By Lori Vernon
JOKER IN ZOMBIELAND
T
here is a multitude of things we
love about Fall, and one of our
favorites is the selection of excit-
ing, thought-provoking, and immensely
entertaining films coming to theaters. As
we wrap up the festival season in prepa-
ration for awards season (that’s a lot of
seasons), we’re excited to finally see
some of those festival winners in the-
aters this month.
to lose their sanity and become threat-
ened by their worst nightmares. Eggers
won the FIPRESCI Prize for The
Lighthouse at the 72nd Cannes Film
Festival.
Gemini Man
Directed by Ang Lee
Rated PG-13 - October 11
Well, this one isn’t a festival choice,
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker
Joker
Directed by Todd Phillips
Rated R - October 4th
Joaquin Phoenix stars as failed ‘80s
comedian Arthur Fleck in this caution-
ary tale of a man marginalized by soci-
ety who begins a slow descent into mad-
ness as he transforms into the iconic
criminal mastermind known as The
Joker. Phoenix won the Tribute Actor
Award at the 44th Toronto International
Film Festival, and the film won the
Golden Lion and Graffetta d’Oro Award
at the 76th Venice International Film
Festival. Robert DeNiro, Zazie Beetz,
Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, Bill Camp,
Glenn Flesher, and Shea Wigham also
star in this gritty, psychological thriller
that is meant to launch the "DC Black"
movie label for standalone R-rated,
independent DC films.
Jojo Rabbit
Directed by Taika Waititi
Rated PG-13 - October 18
This satire, directed by Taika Waititi,
has been described as daring, touching,
and hilarious. It tells the story of a young
German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) who
discovers that his mother (Scarlett
Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl in their
home. He consults with his imaginary
best friend, Adolf Hitler (played by
Waititi). The film won the Grolsch
People’s Choice Award at the 44th
Toronto International Film Festival. The
cast includes Sam Rockwell, Rebel
Wilson, and Thomasin McKenzie.
The Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers
Rated R - October 18
Set in the late 1890s, this black and
white horror film by Robert Eggers (The
Witch) stars Willem Dafoe and Robert
Pattinson as lighthouse keepers in
remote Maine. When faced with extreme
isolation and solitude, they slowly start
10 illinoisentertainer.com october 2019
but it is directed by Academy Award win-
ner Ang Lee, and after 20 years in devel-
opment “hell” with everyone from
Harrison Ford to Sylvester Stallone to
Arnold Schwarzenegger rumored to
star, it’s definitely worth a mention. Lee
returns with his divisive high-frame-rate
technology to direct this action-thriller
about elite assassin Henry Brogan (Will
Smith) who finds himself the target of a
mysterious operative who can predict
his every move. To his utter shock and
horror, he soon learns that the man
who's trying to kill him is a younger and
faster clone of himself. Mary Elizabeth
Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong,
Theodora Miranne and Linda Emond
co-star.
Zombieland: Double Tap
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Rated R - October 18
OK, this is another film that hasn’t
technically been to any festivals, but we
loved the original so much we couldn’t
overlook the “zequel." And it does star
multiple Oscar nominees and an Oscar
winner! Post-apocalyptic zombie slayers
Tallahassee
(Woody
Harrelson),
Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita
(Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail
Breslin) square off against the newly
evolved undead as they head to the
heartland and deal with their newfound
family dynamic. Along the way, they
creatively splatter zombie hordes and
meet up with Rosario Dawson, Luke
Wilson, Thomas Middleditch and Zoey
Deutsch - along with some other familiar
faces.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Directed by Joachim Roenning
Rated PG - October 18
Just in time for Halloween, Oscar-
winner Angelina Jolie returns as the for-
midable horned fairy Maleficent in this
fantasy-adventure, live-action Disney