The key facts

  • Iñárritu's «Digger» with Tom Cruise is in theaters from October 1; critics received the film coolly, but the reviewer liked it
  • Brad Pitt reunited with «Fury» director David Ayer in «Heart of Fury» — a film entirely about a man and a dog
  • Also in theaters: «Street Fighter», «De Gaulle. Part 1. Resistance», family animations, «Gohan the Dog», and horror films

«Digger»: Iñárritu, Lubezki, and Tom Cruise

In the October episode of the «Kinotavsi» segment on Gazeta.uz, host Sarvar Karimov presents the month's premieres. The main one is Alejandro González Iñárritu's «Digger» with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and Tom Cruise in the lead role — in Uzbek cinemas from October 1. The plot is being kept secret: it is only known that Cruise plays one of the most influential people in the world, billionaire Digger Rockwell, who is trying to eliminate the consequences of a natural disaster he provoked, one capable of destroying the planet. The 65-year-old actor underwent hours-long makeup to play the 65-year-old character. Karimov notes that critics received the film coolly, but he himself liked it: the director used a «film within a film» device, and the film itself is a political satire reminiscent of Kubrick's «Dr. Strangelove». The cast includes John Goodman (the US president), Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Emma D'Arcy, and others. Karimov adds that many are talking about a possible «Oscar» for Cruise, who has been nominated four times but received only an honorary award — for his overall career. Iñárritu has five «Oscars», Lubezki three — in a row for «Gravity», «Birdman», and «The Revenant» (2014–2016).

«Dirty Face» and «Heart of Fury»

James Gunn is expanding the DC universe with a feature film about the new hero Clayface; the director is James Watkins, who debuted with the British slasher «Speak No Evil». Karimov recalls that Gunn knows how to make stars out of little-known characters — as was the case with «Guardians of the Galaxy» — and hopes Clayface will be a successful step in the DC reform. David Ayer, who directed Brad Pitt in «Fury», is working with the actor again in «Heart of Fury», where the entire plot is built on Pitt and a dog. According to Karimov, the film was shot in the mountains, without a chroma key, resembles films of the 90s, and may move the viewer.

Game Adaptations and a Historical Epic

A new «Street Fighter» is being released — a game adaptation, like «Mortal Kombat», which recently received a remake. Karimov recommends watching it at least for 50 Cent, who played boxer Balrog. Also in theaters is the first part of a two-part historical film about General Charles de Gaulle — a Franco-Belgian-American production. De Gaulle, dissatisfied with the Nazi German occupation of France, founded the «Free France» movement, later liberated the country, and became president.

Family Screening and Dog Films

For family viewing, the following are offered: the Dutch film «To Grandpa's Village. Super Mission», the Franco-Belgian «The Magic Pencil» about a girl for whom everything drawn with a magic pencil comes true, a 3D version of the Soviet cartoon «The Adventures of the Little Mammoth. In Search of Mom», as well as the German-Czech animation «Underwater Brothers. Guardians of the Reef» for children aged 6–7. The Thai film «The Dog Named Gohan» tells the story of a white dog who, unlike «Hachiko», had three owners.

Horror and the Rest

Studio A24 presents «Attack» — a film about a mother and daughter fighting evil robots, in the genres of horror, science fiction, action, and thriller. Karimov also highlights young actor Austin Abrams («Wolves» with George Clooney and Brad Pitt). Anne Hathaway appears this year in her fifth premiere — the thriller «Verity's Truth, or The Secret Diary» with Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett; the comedy «Spa Weekend» for a female audience has also been released. Among the horror films are «The Stepmother» with Oscar winner Jessica Chastain and «Arachnid», where residents of an apartment building in quarantine are left alone with thousands of venomous spiders that got into the building in someone's suitcase. For fans of Indonesian horror — «Tumbal: Proyek» (in the Russian localization «Final Destination: Bridge No. 13», although the film has no connection to the «Final Destination» franchise — the title was translated that way to attract viewers). According to the plot, during the construction of a huge bridge, many people die in accidents — but are they really accidents?