Movies Not to Miss: October 2014
October is Halloween month, which means that there would be plenty of horror movies coming out of the closet to make jump in your seats at the cinema. However, if your inner scary cat makes you want to curl up and stay away from the amplified screams, there are still plenty of options to go for if screaming is not your thing.
In fact, this year's October pickings is probably one of the most varied we've seen in recent years with a much wider selection of genres from action to slow burners, fictional or non-fictional stories, live-action and animated forms, crowd-pleasers and serious awards contenders, that would surely have a place for you if you weren't planning to make a trip to the cinema.
Here's our recommendations of movies not to miss for this Halloween month!
A biopic based on the life of Indonesia's first President, Soekarno. The film follows Soekarno's life from his birth to his struggle with other political leaders to bring about Indonesia's independence from Dutch colonial rule after World War II.
It's not every so often that we get to watch a movie from neighbouring Indonesia coming to our screens, even though they have a very well developed movie industry that we can learn from. After 2008's "Ayat-Ayat Cinta" and 2012's "Perahu Kertas", director Hanung Bramantyo returns to Malaysian screens with "Soekarno", which makes it a must see for fans of Bramantyo, Indonesian cinema, or if you want to learn more about Indonesia's story of Independence.
General Release Date: 2 October
An official remake of James Mangold's "Knight and Day", which starred Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, this Bollywood remake has Hrithik Roshan in the lead role as the secret agent who falls in love with the female lead, this time played by Katrina Kaif, as they go on the run together from the Secret Service.
Let's not forget that October is also the month of Diwali and if you are looking for that Bollywood blockbuster for the celebration, "Bang Bang!" couldn't be more literal in what it promises to bring to the bigscreen. If you thought the action in the original "Knight and Day" was intense, the trailer for this is already showing how it can blow those action set pieces out of the water, literally!
General Release Date: 2 October
After surviving a gruesome attack by a satanic cult, John and Mia Gordon begin their new life with a new home and their new family. Little did they know that the doll which they had brought with them has been possessed by something far more sinister than the Satanists.
Although there's plenty of horrific pickings this month (see also "Ouija", "The Haunting of Helena", "Kristy" or "Jinn"), fans of the horror genre would most likely want to start off this month with this spin-off from last year's terrifying "The Conjuring". Although fans may be wary that James Wan is not directing this (who is busy with "Fast & Furious 7"), we sure hope that director John R. Leonetti, who was the cinematographer in "The Conjuring" and "Insidious", would have a few tricks on his own sleeves to keep us away from dolls for a while.
General Release Date: 2 October
When a human prince, whose kingdom is under siege by an invading army, is forced to seek dark powers to protect his people and the ones he love, he has to pay the heavy price that comes with it that will turn him into one of the most feared creatures of the night in history.
Putting a new light on the origin story of Dracula (in case you haven't seen "Dark Prince: True Story of Dracula"), if you are looking for something to fit with the Halloween theme, but not to make you shake in your pants, then this dark and flashy action drama should do the trick (or treat). "Dracula Untold" could be the evil pact that Luke Evans (whom you may remember as Bard in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug") needs for his breakthrough role as much as director Gary Shore who is making his feature debut.
General Release Date: 2 October
This movie is based on the life of Gary Webb, who exposes a conspiracy by the United States government to smuggle cocaine into the country in order to fund resistance groups in Nicaragua. The CIA then launches a smear campaign on his findings and his career, which forces Webb to the edge.
Produced and starred by Jeremy Renner, "Kill the Messenger" should be a reminder of Renner's acting capabilities besides playing as a superhero or witch-hunter, and we are glad that it was able to find its way to our screens in the end. Aside from the shocking but true story of Webb's discovery and subsequent disgrace that ends tragically, "Kill the Messenger" is one of the more recent stories of our time to remind us of the complex nature of the world we live in today, when truth and governance are an intertwined subject. This should be one to watch to those who are in the news business, even if you not there for the performance by Andy Garcia, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosemarie Dewitt, or Ray Liotta.
General Release Date: 9 October
A documentary of director James Cameron's life-threatening attempt to dive into the deepest depth of the ocean; the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench, with his submarine called the Deepsea Challenger.
We may remember James Cameron for bringing us cinematic wonders like "Titanic" or "Avatar", but after making the latter, Cameron went on a hiatus to explore one of his biggest passions; deepsea exploration. "Deepsea Challenge" not only promises to be a stunning visual trip (in 3D no less), but also serve as an inspirational true story that there are some risks worth taking to achieve your dreams; a great story of tremendous achievement that befits a great director.
General Release Date: 9 October
When Monolo the hopeless romantic is close to winning the heart of the beautiful Maria, he is sent to the Land of the Remembered by an evil spirit, who wants to win a wager. In order to be reunited with his love, Monolo must traverse across three fantastical worlds, armed only with his sword and song, before his rival Joaquin snatches Maria away from him.
It was hard for us not to be attracted by the colours from the trailer of "The Book of Life", that reminded us very much of "The LEGO Movie" earlier this year. Coming with his feature length debut, director Jorge G. Gutierrez brings a fresh and distinct animation style and fairy tale that is new and suitably fits into the Halloween theme. From the amount of fun the trailer is having, this is one less reason to be staying at home being afraid of ghosts or spirits (especially when they offer churros), and you can even take the kids along with you.
General Release Date: 9 October
Starring Gino, Mindee Ong and Teddy Chin, this film revolves around a couple who joins a 'supernatural' themed photography contest. Finding the perfect spot to capture photos, the couple arrives at a mansion in a remote village that is known to be haunted. There they meet the occupants of the mansion (some living and some dead) as they get entangled in more strange events in the 7 days they spend in the mansion. Directed by the writer of local box office success, "The Journey" Ryon Lee takes lead for "Seventh", a local flavoured Chinese horror film. What's great about this movie is that it doesn't seem to be stingy where its production budget is concerned, how do we know? Well, just watching the trailer that's packed with quite a bit of special effects let's one know that this movie wasn't cheap to make. Let's hope the movie turns out to be just as promising!
General Release Date: 16 October
Sent behind enemy lines during the final years of World War II, a tank commander must lead his crew to survive outnumbering odds, as they must confront the harsh realities of war to bring an end to the war.
Moving off the streets from his wounded stories about gangs, we were curious when we first heard that writer/director David Ayer was going to do a period war piece in World War II. But when we learned that the cast was going to be headed by Brad Pitt (who hasn't been in World War II since "Inglourious Basterds"), Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman and Michael Pena, our expectations for "Fury" just got shell shocked. Although we were a little disappointed with "Sabotage", but we still have a tonne of respect for Ayer, especially when he brought the best out of Jake Gyllenhaal and Pena in "End of Watch". So we expect great things from this strong cast as well to bring about an intense and painful story of war.
General Release Date: 23 October
Rosie and Alex have been best friends all their life without taking their relationship further. When life's circumstances and its ups and downs takes them apart from each other, they can never seem to shake off their inseparable bond, but getting back together may not be as easy.
If your boyfriend isn't the type that would want to scare you by watching a horror together (or maybe he is the one who leaps into your arms at every scare), then he might take you to go and see "Love, Rosie". This adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's second novel makes this already a must-watch for fans of Ahern's books or for the couples who loved "P.S I Love You", or maybe for the 'couple' that are in the Friend-zone.
General Release Date: 23 October
Six actors are trapped in a cage on stage as the setting for a murder mystery. When one of the actors appears dead on the set, a twisted reality show happens before the dubious audience as the actors are suddenly in a twisted game of survival or is the whole thing an act?
Taking the concept of their unscripted television drama to the bigscreen, "The Cage" claims to be the first 'reality movie' in Malaysia brought to you by the minds behind "The Game" and "The Game 2" on NTV7. Pitting actors from the likes of Yeo Yann Yann (of "Ilo Ilo"), this mind-twisting and spin-chilling premise is sure to bring out some fine improvised performance, at the same time bringing out the questions of what you see in front of you.
General Release Date: 30 October
When Virgil Oldman is called into service to inspect and sell a large collection of art by a mysterious heiress, he tries to meet this benefactor only to be avoided at every turn. Like piecing an elaborate puzzle, Oldman must try to find the reason behind her avoidance and see through the deceit that is laid before him.
"The Best Offer" has the best names surrounding it, starting with Geoffrey Rush in the lead, along with Jim Sturgess and Donald Sutherland, and the name Giuseppe Tornatore should ring a few bells. We may remember Giuseppe for his loving "Cinema Paradiso", "The:Legend of 1900" or "Malena", but we are just as intrigued to see how he works with a mystery thriller like "The Best Offer".
General Release Date: 30 October
Lou Bloom is a jobless man who stumbles upon the business of nightcrawling; recording raw footages of crime, fires and other accidents on the streets for television news stations. Living his motto of working hard to make the American dream, Bloom takes his job to dark extremes that blurs the line of obsession and optimism.
If we were impressed by the trailer of Dan Gilroy's feature directing debut, it was because we were more impressed by the fine acting work put out by Jake Gyllenhaal for his brooding intensity. After punching out some fine performances in recent years ("End of Watch", "Prisoners", "Enemy"), this might be Gyllenhaal's ticket to win the Oscars next year.
General Release Date: 30 October
After surviving from a terrible car accident, Christine Lucas has become an amnesiac who is starting to realise that everything surrounding her may be dangerous, but she cannot remember the truth.
Nicole Kidman has had a hard time making her comeback and her days as the graceful figure may be long gone after her fall from grace in "Grace of Monaco". But one of her most recent memorable roles would be in Park Chan-woo's "Stoker", where her flawless superficiality is tempered by an inner twisted core. "Before I Go to Sleep" looks to be a one that requires such a 'calm on the outside but damaged on the inside' appearance that is up Kidman's alley, and if this adaptation by Rowan Joffe of the best-selling thriller novel is done right, we might witness a new transformation of Kidman's career.
General Release Date: 30 October
