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20 Films to See in October
October is stacked with some of the year's best films, both in wide release and limited, many slowly expanding through November, and we have a record-setting 20 recommendations for the month. The conclusion of TIFF and Venice also brought a batch of worthwhile premieres, some of which one will be able to see this month.
To note, after limited September debuts, the recommended Sicario and The Walk will both be opening wide on October 2nd and 9th, respectively. There's also a few notable releases we weren't fans of, including Love (10/30) and Truth (10/16). Then there's some on our radar that would make for worthwhile matinees: Sherpa (10/2), (T)error (10/7), The Final Girls (10/9), Meadowland (10/16) and Rock the Kasbah (10/23).
Check out the full list of 20 below and let us know what you're most looking forward to.
20. The Wonders (Alice Rohrwacher; October 30th)
Synopsis: Nothing will be the same at the end of this summer for Gelsomina and her three younger sisters.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of the last Cannes competition dramas from last year to get a U.S. release, Corpo celeste director Alice Rohrwacher's Le Meraviglie (The Wonders) will finally arrive at the end of the month Also starring Monica Bellucci and Rohrwacher herself, we noted the film has been "praised for its alternation of intimacy and universality, tightness and openness, and the mixing of verisimilitude with wonder."
19. Yakuza Apocalypse (Takashi Miike; October 9th)
Synopsis: In the ruthless underground world of the yakuza, no one is more legendary than boss Kamiura. Rumored to be invincible, the truth is he is a vampire-a bloodsucking yakuza vampire boss.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: With dozens upon dozens of feature films under his belt, it might seem difficult to catch up on the films of Takashi Miike, but virtually all of his work is a strong entry point. His latest, the bonkers-looking Yakuza Apocalypse, is now arriving this month. We said in our review from TIFF, "Despite many of them being wonderful, Takashi Miikes films have a tendency of overstaying their welcome (his favourite runtime: 129 minutes), and Yakuza Apocalypse isnt necessarily an exception to this. Its subtle victory (though maybe its central weakness as well) is its denial of quick, easy fanboy pleasures. While on paper seeming like the Takashi Miike-est Takashi Miike film ever, it might be a surprising bummer for the Midnight Madness crowd expecting a kinetic horror-action film. Every shot lasts far longer than expected and with little to no music, creating a stream of silence followed by a burst of action rhythmic pattern. Assured action filmmaking, yes, but inevitably feeling few and far between."
18. In My Fathers House (Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg; October 9th)
Synopsis: The film explores identity and legacy in the African-American family, as Grammy award-winning rapper Che 'Rhymefest' Smith and his long-lost father reconnect and try to build a new future in Chicago's turbulent South Side.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of our favorite documentaries on the festival circuit this year, we said in our review, "Amongst the national conversation were having about race is a topic often glossed-over amongst the conservative talking point of accountability." Yes, there are fathers who lie, cheat, steal, break the law, go to jail, abuse drugs, and the sort. Breaking the cycle of poverty is critical: a generation of men are lost to the system, either in prison or dead, thus repeating said cycle. One who broke the cycle and is mentoring young men to do so as well is Che Rymefest Smith, perhaps best known on mainstream radio for writing Kayne Wests "Jesus Walks" and most recently for the Oscar-winning song "Glory" from Selma."
17. Our Brand is Crisis (David Gordon Green; October 30th)
Synopsis: A feature film based on the documentary "Our Brand Is Crisis", which focuses on the use of American political campaign strategies in South America.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Based on Rachel Boynton's documentary chronicling the involvement of James Carville's political consulting firm in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election, Our Brand Is Crisis marks a major step for director David Gordon Green into studio filmmaking, who's had a string of eclectic choices throughout his career. Produced by George Clooney and starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton, it seemed to get mostly good buzz out of TIFF and will arrive at the end of the month.
16. Bone Tomahawk (S. Craig Zahler; October 23rd)
Synopsis: Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
Why You Should See It: With Furious 7 and The Hateful Eight, its shaping up to be the year of Kurt Russell. His next project is looking to fly a bit more under the radar. Bone Tomahawk, which sees the actor return to the western, will premiere at Fantastic Fest this weekend.. Having come from the relatively unproven writer-director Craig Zahler and no trailer yet, we're not sure if it'll be a knock-out, but the cast including Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and Lili Simmons, is a strong one.
15. Suffragette (Sarah Gavron; October 23rd)
Synopsis: The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While the deeply enjoyable Far From the Madding Crowd isn't likely to put Carey Mulligan in any awards contention, we imagine things will prove different with the forthcoming Suffragette. Directed by Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane), reviews weren't over-the-moon at Telluride, but with a cast also including Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Meryl Streep, Romola Garai, Brendan Gleeson, and Ben Whishaw, we're curious about its prospects.
14. The Forbidden Room (Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson; October 7th)
Synopsis: A never-before-seen woodsman mysteriously appears aboard a submarine that's been trapped deep under water for months with an unstable cargo. As the terrified crew make their way through the corridors of the doomed vessel, they find themselves on a voyage into the origins of their darkest fears.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: There's no doubt Guy Maddin's latest film should be seen as it's perhaps the most unique of the year, so even if I found some of it exhausting, it deserves a recommendation. We said in our review, "Dense and lacking the playful quality of his more straightforward work, this represents a new multi-narrative direction for Maddin, and a kind of rabbit hole. Working within the art world verses the film world, Maddins work, style and influences have a tremendous amount of power applicable to cinema within the space of a gallery installation. Night Mayor, his first collaboration with the NFB, fictionalized the tension between the NFBs mission and government controls, capturing the inherently cinematic story of an immigrant inventor who dreams of transmitting images made by Canadians to Canadians. The Forbidden Room, while often brilliant upon first viewing, seems to overstay its welcome. A challenging feature representing a new ambition for Maddin, its a step forward, a reinvention, and a difficult film to describe and process."
13. The Russian Woodpecker (Chad Gracia; October 16th)
Synopsis: As his country is gripped by revolution and war, a Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life and play his part in the revolution by revealing it.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of the most acclaimed nonfiction films to come out of Sundance this year was Chad Gracia's The Russian Woodpecker, which picked up the Grand Jury Prize in its World Cinema category. In our review, we said it "exists somewhere between performance art and journalism. While Gracias feature begins as a traditional work of artistic documentation it evolves quickly into a haunting thriller as Ukraine's political climate changes. Opening with a disclaimer that is later explained, The Russian Woodpecker is brave filmmaking for all involved, from Alexandrovich, who uncovers a conspiracy within Chernobyl, to local cinematographer Artem Ryzhykov, who risks his life to capture the images of protest in the films third act as Vladimir Putin takes back the Ukraine."
12. Partisan (Ariel Kleiman; October 2nd)
Synopsis: Alexander, a boy who has been raised in a sequestered commune, finds that his increasing unwillingness to fall in line puts him on a collision course with Gregori, the society's charismatic and domineering leader.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Whether it's Martha Marcy May Marlene or Sound of My Voice or this year's The Wolfpack, we've seen a number of films at Sundance deal with communes and closed communities, but few bring the level of danger found in Partisan. The directorial debut of Ariel Kleiman (Sundance jury winner for the short Deeper Than Yesterday) is a patiently unfolding drama that displays the lengths one will go to provide shelter and community, and what happens if you step out of bounds. Check out my full review.
11. Victoria (Sebastian Schipper; October 9th)
Synopsis: While on holiday in Berlin, a young woman finds her flirtation with a local guy turn potentially deadly as their night out with his friends reveals its secret: the four men owe someone a dangerous favor that requires repaying that evening.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: If one thinks the single-take conceit here is a gimmick, think again. We said in our review, "A two-hour-and-eighteen-minute thrill ride from joyous celebration to abject despair, Sebastian Schipper's one-take wonder Victoria is a must-see. This isn't a formal gimmick, like with Birdman, but instead a conscious effort to truly understand the visceral and emotional experience had by the titular Spaniard and her new Berliner friends. From burgeoning love to life-or-death stakes as these clubbers are tasked with robbing a bank, we're given an unfiltered look at regular people thrust into a dangerous situation without escape. Adrenaline pumps as instinct replaces control for an adventure lacking the latitude for even one false move."
Continued below...
October is stacked with some of the year's best films, both in wide release and limited, many slowly expanding through November, and we have a record-setting 20 recommendations for the month. The conclusion of TIFF and Venice also brought a batch of worthwhile premieres, some of which one will be able to see this month.
To note, after limited September debuts, the recommended Sicario and The Walk will both be opening wide on October 2nd and 9th, respectively. There's also a few notable releases we weren't fans of, including Love (10/30) and Truth (10/16). Then there's some on our radar that would make for worthwhile matinees: Sherpa (10/2), (T)error (10/7), The Final Girls (10/9), Meadowland (10/16) and Rock the Kasbah (10/23).
Check out the full list of 20 below and let us know what you're most looking forward to.
20. The Wonders (Alice Rohrwacher; October 30th)
Synopsis: Nothing will be the same at the end of this summer for Gelsomina and her three younger sisters.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of the last Cannes competition dramas from last year to get a U.S. release, Corpo celeste director Alice Rohrwacher's Le Meraviglie (The Wonders) will finally arrive at the end of the month Also starring Monica Bellucci and Rohrwacher herself, we noted the film has been "praised for its alternation of intimacy and universality, tightness and openness, and the mixing of verisimilitude with wonder."
19. Yakuza Apocalypse (Takashi Miike; October 9th)
Synopsis: In the ruthless underground world of the yakuza, no one is more legendary than boss Kamiura. Rumored to be invincible, the truth is he is a vampire-a bloodsucking yakuza vampire boss.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: With dozens upon dozens of feature films under his belt, it might seem difficult to catch up on the films of Takashi Miike, but virtually all of his work is a strong entry point. His latest, the bonkers-looking Yakuza Apocalypse, is now arriving this month. We said in our review from TIFF, "Despite many of them being wonderful, Takashi Miikes films have a tendency of overstaying their welcome (his favourite runtime: 129 minutes), and Yakuza Apocalypse isnt necessarily an exception to this. Its subtle victory (though maybe its central weakness as well) is its denial of quick, easy fanboy pleasures. While on paper seeming like the Takashi Miike-est Takashi Miike film ever, it might be a surprising bummer for the Midnight Madness crowd expecting a kinetic horror-action film. Every shot lasts far longer than expected and with little to no music, creating a stream of silence followed by a burst of action rhythmic pattern. Assured action filmmaking, yes, but inevitably feeling few and far between."
18. In My Fathers House (Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg; October 9th)
Synopsis: The film explores identity and legacy in the African-American family, as Grammy award-winning rapper Che 'Rhymefest' Smith and his long-lost father reconnect and try to build a new future in Chicago's turbulent South Side.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of our favorite documentaries on the festival circuit this year, we said in our review, "Amongst the national conversation were having about race is a topic often glossed-over amongst the conservative talking point of accountability." Yes, there are fathers who lie, cheat, steal, break the law, go to jail, abuse drugs, and the sort. Breaking the cycle of poverty is critical: a generation of men are lost to the system, either in prison or dead, thus repeating said cycle. One who broke the cycle and is mentoring young men to do so as well is Che Rymefest Smith, perhaps best known on mainstream radio for writing Kayne Wests "Jesus Walks" and most recently for the Oscar-winning song "Glory" from Selma."
17. Our Brand is Crisis (David Gordon Green; October 30th)
Synopsis: A feature film based on the documentary "Our Brand Is Crisis", which focuses on the use of American political campaign strategies in South America.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Based on Rachel Boynton's documentary chronicling the involvement of James Carville's political consulting firm in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election, Our Brand Is Crisis marks a major step for director David Gordon Green into studio filmmaking, who's had a string of eclectic choices throughout his career. Produced by George Clooney and starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton, it seemed to get mostly good buzz out of TIFF and will arrive at the end of the month.
16. Bone Tomahawk (S. Craig Zahler; October 23rd)
Synopsis: Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
Why You Should See It: With Furious 7 and The Hateful Eight, its shaping up to be the year of Kurt Russell. His next project is looking to fly a bit more under the radar. Bone Tomahawk, which sees the actor return to the western, will premiere at Fantastic Fest this weekend.. Having come from the relatively unproven writer-director Craig Zahler and no trailer yet, we're not sure if it'll be a knock-out, but the cast including Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and Lili Simmons, is a strong one.
15. Suffragette (Sarah Gavron; October 23rd)
Synopsis: The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While the deeply enjoyable Far From the Madding Crowd isn't likely to put Carey Mulligan in any awards contention, we imagine things will prove different with the forthcoming Suffragette. Directed by Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane), reviews weren't over-the-moon at Telluride, but with a cast also including Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Meryl Streep, Romola Garai, Brendan Gleeson, and Ben Whishaw, we're curious about its prospects.
14. The Forbidden Room (Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson; October 7th)
Synopsis: A never-before-seen woodsman mysteriously appears aboard a submarine that's been trapped deep under water for months with an unstable cargo. As the terrified crew make their way through the corridors of the doomed vessel, they find themselves on a voyage into the origins of their darkest fears.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: There's no doubt Guy Maddin's latest film should be seen as it's perhaps the most unique of the year, so even if I found some of it exhausting, it deserves a recommendation. We said in our review, "Dense and lacking the playful quality of his more straightforward work, this represents a new multi-narrative direction for Maddin, and a kind of rabbit hole. Working within the art world verses the film world, Maddins work, style and influences have a tremendous amount of power applicable to cinema within the space of a gallery installation. Night Mayor, his first collaboration with the NFB, fictionalized the tension between the NFBs mission and government controls, capturing the inherently cinematic story of an immigrant inventor who dreams of transmitting images made by Canadians to Canadians. The Forbidden Room, while often brilliant upon first viewing, seems to overstay its welcome. A challenging feature representing a new ambition for Maddin, its a step forward, a reinvention, and a difficult film to describe and process."
13. The Russian Woodpecker (Chad Gracia; October 16th)
Synopsis: As his country is gripped by revolution and war, a Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life and play his part in the revolution by revealing it.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: One of the most acclaimed nonfiction films to come out of Sundance this year was Chad Gracia's The Russian Woodpecker, which picked up the Grand Jury Prize in its World Cinema category. In our review, we said it "exists somewhere between performance art and journalism. While Gracias feature begins as a traditional work of artistic documentation it evolves quickly into a haunting thriller as Ukraine's political climate changes. Opening with a disclaimer that is later explained, The Russian Woodpecker is brave filmmaking for all involved, from Alexandrovich, who uncovers a conspiracy within Chernobyl, to local cinematographer Artem Ryzhykov, who risks his life to capture the images of protest in the films third act as Vladimir Putin takes back the Ukraine."
12. Partisan (Ariel Kleiman; October 2nd)
Synopsis: Alexander, a boy who has been raised in a sequestered commune, finds that his increasing unwillingness to fall in line puts him on a collision course with Gregori, the society's charismatic and domineering leader.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Whether it's Martha Marcy May Marlene or Sound of My Voice or this year's The Wolfpack, we've seen a number of films at Sundance deal with communes and closed communities, but few bring the level of danger found in Partisan. The directorial debut of Ariel Kleiman (Sundance jury winner for the short Deeper Than Yesterday) is a patiently unfolding drama that displays the lengths one will go to provide shelter and community, and what happens if you step out of bounds. Check out my full review.
11. Victoria (Sebastian Schipper; October 9th)
Synopsis: While on holiday in Berlin, a young woman finds her flirtation with a local guy turn potentially deadly as their night out with his friends reveals its secret: the four men owe someone a dangerous favor that requires repaying that evening.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: If one thinks the single-take conceit here is a gimmick, think again. We said in our review, "A two-hour-and-eighteen-minute thrill ride from joyous celebration to abject despair, Sebastian Schipper's one-take wonder Victoria is a must-see. This isn't a formal gimmick, like with Birdman, but instead a conscious effort to truly understand the visceral and emotional experience had by the titular Spaniard and her new Berliner friends. From burgeoning love to life-or-death stakes as these clubbers are tasked with robbing a bank, we're given an unfiltered look at regular people thrust into a dangerous situation without escape. Adrenaline pumps as instinct replaces control for an adventure lacking the latitude for even one false move."
Continued below...
