With classes picking up pace, midterms galore and an abundance of campus events this October, going to the movies might be pretty low on your list of priorities. However, be sure to squeeze these gems into your must-watch list.
Digger
For as many movies as Tom Cruise has been in, he’s still an underutilized actor. After being locked into Mission: Impossible for decades, most people think he’s just an action star. But when he gets the rare chance to truly act, such as in “Eyes Wide Shut” or “Magnolia,” it’s always a treat.
“Digger” is one of those delights. Though, it faced divisive reviews upon release on Oct. 2. Directed by Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the mind behind “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” the film is possibly his boldest yet.
Satirizing the climate crisis, politicians and billionaires, “Digger” centers on Digger Rockwell, an obscenely rich oil tycoon played by Cruise. Digger teams up with the U.S. government after his drilling operation in Greenland causes an iceberg to split off on a course toward Europe. Instead of stepping up to save the day (albeit from their own disaster), they aim to control the narrative and keep America’s name out of the mud.
I won’t spoil it, but there is a lot more to the story of “Digger” and an excellent plot twist that elevates the film past what the marketing discloses.
What I can say is that Cruise did one hell of a job. From charismatic quips to lengthy, dramatic monologues, his acting is nothing short of phenomenal.
The rest of the cast, including Riz Ahmed as the conflicted environmental scientist Dr. Ganesh and John Goodman as the U.S. president, also put their all into their roles, perfectly balancing comedic and dramatic moments.
“Digger” straddles a fine line between extremely cynical dark comedy and drama, but it never goes too far one way or the other, creating a story that is both funny and thought-provoking.
The Social Reckoning
You can always count on Facebook to be in hot water. From the company’s tumultuous origins to the 2018 Cambridge Analytica fiasco to this year’s New Mexico lawsuit, the social media giant seems to be in a perpetual state of controversy.
Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Reckoning,” released Oct. 9, brings one such scandal to the big screen. Serving as a companion piece to 2010’s “The Social Network,” also written by Sorkin, the film dramatizes the 2021 Wall Street Journal “Facebook Files.”
The film’s central investigation begins when Facebook employee Frances Haugen, portrayed by Mikey Madison, leaks a mountain of files, revealing the company knowingly fostered harmful platforms. Reporter Jeff Horwitz, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, made the story public, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, portrayed by Jeremy Strong, struggled to deal with the fallout.
So far, “The Social Reckoning” is flopping at the box office, but don’t take that as a negative sign of its quality. I saw the film opening night, and it was well worth my time. The performances are top-notch, and the story stays grounded and lines up with Facebook’s real-life scandals.
This movie isn’t just for tech-savvy audiences. Sorkin’s script does an excellent job of explaining the rather complex social media machinery being scrutinized in Jeff Horwitz’s investigation in a straightforward way.
If you haven’t read the “Facebook Files” or aren’t familiar with the social media company’s shady past, I encourage you to see “The Social Reckoning.” It’s a thought-provoking film that will shed a new light on your doomscrolling.
Other Mommy
If you’ve ever watched “Coraline” and thought it wasn’t scary enough, “Other Mommy,” which hit theaters Oct. 9, is the perfect horror flick for you.
Based on the 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House,” the film follows 8-year-old Bela, played by Arabella Olivia Clark, who is haunted by a supernatural entity that looks just like her mother, Ursula. At first, the creature is tame, and Bela calls it her “Other Mommy.” As it grows increasingly aggressive, Ursula, played by Jessica Chastain, and Bela’s father, played by Jay Duplass, must protect their daughter and stop the entity.
“Other Mommy” had me sold from the first terrifying trailer. The movie is shrouded in mystery, given that its marketing showed only a few scary scenes. I’ll definitely give “Other Mommy” a watch — even if it’s not great for my cortisol.
Street Fighter
This decade has proved to be a remarkably good time for video game adaptations. “Arcane,” “Fallout,” the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series and last month’s “Resident Evil” all released to positive reviews.
“Street Fighter” released Oct. 16 and may be the next adaptation to join that list. The film takes inspiration from the first two acclaimed fighting games of the same name.
Estranged brothers and martial artists Ken Masters, played by Noah Centineo, and Ryu, played by Andrew Koji, are recruited by Interpol officer Chun-Li, played by Callina Liang, to enter the World Warrior Tournament. The team must fight through rounds of zany combatants played by Jason Momoa, 50 Cent and Cody Rhodes — among others — to take down tyrannical dictator M. Bison, played by David Dastmalchian.
Based on the handful of hours I’ve put into playing “Street Fighter” games, the film seems to be a loving, faithful adaptation. It looks colorful, over-the-top, unabashedly wacky and, most importantly, fun.
Clayface
Clayface has always been one of my favorite comic book characters. His tragic origin, creative powers and plethora of great stories make him an excellent addition to Batman’s rogues gallery and the DC universe.
Eighty-six years after he was first introduced in Detective Comics No. 40, Clayface is finally making it to the big screen with his solo film on Oct. 23.
“Clayface” follows actor Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, after he’s been attacked and disfigured by a crime boss. Shunned by Hollywood, Hagen is desperate to get his life back. He undergoes an experimental treatment that gives him shapeshifting abilities.
Hagen uses his new powers to go after the people who ruined him, but he struggles to keep his identity and humanity as the treatment’s side effects take hold.
Though Hagen’s story comes from comic book pages, “Clayface” isn’t a standard action superhero flick; it’s going to be full-on horror. The trailers make the grotesqueness associated with Clayface a focal point, and the effects look realistic and visceral. I’m also glad the film will be carving away the character’s exterior to show audiences how Clayface is a truly tragic character rather than an ordinary villain.
I wish this story was brought to the silver screen years ago, but perhaps DC needed time to cook on “Clayface.” Either way, I can’t wait to see my favorite Gotham rogue in theaters this month.
