This October, movie theaters did not only offer typical mediocre horror flicks, but also two star-studded dramas that audiences and critics have been raving about: David Fincher’s Gone Girl and David Ayer‘s Fury.
Based on Gillian Flynn’s best-selling page turner, Gone Girl is a satire disguised as a crime mystery.
On the day of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) gets a call regarding suspicious activity at his house.  Upon returning to his suburban home in North Carthage, Missouri, he finds his front door wide open, a shattered glass table, and chairs lying on their backs.  What he does not find, however, is his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike).
As the true colors of the relationship surface during the investigation of Amy’s disappearance, the inhabitants of Dunne’s small town and audience members alike begin to ask the same question: Did Nick kill his wife?
Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network), the film is meticulously crafted so as to deceive even the most observant viewers.  What the viewers may have thought about Nick and Amy’s relationship one minute gets twisted within seconds.
Fincher’s signature style is also present here, creating a dark and dreary backdrop perfect for the film’s subject matter.  The movie stars Carrie Coon, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry, each of whom bring some of their best acting to date.
As Gone Girl progresses, it becomes less of a crime mystery and more of a satire of the media’s perception of relationships, in sharp contrast to their unsettling realities.  Given Affleck’s past experiences with the media, his gentle but emotional persona is perfect for the role of Nick.  The real showstopper of Gone Girl is breakout actress Rosamund Pike.  Her acting range in this film is outstanding, and may receive Oscar buzz.
Gone Girl grabbed the number one spot at the box office when it premiered Oct. 3, and set the box-office record for the highest grossing movie for October Fridays.
Where Gone Girl depicts a sick modern relationship, Fury depicts the gruesome events that occurred at the tail end of WWII, as the Allied powers struggled to push through to Germany in 1945.
Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier (Brad Pitt) commands Fury, an American tank that he and his hardened crew of five men call home.  His crew and he have been together since the war’s North African Campaign, and consequently, have formed a strong brotherly bond.
After their assistant driver dies in battle, an inexperienced young soldier named Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) joins Don and his crew, despite their harsh criticism regarding his compassion towards the Germans and lack of war experience.  What ensues is a dramatic war tale about facing fears, sacrifice, and the definition of brotherhood.
Brad Pitt undoubtedly steals the show with his powerful presence, but up-and-coming The Perks of Being a Wallflower actor Logan Lerman demonstrates his impressive dramatic chops when his character is thrust into the war against his will.  The chemistry between Lerman, Pitt, and the rest of the cast works incredibly well, both on and off the battlefield.
Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal play the other three members of the Fury crew, giving heartbreaking portraits of three mentally unstable veterans, not to mention that they all bring much needed comic relief to the film.
Though the movie is emotionally effective and the acting is undeniably great, Fury goes overboard with the amount of violence depicted, specifically in the impaling department. Various soldiers are shot in the face and run over, head-first and grotesquely throughout the movie solely, for shock value.  However, if you fancy the sight of heads getting blown to pieces, Fury is the fall film for you.
Even though Fury has not received as much praise as Gone Girl, it is an adrenaline-pumping movie that should not be overlooked. Fury has exaclty what audiences want in a WWII movie: Nazis.violence, romance, acts of courage, and Brad Pitt.
If you find yourself looking for a dramatic movie to watch at the theaters and are sick of cheap horror flicks, look no further than Gone Girl and Fury.