Don’t know about you guys, but September was a bit of snore for me. Oh sure, there have been a few good looking movies that came out that month, but October’s choices seem like they are far more exciting. This week in particular has a film that I am very much looking forward too. So, lets start off with…..
What’s it about? New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, both battle to secure Hester’s pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
My thoughts? I don’t think you can tug at the heart strings harder than this trailer. It’s even more appropriate that the subject matter now hits harder since we live in a world in which America legalized same sex marriage. A story like this can give us perspective on how much we’ve gotten further in our society and help remind us that not long ago (this story was only 10 years ago) people had to fight for what they knew was only fair. This is a great cast, and I can only hope that the film doesn’t steep too much into easy sentimentality. Besides that, I’m really interested in seeing if this works.
What’s it about? A ’40s period piece which revolves around an American expat who returns to Shanghai in the months before Pearl Harbor due to the death of his friend.
My thoughts? This movie has been finished since 2008….and just FINALLY getting an American release (it’s been out in China and in England for the last few years.) I’m not quiet sure WHY it’s been held back for that long, and why it’s just getting dumped for a tiny release. Could it possibly be THAT BAD? Maybe, I’m curious enough about it to see it myself. It’s got a premise that I usually am all for (’40’s WWII noir story) and a cast that I dig (I love me some John Cusack) but all signs point to this being a movie that was held for release because it might be THAT BAD.
NOTE: This is for an Early IMAX release. October 9th is when the fill will be released in traditional theaters.
What’s it about? In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.
My thoughts? I wish the movie had a better title then the weak “The Walk”. Something like…I don’t know…Man on Wire? Yeah that sounds way…oh right, that’s the name of the documentary based the same subject matter. That film was FANTASTIC. For a while, I wasn’t sure why Zemeckis wanted to make this movie. Man on Wire was great, why try to recreate the story from the documentary. Then the reviews started coming out this weekend, and they all made a strong point on what Zemeckis accomplished. If you see the film in IMAX 3D, you will get a real exciting experience. You will FEEL what’s it like doing this insane stunt. On top of that, the reviews have been saying you will get one of Zemeckis most alive film in the last few years. As a Zemeckis fan for as long as I have been (Back to the Future being my favorite film of all time) I want to enjoy a Robert Zemeckis movie in which I can like both the characters and the spectacle. It seems like The Walk will deliver on both.
The film I am MOST stoked about seeing this week…..
What’s it about? During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
My thoughts? Since the first trailer, I have been really excited to see this one. Now reviews have been coming out and they have only been making it harder for me to hold my excitement. I love stories like theses, and the fact that the film looks to be funny as hell as well as dramatic is just my kind of mix. I’m a big Matt Damon fan, and this film looks to be the perfect use for him. I’m excited about the rest of the cast as well. I’m excited about the script from Drew Goddard (whose directorial debut The Cabin in the Woods is still one of the best films of 2012) and I’m excited about a Ridely Scott film to not just be a visual treat, but also a well told story. Yes, I’m ready to see how they save Mark Watney, and I’m ready for Mark Watney to science the shit out of his situation.