October is quickly approaching, and what doesn’t October do well? From autumn sports to fall foliage to Halloween parties to the fun of going to the theater for some great movies, October does it all! Steven James does it all in terms of multi-media marketing, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a specific need, or if you’d like a no-cost/no-obligation consultation regarding your website, your video, or your social media effectiveness!
The first Friday in October – the 5th – brings a pair of nationwide movie releases. Venom stars the always interesting and often brilliant Tom Hardy in the lead role and co-stars Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams with Woody Harrelson showing up as he always does. Venom is actually one of Marvel’s strange characters that is hard to categorize as good, bad, or indifferent. He’s gone through various changes from villain to anti-hero through redemption arcs that are only found in comic books and the WWF. Marvel characters are immensely popular; but the naysayers on this one will remind you that it’s a Sony production and not Marvel Studios. And the Sony Marvel output over the years may also be described as a mix of good, bad, and indifferent. The other release this week is A Star Is Born. It has a fascinating blend of a cast led by Bradley Cooper, Stefani (Lady Gaga) Germanotta, and Andrew Dice Clay. It tells the story of country music star nearing the downside of his career who discovers a marvelous unknown. It’s actually the fourth remake of this film – the 1937 original, a 1954 offering with Judy Garland, and the huge hit in 1976 with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Lady Gaga is in her first lead in a major feature film, Cooper is making his directorial debut, and Dice Clay is said to knock it out of the park in a scene- stealing role as Gaga’s dad. Dave Chappelle also turns up in the film as Cooper’s oldest friend.October 12th may offer the most interesting films of the month. There is a sequel to the 2015 Goosebumps hit that raked in a cool $157 million. Goosebumps: Haunted Halloween will follow more of the storylines of the beloved literary series. Jack Black is back (insert ‘Back In Black’ reference here), along with Madison Iseman and Ben O’Brian in this spook spoof that should be very entertaining if it reflects its predecessor even modestly. Bad Times At The El Royale hints at being a type of surrealistic surprise hit if its trailer is any indication. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, living legend Jeff Bridges, Cailee Spaeny, Cynthia Ervio, Dakota Johnson, and Jon Hamm. Seven strangers meet on a fateful night, each carrying a dark secret from the past. Apparently, all have a chance at redemption – and if they miss that chance things get really hairy and scary. The third release this week is First Man. It stars one of Hollywood’s A-listers in Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, the first human being to step on the moon on July 20, 1969. Kyle Chandler and Corey Stoll co-star in the story of NASA’s relentless pursuit of reaching the moon. The film follows Armstrong and his fellow astronauts for eight years – from 1961 through the culmination of their efforts.
Three more films will hit coast-to-coast on October 19th, and they present a nice bit of variety. One cannot be a surprise this time of year, but it is kind of like the old superstar coming out for a last hurrah. The original Halloween will go trick-or-treating once more. Yes, Jamie Lee Curtis herself returns in a reprisal of her role as Laurie Strode from the original film from – gulp! – forty years ago! This will be the fifth time Curtis returns as Laurie, although the first in sixteen years. It is being billed as her final confrontation with Michael Myers. We can only hope! The next opening this week is The Hate U Give, a drama adapted from the best-selling novel by Angela Thomas. It tells the story of young woman named Starr Carter who lives in two worlds: her economically stunted neighborhood and her highly privileged prep school. Starr loses her best friend in a violent incident involving the police and becomes the center of social strife. She must cope with this sudden unwanted spotlight while dealing with the grief of her loss at the same time. Amanda Stenberg stars with the always amazing Regina Hall on board. Serenity is the third nationwide release of the week and is billed as a stylized thriller. Matthew McConaughey stars as a fishing boat captain who takes his clients out for relaxing and fun-filled trips. But his ex-wife played by the marvelous Anne Hathaway shows back up in his life with a desperate plea to be rescued from her new husband. Hubby 2.0, portrayed by the great Jason Clarke, is violent and relentless according to Hathaway. She has a solution – a very permanent one – to be rid of him so she will be safe. And if Matthew doesn’t care enough about her anymore, well of course he should do it to protect their young son from the evil stepdad. Sounds straightforward enough…so why does something tells us that all may not be one-hundred percent kosher with her story?!
The final Friday of October has three more movies opening across the country. The first is a thriller adapted from the novel Firing Point by Don Keith and George Wallace. The movie’s title was changed to Hunter Killer, and in it a submarine captain played by Gerard Butler discovers a coup is underway by Russians to topple its president and threaten world stability. Elite Navy SEALS must spring into action to rescue the Russian President – if they survive the secret voyage through enemy waters. The US aiding a Russian president? As they say, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. We shall see! The stellar cast includes the incomparable Billy Bob Thornton and the great Gary Oldman. Next up is Indivisible which tells the true story of Army Chaplain Darren Turner and his bride Heather. Their marriage and faith are sorely tested as Darren is deployed to Iraq for extended duties. Meanwhile, Heather and other spouses and children of the soldiers must carry their own worries and burdens about the fate of their loved ones. The film shows the often ignored emotional strain that war puts on soldiers and the families that support them. Justin Bruening, Sarah Drew, and Jason George star. The month of scares and thrillers ends on a funny note with Johnny English Strikes Again. Rowan Atkinson returns in his role as the bumbling British secret service agent now called out of retirement to thwart a massive cyber-attack that threatens the globe. Apparently James Bond was already booked. Johnny English uses his dim wit and 1970s-era technical acumen to battle the modern tech terrorists. The Duke of Weirdness, Rowan ‘Mr. Bean’ Atkinson, will surely cause some hilarious havoc.Those are the stories coming to the silver screen in October! When it’s time to tell your story, be sure to contact Steven James! Take a look at some of the Steven James client case studies to give you some idea of what we can do for you! Until then, see you at the movies!
