October is here and it’s stacked, so let’s get right to it.
Starting off the month strong is Digger. The story follows the most powerful man in the world who is trying his best to save the planet from a disaster he caused. Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible) looks frankly unrecognizable as the lead (see above) and it’s absolutely thrilling to see him taking on a role where he can utilize his acting chops again. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) and John Goodman (Barton Fink) and looks to be a wild time at the theater. It releases on Oct. 2.
For a sequel I didn’t expect, check out The Social Reckoning. A companion piece to The Social Network (2010) which followed the creation and lawsuit-ridden times of Facebook, this film focuses on the 2021 Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen, played here by Mikey Madison (Anora). Jeremy Strong (Succession) takes over the role of Mark Zuckerberg from Jesse Eisenberg, who did not wish to return, and writer Aaron Sorkin is now directing instead of David Fincher. With some of the original crew switched around or missing, hopefully this can still find its footing when it releases on Oct. 9.
If you’re looking for a musical biographical film, look no further than California Schemin’. Based on the memoir of the same name, the story follows two Scottish born rappers who pretend to be American in order to be taken seriously in the genre. Directed by James McAvoy (Glass), who also stars alongside Samuel Bottomley (How to Have Sex) and Seamus McLean Ross (Rebus), the film has a fun style and aims to tell an interesting story that seems almost impossible to pull off in this day and age. It release on Oct. 16.
For a body horror film, don’t miss Clayface. Based on the character from DC Comics, the film follows rising movie star Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries (The Gentlemen), who volunteers as a test subject to restore his face after he is brutally attacked. The side effects, however, begin to change his entire body into ever-mutating clay. Although Clayface is generally used as a villain for the Batman series, this film does not seem to introduce that character quite yet, but instead adds Clayface into the new DC Universe which currently only contains Superman (2025) and Supergirl (2026). The trailer has some gruesome effects and the body horror is on full display, so hopefully this pans out better than Supergirl did when it releases on Oct. 23.
Lastly, a crime thriller with a unique premise – The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. John Turtutto (The Batman) stars as Harry Lehman, an aging career pickpocket who must race against time as he’s put into a desperate situation. The cast includes Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and looks to be a grounded crime story with a great cast and a wonderful view of New York. It releases on Oct. 23.
