October Film Releases

October’s Film Releases include: Driving Aphrodite, Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee, Goodbye Solo, Love Happens, Up, The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, Pontypool, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, 9, An Education

Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee:
Released 9 October

From the visionary director of This Is England, Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee is an improvised music mockumentary shot entirely over a packed five day period.

Paddy Considine plays the titular Le Donk. A self-confessed rock roadie and possible failed musician (though he’d never admit it), Donk lives in Nottingham with his lodgers. And without even really knowing what he’s got, Donk has happened upon a raw talent in his tenant Scor-zay-zee (playing himself).

A gifted rapper, Scor-zay-zee dreams of becoming a celebrated musician, and his relationship with Donk appears to be a perfect match. Donk is determined to make Scor (and himself) a star. So they’re off to a music festival, where Donk hopes to shoulder his way into the line-up.

But before that, Donk heads off to visit his ex-girlfriend Olivia (Olivia Colman), who is nine months pregnant with his child and fit to pop. But when he gets there, Olivia tells Donk that she doesn’t want him at the birth – she wants her new partner Richard to be there.

Upset, Donk sets out on the road with Scor. Shadowed by director Shane Meadows, the stress of the endeavour frequently threatens to completely destabilise Donk, who throws a series of diva fits that would do even Diana Ross proud. But can he secure a slot for Scor at the gig? Well, with a helping hand from the Arctic Monkeys (here appearing as themselves, and not in on the prank), he just might succeed.

Best known for powerful, gritty awards magnets This Is England and Somers Town, director Shane Meadows gets back to basics for this guffaw-generating, bare bones mockumentary. Shot on a microscopic budget of just £50,000 (in the US that wouldn’t even cover the hem of a leading lady’s skirt), Meadows has called Le Donk one of the most liberating and enjoyable experiences of his career. And it shows.

Shooting off-the-cuff, allowing his actors room to improvise wildly, Meadows’ film remains shockingly coherent despite its guerrilla aesthetics, and is beautifully put-together.

As Donk, Considine is fantastic – often vacuous, massively dislikeable but also innately endearing, this is a defining performance from the often dramatic actor, who finally gets to show off his comedy capabilities. He is also ably supported by both newcomer Scor-zay-zee, a total diamond in the rough, and comedy stalwart Olivia Colman. Feel-good without ever being over-sentimental, this is what British film is all about.

Goodbye Solo:
Released 9 October

A complex, moving ode to the power of classic filmmaking, Goodbye Solo has garnered fantastic word-of-mouth buzz as the one to keep an eye on come awards season.

Souléymane, known mostly as Solo (Souléymane Sy Savané), is a Senegalese taxi driver working in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is booked in for a job in two weeks’ time to drive reserved 70-year-old William (Red West) to Blowing Rock, the summit of a formidable mountain that is the thing of myth.

But when Solo discovers that William intends commit suicide at Blowing Rock, he attempts to befriend the diffident pensioner before it’s too late. Inviting William along on the taxi jobs that he undertakes, William and Solo meet drug pushers, flirt with barmaids, and play pool together.

William even meets and bonds instantly with Solo’s pregnant Mexican wife Quiera (Carmen Leyva) and his 9-year-old stepdaughter Alex (Diana Franco Galindo). Determined to derail William’s extreme plans, Solo moves into William’s hotel room and pleads with him to stay.

Despite William’s occasional standoffishness, Solo manages to convince the older man to be his study partner for his flight attendant test – a dream of his to help provide a better life for his family.

But William keeps a secret from his past to himself, then closes his bank account and gives away the last of his possessions. A devastated Solo realises that William has not changed his mind and, when he confronts him, is thrown from their hotel room.

Desperate to be there for his friend, Solo comes to the conclusion that, to be a true friend to William, he must support him in his plan. So, on the day he was booked to drive William to Blowing Rock, Solo picks William up and takes him up the mountainside…

Possessed of a poetic majesty, Goodbye Solo is director Ramin Bahrani’s first filmic foray outside of New York. But he brings the same humane, emotionally affecting brilliance to his native North Carolina, where he grew up. Drawing magnetic performances from his leads, Bahrani’s film is uplifting and profound, and both Savané and West portray thoroughly lived-in characters.

Unapologetically indie in spirit, Goodbye Solo is a wholly American film that has the artistic aesthetic of something created in Europe. Refusing to get bogged down in melodrama and histrionics, Bahrani’s film is both meticulously researched and artistically breathtaking. An expertly realised story of life and death, its voice resonates long after the credits have rolled.

Love Happens:
Released 9 October

In this vivacious romantic comedy, Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) plays Dr Burke Ryan, a self-help author who travels to Seattle to chair a packed seminar. There, he unexpectedly happens upon someone who might just be able to help him with his own complicated issues.

Burke is on the verge of a massive multimedia deal that could prove vital to his career trajectory. As a therapist, he is the tops, and often demands that his patients tackle the source of their pain head on. But, secretly, Burke is unable to do the same himself. His wife died three years ago, and his self-help book, ‘A-Okay!’, was written during the beginning of his grieving process. He never intended anybody to read it, but now he is making a living helping others with their pain, while completely evading his own.

Across town, Eloise Chandler (Jennifer Anison) admits freely that her life has been an “experiment in really bad decisions”. To that end, she has had a man spring clean, and holds no interest in meeting anybody ever again. Instead, she has decided to focus all of her energies on her floral business.

But fate comes knocking when Eloise is sent to deliver flowers to the hotel where Burke is holding his self-help seminar. Bumping into him after the talk, sparks ignite between the pair immediately.

“I’ve never dated somebody who has a cardboard cut-out of themselves,” Eloise deadpans on their first date. Unable to deny their mutual attraction, Burke and Eloise wrestle with their emotions – not least because Burke is only in town for 72 hours. They’ve both loved and lost, but can meeting the right person at the exact wrong time really lead to a healthy union? Realising that in order to lay the past to rest they must move forward, Burke and Eloise discover that, sometimes, love just happens.

Writer/director Brandon Camp makes his feature debut with Love Happens. Admitting that it is a very personal tale, Camp made his first tentative steps toward creating the film when he lost his mother. Along with writing partner Mike Thompson, he decided to create a film that dealt with themes of grief and acceptance in a way that Hollywood rarely touches.

Rom com queen Jennifer Aniston brings her own signature blend of heart and humour to proceedings, while her chemistry with Eckhart is undeniable. Plumbing more interesting – and therefore, dangerous – depths than the usual chick flick fodder, Love Happens is a distinctive comedy that cleverly mixes romance and true feeling.

Up:
Released 9 October

The opening 15 minutes of Pixar’s latest CGI masterpiece will have you blubbing buckets, we guarantee it. Speeding through the long life of 78-year-old pensioner Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Edward Asner), and rivalling the wordlessness of Wall-E’s first 20 minutes, it packs in all the love and loss that you might expect, and is utterly heartbreaking.

That’s not to say that Up is Pixar’s first weepie; it’s also overflowing with whimsy and joy. A comedy adventure that is equal in scale to anything that the CGI wizards at Pixar have created thus far, Up is the story of the aforementioned Carl.

Lonely and miserable after the death of his wife, Carl is resigned to his fate. But then, on an impulse, he decides to break free from his nostalgia and fulfil his lifelong dream of going on a grand adventure. Utilising his knowledge as an ex-balloon salesman, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America.

However, unbeknownst to him, young Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai) is stowed away on the flying house. An 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer, Russell is enthusiastic and full of life – but he’s never actually left the city before. Armed with camping gear and wilderness books, Russell finally has the chance to put everything into practice.

As the least likely duo on Earth, Carl and Russell encounter talking dogs, a mammoth rainbow-feathered bird called Kevin, and a crackpot adventurer who is none too pleased at the adventurous duo’s sudden appearance.

Presented in Disney Digital 3-D in select cinemas, Up blows all expectations out of the water. Moving between gently explored drama and mind-boggling fantasy, it’s a tale that boasts all the action-packed fun of The Incredibles, along with the heart and laughs of Finding Nemo.

Once again, Pixar have proved that they are kings of modern, animated storytelling. Strike that, they are fantastic storytellers no matter what the medium – animated or otherwise. Pitching a perfect balance between plot, pathos, drama, action and wit, Up’s invention is limitless. Its characters are as beautifully written as the animated landscapes are meticulously detailed – this is an absolute feast for the eyes.

Adults will savour the numerous clever cinematic in-jokes (with nods to About Schmidt and The Wizard of Oz among many others), while kids of all ages will get lost in the magical imagery and wondrous imagination. There won’t be a dry eye in the house.

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus:
Released 16 October

Infused with striking landscapes and dazzling imagery, not to mention a plot that dabbles in some interesting philosophical ideas, the latest filmic flight of fancy from director Terry Gilliam is also Heath Ledger’s final film before his tragic death.

Long ago, Dr Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick (Tom Waits). Gifted with the ability to guide and magnify other peoples’ imaginations, Parnassus won the wager, and attained the blessing of immortality. Then, centuries later, Parnassus met his true love and made another deal with the devil – in return for renewed youth, he promised that his first-born child would become the property of Mr Nick on his or her 16th birthday.

Now travelling the country and offering audience members the opportunity to vividly explore their imaginations, Parnassus’ beautiful daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) is rapidly approaching her coming of age. Desperate to protect her, Parnassus is confronted by Mr Nick, but attempts to renegotiate the wager.

In return for his daughter’s freedom, Parnassus must seduce five souls using his magical looking glass, and hope that they choose light and joy over Mr Nick’s darkness and gloom.

Meanwhile, the travelling entourage – which includes Percy (Verne Troyer), and Anton (Andrew Garfield), who is in love with Valentina – discover a troubled man named Tony (Heath Ledger). Saving him from certain death, the group learn that Tony has no memory, and hence no idea who he is. As he and Valentina grow closer, much to the heart ache of Anton, Tony becomes integral in saving Parnassus’ struggling tour coach – and could prove vital in keeping Valentina from the evil clutches of Mr Nick.

Revelling in the ridiculous, The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus is another Gilliam film that offers up a feast of wild visuals and quirky characters. Presenting a multicoloured world that you feel you can almost reach out and touch, Gilliam pulls out all the stops in creating Parnassus’ looking glass super-reality.

However, the part of Tony put Gilliam in a torturous position – all of Tony’s ‘real world’ scenes had been completed by Heath Ledger before his death. But the scenes when Tony passes through Parnassus’ mirror had yet to be shot. In a master stroke, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell were drafted in to play different aspects of Tony’s personality when he is in Parnassus’ super-reality.

It’s a conceit that mostly works, with Depp clearly the best fit for Gilliam’s kooky, tongue-in-cheek world. Meanwhile, Lily Cole is fantastic, an elfin beauty who more than holds her own against Christopher Plummer in some powerfully emotional scenes. And you can’t fault the film’s ambition, with some truly memorable cinematography that really packs a punch.

Driving Aphrodite:
Released 2 October

Nia Vardalos’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding was the surprise hit of 2002, taking a whopping $240 million at the US box office, gaining an Oscar nomination, and making a star out of Vardalos all in one fell swoop. Now, after a bit of a break, Vardalos is back with a new gag-filled romantic comedy guaranteed to have you laughing ‘til it hurts.

Set amongst the ruined vestiges of ancient Greece, Driving Aphrodite is the story of Georgia (Vardalos), a Greek American tour guide whose life is on a fast-track to nowhere. Having been fired from her job as a professor at a local university, Georgia is now deeply disillusioned, fearing she has lost her ‘kefi’, or spirit.

The constant stream of misfit tourists doesn’t help matters – they are all culture vultures who would rather buy a Grecian t-shirt than learn anything of true value about the country’s heritage. No matter how many times she attempts to educate her charges with romantic tales of ancient times, Georgia always seems to come up short.

But then luck comes in the form of the introverted Poupi (Alexis Georgoulis), who is installed at the last minute as the new bus driver on Georgia’s tour. Despite her initial misgivings, Georgia is about to discover that Poupi’s appearance has come just in the nick of time.

Meanwhile, blessed with a livelier gaggle of tourists than is the norm, Georgia strikes a spark with wisecracking widower Irv (Richard Dreyfuss), who is travelling alone, and whose jovial spirit has gotten him through even the death of his wife.

In between road trip face-offs with rival tour guide Nico (Alistair McGowan), Georgia realises that true love might just be right in front of her – if she could only recall her kefi and open herself up to the possibilities of life.

A lightweight comedy as laugh-out-loud funny as it is endearing, Driving Aphrodite is a fitting follow-up to Greek Wedding for Vardalos. As a woman desperate to love, but caught up in the overblown romanticism of myth and legend, Vardalos exudes that familiar confused Greek girl-next-door likeability. She’s an absolute hoot, and it’s great to have her back on the big screen.

Meanwhile, Richard Dreyfuss (most famous for his part in classic chiller Jaws) proves his comedy timing and emotional heft are impeccable in a role that is the film’s most affecting.

So, even if at times the film does resort to a few pratfalls and sight gags for its laughs, Driving Aphrodite is largely frothy, inoffensive fluff that makes for a great night’s entertainment. Welcome back Vardalos.

Pontypool:
Released 16 October

Based on the novel ‘Pontypool Changes Everything’ by Tony Burgess, who also wrote the screenplay for this adaptation, Pontypool is a zombie horror flick that guarantees thrills and spills galore as it plays with undead clichés to generate something truly disquieting.

Radio host Grant ‘Shock Jock’ Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) has (not for the first time) been kicked-off the airwaves and now works at the only job he could get – hosting the early morning show at CLSY Radio in Pontypool Ontario, which broadcasts from the basement of the small town’s only church.

Bored of the humdrum reports he is forced to read over the air, Mazzy trades barbs with straight-laced producer Sydney Briar (Lisa Houle), embarks on half-hearted attempts at flirting with gorgeous Afghan-war veteran Laurel Ann Burrows (Georgina Reilly), the station’s back-up engineer, and spends much of his time making light of the decidedly un-salacious news stories that get broadcast across Ontario.

What starts out like any another boring day of cancelled school bus announcements and snow storm weather reports quickly turns more sinister as reports of people having bizarre seizures, developing strange speech patterns and evoking horrendous acts of violence start tumbling in.

Before long, Grant and the CLSY staff find themselves trapped in the radio station as they discover that this insane behaviour in the town is actually a deadly virus being proliferated through verbalisations of the English language itself. But do they stay on the air in the hopes of being rescued, or are they in fact providing the virus with its ultimate leap over the airwaves and into the world?

A brilliantly cerebral chiller, Pontypool is the very definition of a classic. Busting free of genre restrictions, it is simultaneously a nerve-blasting zombie siege flick – quite enough to induce the odd nightmare by itself – and a clever little exploration into the nature of language.

Gorehounds be warned, though, this isn’t as horrifically graphic as other entries into the zombie genre (head on over to Dawn of the Dead for that). Claustrophobic and dark, and happy to evoke an effectively spooky atmosphere instead, Pontypool milks its church basement setting for all that it’s worth as the slaughter rages beyond its walls.

A wildly entertaining combination of horror and satire, Pontypool shrugs off its minimal budget in order to deliver something truly rare in this day and age – an adult horror film with true bite.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard:
Released 23 October

‘100% honesty, 20% of the time’ boasts the tagline for this uproarious comedy, which pretty much tells you what you’re letting yourself in for from the outset.

Don Ready (Jeremy Piven) loves cars. More than that, he loves selling them; and he’s damn good at it. A booze-guzzling lothario with a smart tongue and buckets of charm, Don has yet to put down roots, and hires himself out to struggling auto shops to sell their goods.

Traveling with his colleagues, retired athlete Jibby (Ving Rhames), number wizard Brent (David Koechner), and the sexually aggressive Babs (Kathryn Hahn), Don guarantees a blow-out sale wherever he goes. Which is great news for Ben Selleck (James Brolin), whose family owned lot is under threat of liquidation after its lacklustre sales.

Sadly, Don’s been off his game after an accident in Albuqurque that shook his world. Still, when Selleck calls for help, Don and his car-loving comrades head to Selleck’s lot for a four-day sellathon.

Jazzing up Selleck Motors with an inflatable gorilla and free hot dogs, the first day of sales goes down a storm. But then the owner of Selleck’s biggest rival motor company, Paxton Harding (Ed Helms), makes Selleck an offer he can’t refuse. He wants to buy out Selleck Motors, and Ben and his family can enjoy an easy retirement.

Outraged, Don ups the stakes: if he doesn’t sell all 211 cars on the lot by the last day of the sale, the dealership will go to Harding, and Don will never attempt to sell another car for the rest of his life.

Produced by Adam McKay and the inimitable Will Ferrell (who brought us Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights), The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard is a motormouth, rip-roaring comedy. Skipping en vogue gross-out humour in favour of character-driven gags, The Goods’ clutch of colourful salesmen are equal parts filthy and shamefully funny.

Pick of the crop is Jeremy Piven, fresh from his success on Entourage, and as razor-tongued as any of his seasoned funnyman co-stars. Equally hilarious is Kathryn Hahn, who uses her sex appeal to get what she wants, but has more guts than all of Selleck’s employees combined.

Best of all, The Goods boasts a brilliant sense of the absurd, dropping its characters into increasingly ridiculous scenarios to hilarious effect. From pop group Big Ups and their ‘N Sync inspired dance routines, to Jibby’s desperation to “finally make love to a woman”, The Goods is the broadest, funniest film out this month.

9:
Released 28 October

The product of three innovative and distinctive filmmakers, 9 is the feature film debut of director Shane Acker, whose Academy Award-nominated 2004 short of the same name caught the eye of Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. Convinced that Acker’s original short would make for a riveting, action-packed full-length film, Burton and Bekmambetov teamed up as producers to help bring Acker’s vision to the big screen.

Starring the voices of Elijah Wood, John C Reilly and Jennifer Connelly, 9 is set in the not-too-distant future. Across the world, machines have turned on mankind and created massive social unrest, all thanks to an invention called the Great Machine.

With much of the human population destroyed, and the world falling to pieces in the face of a devastating mechanical onslaught, a small salvage mission to save civilisation has been stirred into being. A band of small puppet-like creations, all given the spark of life by a scientist during the last gasps of human rule, are still alive and mobile on a post-apocalyptic Earth.

Of this odd ensemble, #9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) takes his place as leader of the resistance. Attempting to help his newly-formed salvage crew to survive despite the circumstances, he rallies domineering war veteran #1 (Christopher Plummer), frail but good-willed inventor #2 (Martin Landau), twin scholars who communicate without talking #3 and #4, engineer #5 (John C Reilly), psychic artist #6 (Crispin Glover), self-sufficient warrior #7 (Jennifer Connelly), and #1’s meat-headed enforcer, #8 (Fred Tatasciore).

Their number is few, so these unusual ‘stitchpunk’ creations must call upon and find their own personal strength to combat the all-consuming might of the machines. Despite their diminutive statures, the troupes face all manner of mechanical abominations, including a marauding mechanical beast. The first impulses of the group may be to run and hide, but #9 convinces them that they must fight for their right to exist.

In a battle to discover why the machines wreaked such destruction in the first place, #9 and his crew struggle to survive in their post-apocalyptic world, and come to realise that they are the only hope left. The future of civilisation rests entirely on their tiny shoulders.

Quirky and filled with action, 9 is a sumptuous sci-fi treat. Using CGI animation, director Acker expands on his original short with riveting results, expanding his world and creating something that is visually rich and arresting.

An Education:
Released 30 October

Four years after his last project – 2005’s Drew Barrymore comedy The Perfect Catch – screenwriter and author Nick Hornby returns with this affectionate coming-of-age drama set in the early 1960s.

Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is a bright, spirited, but bored 16-year-old on the cusp of adulthood. Obsessively drawn to anything French, she hums the tunes of Juliette Greco, imagining that her life is more exciting than the Twickenham existence in which she dwells.

Applying herself diligently to her studies, the young teen is nevertheless failing Latin, much to the chagrin of her father Jack (Alfred Molina) and her mother Marjorie (Cara Seymour). Determined that their daughter will make it through the lofty doors of Oxford University, Jenny’s parents press her to try harder, or risk her entire future.

Then, on the way home from school, Jenny meets a charming older man named David (Peter Sarsgaard). Dazzled by his wit, the pair share a passion for music, and become instant friends. A consummate gentleman, David offers Jenny a tantalising glimpse of an adult world just outside of her delicate grasp.

Equally as seductive are David’s friends – the demure Danny (Dominic Cooper) and his bubbly but dim girlfriend Helen (Rosamund Pike). Whisking Jenny off to auctions and music clubs, the quartet enjoy fine wine, beautiful art and the pleasures of living vicariously.

But when David takes Jenny to Paris for her 17th birthday, things become more serious. Establishing himself as her boyfriend, David charms Jenny’s parents and becomes an important part of the entire family’s life. Tempted by the promises of a life away from Oxford, could Jenny give up everything that she’s ever worked for in the face of love?

Directed by award-winning Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig, An Education evokes its 60s setting with effortless charm. Based on the true story of journalist Lynn Barber – and adapted from her tell-tale article of the same name – it taps into the post-War struggles that many were still enduring, while also finding the humour in the details.

In Carey Mulligan, a new British star is born. As Jenny, she is endearingly frustrated by her boxed-in life, hits all the right emotional notes and utterly convinces as a bright spark certain there must be a better way to live her life.

Meanwhile, Rosamund Pike is effortlessly hilarious as a flighty, ethereal blonde beauty, while Dominic Cooper of Mamma Mia! flexes his drama chops in a role that couldn’t be any different from his part in Meryl Streep’s uber-musical. A timeless classic.

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