The year is rounding down, but the strongest films have yet to arrive. With three months left, many of the highly-anticipated features we’ve been talking about for quite some time are finally hitting theaters. While the majority of promising films are mostly limited releases, you can see a handful on VOD. But as always, we go by the first theatrical release date so check distributor information on when they’ll be in your city or in your home.
See:
10. Blackthorn (Mateo Gil; Oct. 7th)
Synopsis: In Bolivia, Butch Cassidy (now calling himself James Blackthorne) pines for one last sight of home, an adventure that aligns him with a young robber and makes the duo a target for gangs and lawmen alike.
Why You Should See It: Stepping into the iconic shoes previously worn by Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Sam Shepard is more than worthy to portray the iconic gunslinger. Mateo Gil, who wrote such films as Agora, The Sea Inside and Abre Los Ojos/Vanilla Sky, has directed this well-crafted western.
9. The Catechism Cataclysm (Todd Rohal; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: Father William Smoortser drops his bible into a toilet at a rest stop just before embarking on a day-long canoe trip, breaking loose all glorious hell.
Why You Should See It: It may have been the very late showtime, but after a long day of screenings at Sundance, the oddity that is Rohal’s latest film had enough off-kilter laughs to deliver the perfect dose of comedy. Steve Little‘s mere presence brings a smile as he is finally given enough to do here on this irreverent road/canoe trip. Check out our Sundance review here.
8. Margin Call (J.C. Chandor; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: Set during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis, a recently-downsized risk-management expert (Stanley Tucci) at an investment bank passes along vital information to an upstart employee (Zachary Quinto).
Why You Should See It: Here is another favorite from Sundance coming to theaters. J.C. Chandor‘s financial thriller features a fantastic ensemble including Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci. While slightly repetitive, this is a tense look at a 24-hour corporate meltdown. Check out our review here.
7. Le Havre (Aki Kaurismäki; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: A story about a shoe shiner who tries to save a refugee.
Why You Should See It: A foreign comedy/drama we liked at both Cannes and Toronto is making its way stateside in limited release this month. We called it “a moving portrait of how a town can come together to help a young boy succeed in reuniting with his family,” while the director creates an “atmospheres devoid of overtly acted emotions, opting instead for subdued reactions and simplistic camerawork.”
6. The Rum Diary (Bruce Robinson; Oct. 28th)
Synopsis: American journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1950s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the ex-patriots who live there.
Why You Should See It: After years of being disinterested in most – if not all – of his projects, Johnny Depp looks to actually be having some fun as he returns to the world of Hunter S. Thompson. While I don’t see this being any kind of awards contender, the humor looks strong and will hopefully deliver everything The Hangover‘s sequel failed to do this summer.
5. In Time (Andrew Niccol; Oct. 28th)
Synopsis: Set in a world where people stop aging at 25, but are genetically-engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Here, a poor young man (Justin Timberlake) accused of murder goes on the run with a wealthy hostage (Amanda Seyfried), though their eventual connection becomes an important part of the way against the system.
Why You Should See It: Gattaca writer/director and The Truman Show scribe Andrew Niccol is back with his first feature since 2005’s underrated Lord of War. He is joined by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, who’s making his first foray into digital here, for this original sci-fi adventure. Timberlake will have to truly sell being an action star, but anytime Niccol is being the camera, I’m there.
4. Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (Constance Marks; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: The Muppet Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet – the heart and soul of Elmo – Kevin Clash.
Why You Should See It: Jim Henson‘s iconic Sesame Street character is getting to lead a film, and it is not quite what you think. Constance Marks’ documentary follows Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo, and his journey to worldwide recognition. Check out our Sundance review here.
3. The Skin I Live In (Pedro Almodóvar; Oct. 14th)
Synopsis: A thriller centered on plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), who has been conducting experiments on a human subject (Elena Anaya) while trying to perfect an artificial skin to use to treat his severely burned wife.
Why You Should See It: Almodovar returns to his twisted side with not only the plot, but the actual surprises in this story of obsession. I went into this cold at Toronto and I was equal parts shocked and disgusted in the best way possible. Avoid everything and go in blind yourself this month. Check out our review here from Cannes.
2. The Ides of March (George Clooney; Oct. 7th)
Synopsis: An idealistic staff member (Ryan Gosling) for a presidential candidate (George Clooney) gets a crash course in dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.
Why You Should See It: This low-key political thriller features an ensemble of excellent performances from Ryan Gosling to George Clooney (directing here) to Philip Seymour Hoffman and more. It was one of my favorites coming out of Toronto, where I called it a “tightly contained drama of twists and turns delivered by a class-act ensemble.”
1. Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman (Elizabeth Olsen) struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.
Why You Should See It: There is not a single film this year that has stayed in the depths of my mind like Sean Durkin‘s directorial debut Martha Marcy May Marlene. I’ve only seen it once (at Sundance over nine months ago), but the chilling performance by lead Elizabeth Olsen (still the year’s best) and the harrowing images still haunt me daily. This exploration of two vastly different lifestyles makes for one of the absolute best films of 2011.
Matinee:
Real Steel (Shawn Levy; Oct. 7th)
Synopsis: A future-set story where robot boxing is a popular sport and centered on a struggling promoter (Hugh Jackman) who thinks he’s found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he also discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father.
Why You Should See a Matinee: I have no doubt Levy’s latest will pack some sort of fun, but I can’t get past the ridiculously cheesy concept with what feels like zero stakes. Early buzz is good though, so seek it out if you need to fulfill all your Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em fantasies.
Texas Killing Fields (Ami Canaan Mann; Oct. 14th)
Synopsis: In small-town Texas, two detectives (Sam Worthington and Jeffrey Dean Morgan) track a serial killer who dumps his victims in a local marsh. One of them is pulled deep into the horror after a local girl (Chloe Moretz) goes missing.
Why You Should See a Matinee: This drama from Michael Mann’s daughter unfortunately looks like a cheap television show (and reviews have indicated as much), but I’ll still see it to complete the sprawling Jessica Chastain filmography of 2011.
The Way (Emilio Estevez; Oct. 7th)
Synopsis: An American father travels to France to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling “El camino de Santiago” from France to Santiago de Compostela (Spain).
Trailer
Why You Should See a Matinee: With decent reviews since its premiere in Toronto last year, Estevez directs his father Martin Sheen in what looks like a minor, but well-acted drama.
The Thing (Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.; Oct. 14th)
Synopsis: At an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson. While Dr. Halvorson keeps to his research, Kate partners with Sam Carter (Joel Edgerton), a helicopter pilot, to pursue the alien life form.
Why You Should See a Matinee: This prequel seems a bit too much like a rehash of John Carpenter‘s 1982 horror classic, but I’m looking forward to rising stars Joel Edgerton and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The filmmakers’ original insistence on practical effects seems to have gone away, but this could be a fun adventure to check out around Halloween time.
Paranormal Activity 3 (Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman; Oct. 21st)
Why You Should See a Matinee: With strong reviews coming out of the secret screening of Fantastic Fest, the latest iteration of Paranormal Activity may stack up to its scary original. The addition of Catfish directors, who have shown they can craft a thriller (at least the first 2/3rds of last year’s divisive documentary), make for a promising horror flick.
Red State (Kevin Smith; Oct. 21st)
Synopsis: After a group of teens accept an online invitation for group sex, though they soon encounter Pastor Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), his followers, and their sinister agenda.
Why You Should See a Matinee: It feels like we’ve talking about this film ever since Sundance, but that is exactly what Kevin Smith wants. After the much-publicized premiere in January, the divisive director has taken it on a road, then had an Oscar-qualifying run (ha!) in LA, and released it on VOD. But now it is actually hitting theaters before an early Blu-ray/DVD bow. Unfortunately, the film isn’t very good, but I would still say it is worth seeing for Smith’s drastic style change.
Anonymous (Roland Emmerich; Oct. 28th)
Synopsis: A political thriller set at the cusp of the Essex Rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, and centered on the Earl of Oxford, Edward De Vere (Rhys Ifans), positioned here as the author of William Shakespeare’s plays.
Why You Should See a Matinee: It may be a shocker, but I’ve heard nothing but strong things for Emmerich’s upcoming period drama. After debuting to near-glowing reviews at Toronto, I went from zero interest to adding this on a strictly matinee basis here.
Footloose (Craig Brewer; Oct. 14th)
Synopsis: City kid Ren McCormack moves to a small town where rock ‘n’ roll and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
Why You Should See a Matinee: Here is another October release that may surprise. While we weren’t the biggest fans (review here), Black Snake Moan and Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer‘s adds his style to this remake that is getting a generally positive response.
Like Crazy (Drake Doremus; Oct. 28th)
Synopsis: The budding relationship between Anna (Felicity Jones) and Jacob (Anton Yelchin) is tested when Anna overstays her visa in the U.S. Once home in London, the two young lovers try to make their inter-continental relationship work.
Why You Should See a Matinee: I feel alone in not loving this romantic drama, after it won the top award at Sundance and a slew of glowing reviews. Doremus provides a decent look at love, but major story issues and weak improvisation bring this down a few notches.
What are you looking forward to most this month?