“The Killing of a Sacred Deer”
Cast: Colin Farrell , Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan
Synopsis: Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.
What You Need to Know: Following the long, drawn-out success of his warped, dystopian love story “The Lobster“, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” made similar waves when it premiered at this year’s Cannes where Yorgos Lanthimos won the award for Best Screenplay. While the praise wasn’t quite as rapturous, there’s no denying the unsettling spell Lanthimos casts on his audience. A remarkable showcase for both Nicole Kidman and the returning Colin Farrell, who are both have something of a career resurgence these past few years, every aspect of this film is filled with quality craftsmanship . Our critic said it’s “a film of clean hands, cold heart, and near-Satanic horror, it was garlanded with boos at its Cannes press screening and it is absolutely fucking brilliant”.
Release Date: October 20th
“Suburbicon”
Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Oscar Isaac
Synopsis: A home invasion rattles a quiet family town.
What You Need to Know: Following the success of “Good Night and Good Luck,” George Clooney has struggled to recapture that same old school, easy confidence with tepid and forgettable features such as “The Ides of March” and “The Monuments Men”. Unfortunately, the trend continues with “Suburbicon” the only difference being that I wish I could forget everything about it. Written by the Coen Brothers and starring a lot of incredible actors that should know better, with two tonally dissonant plots that slam into one another without any sense of subtlety (one is a murderous tale of blackmail and self-made violence, the other about race relations in middle America), the film is a disaster. There are moments that hint to what might’ve been; with talent on board including Julianne Moore and a gleeful Oscar Isaac, it’s understandable why you might find yourself seated for Clooney’s latest. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Release Date: October 20th
“The Square”
Cast: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West
Synopsis: A poignant satirical drama reflecting our times, about the sense of community, moral courage and the affluent person’s need for egocentricity in an increasingly uncertain world.
What You Need to Know: After having won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ruben Östlund’s satirical drama has continued to light up the circuit. The follow up to Östlund’s positively received “Force Majeure“, he’s proving to be a director who commits fully to challenging his audience with uncomfortable material. Featuring Elizabeth Moss, hot off the heels of her Emmy win, and the immensely watchable Dominic West, the film should be a major player in this year’s Oscar race for Best Foreign Film.
Release Date: October 27th
“Novitiate”
Cast: Margaret Qualley, Dianna Agron, Denis O’Hare
Synopsis: Set in the early 1960s and during the era of Vatican II, a young woman in training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, the changing church and sexuality.
What You Need to Know: Amid a time of year when things begin to become increasingly awards oriented, films such as “Novitiate” become further overlooked and drowned out by the surrounding clamor. Directed by Margaret Betts, the film is her first feature film and has won high praise since it’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival this year and has continued to do so as its played at further festivals. Following a woman discovering her faith as opposed to losing it, it succeeds without being cloying, a rare depiction of a certain kind if coming of age story.
Release Date: October 27th