Sep 30th, 2017, 11:50 PM

October Film Preview

By Laurence Hewitt
Image credit: Blade Runner 2049, Warner Brothers. Kingsman: The Golden Circle, 20th Centuary Fox. Thor Ragnarok, Disney. The Square, TriArt Film
What to see and what to avoid.

Fear not, citizens of AUP, you're restless nights of not knowing when movies are coming out is over! Welcome to the October 2017 Film Preview. Hopefully, this handy preview will provide you with the right film for you and perhaps you'll even discover something new. If you want the big spectacle you'll find it in Thor: Ragnarok and Geostorm, maybe if you want something more challenging like The Square or Detroit, or if you happen to despise yourself, you can see The Emoji Movie. No matter the type of moviegoer you are you'll be sure to find something. The cinema is often considered an unnecessary expense, which frankly is true when you watch a bad movie, but UGC (this isn't a sponsored ad I swear) has a large variety of offers such as the UGC illimité card that makes movie-going all that more affordable. For a monthly fee, you'll be able to watch as many movies as humanly possible. The student illimité card is €17,90 per month. 

October 4th 

Blade Runner 2049: For my wallet, this is the biggest release of the month (sorry Thor). The sequel to one of the most influential films ever made is here. Denis Villeneuve's track record has been nearly faultless having directed Arrival, Prisoners, and Sicario. Roger Deakins cinematography will be worth the price of entry alone. Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard returns along with Ryan Gosling's mysterious Officer K and a plethora of other talented cast members. Blade Runner 2049 promises to be a great detective story in one of the most vibrant and exciting worlds put to screen.

Victoria & Abdul: Here's an excellent example of a movie which by description sounds like an absolute waste of time, but due to the talent behind, it might turn out to be quite the enjoyable little film. Judi Dench plays Queen Victoria (for the millionth time) in this loosely based on a true story tale of her friendship with her 'Munshi' Abdul Karim. Director Stephen Frears (The Queen, High-Fidelity, Philomena) is perhaps the key to why this movie might just work. If Blade Runner 2049 is the glitzy big movie you see with a big group of friends on opening night, then Victoria & Abdul is the perfect lazy Sunday movie.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie: A fun and faithful adaptation of a book series which I'm sure many of you remember from your childhood. Having seen this already, I can state with confidence that if you like the books, then you'll get a decent nostalgia kick out of the movie. If you don't know the books, I'd say there is probably not much here for you.

 

Happy End: This Cannes premiere comes courtesy of Michael Haneke, who remains a fascinating force in cinema. With a cast including Isabelle Huppert (whose talent is beyond compare) and Jean Louis-Trintignant, this drama about the European refugee crisis will surely go down as one of the years best, especially when seen through the eyes of Haneke, who remains one of filmmaking's prime political forces.

October 11th

Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Question, did you like Kingsman: The Secret Service? If you answered 'Yes', then Kingsman: The Golden Circle is for you. If you answered 'No', then turn around for you will find nothing here. The sequel brings even more ramped up violence, over-the-top set pieces and now double the amount of Channing Tatum. Also, Pedro Pascal has a lasso, which is also a laser. No matter who you are, I think we can all agree on that being the coolest thing in the world.

Loving Vincent: To describe this film in words would be a true crime, so please watch this instead.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Both The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie offered some truly surprising, but obvious cynical cash grab which ended up imbuing with some actual artistic integrity. Hopefully, the trend will continue, and LEGO will go three for three in the genre of bad ideas, which then end up being great movies. Plus, Zach Woods should be an American national treasure, he basically owns the whole "awkward but charming" thing.

Detroit: Without question the most harrowing film you'll see this year, but also one of the most powerful ones. Kathryn Bigelow has taken an interesting late turn in her filmmaking career, having gone from pulpy action films to a hard political commentary, has proven to be a fruitful choice. Set during the Detroit riots of 1967, the film takes an intensely honest look at police brutality and abuse of power. It may not be a pleasant ride, but it's one worth taking.

October 18th

The Emoji Movie: 💩

Geostorm: Have you ever looked at a movie and thought "Wow, that looks silly," and then immediately proceeded to buy a ticket? That's Geostorm—Gerard Butler takes on a world-ending storm, and frankly, that is all you need to know (but if you require more, here's the trailer). 

The Square: This year's Palme d'Or winner comes from Swedish director, Ruben Östlund. His follow-up to the incredibly entertaining Force Majeure is a definite must-see for any cinephile out there worth their salt. With a genuinely talented cast and intriguing premise, The Square is bound to be a fascinating experience.

October 25th

Thor: Ragnarok: At this point with Marvel you're either in or out. The 17th installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is here. However, this particular entry might be something special thanks to director Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows is easily the funniest movie I've seen in years). His quirky humor and off the wall ideas could make this third Thor movie worth checking out, even if you aren't part of Marvel's particular brand of heroics. 

Logan Lucky: All Hail! Steven Soderbergh has returned, after a self-imposed film exile. The man who brought us the Ocean's series and the criminally underrated Magic Mike films returns with a brand new type of caper. Self-dubbed Oceans 7/11, Logan Lucky is a blast, taking the slick filmmaking of Oceans 11 and applying it to the sensibility of the American South, making the film a masterstroke of comedy and thrills.

Au revoir là-hautHere's a film that I hadn't heard a thing about, then I saw the trailer, and now I can't stop thinking about it. Imagine The Great Gatsby crossed with Pollock—a stylized piece of pure energy about creative genius.

Best Film Currently Showing

mother!: Don't @ me, it's a masterpiece, and those who dislike it are wrong and should feel deep shame. 

Other Films Worth Checking Out

American Made: Tom Cruise Tom Cruises it up in this ridiculously fun but ultimately shallow story about a man who worked for the Cartels, the FBI, and the DEA all at once.

120 battements par minute: The Grand Prix winner at Cannes this year follows a group of HIV/Aids activists in this early 1990's drama about the ACT-UP movement and peoples' struggles with illness and homophobia. 

Le Redoubtable: From the Oscar-winning director of The Artist comes this biographical comedy/drama about France's most famous and influential filmmaker Jean-Luc Goddard and his affair with Anne Wiazemsky. 

Un beau soleil intérieur: Juliette Binoche is in this, so I don't have to say much... But I will say that, like Huppert, she is a knock-out of an actress who always gives flawless performances, so anything she's in is worth your time. Unless you think you're better than Juliette Binoche, which you aren't.

Oldies, But Goodies

The Rocky Horror Picture Show:  Late night screenings of this movie might be the purest form of entertainment, and lucky for you, it's showing at the Studio Galande in the 5th arrondissement until October 3rd.  

Pretty In Pink, The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off: These classics are showing at the Grand Action in the 5th arrondissement as part of their 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' festival from October 29th until November 2nd. 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:  Just in time for Halloween, Pathé is showing this undisputed classic on October 19th across their various locations.

Blade Runner: To get in the mood for its sequel, UGC is showing the original film on October 5th and 12th in almost all of their cinemas across the city. 100% recommendation on this one.

Le Filmothéque in Quartier Latin is showing more movies than you can imagine, but some of the upcoming standouts include (deep breath): Apocalypse Now, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, Casablanca, Lolita, The Shining, The Big Sleep, and Deliverance