“The Master,” released on Sept. 14, stars Freddie Quell (Joaquin Pheonix), a troubled and disillusioned naval veteran struggling with the aftermath of World War II, who falls behind a cult leader, Lancaster Dodd, (Philip Seymour Hoffman), in support of the Cause.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (director of Oscar-winning “There Will Be Blood”), known for his compelling and challenging films, “The Master” is said to be a commentary on the origins of Scientology, and it demands a more serious and mature audience than your average top box office movie.
On a side note, in case anyone was wondering, Anderson and Tom Cruise’s friendship (Cruise being a known Scientologist) remains strong despite the release of this film.
Clint Eastwood’s name has been on the tips of everyone’s tongues recently mostly because of his “Invisible Obama” speech at the Republican National Convention. He’s also stepping back into the film industry, this time taking up an acting role as opposed to directing.
“Trouble With the Curve,” released on Sept. 21st, is Eastwood’s first acting role — this time as an aging baseball scout named Gus Lobel — since “Million Dollar Baby” in 2004 and “Gran Torino” in 2008.
As the title implies, this is another sports movie, specifically of the father-daughter variety. The film co-stars Amy Adams as the daughter and Justin Timberlake as Eastwood’s rival, a younger baseball scout. If you’re looking for a family movie, something somewhat cliché and probably predictable, but a feel-good movie all the same, this is probably your best bet.
Are you looking for a suspenseful, futuristic science-fiction action thriller? Maybe a film set in a year where time travel is possible, but illegal and sold on the black market?
Anyone who’s a fan of “The Dark Knight Rises,” or just a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who also played Tom from “500 Days of Summer”) in general, would be interested in “Looper,” coming out on Sept. 28th.
This trippy, mind-bending plot has Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis playing the same character: a hitman named Joe that is sent back in time to be killed by his younger self.
At first glance, it’s hard to see the connection between the two actors, but Gordon-Levitt’s hours of studying and layers of applied make-up have succeeded in transforming him into a young Bruce Willis. The color of his skin looks paler and his hair hangs longer in one of his screenshots from the film as he points a gun with a solemn and very Bruce-like expression on his face.
Now, let’s say you’re not in the mood for something too action-filled and instead would prefer something more meaningful. How about a nice drama with a gorgeous cast and a more detailed and personal story?
“Paperboy” will be in theaters on Oct. 5th, starring Matthew McConaughey as Ward Jensen, a reporter returning to his wife in his hometown in Florida. Jansen intends to write a story about his inmate, Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), who was convicted of murdering a racist lawman and put on death row. Zac Efron stars, in one of his first “serious” roles, as Jensen’s younger brother and driver.
The men decide to trust a woman, played by Nicole Kidman, to help them prove their friend’s innocence, and although there is no chance that he is innocent, Kidman’s sultry and rather sketchy character is willing to do anything to save him, setting the stakes high and creating a deep, steamy suspense for the audience to cling onto as the story unfolds. By taking a generally innocent setting, the film reveals its darker underside.
The entire month of October seems to be full of distinguished actors, a point proven further by the release of “Argo” on Oct. 12th, starring Ben Affleck.
This film is a must-see, as it’s already being considered as a major Oscar contender for the 2012 Awards, and has received critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival.
“Argo” chronicles the unbelievable true story of a rescue mission to save six American diplomats, depicting the hostage crisis in Iran that took place on Nov. 4th, 1979. This was a story that wasn’t revealed to the public for decades, set during the peak of the Iranian revolution, when the US embassy was stormed in Tehran.
Ben Affleck plays Tony Mendez, an “exfiltration” specialist working for the CIA who sets out to bring the six men home after their hiding place with the Canadian ambassador is found.
The craziest part? Mendez manages to sneak into Iran by posing as a Hollywood film producer scouting locations and claiming to use the refugees as his “crew.” As much as this sounds like something that can only happen in a movie, its basis in real events makes it all the more fascinating and worth the watch.
If Ben Affleck alone didn’t make this fall an amazing season for movie-going, Colin Farrell is starring with Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken in “Seven Psychopaths,” coming to theaters on Oct. 12th.
As per usual, director Martin McDonagh creates a film about a kidnapping dog — yes, kidnapping dogs — that is difficult to describe with conventional adjectives and can only be referred to as “quirky” and maybe “a little grim.”
“Seven Psychopaths” has already been compared to “In Bruges,” a dark comedy in which Farrell managed to create sincerity from a very raw and violent theme. In this new film, Farrell plays Marty, a struggling writer who happens to be writing a screenplay with the same title as this film: “Seven Psychopaths.”
The rest of the characters include a dognapper, his partner-in-crime and a religious man with a violent past who becomes a psychopathic gangster with a dog that he loves more than anything else in the world. He serves as great inspiration for Marty’s screenplay, but also is the center of an incredibly unique and interesting story for the audience.
