October is here and the movie season is starting to warm up its engines once again. Every year this month gives audiences a movie that they never saw coming, yet somehow still lands up in discussions at the end of the year. In the past we have gotten movies like The Martian and The Social Network, so although October is known for more contemplative films, they don’t necessarily have to be dull.
So let’s take a look at this month’s releases and see what the options are at your local cineplex.
October 7
The Birth of a Nation
Stars: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aunjanue Ellis, Jackie Earle Haley, Aja Naomi King, Gabrielle Union, Penelope Ann Miller
Director: Nate Parker
Official Synopsis:
Set against the antebellum South, “The Birth of a Nation” follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself and his fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.
This movie has become rife with controversy both in front and behind the camera. However, when the smoke dissipates…this still stands as potentially one of the most important movies of the year. The impact and cloud that slavery has had on America is still clear to this day, particularly in these volatile times. The Birth of A Nation continues to get standing ovations, most recently multiple times at TIFF, which has kept momentum high.
The Girl On a Train
Stars: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Edgar Ramirez, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Lisa Kudrow, Justin Theroux, Laura Prepon
Director: Tate Taylor
Official Synopsis:
In the thriller, Rachel (Blunt), who is devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds. Based on Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel.
There hasn’t been much buzz around the movie, which is also based on the popular book, but it’s hard to ignore any Emily Blunt release. (Okay, that Huntsman sequel was pretty rough.) In any case, I will probably wait to catch this on streaming TV. However, it’s an option nonetheless.
October 14
Max Steel
Stars: Andy Garcia
Director: Stewart Hendler
Official Synopsis:
16-year-old Max McGrath has just moved to a new town – and is desperately trying to fit in – when he discovers his body can generate the universe’s most powerful energy. Unbeknown to Max, a slightly rebellious and hilarious techno-organic extraterrestrial named Steel has been keeping an eye on him, hungry for his super-human energy. When they finally meet, they discover that together they form Max Steel, a superhero possessing powerful strength beyond anything in our world. These two unlikely friends soon find themselves hunted by sinister forces who want to control Max’s powers, as well as an unstoppable enemy from another galaxy.
This looks barely passable for a 90’s Saturday morning kids program, much less a theatrical release in 2016. While I’m sure the fan base isn’t particularly large or loud, I’m still an advocate for adaptations trying to elevate the original source material. Yikes.
Desierto
Stars: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Gael García Bernal, Alondra Hidalgo
Director: Jonás Cuarón
Official Synopsis:
From Jonás Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón, the acclaimed filmmakers of “Gravity,” comes a unique, modern vision of terror. “Desierto” is a visceral, heart-pounding suspense-thriller packed with tension and suspense from start to finish, starring Gael García Bernal (“The Motorcycle Diaries” and “Y Tu Mamá También”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”). What begins as a hopeful journey to seek a better life becomes a harrowing and primal fight for survival when a deranged, rifle-toting vigilante chases a group of unarmed men and women through the treacherous U.S.-Mexican border. In the harsh, unforgiving desert terrain, the odds are stacked firmly against them as they continuously discover there’s nowhere to hide from the unrelenting, merciless killer.
This looks like a must-see for thriller fans, with elements of Sicario and Don’t Breathe that could catch people off guard. This time of year there is always a surprise like John Wick that comes out of nowhere, hopefully, this is the one for the month. The cast is small and potent. Bernal is one of the more underrated actors of his generation. While Jeffrey Dean Morgan is having the best month ever in terms of villainy. In just a few short weeks he returns to The Walking Dead as Negan. With a resume like that, let’s see if he can give Stephen Lang, aka Slang, a run for his money as the most unstoppable middle-aged man in theaters.
The Accountant
Stars: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, John Lithgow
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Official Synopsis:
Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Anna Kendrick) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.
This movie on paper, and perhaps even in the trailer, looks like a can’t miss. Gavin O’Conner’s Warrior is an underappreciated film and Affleck is on an upswing with strong performances in Gone Girl and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, the most intriguing part will be seeing Batman and Commissioner Gordon (J.K. Simmons) go head to head before we see them in Justice League. Will this live up to the unexpected promise of the premise? We only have two weeks to find out.
Kevin Hart: What Now?
Stars: Kevin Hart
Director: Leslie Small & Tim Story
Official Synopsis:
In Universal Pictures’ Kevin Hart: What Now?, comedic rock-star Kevin Hart follows up his 2013 hit stand-up concert movie Let Me Explain, which grossed $32 million domestically and became the third-highest live stand-up comedy movie of all time. Hart takes center stage in this groundbreaking, record-setting, sold-out performance of “What Now?”—filmed outdoors in front of 50,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field—marking the first time a comedian has ever performed to an at-capacity football stadium.
While Kevin Hart might be slightly overexposed, what he has been able to pull off in the world of comedy is worthy of attention. What Now? documents the largest stand-up concert in history, with over 50, ooo people in attendance for the taping. The documentary style is a great fit, with a bunch of other elements from other genres to keep it fresh. There isn’t a lot of comedy offerings this month, so this is a strong pick if you are looking strictly for laughs.
October 21
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
Stars: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders
Director: Edward Zwick
Official Synopsis:
Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) returns with his particular brand of justice in the highly anticipated sequel “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) is the Army Major who heads Reacher’s old investigative unit. She is arrested for Treason and knowing that she is innocent, Reacher must break her out of prison and uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear their names and save their lives. On the run as fugitives from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever. Based upon “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” author Lee Child’s 18th novel in the best-selling Jack Reacher series, that has seen 100 million books sold worldwide.
I’m an action movie fan. And Tom Cruise is the prototypical modern-day action star, even in his advanced age. However, in all honesty I didn’t really dig Jack Reacher, so this sequel is leaving me scratching my head. After this, Cruise has The Mummy remake and sequels to Mission Impossible and then Edge of Tomorrow, so he’s certainly hedging his bets.
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Stars: Elizabeth Reaser, Henry Thomas, Annalise Basso, Lulu Wilson
Director: Mike Flanagan
Official Synopsis:
It was never just a game. Inviting audiences again into the lore of the spirit board, “Ouija: Origin of Evil” tells a terrifying new tale as the follow-up to 2014’s sleeper hit that opened at number one. In 1965 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her two daughters add a new stunt to bolster their séance scam business and unwittingly invite authentic evil into their home. When the youngest daughter is overtaken by the merciless spirit, this small family confronts unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.
We have gotten our share of quality horror movies recently. The Conjuring 2 and Don’t Breathe were both terrifying, but there was depth under the surface. The same can’t be said for Ouija: Origin of Evil… This looks like a completely derivative horror movie, thrown into theaters just in time to benefit from Halloween hype. Prove me wrong…
October 28
Inferno
Stars: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan, Ben Foster, Omar Sy
Director: Ron Howard
Official Synopsis:
Academy Award winner Ron Howard returns to direct the latest bestseller in Dan Brown’s (“Da Vinci Code”) billion-dollar Robert Langdon series, Inferno, which finds the famous symbologist (again played by Tom Hanks) on a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.
It’s a shame that Ron Howard continues to pick material that is so ill-fitting with what contemporary audiences are looking for. It seems that he still has creative juices in the tank, but is off-center with viewers’ appetites. While Rush was quality and In the Heart of the Sea was a notable effort, they both tanked at the box-office. So, coming back to The Da Vinci Code franchise, one whose fan base certainly isn’t expanding, probably isn’t the wisest of decisions.
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Source: ComingSoon