The season of hot summer blockbusters is over. But while fall is traditionally a dry spell for the studios, Hollywood has your back this year. Here are just a few of the noteworthy films to keep you at the multiplex this season.
Quantum of Solace
Release Date: Nov. 14
The Players: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench
Plot: James Bond (Craig) is known for mixing work and play, but Quantum of Solace reveals what happens when 007 mixes work and love. Bond sets off to find out why the woman he loved betrayed him, only to face the elusive and powerful organization that blackmailed her. His discoveries set him on a quest to prevent Bolivia and its water supply from falling into the hands of a businessman with ties to the CIA and the British government. Bond finds himself turning to old friends for help, as not even boss and mentor M (Dench) can be trusted.
What it’s like: No comparison necessary
The lowdown: It’s Daniel Craig’s second time around playing Bond. The film continues to capture Bond’s early years in the same vein as Casino Royale, but Bond is smoother and not as flawed in his approach. According to Craig, shooting Casino Royale was like “a walk in the park” when compared to Quantum, during which he received eight stitches to close a gash on his face.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Release Date: Oct. 31
The Players: Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Justin Long
Plot: Best friends Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) are beyond broke. At one point, the water in their apartment is shut off when Miri is washing her hair, leaving the “poop water” in the toilet as her next best option. When Miri suggests the two are living under circumstances that drive people to have sex for money, Zack begins to see porno as their only way out. Soon the friends find themselves producing smut while simultaneously falling in love with each other.
What it’s like: The Money Pit meets Boogie Nights meets Knocked Up
The lowdown: Zack and Miri has a built-in audience not just because of Seth Rogen, but also because of director and writer Kevin Smith. With cult classics such as Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back under his belt, Smith is celebrated for his unique brand of comedy. Although themes of destitution and pornography have been respectively explored in a plethora of films, Zack and Miri is the first one in which they are comically explored at the same time.
Eagle Eye
Release Date: Sept. 26
The Players: Shia LaBeouf, Billy Bob Thornton, Michelle Monaghan, Steven Spielberg, D.J. Caruso
Plot: One phone call from an unknown woman throws Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) into the fight of their lives. With every time they pick up the phone comes a new series of orders they must follow to stay alive. But soon after Jerry and Rachel become the most wanted fugitives in the country, they begin to discover the conspiracy isn’t even about them.
What it sounds like: Nick of Time meets Die Hard meets The Game
The lowdown: It’s impressive that Shia LaBeouf has made the transformation from Disney kid to Hollywood A-lister with just three films – Disturbia, Transformers and Indiana Jones. Behold the power of Steven Spielberg. The heaviest of Hollywood heavyweights has had a producing role in all three films, in addition to this season’s Eagle Eye. The film also finds LaBeouf reunited with Disturbia director D.J. Caruso. That’s a good thing. If the previews are any indication, Eagle Eye will have the high-octane energy of Disturbia, but with scenarios suitable for post-high school moviegoers.