Wonderstruck

Director Todd Haynes

Genre Drama | Family | Mystery

Cast Millicent Simmonds, Julianne Moore, Cory Michael Smith, James Urbaniak

Rating PG

Release Date October 20th, 2017 (Limited)

“The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection.”

From director Todd Haynes, Wonderstruck is a drama mystery based on the book by Brian Selznick. The film is receiving a great deal of early release critic praise so I look forward to checking this one out for myself. The newly released teaser trailer is very promising as well! The cast includes Millicent Simmonds, Julianne Moore, Cory Michael Smith, and James Urbaniak. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Wonderstruck:

• Todd Haynes announced his plans to adapt the novel after the success of Carol (2015).
• The film reunites director Todd Haynes with Julianne Moore. This is their fourth collaboration after Safe (1995), Far from Heaven (2002), and I'm Not There. (2007). Moore's performance in "Far from Heaven" earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

The Recall

Director Mauro Borrelli

Genre Sci-Fi

Cast RJ Mitte, Wesley Snipes, Jedidiah Goodacre, and Vicellous Shannon

Rating R

Release Date June 2nd, 2017

“When five friends vacation at a remote lake house they expect nothing less than a good time, unaware that planet Earth is under an alien invasion and mass-abduction.”

Directed by Mauro Borrelli, The Recall is a sci-fi thriller about an alien invasion. The cast includes RJ Mitte, Wesley Snipes, Jedidiah Goodacre, and Vicellous Shannon. Check out the official trailer below.

The Foreigner

Director Martin Campbell

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Charlie Murphy, Rory Fleck Byrne

Rating R

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“The IRA took his family. The police looked the other way. Now he must get revenge.”

From director Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, Casino Royale, Edge of Darkness), The Foreigner is an action thriller about a man taking justice into his own hands in order to seek revenge. The Trailer looks pretty damn good and I guess the moral of the story is do NOT mess with Jackie Chan. The cast includes Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Charlie Murphy, and Katie Leung. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Foreigner:

• Two reports were made to the London Metropolitan Police about a 'terrorist attack' made on the Lambeth bridge after many local citizens were not told about a controlled stunt explosion made on a double decker bus for the film (Febuary 2016)
• First movie directed by Martin Campbell in six years. His last film was 2011's The Green Lantern.

Happy Death Day

Director Christopher Landon

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Rachel Matthews

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“A college student relives the day of her murder with both its unexceptional details and terrifying end until she discovers her killer’s identity.”

Directed and co-written by Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Happy Death Day is essentially Groundhog Day meets Scream. The trailer has me intrigued but it is difficult to tell how good this will be. The cast includes Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, and Rachel Matthews. Check out the official trailer for yourself below.

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Happy Death Day:

• From Blumhouse Productions, the production company that most recently distributed The Belko Experiment, Get Out, and Split.

Marshall

Director Reginald Hudlin

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Chadwick Boseman, Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“The story of a young Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.”

From director Reginald Hudlin (House Party, The Great White Hyper),  Marshall is a biography drama centered on the first ever African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. The cast includes Chadwick Boseman, Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Marshall:

• This will be the third biographical figure played by Chadwick Boseman. He has also starred as James Brown and Jackie Robinson.
• Sterling K. Brown and Keesha Sharp previously worked together in the FX series American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson.

Mindhunter: Season 1

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallaney, Anna Torv, Cotter Smith

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere October 13th, 2017 (Netflix)

“An agent in the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit tracks down serial killers and rapists.”

From the genius mind of David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Gone Girl) Mindhunter, a Netflix exclusive series, is a look into the mind of serial killers, set in 1979 before the term was widely prevalent.The cast includes Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallaney, Anna Torv, and Cotter Smith. Check out the official trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Mindhunter: Season 1:

• Is shot using a customized, one-of-a-kind version of the RED Epic Dragon built specifically for David Fincher's use, called the "RED Xenomorph".
• Charlize Theron and David Fincher had introduced the project to HBO in 2009.
• This will be the second Netflix series with David Fincher as a producer. Fincher is a producer for House of Cards (2013).

Lore

Director Aaron Mahnke

Genre Horror

Rating TV-14

Release Date October 13th, 2017 (Amazon Prime)

“From the executive producer of The Walking Dead and the executive producer of The X-Files, this anthology series brings to life Aaron Mahnke’s “Lore” podcast and uncovers the real-life events that spawned our darkest nightmares.”

Full disclosure, I had zero knowledge of the apparently extremely popular Lore podcast and when I saw the trailer for the upcoming series pop up on IMDb I immediately assumed it was a animated movie judging by the poster. After reading a few posts on Facebook I realized I couldn't have been more wrong and man am I intrigued by this new Amazon Prime exclusive series! For those of you also unfamiliar with Lore, below is a detailed description courtesy of Deadline:

“The six-episode anthology series combines documentary footage, narration, historical mixed media and cinematic scenes to explore the real-life tales behind pop culture’s most legendary horror myths, such as vampires, changelings, werewolves, séances and possessed dolls. It will feature fan-favorite episodes from the podcast, including the tale of a boy given a doll that seems to have a sinister life of its own; a family whose home appears to be inhabited by a spirit from the other side; and a German village that hunts for a murderous creature.”

— deadline.com

Check out the exclusive trailer below!!

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Director Simon Curtis

Genre Biography | Family | History

Cast Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly Macdonald, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Rating PG

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“A behind-the-scenes look at the life of author A.A. Milne and the creation of the Winnie the Pooh stories inspired by his son C.R. Milne.”

From director Simon Curtis (Woman in Gold), Goodbye Christopher Robin is a look at the life of A.A. Milne, the man who created the Winnie the Pooh childhood stories. The cast includes Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly Macdonald, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Goodbye Christopher Robin:

• Margot Robbie and Domhnall Gleeson's second film together. They previously appeared in the Richard Curtis film About Time (2013).
• The film is being released in 2017 which marks the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney's 22nd animated film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977).

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

Director Noah Baumbach

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson

Rating Unrated

Release Date October 13th, 2017 (Netflix & Limited Theaters)

“An estranged family gathers together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.”

Written and directed by Brooklyn native Noah Baumbach (While We're Young), The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a comedy drama about family, the good and the bad. The cast includes Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller. Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected):

• First time in over 20 years that Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler have worked together in a movie. They last starred together in "Happy Gilmore" (1996).
• Dustin Hoffman, who will be playing the father in this film, has coincidentally played a father to characters played by both Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler. Hoffman played the father of Stiller's character in Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010), and later played the father to Sandler's character in The Cobbler (2014).

Breathe

Director Andy Serkis

Genre Biography | Drama | Romance

Cast Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, Hugh Bonneville

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“Based on the true story of Robin Cavendish, a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.”

The directorial debut for actor turned director Andy Serkis, Breathe is a romantic drama based on the life of Robin Cavendish and his polio diagnosis. The cast includes Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, and Hugh Bonneville. Check out the official trailers below!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Breathe:

• During filming, Andrew Garfield had to remain immobile as Cavendish was depicted being tended to with everyday tasks such a bathing.
• Cavendish's son Jonathan, who runs The Imaginarium Studios production company with director Andy Serkis, commissioned writer William Nicholson to write the film's screenplay, and is one of the producers of the film

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Director Angela Robinson

Genre Biography

Cast Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Connie Britton, Bella Heathcote

Rating R

Release Date October 13th, 2017

“The story of psychologist William Moulton Marston, the polyamorous relationship between his wife and his mistress, the creation of his beloved comic book character Wonder Woman, and the controversy the comic generated.”

Written and directed by Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S.),  Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tells the fascinating story of how Wonder Woman came to be. The cast includes Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Connie Britton, and Bella Heathcote. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Professor Marston and the Wonder Woman:

• Marston was a psychologist related to the D.I.S.C. model of behavioral styles.
• Marston also invented the polygraph, AKA the Lie Detector. Perhaps not coincidentally, Wonder Woman's lasso makes people tell the truth.

The Babysitter

Director McG

Genre Horror

Cast Bella Thorne, Samara Weaving, Hana Mae Lee, Juda Lewis

Rating Unrated

Release Date October 13th, 2017 (Netflix)

“The events of one evening take an unexpected turn for the worst for a young boy trying to spy on his babysitter.”

From director McG (We Are Marshall, Terminator Salvation, This Means War), The Babysitter is a horror film that takes a page out of the slasher handbook while adding its own unique sense of style. A young boy decides to sneak out of his room to spy on his babysitter and he stumbles upon much more than he bargained for. The cast includes Bella Thorne, Samara Weaving, Hana Mae Lee, and Juda Lewis. The film will release exclusively via Netflix streaming on October 13th. Check out the exclusive trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Babysitter:

• Bella Thorne's 4th horror film. Her previous horror movies are Forget Me Not (2009), Keep Watching (2017), and The Amytiville: The Awakening (2017).
• The screenplay for the film was featured on the 2014 blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unproduced screenplays of the year.

American Satan

Director Ash Avildsen

Genre Drama | Music | Thriller

Cast Booboo Stewart, John Bradley, Denise Richards, Malcolm McDowell

Rating R

Release Date October 13th, 2017 (Limited)

“A young rock band, half from England and half from the US, drop out of college and move to the Sunset Strip to chase their dreams.”

Co-written and directed by Ash Avildsen (What Now), American Satan is a drama music thriller sure to please music fans seeking something a little unique. The cast includes Booboo Stewart, John Bradley, Denise Richards, and Malcolm McDowell. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, American Satan:

• Andy Biersack and Ben Bruce are in their own Rock Bands. Ben is in a popular british band called Asking Alexandria and Andy is in the popular American band called Black Veil Brides
• Arielle Reitsma who portrays Gypsy Girl is also a bodysuit designer and model for the LA based company Naked Wardrobe. 

Walking Out

Director Alex Smith, Andrew J. Smith

Genre Adventure | Drama | Mystery

Cast Matt Bomer, Josh Wiggins, Lily Gladstone, Bill Pullman

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 6th, 2017 (Limited)

“An urban teenager journeys to Montana to hunt big game with his estranged father. Father and son struggle to connect, until a brutal encounter in the heart of the wilderness changes everything.”

Directed by Alex Smith and Andrew J. Smith, Walking Out is a adventure drama abaout a father and his son who decide to go on a hunting trip in an attempt to fix their estranged relationship. The cast includes Matt Bomer, Josh Wiggins, Lily Gladstone, and Bill Pullman. Check out the exclusive trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Walking Out:

• According to the directors Christian Bale was almost cast in the film but Ultimately he decided against playing the part because he didn't want to spend time away from his family in a remote location so soon after the birth of his second child.

Blade Runner 2049

Director Denis Villeneuve

Genre Sci-Fi | Thriller

Cast Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Harrison Ford

Rating R

Release Date October 6th, 2017

“Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. ”

Directed by master filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, the man who brought us Prisoners and most recently the epic sci-fi drama Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the 1982 hit film. The cast includes Harrison Ford (who also starred in the original), Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto, and Ana de Armas. Check out the highly anticipated and newly released trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Blade Runner 2049:

“Denis Villeneuve noted that he’s fully aware of the immense pressure he’s under, and how hardcore fans of the original view the prospect of a new film: “I know that every single fan will walk into the theater with a baseball bat. I’m aware of that and I respect that, and it’s okay with me because it’s art. Art is risk, and I have to take risks. It’s gonna be the biggest risk of my life but I’m okay with that. For me it’s very exciting... It’s just so inspiring, I’m so inspired. I’ve been dreaming to do sci-fi since I was 10 years old, and I said ‘no’ to a lot of sequels. I couldn’t say ‘no’ to Blade Runner 2049 (2017). I love it too much, so I said, ‘Alright, I will do it and give everything I have to make it great.’””

— IMDb

Need more?! A brand new trailer just released, check it out below!!

The intense official trailer #2 is here, check it out below!!

The Mountain Between Us

Director Hany Abu-Assad

Genre Action | Adventure | Drama

Cast Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Dermot Mulroney, Beau Bridges

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 6th, 2017

“Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.”

From director Hany Abu-Assad, The Mountain Between Us is a powerful drama about survival, based on the book by Charles Martin. The stellar cast includes Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Dermot Mulroney, and Beau Bridges. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Mountain Between Us:

• After Michael Fassbender and Margot Robbie dropped out of the project, they were replaced by Charlie Hunnam, and Rosamund Pike. However, both dropped out of the project after it was delayed due to excessive production costs. Idris Elba and Kate Winslet were eventually cast.
• The trailer was meant to be out at the end of April 2017 but was delayed.

My Little Pony: The Movie

Director Jayson Thiessen

Genre Animation | Adventure | Comedy

Cast Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña

Rating PG

Release Date October 6th, 2017

“When a dark force threatens Ponyville and the Mane 6, they go on a journey to the end of Equestria to save their beloved home and they meet new friends and dangerous challenges along the way.”

From director Jayson Thiessen (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls), My Little Pony: The Movie is a big-screen adaptation of the popular children's T.V. show. The film boasts a stellar cast of voice actors, including Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, Sia, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba, and Zoe Saldana. Check out the newly released official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, My Little Pony: The Movie:

• This is the second "My Little Pony" theatrical film in the saga's history, after My Little Pony: The Movie (1986).
• This is the first feature length "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" film that is not part of the "Equestria Girls" series.
• Liev Schreiber accepted the role of the film's main antagonist, the Storm King, because he was eager to appear in a film he would be able to take his children to see, noting his repertoire of violent, adult-oriented films.

Victoria and Abdul

Director Stephen Frears

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Olivia Williams, Michael Gambon

Rating PG-13

Release Date October 6th, 2017 (Limited)

“Queen Victoria strikes up an an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.”

From director Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Queen, Philomena), Vicoria and Abdul is a biography drama chronicling the life of Queen Victoria, and is based on the book written by Shrabani Basu. I thought Philomena was fantastic and I admire Frears as a director, plus how can you go wrong with the amazing Judi Dench?! The cast includes Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Olivia Williams, and Michael Gambon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Victoria and Abdul:

• Judi Dench at the time the film was made was already older than Queen Victoria was when she died.
• Judi Dench previously played Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown (1997).

The Florida Project

Director Sean Baker

Genre Drama

Cast Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Valeria Cotto, Bria Vinaite

Rating R

Release Date October 6th, 2017 (Limited)

“Set over one summer, the film follows precocious 6-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Disney World.”

Co-written and directed by Sean Baker, The Florida Project is a unique coming-of-age drama centered on the summertime adventures of 3 youngsters who refuse to be brought down by the struggles of the adults around them. Critics have been absolutely raving about the film and I will trust pretty much anything A24 is willing to attach themselves to, so i'm pretty excited to check this one out. The cast includes Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Valeria Cotto, and Bria Vinaite. Check out the official trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Florida Project:

• It had its world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors Fortnight section on May 22, 2017. Shortly after, A24 acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.

Better Watch Out

Director Chris Peckover

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould

Rating R

Release Date October 6th, 2017

“On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it’s far from a normal home invasion.”

From director Chris Peckover, Better Watch Out is a comedy horror that is drawing comparisons to The Strangers meets Home Alone, well you can consider me intrigued!! The cast includes Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen, Olivia DeJonge, and Ed Oxenbould. Check out the official trailer below!!  

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Better Watch Out:

• Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould also starred together as siblings in The Visit (2015).