Fall 2014 Flicks: A Movie for Every Mood

By Brigid McCuen on October 21, 2014

When most students list off their favorite things about fall, they normally mention things along the lines of football games, sweater weather, hayrides, and pumpkin spice lattes.  However, many don’t know that autumn marks the beginning of Oscar season, which is when the most award-worthy films get released right before the Academy’s eligibility cut-off.  That being said, if you’re ever tuckered out from the most common fall activities, there’s a film in theaters, or coming to theaters soon, to match your mood.

1. Fury – Drama/War

“I had the best gunner in the entire United Army in S.E. Now I have you.”

Image via cinemapipoca.com

Fury follows the journey of a five-man crew of U.S. soldiers in Germany in 1945 during the last months of the Second World War. The plot begins when a young, inexperienced Army typist, Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman), is carelessly assigned to be the assistant driver of the unit’s Sherman tank as the crew embarks on a mission to infiltrate the heart of Nazi Germany.  Beyond its awesome writing, the film tugs at your heartstrings in ways beyond what most “war movies” do.  Norman’s unwavering, naïve morality in the midst of a brutal war, along with the onscreen paternalistic tendency towards Norman that we see out of the commander, Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt), adds a relatable human element to an otherwise dark film.  This is definitely one of the best movies I’ve seen in awhile and would be my number one recommendation if you’re heading to the theater.

2. Gone Girl – Mystery/Thriller

This man of mine may kill me.”

It’s especially important that I have the genre in the title for this one, because according to my roommate, “if you mistakenly go to Gone Girl expecting a rom-com, you’re in for a rude awakening.”  Despite a little bit of grim humor, this movie is pretty far from a romantic comedy.  It centers on Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a man who’s dealing with a media zoo after the mysterious disappearance of his wife.  For lovers of the book, Gone Girl has been a hit so far, as it follows the novel closely while still leaving them on the edge of their seats.  For those who haven’t read it, the flick is that much more riveting and is still easy to follow.  Gone Girl trusts its audience to be intelligent, making this movie worth the watch!

3. Laggies – Comedy/Romance

“Did you hear the one about the grown woman who started hangin’ out with a bunch of pubescent kids?  No, I’d never heard about it before either.”

Image via huffingtonpost.com

A romantic comedy about a woman’s quarter-life crisis, Laggies is set to hit theaters this Friday.  Keira Knightley plays Megan, a twenty-something who starts incessantly hanging out with a 16-year-old girl named Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her friends after her boyfriend haphazardly proposes to her.  Reviews have praised the film’s witty screenplay, which is enhanced by its deft star-studded cast.  Knightley’s “arrested development” character is relatable, and her chemistry with Annika’s dad Craig (Sam Rockwell) is said to be endearingly believable.  If you’re looking for a droll take on a very human and relatable problem, check out Laggies.

4. The Book of Life – Family/Adventure/Animation

“All the world is made of stories, and all of those stories are right here in the Book of Life.”

I love including highly rated animated films, because they’re normally fun for the whole family in addition to being a lot more than just a showy, gaudy attempt at a good box-office run.  In this respect, The Book of Life definitely does not disappoint.  It follows Manolo (Diego Luna), a man on a journey for true love that takes him to a colorfully fantastical world full of Mexican feasts and Latino-accented characters.  The simple, feel-good story keeps its audience enchanted by flavorful aesthetics and a quick, fun plot.  The movie was produced by Guillermo del Toro, who has been involved with visual masterpieces like Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and Pacific Rim (2013).  Del Toro definitely maintained that vibrant theme with The Book of Life, and it unfolds beautifully in the theater.

5. Citizenfour – Documentary

“For now, know that every border you cross, every purchase you make, every call you dial, every cell phone tower you pass, friend you keep, site you visit, and subject line you type is in the hands of a system whose reach is unlimited but whose safeguards are not.”

Image via fact.co.uk

This is another pick that has not yet been released, but the subject matter is enough to intrigue potential moviegoers.  Citizenfour is a documentary about Edward Snowden and his leaking of U.S. Government intelligence.  Snowden was all over the news back in the summer of 2013 when the information was leaked, but according to reviews, Citizenfour focuses on the actual outed knowledge and doesn’t bask in Snowden’s infamy like the papers did.  In my opinion, this focal point will prove to be a smooth but informative account of a historical event that was widely skewed and lionized by the 2013 media circus.  The documentary will be released in theaters this upcoming Friday.

Clearly, there will be a wide range of movies open in theaters throughout the fall. So, when it gets too cold outside to hop on a hayride or head to the pumpkin patch and you want to do something indoors, there will be a film genre to match your mood!

 

 

 

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