October 2014 Movie Preview
The fall season is not normally known for its movies. Sandwiched between the summer blockbusters and awards bait it’s normally television that takes hold of the limelight. But amidst the buzz around the return of favorite shows and new pilots, this October brings a wide array of interesting box office prospects. Offerings range from the early awards contenders to monster movies; this October has something for everyone.
Oct. 3
David Fincher’s (“Fight Club”, “The Social Network”) latest directorial effort is an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel, “Gone Girl.” The film, starring Ben Affleck (“Argo”) and Rosamund Pike (“The World’s End”), tells the tale of a husband, grieving his wife’s disappearance, who soon finds himself the lead suspect in the investigation. Early reviews have this pegged as another hit for Fincher and should serve as reassurance for those concerned about Affleck donning the cape and cowl in Zack Snyder’s “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
Oct. 10
This update of the Dracula mythos looks to be the beginning of Universal’s rebooted, shared monster movie universe. This action adventure stars Luke Evans (“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”, “Fast & Furiou 6”) and looks visually stunning though it remains to be seen whether or not the quality cast and impressive effects translate into an exciting origin story and franchise launch.
This courtroom/family drama features an all-star cast of Robert Downey Jr. (“The Avengers”), Billy Bob Thorton (“Fargo”), and Robert Duvall (“The Godfather”, “Kicking and Screaming”). Though the film is being heralded as a retread of family dramas we’ve seen before, that won’t stop it from being an overall enjoyable picture. The top flight leads should overcome any shortcomings the final product has. Not an awards contender, but should pull in a solid take at the box office.
Oct. 17
Brad Pitt’s latest awards effort tells the story of a team of tankers in WWII as they fight to survive once their tank is derailed. Pitt stars opposite Logan Lerman (“The Lightning Thief”) and Shia LaBeouf (“Transformers”) in what is sure to score multiple nominations come awards season.
Oct. 31
One of the most talked about movies at Comic-Con this past summer was Daniel Radcliffe’s “Horns.” This twisted tale of redemption and revenge follows Ig Perrish (Radcliffe) as he mourns the murder of his girlfriend and attempts to find out who took her from him with the aid of a demonic power. This film will likely split audiences and critics alike, but the premise and star are more than enough to make this an intriguing October offering.
The Jake Gyllenhaal led “Nightcrawler” has flown under the radar thus far but may end up being the best film of the month. This is Dan Gilroy’s (“Real Steal”, “The Bourne Legacy”) directorial debut so it remains to be seen how the rookie director’s take on the dark underworld of investigative journalism is received by mass audiences, though many expect Gyllenhaal, who was snubbed after last year’s “Prisoners,” to come away with an Oscar nomination.
Which of these movies will you be seeing? Does October hold anything interesting for you? Are these the best movies of the coming month, or are you more excited for Keanu Reeves’ “John Wick” or indie comedy “Laggie”? Let me know in the comments.