Quite a bit behind this month with the films to watch but then I was off on a nice hot island away from computers, apart from my Kindle that is! So what's been happening and what films are there to look forward to for the rest of the month? Well the biggest is due at the end of the month, the new Bond, but there are also two videogame adaptations, two plays, a stage show, two big names bands and the usual mix of different films.

It's an interesting mix this month, and in case you missed it the Shakespeare theatre The Globe have recorded three plays live and are showing them in cinema this month and there are two interesting documentaries to be had of two very famous and very different bands, Status Quo and The Rolling Stones. I said it was a varied mix.

So here are the films for October.

3rd
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Undecided
Trailer: TrailerAddict
Stephen Chbosky previously adapted the novel for Chris Columbus' Rent and now he's adapted his own novel and directed it as well as managing to bag the talents of Emma Watson, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd and Joan Cusack. That's quite a feat and it turns out that the film is rather good judging from the reviews we've seen. It follows a freshman who is taken under the wing of two seniors at college and tells the story of how he discovers the real world. A coming of age tale with some quirks and Emma Watson, well that's got to be worth seeing hasn't it?

4th
Taken 2
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: Filmstalker / Filmstalker
While I was excited about the idea of a sequel to Taken, after all Liam Neeson playing the ex-agent for some secret agency using his skills against an unknowing enemy to save his family is an exciting prospect even a second time round, having seen the trailers for Taken 2 I'm not so sure. According to them the story is amazingly similar and starts off with what seems an incredibly silly decision for his family to go to Turkey, the very country the people of the human trafficking ring he destroyed in Taken came from. Surely that would raise alarm bells in the heads of most ex-agents? Perhaps he would even have taken the time to find out more about the people who had taken his daughter and whom he had murdered, maybe even the authorities of France might have investigated a little, no matter where the information came from you would surely be wary of heading to Turkey. Not this family, oh no. So the inevitable happens, one of his family is kidnapped, except the trailer tells us all is not as the original for he and his wife are kidnapped by the father of the murdered traffickers intent on revenge and who comes to their rescue initially? The daughter, with some advice from her father you would assume. She frees her dad and it looks like together they head after mum. How quaint. Also how twee and rather transparent. Still, there will be action, Neeson killing people and perhaps more of Famke Jansen.

5th
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: TrailerAddict
This documentary seems to have come out of nowhere and with the anniversary of the first film (note that, the first film, not play or book) in the James Bond series you would have thought it would have received more marketing than it has. Still, it's out now and it looks at the life of Bond from Ian Fleming's creation through to the latest film, that's a hell of a lot to tell in such a short space of time and I do wonder if it actually manages to pull it off and if it does have anything to tell us that remains untold. The director Steven Riley is responsible for the documentary Blue Blood (Filmstalker review) which I rather enjoyed and it's co-written by Peter Ettedgui who also wrote Onegin so there's some good talent in there too. The most important part though is that it features Ian Fleming and Albert R. Broccoli, the people behind the character and the film series, throw in some Bond stars and I think we have a good documentary for Bond lovers everywhere.

The Knot
Release: Key Cities
Recommendation: Walk
Trailer:
I wonder what has happened to Noel Clarke, after winning the Orange BAFTA Rising Star Award, nominated by the audience, he has turned to delivering some direct to video type of films that hardly raise an eyebrow, co-written by him and featuring new names behind the camera and delivering little. The latest in that list The Knot which tells of a series of mishaps that happen to a couple as they try and get married. Yep, that's it, direct to video Hollywood copy. Davie Fairbanks is another writer on the film and the two of them star, a common pattern, but it also features Mena Suvari and some British television actors. Don't be drawn into this if for no other reason than to try and get Clarke back on more interesting projects.

Liberal Arts
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Walk
Trailer: TrailerAddict / TrailerAddict
Josh Radnor, know him? Well you should if you've seen How I Met Your Mother as he's the leading character and has taken us through all eight series - well I say us but I've only discovered it recently and since the same series is repeated over and over I'm not getting to see that much! Now he's written and directed his second feature film, the first called Happythankyoumoreplease. Liberal Arts follows the lead character, played by Radnor, who is now a college professor that returns home for his father's retirement party and ends up turning his life around as he falls in love with a student. Elizabeth Olson, Richard Jenkins and Alison Janney also star. Sounds pretty standard fare but apparently it is a great college film and the age gap is something different. Still, it doesn't sound like it's going to grab me, it might you.

Sinister
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: Filmstalker / Filmstalker
Initially I wasn't taken with the idea of this film or the first trailer, it seemed rather stock and formulaic, even if Ethan Hawke was leading the film, but then the second trailer came and my attitudes changed. Suddenly this looks genuinely creepy and scary, relying on less apparent dread than expected terror jump moments. It does look like it might lack some of the clichés and deliver something a little more, but then it is only a trailer and we all know how these can turn out once you get in front of the cinema screen. I'm going to pin some hopes on it though as Scott Derrickson has co-written and directed and he delivered The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Filmstalker review), yes I also know he did The Day the Earth Stood Still.

10th
Globe on Screen: Much Ado About Nothing
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: None
Now how cool is this? The theatre where Shakespeare plays have been performed since his plays started being performed on stage is recorded some performances and releasing them in the cinema. While the sceptical among you might think this is a big advert for the Globe theatre well it is, but it's also a chance to experience what it would be like to watch a play there live, and a Shakespearean one no less. There are a few such films being released and Much Ado About Nothing is one that I love, well the Kenneth Branagh film version anyway, so it would be superb to see it pared back to the on stage version, and in the Globe. Definitely not one to miss.

12th
Hotel Transylvania (3D)
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: TrailerAddict / TrailerAddict
The director of Hotel Transylvania Genndy Tartakovsky has worked on some big animated series including Dexter, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone wars, and with writers Robert Smigel and Peter Baynham behind him this doesn't just look good but could well be packed with hilarity, certainly the trailers so far have suggested just that. The film has a plethero of comedic voicing talent that I can't even begin to mention and the story of Dracula and the high-end resort he runs specifically for creatures such as himself hidden away from humanity. However humanity can't stay away and when a human walks into the hotel and ends up falling in love with his daughter, Dracula has to protect him from all the other creatures there who would do him harm, intentionally or accidentally. The trailers look like a barrel of laughs and I hope the rest of the film lives up to that promise.

On the Road
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: TrailerAddict / TrailerAddict
Walter Salles directs this adaptation of the Jack Kerouac novel by Jose Rivera which stars names such as Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, Terrence Howard, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Stewart, Alice Braga, Sam Riley and more. Talent laden it definitely is and the story sounds interesting as a young writer meets up with a free spirited couple and head off on a road trip together, it's through this road trip that their lives are changed forever. I know it sounds a little bit samey, but the novel isn't and the talent involved in the film certainly isn't.

Pusher (Filmstalker review)
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Walk
Trailer: Filmstralker
I had a lot of hope for this film and even during it I felt moments where this was going to take off, unfortunately it doesn't and it fails to really capture the audience as I had hoped. For those of you who have seen the original this will be an interesting comparison and perhaps it has something more to offer if you haven't seen the original and aren't doing any comparison for there are some good performances and some strong moments in it. Something's for sure, it stands out on the list of films we have this month. Pusher, if you didn't know, tells the story of a Pusher who gets in over his head and gets caught in deals that just put him deeper and deeper into trouble.

Ruby Sparks
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: TrailerAddict / TrailerAddict
You might have seen the trailer for this film and not remembered the title so let me jog your memory, a man who is struggling with writer's block and with finding love decides to write a female character who he thinks would be his match and he's surprised when she appears in real life after he wishes she was real. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris direct, think Little Miss Sunshine, and Paul Dano leads along with Zoe Kazan. They're supported by names like Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Steve Coogan and Elliott Gould, so it all sounds good and the trailer seems interesting too. Definitely another film offering something a little different from the rest.

17th
Frankenweenie
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Undecided
Trailer: Filmstalker
I know there's a lot of hype about Tim Burton's film about a young Victor Frankenstien who brings his dog back to life with terrifying consequences but I'm not so sure. Yes I know there's a fair following for Burton and for the story but I can't help but think there's a fair bit we've seen in previous films and it's just in a different package and presentation. Still, for fans of Burton and the oddities that come with him this will excite, for me I'm not that bothered.

Paranormal Activity 4
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Walk
Trailer: Filmstalker
Oh dear me. Please no more. Mind you perhaps I should watch more in the series because there is obviously something drawing people back in and perhaps there's more than the stock scares and expected jump point at every turn that the first one delivered, but genuinely I couldn't stick another series of convoluted scenes that the first film delivered. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe the series has changed and I've missed the point...have I?

18th
The Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: None
I hadn't heard anything about this documentary until I caught it on the release list the blurb tells us that it's a documentary about the group as they mark their fiftieth year together, however digging a little deeper reveals that this has much more to it than we first thought. The documentary has been made with support and involvement of the group and it's going to feature live performance footage, interviews and archive footage, a lot of which has been unseen to date. From all accounts this is going to be a cracking documentary about the history of the group and definitely ones for fans.

19th
Ginger and Rosa
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Undecided
Trailer: Filmstalker
Sally Potter is directing this film which stars Christina Hendricks, Elle Fanning, Annette Bening, Oliver Platt, Timothy Spall and Alessandro Nivola, a strong list of talent, but the short blurb that tells us it's about two girls living in 1960's London does sound rather dull. However read into the bigger blurb and we find out that there's a more interesting slant and the film looks at their friendship as the sexual revolution and the Cold War both impact on their lives in different ways and their lifelong friendship is destroyed. With the talent involved and a little more interesting blurb it seems a lot more interesting.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: TrailerAddict
I wouldn't have included this film normally but Mark from the Filmstalker Film Club Audiocast said that it was a lot of fun and that Master Buckley enjoyed it muchly, so I guess that's a good recommendation. While I did think the first was funny and the second raised similar levels of laughter, I do wonder if a third has anything new to offer or if it's just a run of the same gags, but if the kids are enjoying it then what's so bad about that? Just means the adults won't be visiting it in troves as they would another Toy Story for example.

22nd
Dark Tide
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Walk
Trailer: TrailerAddict / TrailerAddict
I wonder why John Stockwell keeps making films about the sea? Perhaps that's not really the question here it's what's happened to Halle Berry's career? Mind you the film also stars Olivier Martinez so that's something, but the rest of it seems bad. A professional diver tutor returns to deep waters after nine years of staying away after a terrifying encounter with a Great White Shark. Oh dear me, can you hear the clichés?

Hello Quo
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: None
Status Quo are about to be revealed on the big screen with a documentary that looks into their lives and careers and apparently this one is a pretty no holds barred look into the good and the bad talking about the sex, drink, drugs and of course the music that has made them the group with one hundred and twenty million album sales worldwide and an OBE each for the lead members. There's not a lot of information about the documentary but what there is promises that this will be a warts and all look at their careers and there are a good number of famous names to accompany Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi, names like Cliff Richard, Paul Weller, Jeff Lynne, Steve Priest, Midge Ure, and more. Oh come on, who doesn't secretly rock out a little to a bit of Quo?

Globe on Screen: Doctor Faustus
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: None
Another outing on screen for a play from the Globe theatre giving you a chance to be part of the unique experience of watching a play at the renovated theatre recreated to the way it would have been in the days of Shakespeare. This time it's Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe which was first published in 1604, yes that's exactly what I said. How cool is it to get the chance to see such a play at the Globe theatre but in the cinema? This is a definite must see.

26th
Skyfall
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: Filmstalker / Filmstalker
The big release of the month, Bond is back and he's set to repair the damage done with Quantum of Solace. What I like about this production is that Sam Mendes is directing and that we might get more of a character based effort but with all the action we expect - have you seen that latest trailer? While they are also moving the character on from the origins trilogy that failed to complete, and which I frankly think they should have kept going forward with, we do still seem to be following the younger Bond and building his character and the Bond world around him. Q is back, there's the potential for a new M around the corner, but the trailer still suggests that this isn't the old Bond we're used to, something I think is the lynch pin of this new incarnation. I have tons of hope for the Skyfall Bond and with Craig now signed up to two more things are looking good for Bond.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Release: Selected Cities
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: None
I love this film and the soundtrack. Although I've never seen the stage show or the interactive screenings I've seen the main film so many times I can recite the lines for all the songs and usually really love doing so. Of course alcohol has to be involved. It's a classic film that is bags of fun especially when you're watching with friends, and Tim Curry? Priceless. Go see it although I'd recommend that if this is a first time viewing and you're seeing it with a seasoned audience you should perhaps watch it yourself first.

Silent Hill: Revelation (3D)
Release: UK Wide
Recommendation: Stalk
Trailer: Filmstalker
if you are to rate videogame adaptations you have to admit that Silent Hill comes quite far up the list and it hasn't done too badly as standalone horror films either. Still they have a small fan base and feel a lot like the Resident Evil franchise, although perhaps not quite as popular but they will be more horror and less action. It carries a few big names still with Sean Bean, Carrie-Anne Moss, Radha Mitchell, Malcolm McDowell and Deborah Kara Unger, and we have Michael J. Bassett writing and directing, you may know him as the writer and director of Deathwatch and Solomon Kane, so we're not expecting anything sub standard in the series and perhaps something with more bite and meat to it than Resident Evil.

So that's October, ending on a pretty high note with Skyfall which I think everyone will be going to see won't they? Have you seen anything yet this month that deserves a mention? When it comes around the big question will be what you thought of Skyfall.