A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2017 - Episode X

October, the first full month of glorious Fall, should be a month packed tight with horror films to get us into the (ahem), spirit of the season. But this year we’re (perhaps) treated to a grand milkshake of many genres of film; sci-fi, drama, action, some Oscar hopefuls, and yes, a few horror flicks. Here is a preview for the notable releases in the packed month of October.

It all picks up with…

BLADE RUNNER 2049 – Ridley Scott’s 1982 cult-classic finally gets a sequel, only this time it’s being directed by Denis Villeneuve, who brought us the most-excellent SICARIO (2015) and ARRIVAL (2016). Harrison Ford reprises his old role as Deckard, and he is joined by Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto.

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US – Based on the novel of the same name, this romance/disaster/survival movie has Idris Elba (THOR) and Kate Winslet (TITANIC) as the only survivors of a plane crash in the wilderness. It is directed Oscar-nominated director Hany Abu-Assad (PARADISE NOW, OMAR).

THE FLORIDA PROJECT – In this drama, a mother and daughter make the best out of living in a small hotel. Stars Willem Dafoe.

BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 – In a rare dramatic role, Vince Vaughn (WEDDING CRASHERS) plays a boxer turned drug runner turned convict who finds himself in a prison battleground. Co-stars Jennifer Carpenter and Don Johnson. It is directed by S. Craig Zahler, who brought us the cult-hit BONE TOMAHAWK in 2015.

UNA – Rooney Mara (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO), plays a girl who hunts down the man who had an affair with her when she was 13 years old. Ben Mendelsohn (THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES) also stars.

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN – Domhnall Gleeson (THE FORCE AWAKENS) plays writer A.A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh in this biopic. Margot Robbie (SUICIDE SQUAD) co-stars. It is directed by Simon Curtis, who brought us MY WEEK WITH MARILYN in 2011.

BREATH – The directorial debut of Andy Serkis, who has made a career thus far out of motion-capture performance. His first film behind the camera has Andrew Garfield (HACKSAW RIDGE), playing a young man who only has three months to live after becoming paralyzed. It co-stars Claire Foy and Tom Holland (SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING).

PROFESSOR MARSTON & THE WONDER WOMAN – This film follows the life of Dr. William Moulton Marston and the inspirations he found to create the DC Comics legend Wonder Woman. Stars Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall.

GEOSTORM – Gerard Butler (300) plays a satellite designer who tries to save the world from a storm of massive proportions caused by malfunctioning climate-controlling satellites. It is the directorial debut of Dean Devlin, who has acted as a producer on INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996), and the 1998 GODZILLA.

ONLY THE BRAVE – Joseph Kosinski (TRON: LEGACY), directs this true-story drama about the firefighters who battled the 2013 forest fire in Arizona. The packed cast includes Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch, and Jennifer Connelly.

THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER – This psychological horror film has Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman as a couple terrorized by a small boy.

LEATHERFACE – The eighth film in the never-ending TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE series acts as a prequel to the original 1974 version. Stephen Dorff and Lili Taylor star.

JUNGLE – Daniel Radcliffe (HARRY POTTER) leads the way in this Australian survival film.

JIGSAW – Just when we thought it was safe to go back to the movie theatre during October, the SAW franchise returns. This eighth film in the franchise picks up a decade after the death of the famous Jigsaw killer (reprised by Tobin Bell).

SUBURBICON – George Clooney directs this crime comedy which was written by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, and Oscar Isaac.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE – Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, Miles Teller (WHIPLASH), plays an American soldier struggling to adapt back to civilian life.

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of November.