Much like the month before it, October isn’t exactly overflowing with quality, but what it lacks in that area it more than makes up for with plenty of variety. Though there aren’t many films worth getting genuinely excited about, the schedule does provide some audience-friendly fare as well as an early look at a few potential awards contenders.

Who: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace and Rade Serbedzija
What: In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter.
When: October 5th
Why: Though it’s one of those sequels that doesn’t really need to exist, the original film was so much fun (not to mention made a decent bit of coin at the box office) that it’s not surprising Fox was so quick to greenlight another installment. After playing the helpless victim in the first movie, it’ll be refreshing to see Maggie Grace get in on the action this time around, even if all people care about is watching Liam Neeson kick ass and take names. Granted, the setup is ridiculous, as it’s hard to imagine the villains would have the resources to track down Neeson’s character, let alone know when he’s in a different country (a U.S.-based story would have been much more exciting), but it’s one of those details you just have to ignore in order to enjoy the movie for the action fantasy that it is.

Who: Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron and John Cusack
What: A reporter returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate.
When: October 5th
Why: Unlike most of Hollywood, Lee Daniel’s “Precious” failed to convince me that it was anything more than a well-made afterschool special, so I’m curious to see what he’s able to do with his latest film, a pulpy erotic thriller featuring a trio of dependable actors. Though it’s been awhile since Nicole Kidman or John Cusack did anything of note, you can never count them out, while Matthew McConaughey has been on a bit of hot streak recently. The wild card of the cast is undoubtedly Zac Efron, because despite the actor’s dogged determination to shed his “High School Musical” image with more adult roles, he’s yet to really prove that he has the talent to back it up. Reaction was pretty mixed when the movie debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (not terribly surprising considering the material), so you would be wise to approach it with caution.

Who: Jennifer Garner, Yara Shahidi, Ty Burrell, Olivia Wilde and Rob Corddry
What: An adopted girl discovers her talent for butter carving and finds herself pitted against an ambitious local woman in their small town’s annual contest.
When: October 5th
Why: A black comedy that takes place in the offbeat and seemingly trivial world of butter carving competitions? What’s not to love? The concept sounds like something that Alexander Payne might make (it’s especially reminiscent of his 1999 cult hit “Election”), but while that may speak well of the movie’s potential, it’s a little worrying that it’s take so long to get a theatrical release. Directed by Jim Field Smith, who also made the underrated rom-com “She’s Out of My League,” “Butter” played the festival circuit at the end of last year, but the Weinstein Co. hasn’t shown a lot of confidence in the movie by dumping it in October. With that said, however, the cast is awesome (Jennifer Garner is great at playing the uptight socialite), and the script by newbie Jason A. Micallef landed a spot on the 2008 Black List. That doesn’t guarantee it will be any good, but it helps.

Who: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Victor Garber
What: As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA agent concocts a plan to free six Americans who’ve found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
When: October 12th
Why: Ben Affleck was perhaps unfairly snubbed by the Academy with his first two directorial efforts (the Boston crime flicks “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town”), but if “Argo” is even half as good as it looks, they’re going to have a difficult time ignoring him this year. Though it helps that the movie is based on a true story, so few know about this particular aspect of the conflict that it might as well be fiction. After its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this month, the movie is already riding a wave of early buzz, with many critics suggesting that Affleck has nailed both the political and Hollywood insider stuff, creating a film that’s as funny as it is thrilling. And with a cast that’s littered with some of the best character actors in the business, “Argo” is pretty much a shoo-in for Best Director and Best Picture nominations come awards season.

Who: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken
What: A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster’s beloved Shih Tzu.
When: October 12th
Why: It’s hard to believe that it’s taken Martin McDonagh four years to release the follow-up to his hilarious directorial debut “In Bruges,” because you’d think he would be a little more in demand after being nominated for an Oscar. Then again, it was probably smart that he took the time to find the perfect project for his sophomore effort, and he seems to have found it with “Seven Psychopaths,” which falls in the same wheelhouse as the Sundance crime comedy, albeit with a decidedly goofier tone. The movie also reunites McDonagh with his “In Bruges” star Colin Farrell and features some of the funniest oddball actors in Hollywood, and quite frankly, the prospect of seeing Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken sharing the screen is too good to pass up.

Who: Kevin James, Salma Hayek, Henry Winkler and Greg Germann
What: A high school biology teacher moonlights as an MMA fighter in an effort to raise money to prevent the school’s music program from being axed.
When: October 12th
Why: For starters, it’s a Kevin James comedy that might not completely suck, and that’s a victory in its own right, especially when you consider that it’s directed by the same guy who made James’ last dud, “The Zookeeper.” Though the plot sounds an awful lot like the Joel Edgerton portion of “Warrior,” MMA has become so popular over the last few years that it isn’t surprising to see Hollywood jump on the bandwagon. James himself appears to have slimmed down and bulked up for the role, which hopefully means that the audience won’t be subjected to quite as much of the self-humiliation humor that the comedian has relied on in the past, although it obviously comes with the territory. That doesn’t mean that the material still shouldn’t be taken seriously, however, and as long as that balance can be struck, “Here Comes the Boom” could be a pleasant surprise.

Who: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Rachel Nichols and Edward Burns
What: A young homicide detective meets his match when the serial killer he’s been brought in to track down makes things personal.
When: October 19th
Why: I’m not sure what’s worse — the idea of Tyler Perry as an action hero, or the fact that he’s playing a character first brought to life on the big screen by Morgan Freeman. Based on the 12th novel in James Patterson’s long-running series, the studio is clearly hoping that “Alex Cross” can reboot the film franchise that stalled out after 2001′s “Along Came a Spider,” but surely there was a better option to play Cross than a man whose biggest claim to fame is dressing up like a fat black woman. Perry has failed to prove that he has the talent or presence to carry a big action thriller, and though Matthew Fox will probably make it worth seeing for his physical transformation as the film’s psychotic villain, without a good actor in the lead role, there’s nothing to build a franchise around.

Who: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy and Moon Bloodgood
What: A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.
When: October 19th
Why: As far as indie darlings with awards potential go, “The Sessions” checks just about every major box. It’s based on a true story about a serious disease, but takes a more lighthearted approach to the material; the cast boasts several Oscar winners and nominees; and it’s riding a wave of positive buzz from its time on the festival circuit. That’s a recipe for success, especially when you consider the crossover appeal that it’ll likely have at the box office, creating the ultimate cinematic monster: a movie that both the critics and masses enjoy. Helen Hunt hasn’t done anything notable in years, and yet she’ll still probably earn an Oscar nod for her work as the amiable sex surrogate, while John Hawkes should also be rewarded for the latest in a string of great performances.

Who: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving and Ben Whishaw
What: An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future.
When: October 26th
Why: After the disappointment of “Speed Racer,” the last thing that anyone expected from the Wachowskis was something even more ambitious, and that’s probably the best word to describe their latest movie. Teaming up with “Run Lola Run” director Tom Tykwer to adapt the supposedly unfilmable novel by David Mitchell, “Cloud Atlas” is one of those films that’s already dividing audiences between those that think it’s a modern masterpiece and those that think it’s a pretentious mess. In fact, trying to explain the movie’s complex plot is so difficult that the first trailer was nearly six minutes long. The various connected stories not only take place over different time periods, but traverse different genres as well, with many of the actors playing multiple roles in different races and genders. Though that may sound a bit gimmicky for a film with so much ambition, it certainly makes “Cloud Atlas” a cinematic experiment worth seeing. Whether Tykwer and the Wachowskis actually pull it off is another story, but it’s hard not to root for them.

Who: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly and Anthony Mackie
What: Set in the near future where robots have replaced humans in the ring, a former boxer and his estranged son discover a junkyard bot that could become champion.
When: October 7th
Why: It’s easy to see how someone might be a little skeptical about a film that looks like “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots: The Movie,” but after visiting the set last summer, any concerns I might have had were quickly laid to rest following a chat with director Shawn Levy and star Hugh Jackman. I’ve also had the opportunity to see the finished product since then, and while the movie certainly isn’t going to earn a spot alongside “Rocky” and “Raging Bull” as a boxing classic, it’s still a really enjoyable underdog sports drama with strong central performances and plenty of awesome robot-on-robot action.

Who: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti
What: An idealistic staff member for a Democratic presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his latest stint on the campaign trail.
When: October 7th
Why: With a big name like George Clooney attached to a movie come big expectations, especially when he’s the one calling the shots. Thankfully, his latest directorial effort appears to be more “Good Night, and Good Luck” than “Leatherheads,” and it doesn’t hurt that he’s surrounded himself with such an incredible ensemble cast. In addition to the film’s multi-hyphenate star, “The Ides of March” features two other Oscar winners and two nominees. It might not be considered the year’s strongest awards contender, but the Academy always loves a good political thriller, and this definitely looks the part.

Who: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
What: When an alien life form begins wreaking havoc at an Antarctic research site, a graduate student teams up with a helicopter pilot to prevent it from escaping.
When: October 14th
Why: There’s been a lot of debate over whether Universal’s “The Thing” is a remake or a prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter classic (the fact that it shares the same title certainly hasn’t helped matters), but it’s now been confirmed that it takes place prior to R.J. MacReady’s trip to the Antarctic and will detail what happened at the Norwegian camp featured in the original film. I’m not sure if that makes this prequel any less unnecessary, but at least it’s got a couple of good actors in Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton. That’s definitely a start, but it still has a ways to go to winning back the fanboys after Ronald D. Moore’s script was reportedly scrapped back in late 2009.

Who: Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell
What: City boy Ren McCormack moves to a small town where rock ‘n’ roll and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit begins to shake up the populace.
When: October 14th
Why: I know what you’re thinking: who in their right mind wants to see a remake of “Footloose” when they can just watch the 1984 original starring Kevin Bacon? But while it might sound like a terrible idea in theory – a thought supported by the numerous young actors (including Zac Efron and Chase Crawford) who passed on the potentially star-making lead role – early word is that the movie is actually a surprisingly enjoyable reimagining that manages to maintain the spirit of the original while injecting it with some necessary modern updates. Go ahead and file this one under “Wait and see.”

Who: Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Rashida Jones and Anjelica Huston
What: Three avid bird watchers compete to spot the rarest birds at an annual event.
When: October 14th
Why: Based on the book of the same name by Mark Obmasick, “The Big Year” has the kind of cast that, up until a few years ago, would have sounded like a comedy dream team. But that’s how quickly the careers of Owen Wilson and (especially) Jack Black have plummeted since then, and while that may seem like a bad thing, it actually works in the film’s favor. Expectations are incredibly low, and between its quirky plot and the who’s who of supporting talent (including Jim Parsons, Joel McHale and Kevin Pollock), there’s a pretty good chance that this won’t be nearly as bad as the trailer suggests.

Who: Luke Evans, Ray Stevenson, Matthew Macfayden and Orlando Bloom
What: D’Artagnan and his musketeer comrades Athos, Porthos and Aramis thwart the plans of Royal Prime Minister Richelieu to usurp the King of France’s power.
When: October 21st
Why: It’s gotten to the point where making fun of director Paul W.S. Anderson has grown so tiresome that I wish he would just churn out a good movie for once in order to silence his critics. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon, because “The Three Musketeers” has been made into a movie so many times that it’s hard to find a reason why another one needs to exist. Anderson is clearly trying to distinguish his version from the many others that came before it by instilling a steampunk-like aesthetic to the film, but while he deserves some credit for at least trying something new, the trailer is so laughably bad that it seems to be all for naught.

Who: Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, Nicholas Braun, Melissa Leo and Michael Parks
What: After a group of teens accept an online invitation for group sex, they soon encounter Pastor Abin Cooper, his followers, and their sinister agenda.
When: October 21st (limited)
Why: Although it’s technically been available on Video On Demand for a few weeks now, Kevin Smith’s low-budget attempt at making a horror movie is getting a limited theatrical run towards the end of October in conjunction with its home video release. Some might say that it’s a good excuse to see the film on the big screen, but considering the way that Smith has been marketing “Red State” (taking the show on the road and charging big bucks to see it), the whole thing stinks of a last-ditch effort to bleed more money from his fans. Though reviews of the film haven’t been very positive, I’m still curious to see Smith explore a different genre for once, especially with veterans like Michael Parks, Melissa Leo and John Goodman spouting his trademark dialogue.

Who: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy and Olivia Wilde
What: Set in a world where people stop aging at 25 and time is literally money, a young man accused of murder goes on the run in order to fight back against the system.
When: October 28th
Why: Justin Timberlake isn’t the first person you’d think of to play a Jason Bourne-like action hero, but after watching the sizzle reel for “Gattacta” director Andrew Niccol’s return to the sci-fi genre that premiered at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, I’m certainly willing to give him a chance. “In Time” is one of those high-concept sci-fi movies that are too complex to explain in a single paragraph – the easiest way to describe it is as a less crazy version of “Logan’s Run” – but it’s a pretty cool concept that, if executed correctly, could make for a really fun piece of escapism entertainment.

Who: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart, Giovanni Ribisi and Richard Jenkins
What: American journalist Paul Kemp takes a freelance job in Puerto Rico and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the ex-patriots who live there.
When: October 28th
Why: A big screen adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s “lost novel” has been in the works for over a decade now, but it wasn’t until two years ago when the project finally went into production, only to be shelved long enough for Thompson’s death to prevent him from seeing the final product. But while the film’s behind-the-scenes drama doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence, Thompson’s semi-autobiographical work always seems to bring out the kooky best in Johnny Depp, who’s been too busy playing the part of a Hollywood A-lister to take many offbeat roles these days. The chance to see Depp embrace his oddball side once again is worth the price of admission alone.

Who: Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Rafe Spall and David Thewlis
What: Set during the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, the film proposes the theory that it was Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, who penned William Shakespeare’s plays.
When: October 28th
Why: Because if it does well, we may never have to endure another end-of-the-world disaster movie from Roland Emmerich again. Seriously, though, it’ll be interesting to see what Emmerich can do without the crutch of special effects for once, because while he’s proven on numerous occasions that he can blow shit up, the jury’s still out on his skills as a director. The plot may be a bit preposterous, but it’s an interesting theory nonetheless, and I love the idea of staging it as a political thriller instead of a more generic historical drama. The Radiohead song in the trailer, however, still baffles me.