November 2014: Movies This Month

Posted on November 1, 2014 at 8:00 am

It’s going to be a great month at the movies! November is traditionally the time when we start to see the big awards hopefuls. Next Friday, two of the most anticipated films of the year open: Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar,” with Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway as explorers seeking a new planet for humans who can no longer live on a desolate, broken Earth, and Disney’s “Big Hero 6,” based on the Marvel comic about a lovable robot and the equally lovable nerds who work with him to save the day.

And then:

November 14:

“Beyond the Lights” — a romantic drama about a fragile pop star (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), her ambitious mother (Minnie Driver), and the handsome, true-hearted cop who rescues her (Nate Parker).

“The Theory of Everything” — the most brilliant scientist of our time, Stephen Hawking, is confined to a wheelchair and speaks through a computer, because he has ALS. This is the story of his days in school, falling in love, early work, and learning of his illness. It stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones.

“Rosewater” — John Stewart wrote and directed this story of a journalist named Maziar Bahari (Gael Garcia Bernal) who was jailed for his reporting.

November 21:

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1” Jennifer Lawrence is back in the next-to-last of the series.

“Foxcatcher” In this fact-based story from the writer and director of “Capote,” Steve Carell is almost unrecognizable as the unstable heir to the Dupont fortune who sponsored Olympic wrestling team hopefuls — and murdered one of them. Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum co-star as the real life Schultz brothers, both gold medal winners.

November 26:

“Penguins of Madagascar” puts the most popular characters from the “Madagascar” series in the middle of the action for a spy story co-starring John Malkovich and Benedict Cumberbatch.

“Horrible Bosses 2” Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day are back (and so are Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston) for another wild comedy, this time co-starring Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine.

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October 2014: Movies This Month

Posted on October 1, 2014 at 3:42 pm

Happy October! This month is when we start to get the big, award-hopeful fall releases. Some of the highlights of what’s ahead this month include:

October 3: “Gone Girl,” with Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and Tyler Perry in the sizzling story of a beautiful missing wife that takes some nasty twists, based on the blockbuster best-seller by Gillian Flynn.

“Left Behind” stars Nicolas Cage as a pilot in a second film based on the post-rapture series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

October 10: “The Judge” is a courtroom drama starring Robert Duvall and Robert Downey, Jr. as estranged father and son, one a judge, the other a slick criminal defense lawyer. When the judge is accused of murder, his son becomes his lawyer.

“Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” is based on the classic book by Judith Viorst. But in this version, everyone in the family has a you-know-what kind of day, including the parents (Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner).

“Kill the Messenger” stars Jeremy Renner in the true story of Gary Webb, the courageous and dedicated reporter who uncovered the complicity of the CIA in bringing drugs to the US in exchange for money to support the Contras in Nicaragua.

October 17: “The Book of Life” is a dazzling animated film featuring the voices of Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Christina Applegate, and the musical group Us the Duo.

Nicolas Sparks’ The Best of Me is a “Notebook”-style story about long-parted lovers coming back together, starring Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden.

“Fury” stars Brad Pitt in story set near the end of WWII, when exhausted soldiers and a young newcomer must take the war into the heart of enemy territory.

“Dear White People” is a provocative and very funny satire about race relations in an Ivy League college.

“Whiplash” is a festival favorite with outstanding performances by Miles Teller as a young drummer and J.K. Simmons as his harsh and demanding teacher.

October 24: “St. Vincent” stars Melissa McCarthy as a stressed-out single mother and Bill Murray as the irresponsible neighbor she hires to care for her son.

“Laggies” is about a slacker (Kiera Knightly) who moves in with a single father (Sam Rockwell) and his daughter (Chloë Grace Moretz).

“23 Blast” is based on the true story of a football player who loses his sight.

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Opening This Month