Fall Movie Rundown

With this post I hope to address some of the myths regarding socialized medicine. Not interested? Fine I'll talk about upcoming movies. But don't even act like I couldn't breakdown socialized medicine because I totally could in about 3 and a half paragraphs. Without further adieu, let's talk us some cinema!

October 12: Michael Clayton

Because I'm movie snob by nature, I like smart movies. Zodiac, Memento, The Usual Suspects, and Syriana are some of my favorites. This is why I'm excited about Michael Clayton. Most accounts bill it as a cleverly-written and suspenseful drama. George Clooney is about as good of a leading man as a movie can have. He's damn fun to watch. Skimming over the Rottentomatoes reviews I noticed some guy named David Denby said Clooney has never had better lines. Though that is a cool, movie-reviewer thing to say, I would be lying if I said it didn't excite me.

October 19: 30 Days of Night, Gone Baby Gone

First, let's get to 30 Days of Night. I'll be honest the first reason I checked this movie out was because the use a Muse song in the trailer (Apocalypse Please). If the Nancy Drew movie had a Muse song on the soundtrack I would have easily rented it, maybe twice. Secondly, it's a vampire movie, but you don't have the morning to save you. Vampires are badass. It's the scary movie month. Josh Hartnett is a sheriff. In Alaska. Vampires frolicking in snow. Blood shows up good in snow. There are jump, or as some people will call "cheap" scares (those people are just chickens). It's based on a graphic novel, something that translates to movies very well (V for Vendetta, Sin City, the 300, etc.) The only thing missing is Kate Beckinsale as a vampire in leather.

Secondly, Gone Baby Gone. I don't know if this movie will be released here in Fargo, but I hope to god it does. This movie feels a lot like the Departed to me. Both are, after all set in Boston. The movie has already got some early reviews in, and it looks like it will turn out to be an award contender. Casey Affleck, whose brother Ben is directing, is one of the most underrated actors working today, and this will definitely earn him some recognition. Voice of god Morgan Freeman is also in the movie.

October 26: Saw IV; Run, Fatboy, Run

Everyone that steps foot into a Saw movie knows exactly what to expect. They are fairly formulaic in plot and pacing. That doesn't mean they aren't damn entertaining. Saw IV will probably be as good as the other three, as they do seem to be fairly consistent. They aren't the scariest movies ever, as suspense is usually sacrificed for gore. I just hope they can keep coming up with twist endings, I guessed the one in the third and was disappointed as a result. Here's to a bowel-evacuating twist in Saw IV.

Run, Fatboy, Run is Simon Pegg's first movie since the absolute genius that was is Hot Fuzz. I don't expect this to be as good, since Edgar Wright and Nick Frost aren't involved, but Simon Pegg is top 5 if not number 1 as far as comedic actors are concerned. This movie serves as a warm-up to his next, probably biggest hit stateside in How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. Simon Pegg can do pretty much anything and I'll laugh so I'm definitely looking forward to this.

Before year's end, we also have American Gangster, I Am Legend, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and Judd Apatow's next project Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. This years big movies have pretty much all been released, but as you can see there still are some good'uns coming soon.