October Special Screenings and new capsule reviews for Oct. 4 

• Sony Pictures Classics

A Different Man
For all the funky details in writer/director Aaron Schimberg's psychological comedy-drama-thriller, it ultimately feels like a long walk towards a pretty simple idea. Our protagonist Edward Lemuel (Sebastian Stan) is a struggling New York actor facing perhaps a greater obstacle even than most struggling New York actors: His extreme facial deformities somewhat limit his options. When an experimental medical procedure results in a complete transformation of his appearance, however, Edward sees the opportunity to effectively start his life over again. From the outset, you can tell that Schimberg is aiming for a vibe that mixes Barton Fink-era Coen brothers with Charlie Kaufman in its surreal imagery and occasional deadpan humor, augmented by a terrific Umberto Smerilli score. But as the story transitions into its second half—and Edward begins to confront not just what his new face has gained him, but what it has cost him—there's not much deeper thematic material to keep the story popping. The terrific performance by Under the Skin's Adam Pearson emphasizes the idea that you are, ultimately, who you are, and that some limitations are all about how you choose to approach them—and by the time you've latched on to the likelihood that the title is meant ironically, there isn't a whole lot left but waiting for the other ironies to get progressively over-the-top. Available Oct. 4 in theaters. (R)

The Outrun
The changes that director/co-screenwriter Nora Fingscheidt makes to Amy Liptrot's recovery memoir feel weirdly arbitrary, but the result is still an effective drama about personal growth and a sense of place, anchored by a terrific lead performance. Saoirse Ronan plays Rona, a 29-year-old native of Scotland's Orkney Islands who returns home to the family farm after bottoming out in her alcoholism and going through an outpatient program. Fingscheidt weaves back and forth through time, flashing back both to Rona's childhood marked by her father's bipolar disorder, and to the out-of-control life that eventually costs her an important romantic relationship, and the fractured chronology effectively captures someone trying to process the past and get out from under the weight of it. It's a bit less clear why Fingscheidt feels the need to change the protagonist's name to an anagram of her own, while her decision to punch up the melodrama of the story by giving Rona a falling-off-the-wagon episode that never happened dampens the sense that her recovery is connected to reconnecting with her origins. Still, Ronan plays both the externally chaotic and internally struggling versions of Rona with her usual dynamism, and Fingscheidt beautifully incorporates the geography and meteorology of the Orkneys into an affecting character study, even if it's one where I wished we got more of the actual character who inspired it. Available Oct. 4 in theaters. (R)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Utah Queer Film Festival: The Utah Film Center's annual LGBTQ-themed film showcase previously known as Damn These Heels has gotten a re-brand for 2024, and a new programming director in regular City Weekly contributor and award-winning local photographer Cat Palmer. The program consists of 13 in-person features, short-film programs and several online-exclusive screenings. Kick things off on opening night with the documentary This Is Not a Disco, and enjoy work like the Sundance-presented Indigo Girls documentary It's Only Life After All with a Q&A featuring director Alexandria Bombach. Individual screenings are $15, with festival passes starting at $60. Visit utahqueerfilmfestival.org to purchase tickets and for a full schedule.

Halloween-themed events @ Peery's Egyptian Theater: Ogden's venerable venue welcomes the scary season with a couple of Halloween-appropriate events. On Oct. 25 – 26, Peery's presents The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 7:20 p.m. nightly, with an optional pre-film party and costume contest. Then on Oct. 30, Onstage Ogden presents a live-to-film screening of Murnau's Nosferatu, accompanied by Cameron Carpenter presenting his original film score on the Wurlitzer organ. Visit ogdenpet.com for tickets and info for Rocky Horror, and onstageogden.org for Nosferatu.

Tower of Terror continues: Salt Lake Film Society's weekend showcases of horror classics were featured in last month's calendar, which you can find at cityweekly.net. Visit slfs.org for remaining features, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show.