KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Likely the biggest movie coming out this month not starring Taylor Swift, this new epic from master director Martin Scorsese has been getting absolutely rave reviews ever since it premiered at Cannes earlier this May. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, the film is a true-crime retelling of a series of murders that happened in the Osage Nation land, and the FBI’s attempts to stop it. Martin Scorsese has truly been a patron Saint of the cinematic art form, not only with his filmography but also with his Film Foundation which has helped restore over 900 films. While initially planned for a limited release, this film is going wide on October 19.
THE ROYAL HOTEL
This NEON-released Australian Outback set thriller stars two women as they find themselves working in a remote hotel after going broke backpacking, only to find that they might not ever get out. This film comes to theaters on October 6.
AADUJEEVITHAM
This Malayalam/Arabic language film is an adaptation of the 2008 novel of the same name, about the (real life) story of an Indian immigrant worker forced into slavery on a Saudi Arabian farm tending goats (the title translates to THE GOAT LIFE). While production was scheduled to start in 2010, it only started shooting in 2018 and was completed in 2022, including 70 days when the cast and crew were stuck in Jordan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BEYOND UTOPIA
A documentary film about a North Korean defector in South Korea who helps other North Koreans defect, this film uses hidden camera footage to depict various family’s escape. This will be hitting theaters on October 23.
KYRIE NO UTA
The new almost three-hour-long film from Shunji Iwai (director of the much-loved ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU) is a musical about four characters who try to live their lives to the fullest
while being discarded by society. While it is unknown when it will reach the West, it is hitting Japanese theaters this month.
THE KILLER
The new highly anticipated David Fincher film (SE7EN, FIGHT CLUB, GONE GIRL) is his return to the crime genre, after 2020’s slightly disappointing MANK. This stars Michael Fassbender (who has been gone from acting for a few years now) as a contract killer on an international manhunt, and also stars the wonderful Tilda Swinton. Since it is a Netflix release, it will have a limited theatrical run on October 27th before hitting the platform on November 10th.
BHAGAVANTH KESARI
What can be said about popular Telugu star Nandamuri Balakrishna? When he’s not shooting people or groping women, he’s starring in the most politically confused unhinged uber-violent action films you’ll ever see. The 63-year-old in his films, when not wooing women a third his age, is often seen slaughtering hundreds of baddies through his supercharged slo-mo kicks, combined with the wind rushing and the music blaring. Yes, all of his output is exactly like this. By how he is portrayed in his films you would think he is the second coming of Jesus Christ, as his character introductions often include his real-life name on the screen (in slow motion of course, so the audience can applaud). While I had great fun with his 2021 film Akhanda, I had to turn off his early year film Veera Simha Reddy 20 minutes in because I could feel my brain cells killing themselves one by one. I guess that’s on me for not catching it in a cinema. Will this film be good? Of course not, but if you find yourself with the opportunity to see it in a theater, especially with a large crowd, it is your God-given right to go. Seriously.
STRANGE WAY OF LIFE / THE HUMAN VOICE
Now for something I have never seen before, especially in Charleston theaters. These are two short films by eccentric Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, playing side by side and totaling about an hour in runtime. The first made splashes on the internet when it was first announced, as it stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawks as two gay cowboys who rekindle after being away for twenty-five years. The second, The Human Voice, stars Tilda Swinton as an unnamed Woman alone in her ex-lover’s apartment, slowly waiting to be picked up by him. These films will be showing in theaters starting October 6th.
WHEN EVIL LURKS
Again, another surprise release here in Charleston, this Argentinian supernatural horror film is about two brothers who come across a demon-infected man about to give birth to evil itself. Reviews have been very positive following its premiere in Toronto last month, calling it extremely gory and extreme. I especially like podcast host Will Sloan’s Letterboxd review, writing “ There are a few really hideous images in this one, which is great”. This will be hitting theaters starting October 5th.
LEO
Probably my most anticipated film this month (besides Scorsese’s), this film stars Tamil Nadu’s highest-paid actor, Vijay. It is also directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and is the third in the so-called “Lokesh Cinematic Universe”. While this might sound silly, this director is slowly collecting every massive Tamil actor like Infinity Stones, making them star in great mature gangster action epics. The previous film in this series, 2022’s VIKRAM, was one of my favorites of the year, delivering a great lead performance from veteran actor Kamal Haasan while also giving out satisfying action. With a huge star, a talented director, and a large budget, this will surely be a great time at the cinemas when it premieres on October 18th.
