Written by Mitch Cyrus

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For a September, it was a very good month at the movies.  But now is when things really start picking up through the end of the year, with Oscar contenders cropping up here and there for the next four months.

No Micro Reviews this month.  There was a Perfect Storm that limited my viewing of new DVD releases.  1) I caught a lot of the new releases at the theater, and have already reviewed them.  2) College and Pro Football has started in earnest, limiting my time.  3) The movies that I hadn’t caught at the theater were ones that really sucked.  I didn’t want to see them then; I don’t want to see them now.

The only exception was “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time”.  Meh.

It wasn’t bad, and if you compare it to other movies based on video games, it’s pretty good.  But that’s like saying you have more teeth than a Pittsburgh Steelers’ fan.

Jake Gyllenhaal is no action hero, but at least the movie isn’t painful to watch (see also; “Max Payne”), and the action sequences and special effects are really good.

Since there’s not too much to look back on this month, let’s look ahead.  We are now at that time of year where we can start speculating which movies are going to be in contention for the major awards.  In my opinion, we already have two sure locks for nomination for “Best Picture” Oscars; “Inception” and “Toy Story 3”.  To note; you can also already give the Oscar for animated film to Pixar’s perfect gem.  I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I would say that you could risk the mortgage on Toy Story 3 winning in that category and not break a sweat.

“The Town” may have a chance at Best Picture.  Jeremy Renner is a lock for a Best Supporting Actor nomination.  So what else will contend?

2010 Oscar Contenders

The Social Network – Details listed below

Fair Game. – Naomi Watts and Sean Penn in this biographical depiction of the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame.  Great star power, but is it too hot politically?

The Company Men – This might be one hell of a year for Ben Affleck.  This drama follows three executives as they adjust to life after being fired.  Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones are the three, which is amazing right there.  Then add Kevin Costner as Affleck’s blue collar brother-in-law who hires him in his lower end construction business, and watch the sparks fly.

Black Swan – Lots of buzz about this Darren Afonofsky film with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as competing ballerinas.  I’m seeing a possibility of “Requiem for a Dream” weirdness.

Blue Valentine – The buzz has this one as a near lock for a nomination for Best Picture, as well as acting nods for Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling as they play a working class couple dealing with present problems as they look back on an idyllic past.

The King’s Speech – Some are saying that the race for Best Actor is already over after seeing Colin Firth in this period drama about King George VI, father of Elizabeth II, who had to use a speech coach (Geoffrey Rush) to overcome a stuttering problem upon assuming the throne when his brother, Edward abdicates

127 Hours – Danny Boyle’s anticipated movie starring James Franco in the real life tale of Aron Ralston, a hiker who ended up cutting off his own arm after being trapped in rocks.

Somewhere – Sophie Coppola’s first film in four years, with Stephen Dorff as a hard living actor being visited by his 11 year old daughter (Elle Fanning).

The Debt – Mystery concerning Mossad agents, their actions in 1995, and those ramifications in present day.  Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, and Ciran hands play the older versions.

True Grit – The Coen Brothers take on the iconic John Wayne film, with Jeff Bridges assuming the role of Rooster Cogburn.

The Fighter – Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale as brothers in a boxing movie.  If this isn’t a contender for Best Picture, I can still see acting nods coming from it.

As always, expect a dark horse or two to crop up in the next few months.  But for now, let’s concentrate on what’s coming out in October

October new movie releases

Movies I’m Anticipating

The Social Network
October 1

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

Plot :  Harvard undergraduate Mark Zuckerberg recruits some of his classmates to develop the social networking website, Facebook. The endeavor, however, leads to a messy fallout with friend and co-founder, Eduardo Saverin.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: As of today, this movie is sitting at an astounding 98% positive on Rottentomatoes.  The David Fincher movie is said to be much more than a simple (and possibly inaccurate) biography of the characters; it’s a searing look at an entire generation of young adults who haven’t a clue on how to relate to one another without the use of technology.  I will certainly be seeing this one in the next few days.

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Let Me In
October 1

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins

Plot : Owen is an alienated and bullied 12-year-old who builds a tentative friendship with his mysterious new neighbor, Abby. Only socializing at night and seemingly immune to the winter climate, Abby reveals her true nature to Owen after her father disappears and a series of murders grips their town.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: A vampire movie that doesn’t glory vampires!  How original!  This one is also getting rave reviews, and is being called the rarest of exceptions; a remake of a recent foreign film (Swedish) where both the original and the remake are lauded.  I’m mostly looking forward to the performances of the two young actors, after Smit-McPhee’s remarkable job in “The Road”, and Moretz’ unforgettable turn as the foul mouthed little assassin in “Kick-Ass”.

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Secretariat
October 6

Starring: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, James Cromwell

Plot : The true-life story of Penny Chenery, whose racehorse Secretariat won the triple crown in 1973

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: We finally have the companion film to “Seabiscuit”.  Positive buzz about the film, and about Diane Lane’s performance.  This is from the same studio that last year around this time came out with a true life sports film with a powerful woman in the lead role.  Can it duplicate the success of “The Blind Side”?

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Red
October 15

Starring: Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker

Plot : Fallen stockbroker Gordon Gekko teams up with a young Wall Street trader, who's mentor was recently murdered, to track down the killer and warn others about an impending massive financial meltdown.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: This might be the movie I’m most looking forward to seeing just “for the fun of it”, as the trailers seem to indicate that it’s going to be a riot.  How can you not get into Malkovich as a crazed weapons expert and Helen Mirren, an Oscar winner for playing the Queen of England, blowing people away with a 50 calibre?

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Hereafter
October 22

Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard

Plot :  A supernatural thriller centered on three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy -- who are touched by death in different ways.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: Clint Eastwood directing a supernatural thriller?  With Matt Damon?  That’s all I need to get me there.

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The Company Men
October 29

Starring: Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner

Plot :  A drama centered a year in the lives of three businessmen (Affleck, Cooper, Jones) who look to what's next in their lives after being laid off by their company.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: As noted above, I’m really looking forward to this.  My only concern is that it’s the big screen debut of director John Wells, previously best known for being the creator of “ER” and “The West Wing”.  But with this cast, it would be hard to go wrongs.

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Movies That Might Be OK

Life as We Know It
October 8

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel

Plot :  Two single adults (Heigl and Duhmael) become caregivers to an orphaned girl when their mutual best friends die in an accident.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: Not sure about making a comedy out of the tragic death of a couple, but that’s what they are trying to do here.  Looks to be a standard Romantic Comedy set up, but the buzz has it that this one isn’t so bad (as Rom-Coms go).

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Jackass 3-D
October 15

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O

Plot :  You know what you are getting with this, so you know better than to expect a “plot”.

The BeerBuzz: Some people really like these testaments to stupidity, so who am I to disagree.  If you liked the others, you’re going to love this with the 3D effects.

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Saw 3D: The Final Chapter
October 29

Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell

Plot :  As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and a fellow survivor, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: I personally want to put this in the “It Sucks” category…but I know a lot of people like these films, and it may be just as good as all of the others in the series…if you’re into that sort of thing.  Besides, I couldn’t trash ALL of the horror films on Halloween month, could I?

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Movies That Aren’t Worth Wasting Your Time

Case 39
October 1

Starring: Renee Zellweger, Ian McShane, Jodell Ferland

Plot :  A social worker takes a 10-year-old girl out of her apparently abusive home, though while she shelters the little girl and searches for a foster family, Emily realizes that her new case is protected by dark, threatening forces

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: Here is all you need to know about this movie; it was shot in 2006, and is finally now being dumped in theaters…and not even on Halloween with other horror flicks.  It will be lucky to break the $10 million mark at the box office.

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Chain Letter
October 1

Starring: Nikki Read, Keith David, Brad Dourif

Plot :  A high schooler Jessie Campbell and her friends receive a series of chain letters via email from a killer with gruesome plans in store for anyone who breaks the chain.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: Read the plot.  Read the cast list.  And then read in the fact that it’s only being released nation-wide to about 450 theaters.  Catch it in two weeks on DVD.

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My Soul to Take
October 8

Starring: Max Thieriot, Emily Meade, John Magaro

Plot :  A serial killer returns to his hometown to stalk seven children who share the same birthday as the date he was allegedly put to rest.

View Trailer

The BeerBuzz: It’s Wes Craven making his 1,000^th horror film.  No different than the other 999.

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Paranormal Activity 2
October 22

Starring: Katie Featherston

Plot :  When I’m reading “Plot Unknown”, I’m not getting a warm and fuzzy about this remake

The BeerBuzz: Do you remember the sequel to “The Blair Witch Project”?  You probably don’t remember seeing it, as everyone was warned off as to how bad it was.  Look for a repeat here, as an overrated cult hit tries again, and fails badly.

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New DVD/Pay-Per-View Releases

As mentioned in previous columns, these dates are when the movies are released to be purchased as DVDs, or released for DirecTV/Cable/Dish Network Pay-Per-Views.  The actual release to Netflix or Blockbuster may be as much as 28 days later.

The Karate Kid– Oct. 5 – Very successful remake of the 80s film, with Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s winner of the genetic lottery, Jaden, taking on the role of Daniel-san.

A Nightmare on Elm Street – Oct. 5 – A nightmare at the box office for the movie studio who thought everyone would jump at a chance to see a reboot of this horror franchise.  They didn’t.

How to Train Your Dragon – Oct. 12 – Another hit animation that both the kids and their parents can enjoy.

Jonah Hex – Oct. 12 -  Biggest bomb of the summer.

Predators – Oct. 19  – Not that bad of a reboot.  Didn’t do well at the box office, but I thought it was well done.

The Girl Who Played with Fire– Oct. 26  – Next in the Lisbeth Salander series after the terrific first film, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.

Calendar Watch  

Upcoming Biggies (click on the hyperlink to view the available trailers).

Unstoppable – November 12 – Denzel Washington and Chris Pine in Tony Scott’s story of a runaway train.

Morning Glory – November 12 – J.J. Abrams tale of a young TV producer (Rachel McAdams) trying to bolster a failing morning show by teaming a former hotshot anchor (Harrison Ford) with the current flighty host (Diane Keaton)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I – November 19 – Part One of the final book about Harry, Hermione, and Ron.  This one (and I’m sure the last one) will be in 3-D.

The Next Three Days – November 19 – Russell Crowe resorts to a prison break three years after his wife (Elizabeth Banks) was falsely (maybe) convicted of murder.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – December 10 – Third tale of the series…some people (like my wife) are still looking forward to it.

The Fighter – December 10 – Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in a biopic of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward and his brother.

Tron Legacy – December 17 – Might be the most anticipated Holiday release of this year.

Gulliver’s Travels – December 22 – Jack Black takes on the iconic role.

Little Fockers – December 22 – Yes, they are all back.

True Grit – December 25 – The Coen Brothers remake the iconic John Wayne movie with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon.

The Green Hornet – January 14 – Seth Rogan in a completely different take on the old radio/TV show.

The Adjustment Bureau – March, 2011 – Matt Damon in a mind bender about a politician falling for a ballerina (Emily Blunt), only to be stymied by mysterious forces keeping the would-be lovers apart.