Movies Out This Weekend: 'First Man,' 'Beautiful Boy' And More

If you're looking to get a break from the chilly autumn air, you're in luck! This weekend is bringing must-see dramas, thrillers and Halloween-themed films to theaters.

The Neil Armstrong biopic "First Man"comes to life on the big screen, starring Ryan Gosling in the titular role and Claire Foy as Armstrong's wife, Janet.

Also making its debut on the big screen is "Bad Times At The El Royale," in which Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth and Dakota Johnson are among a ragtag group of hotel guests. Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell play a father-son duo dealing with the affects of addiction in "Beautiful Boy."

Looking for a Halloween-themed movie? You might want to check out "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween."

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“First Man” (Oct 12) — Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, directed by Damien Chazelle

Ryan Gosling and his “La La Land” director Damien Chazelle reunite for “First Man,” the compelling story behind the historic Apollo 11 mission. The film chronicles eight years in the life of Neil Armstrong, from his entry into NASA’s astronaut program in 1961 to his epic walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.

In the movie, Gosling plays Armstrong, a go-getter who spends his days and nights totally consumed with the lunar mission. But deep inside, the astronaut is really a fractured man struggling to cope with the loss of his 2-year-old daughter, Karen, who died from cancer.

Claire Foy plays Janet Armstrong, Neil’s no-nonsense wife, and the unsung hero who takes care of their two young sons while the astronaut trains for the first manned mission to the moon.

See it. The way Armstrong gets to the moon will win you over!

Watch the trailer:

“Bad Times at the El Royale” — Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson, directed by Drew Goddard

Writer-director Drew Goddard’s latest film is about a varied group of individuals, whose lives converge at a once-glorious hotel situated on the border between California and Nevada.

The movie opens in 1958 with a shady man burying a duffel bag of cash beneath the floorboards of his room at the El Royale resort near Lake Tahoe.

Then the story jumps forward a decade to 1969, at which point it introduces seven different but equally intriguing strangers — Catholic priest Father Flynn (Jeff Bridges), backup soul singer Darlene (Cynthia Erivo), traveling salesman Laramie (Jon Hamm), young hippie Emily (Dakota Johnson), her sister Rose (Cailee Spaeny), hotel clerk Miles (Lewis Pullman), and cult figure Billy (Chris Hemsworth) — gathering in El Royale’s lobby. Are these people who they claim to be?

Skip it. The jigsaw puzzle setup is genius, but its pieces struggle to fit. In the end, the movie simply fails to flourish.

Watch the trailer:

"Beautiful Boy" — Timothée Chalamet, Steve Carell, directed by Felix van Groeningen

Felix van Groeningen's first English language film depicts the Sheff family's journey in the face of son Nic's (Timothée Chalamet) methamphetamine addiction, and father David's (Steve Carell) steadfast commitment to save his son from his crippling disease.

Drawing deep on the best-selling memoirs of both father and son, David and Nic Sheff, the film shines a light on the "old" Nic — a sweet, loving, and caring beautiful boy.

David (Carell) is a freelance journalist and a dad to three kids, including 18-year-old Nic, an aspiring writer whose seemingly-promising life becomes shattered as a result of his drug addiction. But his chemical dependency didn’t happen overnight — the young man had started experimenting with drugs at the tender age of 12. Can the power of love save Nic and the Sheff family from the affects of addiction?

See it. Both Chalamet and Carell shine in their compelling roles, though we could do without a few unnecessary flashbacks in the movie.

Watch the trailer:

“Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween”— Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, directed by Ari Sandel

Inspired by R. L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” book series, the sequel follows the story of the Quinn family — high school senior Sarah (Madison Iseman), her middle school brother Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor), and their mother Kathy (Wendi McLendon-Covey) — as they’re thrust into the spooky world of Halloween.

Sonny and his schoolmate Sam (Caleel Harris) are close friends who have a side gig as junk collectors. Unfortunately, Slappy, the mischievous ventriloquist dummy from the original film is back to stir up more chaos for the youngsters.

Skip it. The movie feels bland and lacks the much needed goosebumps-spooky fun.

Watch the trailer:

Other entertainment news:

• Patch Living: Your October Entertainment Guide
• The Most Anticipated Movies Of Fall 2018
• What's New On Netflix: October 2018
• Reviews of 'A Star Is Born,' 'Venom,' 'The Hate U Give'
• Reviews of 'The Old Man & The Gun,' 'Night School,' 'Smallfoot' And 'Hell Fest'

Top Photo: Claire Foy and Ryan Gosling attend the “First Man” premiere on October 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Universal)