October Movies: Captain Phillips, The Counselor, Gravity, & Carrie

Mark Vader · October 5, 2013

Despite many distractions that the Fall season brings with itself(Football, New TV shows and the return of previous shows) the month of September brought respectable results to the "Adult Season", and October could very well kick it into high gear with even more grown-up fare coming. Movie studios are banking on a lot of Oscar consideration to come from some of the titles this month, as advertising campaigns have been very strong. Also helping the cause are the big name actors attached with these projects, which will make them even more bankable to more than just the 35 and under crowd.

Tom Hanks headlines Columbia Pictures "Captain Phillips", directed by Paul Greengrass. The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. Having a story involving recent events with a top name actor is a big move and is garnering a lot of attention. Audiences respond well to true story movies, particularly when they are thrillers. Also starring Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, & Faysal Ahmed.

20th Century Fox releases the Ridley Scott directed drug trafficking drama/thriller "The Counselor". A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking. The top notch ensemble cast includes: Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem & Brad Pitt. Big name talent such as this always draws audiences.

Warner Bros. and director Alfonso Cuaron present "Gravity", starring George Clooney & Sandra Bullock. A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space. This space disaster movie has been on the radar of many people since the first thrilling previews. Both leads have their fan base, and seeing the two of them in a movie that is not their usual type of fare, only adds more interest.

Not everything is serious, heavy drama. Since this is October, we have to have that typical scary movie released as well. So MGM gives us the horror remake "Carrie", starring Chloe Grace Moretz. A reimagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. While the original film is seen as a classic, it does feel dated, so this updated fresh approach could be what this story needs. Also starring Julianne Moore, Judy Greer & Ansel Elgort.

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the biopic, "The Fifth Estate". A dramatic thriller based on real events that reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organization. Also starring Daniel Bruhl & Carice van Houten.

Ben Affleck & Justin Timberlake star in "Runner, Runner". When a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur. Also starring Gemma Arterton & Anthony Mackie.

Sylvester Stallone & Arnold Schwarzenegger star in "Escape Plan". When a structural-security authority finds himself incarcerated in a prison he designed, he has to put his skills to escape and find out who framed him. Also starring Jim Caviezel, Vincent D'Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, 50 Cent, Amy Ryan, & Sam Neill.

Hailee Steinfeld & Douglas Booth are "Romeo and Juliet". When the star-crossed lovers of two enemy families meet, forbidden love ensues. This is the first time we've seen Steinfeld since 2010's "True Grit". Also starring Damian Lewis, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ed Westwick, Stellan Skarsgard & Paul Giamatti.

Danny Trejo stars in the Robert Rodriguez directed, "Machete Kills". The U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space. Also starring Alexa Vega, Jessica Alba, Amber Heard, Antonio Banderas, Sofia Vergara, Michelle Rodriguez, Charlie Sheen, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Vanessa Hudgens, Lady Gaga & Mel Gibson.

Finally, Johnny Knoxville is "Bad Grandpa". 86-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companion: his 8 year-old grandson, Billy.

Calendar with Trailers.

10/4

"Gravity": http://gravitymovie.warnerbros.com/#/home

"Runner, Runner": http://www.runnerrunnermovie.com/

10/11

"Captain Phillips": http://www.captainphillipsmovie.com/site/?hs308=1512741

"Machete Kills": http://machetekillsmovie.tumblr.com/

"The Fifth Estate": http://www.thefifthestatemovie.com/

"Romeo and Juliet": http://www.relativitymedia.com/Details.aspx?id=d33f68a9-55a0-4625-a5f1-2419d9fecd08

10/18

"Carrie": http://www.carrie-movie.com/site/

"Escape Plan": http://www.escapeplanmovie.com/

10/25

"The Counselor": http://www.thecounselormovie.com/us/?gclid=COqj5tnA_rkCFWfhQgod6SAANA#!/characters

"Bad Grandpa": http://www.jackassmovie.com/social/

That's all for now. I'll have the Indpendent Movies up later. Until then.....Enjoy!

Mark Vader · October 23, 2013

Here are this month's Independent Films.

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in the biopic, "12 Years A Slave". In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Also starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Alfre Woodard, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson & Lupita Nyong'o.

Robert Redford stars in "All is Lost". After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.

Daniel Radcliffe stars in the biopic, "Kill Your Darlings". A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. Also starring Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Elizabeth Olson.

"Parkland" is, A recounting of the chaotic events that occurred at Dallas' Parkland Hospital on the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Starring Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacki Weaver & Paul Giamatti.

"CBGB", Takes a look at the New York City punk-rock scene and the venerable nightclub, CBGB. Starring Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha, Johnny Galecki, Ashley Greene, Rupert Grint, Donal Logue, Stana Katic & Bradley Whitford.

In "Sweetwater", In the late 1800s, a fanatical religious leader, a renegade Sheriff, and a former prostitute collide in a blood triangle on the rugged plains of the New Mexico Territory. Starring Ed Harris, January Jones, Jason Issacs, Eduardo Noriega & Jason Aldean.

Paul Giamatti & Paul Rudd star in "All Is Bright". While out on parole, Dennis reluctantly takes a job selling Christmas trees with his old buddy Rene in order to make enough money to buy his estranged daughter the piano she's always wanted.

In "Escape From Tomorrow", In a world of fake castles and anthropomorphic rodents, an epic battle begins when an unemployed father's sanity is challenged by a chance encounter with two underage girls on holiday. Starring Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber & Katelynn Rodriguez.

7 years after it's international release, the thriller "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane", finally makes it's U.S.A. debut. A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop quite mysteriously. Starring Amber Heard, Anson Mount, Whitney Able & Michael Welch.

"The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete", Is a coming of age story about two inner city youths, who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities. Starring Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jordin Sparks & Jeffrey Wright.

In "Grace Unplugged", Grace Trey is the ideal Christian teen who is also a phenomenal singer. But at the tender age of eighteen, after she gets the music break of a lifetime and is thrust into the "real world" - her faith is put to the test. Starring AJ Michalka, Kelly Thiebaud, James Denton & Kevin Pollak.

In "A.C.O.D.", A grown man caught in the crossfire of his parents 15-year divorce discovers he was unknowingly part of a study on divorced children and is enlisted in a follow-up years later, which wreaks new havoc on his family. Starring Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara, Jane Lynch, Jessica Alba & Amy Poehler.

In "Concussion", After a blow to the head, Abby decides she can't do it anymore. Her life just can't be only about the house, the kids and the wife. She needs more: she needs to be Eleanor. Starring Robin Weigert & Maggie Siff.

In "Cassadaga", A deaf woman who resurrects the ghost of a murdered young woman is forced by the spirit to a serial killer who turns his female victims into marionette dolls. Starring Kelen Coleman, Avis-Marie Burns & Kevin Alejandro.

Finally, "Bad Milo", is a horror comedy centered on a guy who learns that his unusual stomach problems are being caused by a demon living in his intestines. Starring Ken Marino, Gillian Jacobs, Patrick Warburton & Mary Kay Place.

Calendar with Trailers. Note: These dates are for Exclusive or Limited Release. These films may appear in your area at a later date.

10/4

"Grace Unplugged": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3718883609/

"A.C.O.D.": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2318182681/

"Concussion": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi162572313/

"Parkland": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2669390105/

"All is Bright": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3649022233/

"Bad Milo": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi791980313/

10/11

"Escape From Tomorrow": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi611035417/

"The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2517674265/

"All the Boys Love Mandy Lane": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1243326745/