Popcorn Pick- October 2011

Fall is here in full swing. We know this not only from the changing weather outside, but from the changing movies inside. As usual, we have a mixed bag of action movies, remakes, and scary movies. Even the first Oscar bait films are trickling in. And as usual, there's something for everyone, so let's jump right in to this month.

Friday, October 7th
Real Steel

My personal Pick for this week would be the George Clooney film The Ides of March, which looks like a more political (and a more forward-moving) version of Michael Clayton. But alas, who cares about the gray-haired wonder when there's a movie about fighting robots opening the same day?

Real Steel is a combination of Transformers and a Rocky-wannabe. Hugh Jackman plays a former boxer in a future where human boxing is dead and replaced by a sport with robots beating the crap out of one another. He is down on his luck and, with the help of a plucky little kid, is given One Last Chance with an underdog robot. Why bother putting an action star like Jackman in an action film where he is literally on the sidelines? Co-stars Lost's Evangeline Lilly.

Friday, October 14th

Footloose

Everybody cut, everybody cut!
I'm sure more than a few readers will cry foul at my addition of this film, a remake of the classic 1984 musical. But pure curiosity drives me, and the hope that this version will have a kickass soundtrack. Newcomer Kenny Wormald takes over the Kevin Bacon role, as a new kid coming to a country town which has outlawed dancing (talk about your unnecessary laws), and tries to change things. Blake Shelton sings the cover of the title song.

Friday, October 21st
Paranormal Activity 3

The sequel to the smash hit original (and the less successful second film) is actually a prequel. Rewind to 1988, when the sisters are only little kids, and the demon is making its first appearance in their lives. While this film has received a much bigger budget than the original, it still looks like it was made super-cheap, and follows the same found-footage theme. May not measure up to the original (a truly creepy film), but I'm sure it's better than Apollo 18.

Friday, October 28th
In Time

Justin Timberlake as an action hero? Hey, it could happen.

After showing his dramatic acting chops in The Social Network, Timberlake turns to action/sci-fi for In Time. The trippy plot is pulled straight from a Phillip K. Dick novel: in the distant future, people only age 25 years. After that, they must acquire time like they would money. If they run out of time, they just drop dead. The implications for this future world: everyone is young and beautiful; everyone knows exactly when they're going to die; and the rich can literally live forever. Cue Timberlake, who is given the gift of time by a rich man longing to die. But when he is framed for murder, his extra time is meaningless and he must go on the run.

Intrigued or confused? I'm a little bit of both, making this movie a must-see of the month.
Co-stars Amanda Seyfried, Inception's Cillian Murphy, and Olivia Wilde.
Also, the trailer they played in theaters was confusing. Try this version: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1881381913/

Well, those are my Picks. There are plenty of other moving playing this month worth watching, so I'll keep you up to date on all of them.