Friends, movie goers, assembled geeks, the summer movie season has passed. We had some good times and some disappointments, but now it’s time for the prestige season. It is a time of Oscar bait, lofty tent poles, and some pretention here and there. With all the award season hype, sometimes it’s hard to tell if a movie is going to be good even when the reviews start rolling in… if they come in time for you to make your decision at all. Luckily, we’re here to help you with your decision.
In this installment of the ongoing movie guide, we’re going over all the October releases to figure out if they’ll be worth your hard earned cash and, more importantly, your time. Be sure to check out our comics, TV, games, and September movie guides if you’re worried you’ve missed the newest in geek culture.
The Martian
- Release Date: October 2nd
- Director: Sir Ridley Scott
- Writer: Drew Goddard
Will it be good? Sir Ridley is a tremendous visual storyteller, but the true quality of his movies often falls to the quality of their screenplays. Luckily, a beloved screenwriter is adapting a beloved and intelligent book. With a current 94% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 64 reviews… it seems we’re in for a treat.
Verdict: It’s a Ridley Scott movie. More to the point, it’s apparently a great Ridley Scott movie. See it in the theater.
Pan
- Release Date: October 9th
- Director: Joe Wright
- Writer: Jason Fuchs
Will it be good? The latest prequel/reboot in the era of them, Pan’s bombastic and theatrical approach certainly won’t appeal to everyone. While the cast is good and the visuals appear quite striking… the narrative seems very generic and unsurprising. Also… early reviews haven’t been kind at all.
Verdict: Unless your kid needs to see it or you’re a huge Peter Pan fan… see Steve Jobs that weekend instead.
Steve Jobs
- Release Date: October 9th
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Will it be good? It would take a rare director to ruin an Aaron Sorkin screenplay. Luckily, Danny Boyle is more than competent and it seems Michael Fassbender shines as the head of a spectacular cast. It seems the atypical approach to a Steve Jobs biopic is exactly what we needed. Early word has been exceptionally strong.
Verdict: Unless the subject matter doesn’t interest you at all, see it in the theater. This one is going to be an Oscar contender on several levels.
The Walk
- Release Date: October 9th
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Writer: Philippe Petit, Robert Zemeckis, Chrisopher Browne
Will it be good? It’s a strong true story helmed by a dependable director and a great lead. Early reviews have been strong as well.
Verdict: If you’re interested in the story, check it out.
Bridge of Spies
- Release Date: October 16th
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Writers: Matt Charman, Joel and Ethan Coen
Will it be good? It’s an interesting story with Tom Hanks in the lead and Spielberg directing. At the very least, we expect it to be a solid enough Cold War Thriller.
Verdict: If you’re in the mood for some Spielberg (and who isn’t from time to time?) check it out if the reviews are good.
Crimson Peak
- Release Date: October 16th
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Writer: Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins, Lucina Coxon
Will it be good? Guillermo del Toro films aren’t for everyone. The man has his niche and fills it with style, but we’ll have to wait for reviews before seeing if this will be an undisputed masterpiece like Pan’s Labyrinth or a movie with genre specific appeal like Pacific Rim. Still, there seems to be an undeniable element of cheese to the trailers we’ve seen thus far. That certainly isn’t a bad thing, but it’s worth nothing.
Verdict: We don’t know yet. We love Guillermo del Toro… but we think this one may be for a very specific audience. Wait for the reviews to judge if its right for you.
Burnt
- Release Date: October 23rd
- Director: John Wells
- Writer: Steven Knight
Will it be good? Word on the street says that this is one of the best scripts to pass around Hollywood in a while. Steven Knight has definitely proven himself with writing Eastern Promises and Locke, so we aren’t going to question the quality of the screenplay. Bradley Cooper is also a stronger actor than people give him credit for, so we think this will be a great little character piece.
Verdict: Check it out. We’re willing to bet it’ll score a few Oscar noms next year.
The Last Witch Hunter
- Release Date: October 23rd
- Directors: Breck Eisner
- Writers: Melisa Wallack
Will it be good? We don’t know if it will be good or not, but Vin Diesel knows his audience and he plays to them. Make no mistake he’s the one really leading this production, so your enjoyment of it should really come down to how much you enjoy him.
Verdict: If you love Vin Diesel movies from the Chronicles of Riddick to Furious 7, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. If not… this probably won’t make you a believer.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
- Release Date: October 23rd
- Director: Gregory Plotkin
- Writer: Gavin Heffernan and Adam Robitel
Will it be good? If you’re a fan of the franchise, you’re probably going to go see the entry that promises to wrap the story up. If you’re not a fan, we doubt this movie is going to make you one. In the end, reviews probably won’t factor in to how this movie does.
Verdict: If you need to see the story come to a close, check it out. If not, unless the reviews are spectacular we imagine you can wait for home video.
Our Brand Is Crisis
- Release Date: October 30th
- Director: David Gordon Green
- Writer: Peter Straughan
Will it be good? Political dramedies are always a tough prospect. With Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, and Anthony Mackie leading the cast of this one we thought it might have a chance… but at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes it seems that isn’t the case.
Verdict: Skip it.
Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
- Release Date: October 30th
- Director: Christopher Landon
- Writer: Emi Mochizuki, Carrie Lee Wilson, Christopher Landon, and Lona Williams
Will it be good? Zombies tend to sell themselves these days, so this film definitely has an audience. However, it seems like there’s a lot of juvenile humor that dominates the film instead of trying to make a coming of age tale. Early teen boys should love it… but as for the rest of us…
Verdict: Unless you’re in middle school… odds are you’ll want to skip this one.
