Fall Movie Preview, Part 1


We are currently in somewhat of a movie wasteland. You can still find a diamond out there, but, let's be honest, it's mostly rough. As Harvey Dent said in "The Dark Knight," "It's always darkest before the dawn, but the dawn is coming." That dawn begins in October and rolls right through December. Over the next two days, I'll be highlighting 10 reasons for hope this fall and holiday season. Today is October through mid-November. Tomorrow will be Thanksgiving through Christmas, the golden time when you need movies as an escape from "bonding time" with extended family!

The Martian, Friday, October 2
About: "The Martian," based on the novel by Andy Weir, is about an astronaut, Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who is presumed dead after a storm impacts a mission on Mars. In reality, he's left behind. Soon, he discovers that he's going to have to find a way to survive until help can arrive, which means finding a way to sustain life on a planet where that isn't the case. This has a brilliant cast, and is directed by Ridley Scott. If the trailer doesn't bring you to your feet, I don't know what to say. I am excited to see this film come together. This could end up being one of the year's best.

Pan, Friday, October 9
About: This re-telling of the Peter Pan story from director Joe Wright has long been in the works. In fact, it was supposed to be a summer release, but it was pulled and delayed until fall. That could be a bad sign, or it could be a sign that those involved think this is a movie that might have award potential. I'm going to choose to believe the latter. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, and Garret Hedlund as a younger, nobler Hook. The special effects look amazing, and I think this has a potential to be an inventive and creative take on a classic story. Plus it looks like a good film for the whole family.

Steve Jobs, Friday, October 9
About: Jobs, who is now dead, is revered for his creativity and ingenuity in leading Apple. His influence is still felt all over the world (I'm typing on one of his computers right now). And the biography of him, penned by Walter Isaacson, has been a must read for a few years. It makes sense we'd get a great biopic of him — there have been others in recent years, but none that looked like this. With a script penned by Aaron Sorkin and direction by Danny Boyle, this film boasts an All-Star cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels. I think this could be one of the best films of the year.

Bridge of Spies, Friday, October 16
About: Honestly, the film had me at Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Anyone remember "Saving Private Ryan?" How about "Band of Brothers?" When these two collaborate, particularly on a period piece grounded in history, it's magic. This film, based on a true story with a script credit that includes Joel and Ethan Coen, looks like a fascinating slice of history. It's about American lawyer James Donovan (Hanks) and probably the most important case of his life, one that involved staving off war between the United States and U.S.S.R. The trailer looks great, and this looks like an award contender.

Spectre, Friday, November 6
About: James Bond films used to be stand-alone spy adventures. But since Daniel Craig donned the mantle in "Casino Royale," that has changed. "Spectre" is Craig's fourth Bond film, and it again pairs him with director Sam Mendes, who helmed "Skyfall." It promises to bring a lot of elements of Craig's previous three Bond films together — this time pitting him against a villain played by Christoph Waltz. Personally, I have been really drawn to this new, inter-connected world of Bond, and I can't wait to see how the story evolves in "Spectre."

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