Movies in Theaters This Friday, October 11, 2013: Captain Phillips, Machete Kills, and More
After finally having our first huge breakthrough wide release (at least critically speaking), October 11th seems like a prime candidate to keep the streak going. Wide releases have had a good string of releases starting with Prisoners in late September and extending to include Rush, Don Jon, and Gravity. Captain Phillips looks like it has the best chance to keep it going.
Captain Phillips is the true story of a 2009 hijacking off the coast of Somalia. As the title suggests, it’s mostly about the captain (played by Tom Hanks) who tries his hardest to keep his crew and self alive. Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum) has a thing for real-life stories, and I’ve actually already seen the film and can definitely recommend it.
Machete Kills, the next wide release, is pretty much the exact opposite. Robert Rodriguez and Danny Trejo are among the returners in the sequel to Machete. Having missed the original, I can’t really do much in the way of recommendations, but it certainly has its own style and audience. Charlie Sheen is one of the bigger additions to the movie and seems like the perfect fit.
The next Romeo and Juliet film adaptation is the final wide release. It stars Douglas Booth (Christopher and His Kind) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) as the star-crossed lovers. Damian Lewis (Showtime’s Homeland) and Paul Giamatti (Win Win) also appear in the movie that is directed by Carlo Carlei.
In the limited circles, you can check out CBGB and/or Escape From Tomorrow. CBGB, like the name implies, is a musically-inspired movie about Country, Bluegrass, and Blues and the shift to underground Rock ‘N’ Roll in New York City. Alan Rickman (Harry Potter) plays Hilly Kristal, the owner of a historic NY club, with Ashley Greene (Twilight) and Malin Akerman (Watchmen) also being notable names.
Escape From Tomorrow, on the other hand, is a guerilla-style film that was shot without Disney’s permission inside Disney World Resort. The high interest concept has a lot of people talking, but Disney is staying pretty mum on the subject. As for plot, Escape From Tomorrow is a thriller about a man who has weird/disturbing visions while on vacation.
The rest of the limited releases are All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Broadway Idiot, Cassadaga, Ghost Team One, I Will Follow You Into the Dark, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, McConkey, Sweetwater, and Zero Charisma.
As always, trailers and synopses are available below. Enjoy your weekend!
Captain Phillips is a multi-layered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. It is — through director Paul Greengrass’s distinctive lens — simultaneously a pulse-pounding thriller, and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. Phillips and Muse are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips’ unarmed ship; in the ensuing standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.
Machete Kills is an action-packed thrill ride about the adventures of legendary secret agent Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo). In his latest mission, Machete is recruited by the U.S. President (Carlos Estevez) to stop a crazed global terrorist (Mel Gibson) from starting a nuclear war. With a bounty on his head, Machete faces death at every turn from an all-star cast of deadly assassins. Breaking all the rules, visionary director Robert Rodriguez leads this star-studded ensemble on one of the wildest adventures to save the world ever captured on film!
William Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love and tragedy gets a 21st century makeover in this update starring Douglas Booth as Romeo, and Hailee Steinfeld as Juliet. Directed by Carlo Carlei (The Flight of the Innocent) and adapted by Julian Fellowes, Romeo & Juliet finds the innocent young lovers caught up in a bitter feud between their warring families, the Montagues and Capulets. Determined not to let the sins of their families’ turbulent pasts stand in the path of true love, Romeo and Juliet run away to wed in secrecy. Alas, happiness was not to come, for in time the flames of their youthful passion will consume them both. Paul Giamatti, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Stellan Skarsgard co-star.
In this classic teen horror film, a group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane (Amber Heard), a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch managed by the sexy ranch-hand Garth (Anson Mount). While the festivities rage on, an uninvited guest crashes the party with deadly repurcussions.
Broadway Idiot follows Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong from a punk rock concert at Madison Square Garden to the opening of his musical American Idiot on Broadway – only ten blocks away, but worlds apart.
From behind the curtain share in the crazy journey of turning the mega-hit album into a punk rock musical – and ultimately see how the world of theater transformed Billie Joe.
Melding elements of torture, demonic spirituality, and grindhouse depravity, this breakout from the filmmakers behind THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN and DREAD is hailed as one of the most disturbing and inventive genre films on the rise to cult infamy. Devastated by the sudden death of her younger sister, Lily Morel (Kelen Coleman of TV’s THE MINDY PROJECT) seeks solace at the spiritualist community of Cassadaga. Instead of closure, she unwittingly resurrects the vengeful ghost of a violently murdered young woman. Forced by the spirit, Lily must confront the sick, depraved world of a sadistic serial killer known only as “Geppetto,” a psychopath who inflicts an unthinkable form of torture on his female victims. This Screamfest midnight favorite costars Oscar®-winner Louise Fletcher (TV’s SHAMLESS) and Kevin Alejandro (TV’s TRUE BLOOD).
CBGB follows the story of Hilly Kristal’s New York club from its conceit as a venue for Country, Bluegrass and Blues (CBGB) to what it ultimately became: the birthplace of underground rock ‘n roll and punk. When Kristal had difficulty booking country bands in his club on the Bowery he opened his doors to other kinds of rock music. Kristal had one demand of the acts he booked; they could only play original music. No top 40′s, no covers. It was the credo he lived by, support the artist at whatever the cost. Hilly Kristal ironically became known as the godfather of punk giving a chance to such bands as Blondie, Television, Ramones, Talking Heads, Dead Boys and The Police.
Content husband and father Jim (Roy Abramsohn) learns that he has lost his job during a family vacation to a popular theme park, and grows increasingly obsessed with two vivacious teenage girls, clandestinely following them around the park while experiencing an acute break from reality, and keeping his newly unemployed status a carefully guarded secret from his unsuspecting family. Surreptitiously shot at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, this surreal, monochromatic psychological drama made its official world premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival before receiving an official stateside release courtesy of Producers Distribution Agency.
HORNY GHOSTS DON’T STAND A CHANCE!
When roommates Brad and Sergio accidentally arouse the dead, they team up with sexy amateur ghost hunter, Fernanda, to expose the evil inside their home. But just as the guys start to get close to their hot new partner, they discover that a horny demon wants in on the action. Now, cameras are up and more than fear is rising in this outrageous romp – Ain’t It Cool News calls it “…genuinely hilarious…” – where only one thing is certain: someone is gonna get screwed.
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Sophia Monet is lost and apathetic after the recent death of her parents. She finds herself reeling in a state of cynicism and fear of the unknown until she meets the refreshingly charismatic Adam. He begins to ignite in Sophia a sense of purpose, giving meaning to her once empty life. Late one night, Sophia awakens to find Adam missing, the bed spattered with blood. Along with Adam’s roommate Astrid, and a couple friends, Sophia frantically searches the labyrinth of Adam’s dilapidated apartment high-rise building to find him. Sophia and the group soon find themselves up against unseen paranormal forces that will stop at nothing to keep Adam from being found. Sophia must confront her personal demons and take an extraordinary leap of faith in order to bring him back.
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete
From Codeblack Films and Lionsgate. During a sweltering summer in New York City, 13-year-old Mister’s (Brooks) hard-living mother (Hudson) is apprehended by the police, leaving the boy and nine-year-old Pete (Dizon) alone to forage for food while dodging child protective services and the destructive scenarios of the Brooklyn projects. Faced with more than any child can be expected to bear, the resourceful Mister nevertheless feels he is an unstoppable force against seemingly unmovable obstacles. But what really keeps the pair in the survival game is much more Mister’s vulnerability than his larger-than-life attitude.
THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE is a beautifully observed and tremendously moving film about salvation through friendship and the way transformation sometimes can happen just by holding on long enough. Director George Tillman, Jr. draws indelible performances from a fantastic cast, which includes Jordin Sparks, Golden Globe®” and EMMY®” Award winner Jeffrey Wright, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Mackie, and Golden Globe®” and Academy Award®” winner Jennifer Hudson, all led by Ethan Dizon and Skylan Brooks in a stunning breakout performance as Mister. The film also features new music by Alicia Keys. Codeblack Films and Lionsgate present an iDeal Partners / State Street production in association with Floren Shieh Productions / Archer Gray Productions / Cherry Sky Films / AKW Productions.
“McConkey,” a feature-length documentary to be released in 2013, is a heartfelt examination of the legacy one athlete left to the progression of his sports, and the path he paved to conquer his dreams. Shane McConkey is revered as a pioneer of freeskiing and ski-BASE jumping, and through his talent and ability to use his trademark irreverent humor to inspire countless lives. In a new film from Red Bull Media House in association with Matchstick Productions, “McConkey” celebrates the life of one of the world’s ultimate innovators.
In the late 1800’s, a beautiful former prostitute (January Jones) is trying to build an honest life with her husband in the rugged plains of New Mexico. When she catches the eye of a sadistic and powerful religious leader (Jason Isaacs), her life is violently turned upside down. She embarks on a bloody course of vengeance with the assistance of a renegade sheriff (Ed Harris) who has pretty violent tendencies of his own.
As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother’s kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip — along with everything else in his life — when neo-nerd hipster Miles (Garrett Graham) joins the game, winning over the group with his confident charm and dethroning Scott with an unexpected coup. Caught in delusions of grandeur, Scott must roll the dice and risk everything to expose Miles as the fraud he believes him to be. A darkly comedic fable of epic proportions, Zero Charisma is an ode to nerds from every realm.
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