Films in 2024: October

October was a jam-packed month, with the continuation of Beyond Fest in the first week, and AFI Fest just last week. At the former film festival, I saw Saw for the first time, and as the movie turns 20 this year, stars Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell (who also wrote the screenplay), and Tobin Bell were on hand for a Q&A before the screening. I also enjoyed an advance screening of The Brutalist in 70mm with director-writer Brady Corbet and co-writer Mona Fastvold thanks to the festival. But my absolute favorite event of Beyond Fest this year was a special day dedicated to the one and only Kyle MacLachlan, who was kind enough to do Q&As for all three of his movies screened that day: Dune, Blue Velvet, and The Hidden, which were also the first three movies he acted in! Meanwhile, at AFI Fest, which wrapped this past Sunday, I saw 10 movies over a few days that all had starry introductions and Q&As, including red-carpet screenings of Music by John Williams with Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg (which featured what’s probably my favorite moment of the whole festival), Heretic with Hugh Grant, Maria with Angelina Jolie, and Juror #2 with Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette. The other screenings with special guests that I attended during the fest were The Order with Nicholas Hoult and Jurnee Smollett, Nightbitch with Amy Adams, Oh, Canada with Paul Schrader, Unstoppable with Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez, The Summer Book with Glenn Close and Charlie McDowell, and Hard Truths with Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Between both film festivals, I also watched movies appropriate for spooky season at home and on the big screen. But one more notable screening I want to mention that I enjoyed immensely was West Side Story in 70mm at the Academy Museum, which was preceded by a special conversation with legendary EGOT winner Rita Moreno (who pointed out that her Oscar-winning co-star George Chakiris was in the audience). Anyway, there are certainly more star-studded screenings to come in November as awards campaigning ramps up, plus it’s the first day of Noirvember! Until then though, here are all the movies I watched over the past 31 days…