The fall is here and it’s the most wonderful time of the year for movie season. While we’ll still see our fair share of big-scale blockbusters through the rest of the year, most of the bigger movies towards the end of the year are typically the big award contenders. With awards season already feeling right around the corner, now’s the time when what some feel are “the best of the best” are released. In between the superhero releases or next big Disney film are some unique, original releases from some of the best names currently in the business.
September is usually the lightest of the bunch. Many of the notable releases this month are mostly limited releases, which include a fair amount of dark comedies from some noteworthy indie directors. Though there are still some noteworthy wide releases that will certainly be on people’s radars, including one noteworthy novel adaptation, a large-scale sci-fi drama, and what is easily one of the most anticipated sequels of this entire year.
Here’s a look at what movies to check out this September:
1) It: Chapter Two (Sept. 6)
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Jay Ryan, Andy Bean, Bill Skarsgard
Kicking off September is what was easily one of many people’s most anticipated movies of the year (mine included). 2017’s It (now known as It: Chapter One) has gone on to be regarded as one of the best Stephen King adaptations and is considered a tough act to follow. Though, it’s still only half the story, and the sequel takes place 27 years after the events of the first film and follows the main characters from the first now as adults. The first film felt like a companion piece to the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, capturing the feel of 1980’s coming-of-age dramas like Stand by Me and The Goonies, while still injecting the feel of modern-day horror in the mix. It did an excellent job of effectively balancing so many different emotions into one film. The official reviews aren’t out yet, but there was an advance audience screening, where many noted its bloated run time causes it to not quite live up to the first, but it’s still very creepy and very funny, with Bill Hader consistently praised as the film’s best element.
2) Freaks (Sept. 13)
Directed by: Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky
Starring: Lexy Kolker, Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Amanda Crew, Grace Park
No, not a remake of the 1932 cult film about the circus of the same name. This is an original sci-fi movie about a young girl, played by Kolker, who’s forced to stay in her house by her overprotective father, played by Hirsch, only to escape and go on an adventure with an ice cream truck driver, played by Dern, only to be caught up in something much more violent than she expected. Early reviews for this one have been very positive so far, and the trailers do a good job of not revealing too much. The only thing seems to be that the tone feels like it’s going to be a bit too overly serious, but based on its premise, there’s still definitely a level of intrigue, especially as reviews have also indicated that the film does a solid job with world-building. It’s rare to see an original, well-done sci-fi movie so this should be worth checking out on that notion alone.
3) The Goldfinch (Sept. 13)
Directed by: John Crowley
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Nicole Kidman
This will be the first official “Oscar movie” of the season. An adaptation of a New York Times best-selling novel and helmed by a director whose last feature was nominated for Best Picture, The Goldfinch screams “Oscar bait” from just watching even a few seconds of the trailer. The original novel in which the film was based off was very polarizing for feeling cliche, and it feels like a lot of those elements that divided readers translated onto the big screen, as the trailer feels a bit heavy-handed. Though there’s still some hope for it, as John Crowley’s last film, the Oscar-nominated Brooklyn, was a pretty solid effort overall, and the film does boast a talented cast, including always reliable individuals such as Finn Wolfhard, Jeffrey Wright, and Nicole Kidman. I doubt this will hit as hard as think it will, but it may still be a solid, if cliche, drama to help get the ball rolling on awards season.
4) Hustlers (Sept. 13)
Directed by: Lorene Scafaria
Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B
I think this will wind up being one of the year’s biggest surprises. While on the surface, Hustlers looks like it’ll just be a flashy crime dramedy that’s all style, there’s a little more to appreciate here than meets the eye. And that’s in the form of writer-director Lorene Scafaria, who has a fairly firm grasp on character drama. Her debut directorial effort Seeking a Friend for the End of the World was commended for its sweet tone, despite receiving mixed reviews and being a box office bomb, while her second effort, The Meddler, was also noted for its overall heartfelt tone that was an improvement on her first film. Based on a true story of a group of strippers who rob dozens of wealthy men that seems to focus more on the women themselves than the actual crimes, this potentially could be a fun character-driven comedy with some ambitious social commentary that may hit home for most audiences today, if done right.
5) Ad Astra (Sept. 20)
Directed by: James Gray
Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland
Originally to be released back in May before being pushed back due to Disney’s acquisition of Fox earlier this year, and this may have been what was ultimately best for the film, as it enjoyed a premiere at the Venice Film Festival not too long ago, alongside some noteworthy Oscar contenders. It’s unknown if the film will push for any big awards, but early reviews due to indicate it’s one of the most ambitious sci-fi films of the year. Director James Gray, who previously directed the acclaimed The Lost City of Z, noted that he wanted to make “the most realistic depiction of space travel that’s been put in a movie,” and reviews from Venice indicate he more or less achieved that goal.
6) Villains (Sept. 20)
Directed by: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Maika Monroe, Blake Baumgartner, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick
Bill Skarsgard’s has not one but two entries into the horror genre this month, though it’s doubtful this one will be quite as big of a hit as It: Chapter Two will be. But don’t let Villains fall off your radar, as it looks like it will be quite the ride in its own right. Focusing on Skarsgard and “scream queen” Maika Monroe as a pair of criminals who ultimately get kidnapped by the couple they set out to rob, they soon find the couple has a serious sadistic streak in them as they uncover many of their secrets. From the looks of the trailers, this is a serious contender for biggest “WTF” movie of the year, as it appears to be a mix of over-the-top horror tropes mixed with snarky comedy. The film premiered back in March at South by Southwest, and received plenty of critical acclaim, especially for the performances from the cast. If anything, this will go down as one of the year’s biggest cult films.
7) Zeroville (Sept. 20)
Directed by: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Megan Fox, Seth Rogen, Joey King, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Jacki Weaver
To be honest, no, I don’t think this will actually be any good. If you take one look at the trailer, it’s hard to even tell what this will be about. It’s a movie about a film editor and the editing in the trailer looked like a total mess as it tried to piece together some semblance of plot. But it’s on here because I really am curious what the final product will look like. The cast is undeniably talented, and more than likely will be the one reason I can see this being watchable. The movie was made back in 2015 and after the original distributor went bankrupt, the film was left in limbo until recently, seemingly thanks to the fact Franco had received critical acclaim from The Disaster Artist. Taking place in 1969, the movie feels like a poor man’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and more of an excuse for Franco and his friends to all hang out. More than likely, this will tread “so bad it’s good” territory.
8) The Day Shall Come (Sept. 27)
Directed by: Chris Morris
Starring: Marchant Davis, Anna Kendrick, Danielle Brooks, Kayvan Novak, Denis O’Hare, Jim Gaffigan
Once upon a time, back in 2010, a comedy named Four Lions was released. A satirical black comedy, the film was praised for its political overtones and sharp, quick-witted script from writer-director Chris Morris. However, other than some acting appearances here and there and directing a couple episodes of the TV series Veep, Morris has remained mostly out of the spotlight, and hasn’t directed a feature film since Four Lions. Though he’s finally back for his second full-length film and this appears to be in exactly the same vein as Four Lions. Focusing on a man played by Marchant Davis who’s paid by an undercover FBI agent played by Anna Kendrick, who plans to exploit his actions and turn him into a criminal to make herself look good, this looks to be another mix of razor-sharp comedy with political satire, that will most certainly resonate with audiences even more so today than Four Lions did at its time.
9) The Death of Dick Long (Sept. 27)
Directed by: Daniel Scheinert
Starring: Michael Abbott Jr, Virginia Newcomb, Andre Hyland, Sarah Baker, Jess Weixler, Roy Wood Jr, Sunita Mani
Another independent dark comedy seeing release during the last week of September comes from Daniel Scheinert, one half of the directing duo behind 2016’s super-odd - though very funny - Swiss Army Man. This film focuses on the death of the titular character in a small town in Alabama, and two other men who were with him at the time of his death, attempting to cover up the details surrounding his untimely passing. However, news travels fast in the town, and the two have an increasingly difficult time covering their tracks. The trailers for this film don’t give much away, including what exactly did happen to Dick, and much of the appeal banks on its sense of humor. A lot of this seems to rely on well-timed comedic misunderstandings, and odd reactions to important pieces of news. Like most other movies seeing release this month, this premiered earlier in the year at a festival - this time, it’s Sundance - and gained overall positive reviews. More than likely, this will come and go pretty quickly, but it certainly looks like it’s worth checking out.
10) Judy (Sept. 27)
Directed by: Rupert Goold
Starring: Renee Zellwegger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon
Musician biopics really do seem like they’re the next big thing lately. Though while the last few music-centered biopics have been about someone in the rock subgenre, this time, this is something a bit more “traditional,” so to speak, focusing on the legendary Judy Garland. Unlike other recent biopics, this was adapted from a play that strictly focuses on Judy during the last year of her life, during a string of sold-out shows not too long before her untimely death at the age of 47. The film just had its premiere at Telluride Film Festival, and while critics noted the film itself is a bit uneven in tone, all have pointed that Renee Zellwegger’s performance is easily the single best element of the film. You can be absolutely sure there will be a big push for her performance to pick up some awards early next year.
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