffrey R. Newman, Debbie Doebereiner, Meghan Garber,
Chloe Garner, Michael Compton, Frank Sundquist II
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 91
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A paranormal investigator arrives in a sleepy
Midwest town to investigate the mysterious loss of his old lover and reconcile
sins of the past. He discovers she fell victim to the Batibat, an ancient evil
that followed her home from the Philippines.
Evil Takes Root looks a little basic. That said, I’m just
really looking forward to horror films lately. Especially the paranormal type.
I want some good, creepy, escapism. I want something I can turn my brain off and
just enjoy, without getting too deep. It looks like this flick meets my
requirements.
I think it’s a bonus that I’m not familiar with the writers/director,
too. That means I get exposed to something that looks a little familiar, but in
a new voice. Who knows? Maybe they can elevate it to become something amazing.
My mind is open, and I’m looking forward to it.
19 – Coastal
Elites (9/12) – HBO Max
Production/Distribution:
Home Box Office (HBO), HBO Max
Director: Jay
Roach
Writer: Paul Rudnick
Actors: Dan Levy,
Sarah Paulson, Kaitlyn Dever, Bette Midler, Issa Rae
Genre: Comedy
Rated: NR
Length: 90 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Five characters make confessions under quarantine
that touch on their lives during the 2020 pandemic and living in a world of
deeply divided politics.
I don’t know how I feel about this socially distanced comedy’s
content… but I do know that I’ve never seen anything quite like it. That’s why
it’s here.
It’s clearly political, it’s clearly topical – but that’s
really all I get from the trailer. I don’t know what the point is. Until I read
more about it, I didn’t even realize it wasn’t a documentary. I don’t know. Is
it anti-trump propaganda? Is it a mockumentary? Is it just a basic slice of
life?
That last option may seem unlikely, but considering all our
lives are mostly isolated and ruled by the pandemic at the moment, it very well
could be. Our new reality is changing art. Cinema was bound to start evolving to
our new circumstances. We saw it in Shudder’s Host (2020). This just
seems to be that evolution attempting to be more high scale and dramatic.
I’m more curious than anything else. I don’t know what to
expect at all.
18 –
Kajillionaire (9/25)
Production/Distribution:
Annapurna Pictures, Plan B Entertainment, Focus Features, Apollo Films, Universal
Pictures International (UPI), Universal Pictures Spain
Director: Miranda
July
Writer: Miranda
July
Actors: Evan
Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins, Adam Bartley, Diana
Maria Riva, Patricia Belcher, Mark Ivanir, Challen Cates, Da’Vine Joy Randolph,
Madeleine Coghlan, Rachel Redleaf
Genre: Crime,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 106
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A woman's life is turned upside down when her
criminal parents invite an outsider to join them on a major heist they're
planning.
This is another weird trailer that I’m having trouble
pinning down. It’s like a crime, comedy, coming of age film?
Gina Rodriguez (Elena of Avalor, Big Mouth, Jane the
Virgin) makes a face near the end of the trailer that accurately expresses
how I feel about this movie.
Mostly I included this flick because of how the trailer
confused me.
It seems original and different. I have no idea how Kajillionaire
will turn out in the end, because I don’t even know what recipes it might use.
I like that. There’s a huge sense of potential in anything that’s truly new and
different. This is that.
17 – No Escape (9/18)
Production/Distribution:
Escape Productions, Vertical Entertainment, Film & TV House, GEM
Entertainment, Capelight Pictures, Dutch FilmWorks, Polyfilm Verleih, Front Row
Filmed Entertainment
Director: Will
Wernick
Writer: Will
Wernick
Actors: Holland
Roden, Ronen Rubinstein, Keegan Allen, Pasha D. Lychnikoff, Denzel Whitaker,
Emilia Ares, Kimberly Quinn, Ravil Isyanov, Sierra Swartz, Inja Zalta, Dominic
Pace, George Janko, Emily Hinkler, Elizabeth Hinkler, Dimiter D. Marinov,
Daniyar, Stephanie Wong, Siya, Brett Justin Koppel, Travis Caverhill, Andrei
Runtso, Tristan Lee Griffin, Yevgeniy Kartashov, Tia Valentine, Sebastian L
Hunt
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 88
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A social media personality travels with his friends
to Moscow to capture new content for his successful VLOG. Always pushing the
limits and catering to a growing audience, they enter a cold world of mystery,
excess, and danger.
No Escape looks pretty decent. It’s got some definite
‘torture porn’ aspects to it, along with some clunky dialogue in the beginning
of the trailer, but otherwise it looks like something I’d enjoy.
It’s got an interesting ‘Hostel (2005) on social
media’ feel to it.
Honestly, it’s not the kind of film I’d have been super looking
forward to seeing in theaters, but I’ll definitely take a peek at it once it
hits a streaming service.
16 – Enola Holmes
(9/23) - Netflix
Production/Distribution:
EH Productions, Legendary Entertainment, PCMA Productions, Warner Bros.,
Netflix
Director: Harry
Bradbeer
Writer: Nancy
Springer, Jack Thorne
Actors: Millie
Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, Adeel
Akhtar, Frances de la Tour, Louis Partridge, Owen Atlas, Gianni Calchetti
Genre: Adventure,
Crime, Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 123
minutes
IMDb Blurb: When Enola Holmes-Sherlock's teen sister-discovers
her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her
own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy
around a mysterious young Lord.
Sherlock Holmes has always been an interesting character to
me. He’s imperfect, but still remembered as the most brilliant detective
character in literary history. The success of shows like House (2002-2012),
indicates that the same type of character would still intrigue audiences today.
Even though the Holmes character was created as long ago as the late 1800s.
Enola Holmes, the sister of Sherlock, is a much newer character.
She was created in 2006 and was represented through a series of books that
portrayed a much more empathetic version of Sherlock.
The trailer looks fun. At the very least, it will make a much-loved
character more accessible to a younger generation. I always think that’s a good
thing. That said, the film is steeped in a bit of controversy.
Netflix and the author of the Enola Holmes books, Nancy
Springer, are being sued by the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There are claims
that the Sherlock books the Springer stories come from aren’t part of the public
domain just yet. That means that the creators of the Enola Holmes books, and this
film, might be held accountable for copyright infringement. I don’t know if
that will change anything, and that does put this movie at risk of being
delayed at the last minute. Keep that in mind.
IMDb Blurb: To save her small law firm, earnest lawyer Susan
takes a high-paying case from Nick, a charming new client who wants to sue a
dating website that guarantees love. But as the case heats up, so do Susan and
Nick's feelings for each other.
A lot of the romantic comedies I’ve seen on Netflix have
gone pretty well. They feel more modern than the films I’ve seen from other sources.
They take into account challenges that people are facing today, where dating is
concerned. The stories they bring to the screen include more modern technology
and more relatable characters with flaws that represent modern society better.
I just keep thinking back to Set it Up (2018) which
was one of the most memorable rom-coms I’ve seen in a long time.
My only issue is that the director of this film is the same
that was responsible for Daredevil (2003). That gives me enough cause to
worry.
Basically, I expect that a recipe will be followed here… but
I also think that the humor will be riskier. At the very least, I think it’s
worth a gamble.
14 – The 2nd (9/1)
Production/Distribution:
Fury Film Franchise, Lucid Film, Momentum Pictures, The Wonderfilm Media
Corporation, Turbo Panda Productions, Voltage Pictures, Front Row Filmed
Entertainment, GEM Entertainment, Leonine Distribution, The Movie Partnership
Director: Brian
Skiba
Writer: Eric Bromberg,
Paul Taegel
Actors: Samaire
Armstrong, Casper Van Dien, Ryan Phillippe, William Katt, Richard Burgi,
William McNamara, Jack Griffo, Jennifer Wenger, Chris Jai Alex, Gene Freeman,
Vincent De Paul, Nicole Reddinger, Jacob Grodnik
Genre: Action
Rated: NR
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Secret-service agent Vic Davis is on his way to
pick up his estranged son, Shawn, from his college campus when he finds himself
in the middle of a high-stakes terrorist operation. The daughter of a Supreme
Court Justice, and his son's friend, is the target and this armed faction will
stop at nothing to kidnap her and use her as leverage for a pending landmark
legal case.
The 2nd is just a pure, gratuitous action flick.
I normally enjoy action quite a bit, but at the moment it
may even temporarily be my favorite genre. I have this desperate need to turn
off my brain more and more this year. Between anti-maskers causing this
pandemic to last longer than it should and the perpetual bad news machine – I just
want some fucking explosions and chase scene.
That’s what this is.
I highly doubt that there’s going to be any ginormous twists
or complicated story elements. If anything, it may even just mimic action
scenes of the 80s, which I’m down for.
The trailer looks a fun ride. Ryan Phillippe (Shooter,
Catch Hell, Reclaim) is a good actor, and I love Casper Van Dien (Starship
Troopers, Stripped, G-Loc). Judging by the writers and director, I’d assume
the film will have a somewhat campy tone to it. Which is something I’m also
fine with – but it means that The 2nd might not be for everyone.
13 – Spiral (9/17)
– Shudder
Production/Distribution:
Digital Interference Productions, Hadron Films, Strong Casting, William F.
White International
Director: Kurtis
David Harder
Writer: Colin
Minihan, John Poliquin
Actors: Jeffrey
Bowyer-Chapman, Ari Cohen, Jennifer Laporte, Lochlyn Munro, Chandra West, Ty
Wood, Thomas Elms, Paul McGaffey, David LeReaney, Darius Willis, Aaron Poole,
Darius Savon, Megan Tracz, Jasmine Nagy, Lara Taillon, Michele Wienecke, Jaron
Melanson
Genre: Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 90
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A same-sex couple move to a small town so they can
enjoy a better quality of life and raise their 16 year-old daughter with the
best social values. But nothing is as it seems in their picturesque
neighborhood. And when Malik sees the folks next door throwing a very strange
party, something shocking has got to give.
Not to be confused with the next part of the Saw
series, Spiral, coming out in 2021. This film is not related.
The clip shows some pretty obvious ties into the story, and
feel, of films like Rear Window (1954). As far as I’m concerned, there’s
nothing wrong with that. I tend to enjoy movies that draw inspiration from that
particular thriller.
This flick was bound to speak to me. I just moved from the
city to a small town in order to provide a better quality of life to my
daughter. That right there is half the blurb. Aside from that, anyone who’s
ever made that kind of move can probably tell you that there’s a serious culture
shock that comes with it.
Every single one of my neighbors seems to be incredibly
sweet. It feels like a pod-people situation after spending over 30-years in
Brooklyn.
It’s because I get how someone could fall to the anxieties
involved in a move like this, that I really am looking forward to it.
Sure, it could just be a basic suburban-cult plot – but there
could easily be some psychological twists involved as well. There’s potential.
I’m seriously looking forward to it.
12 – Misbehaviour
(9/25)
Production/Distribution:
Pathé, BBC Films, British Film Institute (BFI), Ingenious Media, Left Bank Pictures,
Rococo Films, Shout! Studios, Shout! Factory, BIM Distribuzione, Cinemundo, Entertainment
One, Pancinema, Paradise Group, Paradiso Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Pathé
Distribution, Tanweer Alliances, Vértice 360, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures, Front Row Filmed Entertainment
Director: Philippa
Lowthorpe
Writer: Rebecca
Frayn, Gaby Chiappe
Actors: Keira
Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Greg Kinnear, Daniel Tiplady, Kajsa Mohammar,
Stephen Boxer, Justin Salinger, Jessie Buckley, Ruby Bentall, Lily Newmark,
Maya Kelly, John Heffernan, Rhys Ifans, Keeley Hawes, Lesley Manville, Eileen O’Higgins,
Amanda Lawrence, Suki Waterhouse
Genre: Drama,
History
Rated: NR
Length: 106
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of women hatch a plan to disrupt the 1970
Miss World beauty competition in London.
I love movies like this that explore two different sides of
an argument.
In this case, we see feminists fighting against the sexism
of beauty contests on one side, with the first black South African contestant
on the other, fighting for representation. I find it pretty difficult to argue
with either one of them.
This is a period piece that takes us back to 1970. It wasn’t
that long ago, but both black representation and respect for women were still
incredibly low.
In 1970, we were still a year away from the blaxploitation
movement that gave us films like the original Shaft (1971). Ignoring the
negative parts of that movement (which there were many, hence the mash-up word
including ‘exploitation’ as an inspiration), that was when black actors started
to take on powerful protagonist parts.
However, the women’s rights movement was still fighting for equal
rights during that time, as well.
In this film we get to see the two subjects clash. It shows
the system/society of the time as the antagonist, but still pits the good guys
against each other.
I think it’s going to be very interesting.
11 – The Owners (9/4)
Production/Distribution:
Blue Light, Logical Pictures, Wild Bunch, XYZ Films, RLJE Films
Director: Julius
Berg
Writer: Julius
Berg, Mathieu Gompel
Actors: Maisie
Williams, Sylvester McCoy, Rita Tushingham, Jake Curran, Andrew Ellis, Ian
Kenny, Stacha Hicks
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 110 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of friends think they find an easy score at
an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the owners, an elderly
couple, come home early, the tables are suddenly turned.
Any film that features a situation where a crime is flipped
back on the antagonists and causes them to become the victims, makes me happy.
I know it’s become a bit of a trope in recent years, but I don’t care. I like
to see a good revenge fantasy played out. It’s cathartic and enjoyable to me.
In this case, I think the plot will be more complex than
what we’ve seen in previous incarnations of this trope. It doesn’t seem like it’s
just about a couple of older targets being well skilled and more formidable
than expected. It feels like there’s more to it. Maybe there’s a cult situation.
That would be my guess.
Either way, The Owners looks like it will be a good
film that scratches that thriller itch.
10 – Secret
Society of Second Born Royals (9/25)
Production/Distribution:
Disney Channel, Disney+
Director: Anna
Mastro
Writer: Alex
Litvak, Andrew Green, Austin Winsberg
IMDb Blurb: It follows Sam's adventures at a top-secret
training program for a new class of second-born royals tasked with saving the
world.
I expect this film will have a very Descendants (2015)
feel – which I don’t hate.
The movie looks epic.
It’ll undoubtedly have some of that live-action Disney
Channel cringe, but otherwise it should be a decent teen action flick. The graphics
look pretty decent and there’s a good cast behind it. I’m not yet familiar with
a lot of the younger actors, but I’ve always liked Skylar Astin (Ghosts of
War, Acting for a Cause, Pitch Perfect) and I adore Elodie Yung (Daredevil,
Gods of Egypt, Narcopolis).
I don’t have too much to say here. I think the target demographic
for this film is going to flip for it. Whether or not parents will be able to
enjoy it as much, will depend on what kind of humor they put in.
9 – The
Babysitter: Killer Queen (9/10) - Netflix
Production/Distribution:
Boies / Schiller Film Group, Wonderland Sound and Vision, Netflix
Director: McG
Writer: Dan
Lagana, McG
Actors: Bella
Thorne, Leslie Bibb, Ken Marino, Emily Alyn Lind, Robbie Amell, Judah Lewis,
Jenna Ortega, Hana Mae Lee, Amanda Cerny, Andrew Bachelor, Maximilian Acevedo,
Juliocesar Chavez
Genre: Comedy,
Horror
Rated: NR
Length: 101
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Two years after Cole survived a satanic blood cult,
he's living another nightmare: high school. And the demons from his past? Still
making his life hell.
I’ll admit, I chose this flick for the top 10 part of this
list based more on what I thought of the first one more than the coming
attractions.
Sure, the trailer looks alright. It looks campy and kind of
basic. So did the trailer for the first one. I did not expect just how good The
Babysitter (2017) would be. Based on that, I’m going to give The Babysitter:
Killer Queen a little more benefit of the doubt.
Since I already would have wanted to see it because it’s a
sequel to a film I enjoyed, and I would have been interested in it just based
on the trailer alone, I have to consider that the movie might be a lot better
than those facts suggest, based on precedent.
The majority of the cast is returning, which is great.
Though I was a bit disappointed to see the modern-day scream queen, Samara
Weaving (Guns Akimbo, SMILF, Bill & Ted Face the Music), absent from
the cast list. Until I read a little further down.
I don’t think IMDb has the full story.
Although Samara Weaving is not on the cast list, there is a
stunt double listed as “stunt double: Samara Weaving”.
That puts some intrigue into not just the story, but who’ll
be appearing.
I’m looking forward to this film, and hoping to see some of
Weaving in it, even it winds up just being an after-credits scene.
8 – Ava (9/25)
Production/Distribution:
Freckle Films, Voltage Pictures, GEM Entertainment, Belga Films, Impuls
Pictures, Independent Films, Shaw Organisation, Spentzos Films, Front Row
Filmed Entertainment, Joy n Cinema, Madman Entertainment, VVS Films, Vertical
Entertainment
Director: Tate
Taylor
Writer: Matthew
Newton
Actors: Jessica
Chastain, John Malkovich, Common, Geena Davis, Jess Weixler, Ioan Gruffudd,
Diana Silvers, Joan Chen, Colin Farrell, Efka Kvaraciejus, Christopher J.
Domig, Michel Muller, Martin Lee, Simonne Stern, Steve Gagliastro, Joe Sobalo
Jr.
Genre: Action,
Crime, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 96
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Ava is a deadly assassin who works for a black ops
organization, traveling the globe specializing in high profile hits. When a job
goes dangerously wrong she is forced to fight for her own survival.
Most hitmen movies are pretty much the same thing. I’m not talking
about old-guy-in-an-action-flick hitmen films, because in those they’re retired.
I mean the kind where the organization turn against the protagonist and that
person becomes hunted by the people who trained them.
Honestly, this doesn’t look different where that is
concerned. However, I can’t ignore the minor details that I believe could make Ava
worth watching.
The first thing that I think of is how the main character
seems to act. It seems like she may have trained all her life as an assassin, but
knows that something is off with what she does. She needs to rationalize why people
are on her list to be killed, and so she asks questions.
That’s not entirely different than what we’ve seen before.
What instantly springs to mind is Wanted (2008). Of course, the
character that really follows that plot in that film is Angelina Jolie’s (Maleficent,
Come Away, By the Sea)… not the protagonist. I wouldn’t have minded seeing
things from her perspective in another film though – which makes me think this
plot is worth exploring.
You also just cannot ignore this cast: Jessica Chastain (It
Chapter Two, Molly’s Game, Interstellar), John Malkovich (Space Force,
Valley of the Gods, Velvet Buzzsaw), Common (The Kitchen, The Informer,
Ocean’s 8), Geena Davis (GLOW, Grey’s Anatomy, Don’t Talk to Irene),
and Colin Farrell (Widows, Dumbo, The Killing of a Sacred Deer). Those
are some epic names. In fact, the last time I saw Farrell in an assassin flick,
it was In Bruges (2008) and that movie became one of my all-time
favorites. Granted, he’s playing a much different character here, but I’ve decided
it’s relevant (it’s probably not).
I expect a few twists along the way, I highly doubt this will
be a fully ‘turn your brain off’ film. I can’t quite explain why, it’s just a
gut feeling. I think there’s more to the story than is shown in the trailer.
7 – Blackbird (9/18)
Production/Distribution:
Busted Shark Productions, Eclectic Pictures, Millennium Films, SF Studios, Film
& TV House, GEM Entertainment, DeAPlaneta, Dutch FilmWorks, Leonine
Distribution, Eagle Films, Joy n Cinema, Screen Media Films
Director: Roger
Michell
Writer: Christian
Trope
Actors: Mia
Masikowska, Kate Winslet, Sam Neill, Rainn Wilson, Susan Sarandon, Bex
Taylor-Klaus, Lindsay Duncan, Anson Boon
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Length: 97
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A terminally ill mother arranges to bring her
family together one last time before she dies. A remake of the 2014 Danish film
'Silent Heart'.
I find the subject of this film to be intense and
interesting. Although there are a ton of movies out there exploring the emotion
behind terminal illnesses – not a whole lot go into euthanasia. It’s a
controversial topic to discuss, and I imagine it will be divisive as a film
plot.
I’ve thought about it, I’ve had debates on it, but I’m still
not sure where I stand on the issue. I can understand arguments from both
sides.
I’ve seen people lose themselves to sickness. I knew a
brilliant scientist that suffered a brain injury and stayed conscious and alive
for a few years after, watching himself fade away to the point that he couldn’t
take it. I’ve met people who deal with complete wide-spread pain that keeps
them from thinking straight for days, weeks, or even months at a time. I’ve
also seen people come back from some of the darkest places.
Blackbird is going to examine the different lanes of
thought involved in this difficult topic. At the very least, I expect it to be
fascinating. At the most, it could wind up being a classic – especially considering
the level of talent shown in this star-studded cast.
If you watch it with friends, expect to have something to
debate in the end.
6 – Greenland (9/25)
Production/Distribution:
G-BASE, Anton, Riverstone Pictures, STX Films, Thunder Road Pictures, Truenorth
Productions, STX International, Film & TV House, GEM Entertainment, CatchPlay,
Diamond Films, Elevation Pictures, Golden Village Pictures, Impuls Pictures, Joyncontents
Group, Kinomania, Metropolitan Filmexport, Roadshow Film Distributors, Roadshow
Films, Square Box Pictures, TGV Pictures, The Searchers, Top Film, Vertical
Entertainment, Encore Films, JL Vision Film, The Filmbridge
Director: Ric
Roman Waugh
Writer: Chris Sparling
Actors: Gerard
Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, Scott Glenn, Randal Gonzalez, Rick
Pasqualone, Nicola Lambo, Alan Pietruszewski, Scot Poythress, Claire Bronson,
Madison Johnson, Gary Weeks, Tracey Bonner, Merrin Dungey
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 119
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A family struggles for survival in the face of a
cataclysmic natural disaster.
Even in the middle of a bunch of mini apocalyptic events, I
still really love an apocalypse movie. Yeah, I have a bit more difficulty
sitting through the virus plots right now, but a good, old-fashioned, meteoric
extinction event? Sign me up.
…I mean, it’s going to make me a little more nervous about
the asteroid that’s supposed to hit on November 2, but I think I’m numb enough to
2020 that it shouldn’t matter.
I’ll be the first to admit that there’s very little that
seems to separate Greenland from all other apocalypse flicks. Still, it
looks good and I’m a fan of both Gerard Butler (How to Train Your Dragon:
The Hidden World, Geostorm, London Has Fallen) and Morena Baccarin (The
Flash, Deadpool, Homeland).
The trailer makes it very clear that the action’s going to
be outstanding, even if it does follow a recipe. I’m looking forward to it.
5 – The Devil All
the Time (9/16) – Netflix
Production/Distribution:
Borderline Films (II), Nine Stories Productions, Netflix
Director: Antonio
Campos
Writer: Antonio
Campos, Paulo Campos, Donald Ray Pollock
Actors: Robert
Pattinson, Tom Holland, Haley Bennett, Harry Melling, Bill Skarsgård, Riley
Keough, Sebastian Stan, Mia Wasikowska, Eliza Scanlen, Jason Clarke, Douglas
Hodge, Given Sharp, Drew Starkey, Lucy Faust, Abby Glover, David Maldonado,
Cory Scott Allen, Kristin Griffith, Michael Banks Repeta
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 138
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Sinister characters converge around a young man
devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with
corruption and brutality.
I’ve been hearing bits and pieces about this film since the lockdown
started. I couldn’t really put any of the info into context until recently,
when I saw the trailer.
I had already wanted to see it. I’d heard of the cast and I
just couldn’t look past it. It could have been about anything, and it still
would have been destined to make my list.
As it turns out, the plot seems harrowing and the film looks
gorgeous. Not only that, but I’m thinking a lot of corrupt characters get what’s
coming to them in this film and I’m so looking forward to watching that. There’s
a lot of bullshit in the world lately, and I think it’ll be like watching a
fantasy to see those kind of unscrupulous character-types be brought to
justice.
I’m also a big fan of seeing Tom Holland (Onward,
Spider-Man: Far from Home, Edge of Winter) in a darker role. He’s an
amazing actor and seeing him in more diverse parts tells me that he’s going to
have staying power. I want to see that. In forty years, I want to see him as a
60-year-old in that month’s old-guy-in-an-action-flick. Without stretching
outside his box, like he is here, that’s not something I’ll see.
I have incredible faith in this one. I wish I could have put
it higher, but a lot of really great films have been postponed, until now.
4 – Antebellum (9/18)
Production/Distribution:
Lionsgate, QC Entertainment, BF
Distribution, Bir Film, Central Partnership, DeAPlaneta, Encore Films, Golden
Screen Cinemas, Golden Village Pictures, Intercontinental Film Distributors
(HK), Lark Films Distribution, Meloman, Mongrel Media, Monolith Films, Movie
Cloud, Pro Video Film & Distribution Kft., Roadshow Film Distributors (NZ)
Ltd., Roadshow Films, Splendid Film, Ukrainian Film Distribution (UFD),
Vertical Entertainment, WW Entertainment, Eagle Films
Director: Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz
Writer: Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz
Actors: Janelle Monáe, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Eric
Lange, Kiersey Clemons, Gabourey Sidibe, Lily Cowles, Robert Aramayo, Marque
Richardson, Tongayi Chirisa, Betsy Borrego, Devyn A. Tyler, Choppy Guillotte,
London Boyce, Grace Junot
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 105 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Successful author Veronica Henley finds herself
trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery
before it's too late.
I’ve already gone into why I think Antebellum should be
high on my list last month. It was delayed, but my reasonings are all the same.
In fact, it’s position on my list is still the same as well. For a more in-depth
view of why it’s this high, see last month’s Top 20.
3 – Robin’s Wish
(9/1)
Production/Distribution:
Quotable Pictures
Director: Tylor
Norwood
Writer: Scot
Fitzloff, Tylor Norwood
Actors: Robin
Williams, Shawn Levy, David E. Kelley, Rick Overton, Susan Schneider, John R.
Montgomery
Genre: Documentary,
Biography
Rated: NR
Length: 77
minutes
IMDb Blurb: An intimate portrait of Robin Williams and his
invulnerable spirit, Robin's Wish is the story of what really happened to one
of the greatest entertainers of all time - and what his mind was fighting.
Documentaries don’t make my list often. If this movie were
about anyone else, it probably wouldn’t. Really, whatever the trailer looked
like didn’t matter. What matters is that it’s about Robin Williams (Absolutely
Anything, Happy Feet Two, Death to Smoochy).
Williams was a titan in the comedy genre. He almost
single-handedly made dramedy what it’s become. I’m convinced that without him,
there would be a sad lack of comedy in all our dramas.
I grew up on him. His comedy has always been something that
me and my mom could bond over. We’re two very different people and it’s hard to
find something we both enjoy enough to share. Recently, I got to show her one
of my favorite films of his – The Birdcage (1996). I know, it’s an old
film, but my mom doesn’t like movies. She’s super picky about the ones she’ll
tolerate. But if Robin is in the cast, she’ll let me show her anything. (She
wound up really liking the film, and we had a lot of fun watching it.)
I miss Robin Williams. His death was a huge shock. There is
no way I can ignore a documentary based on him. Not with as influential and unifying
as he was.
2 – Mulan (9/4)
Production/Distribution:
Walt Disney Pictures, Jason T. Reed Productions, Good Fear Content, China Film
Group Corporation (CFGC), Blitz Film & Video Distribution, Blitz, Forum
Hungary, Kinomania, Meloman, Disney+, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Argentina,
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures
Releasing (WDSSPR)
Director: Niki Caro
Writer: Rick
Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin, Lauren Hynek
Actors: Yifei
Liu, Donnie Yen, Li Gong, Jet Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Tzi Ma, Rosalind Chao,
Pei-Pei Cheng, Xana Tang, Ron Yuan, Jun Yu, Chen Tang, Doua Moua, Jimmy Wong,
Nelson Lee, Hoon Lee, Crystal Rao, Elena Askin, Vincent Feng
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male
warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney's
'Mulan.'
Mulan’s been delayed so often that there’s not much left for
me to say about the film itself. What I do want to talk about is why I’m kind
of angry at it.
If the theaters were all open, and it was being released on
the big screen, there’d be nothing to talk about. Hell, if it was just being
released on Disney+ without any caveats, this would still be a shorter section.
Unfortunately, Disney made a decision here that just doesn’t make any kind of
real sense.
I pay for a Disney+ subscription. I pay the subscription
amount because I want to stream Disney content. Even if I personally didn’t
enjoy watching nostalgic, and superhero, favorites – I have a 2-year-old
daughter that would melt into a puddle of tears if she lost access to Mickey
Mouse Clubhouse (2006-2016), DuckTales (2017- ), and the whole Frozen
collection (2013- ). The point is, I pay what I pay in order to have full
access to their streaming content. Everything from Avengers: Endgame (2019)
to Doc McStuffins (2012- ). Full stop.
So, with Mulan hitting the streaming app this month, I
expected to be able to watch it.
Unfortunately, Disney apparently spent way too much on the
film for that.
After the subscription cost, anyone interested in watching
the film will then need to come up with an extra $29.99 to see it. That is more
than most of us would have had to spend to see it in theaters. I live in New
York. Cost of living here is absolutely insane. One ticket for me would be about
$18.00 (some of the nicer theaters go up to $20/22). That means that Disney
came up with this price by assuming the majority of us are watching with our
entire families. The problem is, that’s not what I think is going to happen.
First of all, the movie is PG-13. That alone means that I’m
not going to be throwing it on for my daughter. I’m sure some parents still
will, but it wasn’t going to be the kind of film parents flock to bring their
non-teen kids to. Secondly, the majority of people who’ve been super excited
for Mulan are kids of the 80s and 90s who are dying to see a live-action, more
honest, portrayal of the Mulan historical figure. The majority of us,
especially because the world is burning around us, have no money.
My husband and I are lucky enough to be able to work from
home. We also work in fields less affected by the lockdown, but even we’ve had
money issues while this is all going on. With the amount of people losing their
jobs, it’s a lot more likely that people won’t be able to afford the extra fee.
They’ll have to choose between eating and watching this film. True, a few
people might choose Mulan in that situation, but not nearly as many as
Disney thinks.
It’s very possible they could have done just as well as they
would have in the theaters if they’d lowered the price. They could have offered
to show Mulan for $29.99 without the subscription and $20.00 with the
subscription, and a LOT more people would have done it. I firmly believe they
screwed up on the pricing. I think that’s going to hurt the opening of Mulan,
and it’s not going to be the movie’s fault at all.
What I’m saying is that Mulan deserves to be on this
list, based on its merits. Unfortunately, because Disney has put it so far out
of reach for the majority of us, I have reservations.
They have, however, just added the option for Disney+
members to watch the film for free, but not until December. Some of us will
just have to wait.
1 – Tenet (9/3)
Production/Distribution:
Syncopy, Warner Bros., Karo Premiere, Kinomania, NOS Audividuais, Warner Bros.
Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore
Director: Christopher
Nolan
Writer: Christopher
Nolan
Actors: Elizabeth
Debicki, Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kenneth
Branagh, Clémence Poésy, Fiona Dourif, Michael Caine, Himesh Patel, Andrew
Howard, Wes Chatham, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Jack Cutmore-Scott,
Jonathan Camp, Anthony Molinari
Genre: Action,
Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Length: 150
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for
the survival of the entire world, a Protagonist journeys through a twilight
world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something
beyond real time.
Does anyone remember that South Park (1997- ) episode
where Cartman got an amusement park and then put out ads telling people they
weren’t allowed in, so it blew up and became the most popular thing in the
world?
Yeah.
Tenet has always looked like an amazing film. I
remember seeing the trailer for the first time in the theater some time in
March or late February. It was just a teaser, no more than 20 or 30 seconds
long. It showed barely anything and you couldn’t really get a hold on what the
plot would be… and it still looked incredible.
Now that I’ve seen more, and it’s been delayed over several month,
I’m looking forward to seeing it even more than I probably should be.
I want to know everything about this damn film. I want to
understand the time bending, I want to get to know the characters… I’m dying to
jump right into it. Unfortunately, although there are theaters open elsewhere, mine
aren’t. They thought they would be, but they’re not. So, I’m personally going
to have to wait a little longer.
