Fall movie releases that we have marked on our calendars. All 37 of them.
September is officially here. And while that means the return of so many different, scrumptious fall-related things, what we really want to hunker down and talk about today are fall movies. Fall movies are, by definition, glorious. This is the season when awards contenders are released seemingly every week, and it feels nearly impossible to keep up with all the movies we want to see. It can be overwhelming, but for movie lovers there really isn’t a better time.
To help manage the movie anxiety, and make sure the important flick picks are on your radar, we decided to put together a handy-dandy list of the movies that have really caught our eye. Let’s get our movie watching on.
About Ray (September 18)
Directed by: Gaby Dellal
Starring: Naomi Watts, Elle Fanning, Susan Sarandon
What it’s about: A teenager, played by Elle Fanning, transitions from female to male. The film tells his story, as well as the story of his family as they come to terms with their new reality.
Why we’re excited: Such an important story to tell, and a cast of actors we absolutely love are telling it. With a cis actor (Fanning) playing a trans role, there’s definitely an important conversation to be had about inclusion and diversity in casting. Still, we’re so very excited to see what looks to be an honest story of a teenage transition on film.
Everest (September 25)
Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright, Sam Worthington, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke
What it’s about: A group of climbers take on Everest and gets walloped by a massive storm.
Why we’re excited: Edge-of-your-seat thriller status? Check. Jake Gyllenhaal? Check. A movie that we NEED to see on the big screen to make sure our eyeballs see all those awesome effects? Check. Consider us in.
The Keeping Room (September 25)
Directed by: Daniel Barber
Starring: Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru, Sam Worthington
What it’s about: In the Civil War south women fight to defend their home from rogue soldiers who have abandoned the Union army.
Why we’re excited: Indiewire called it a, “feminist Western with bite.” Need we say more?
The Intern (September 25)
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Nat Wolff, Rene Russo, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, Andrew Rannells
What it’s about: A hugely successful start-up, run by Anne Hathaway’s character, decides to take on senior citizen interns. Benjamin Whittaker (played by De Niro) is hired as an intern, and generational discovery ensues.
Why we’re excited: The cast is amazing, and Nancy Meyers has written and directed some of our favorite feel-good movies — The Parent Trap, Father of the Bride, The Holiday, It’s Complicated. This one looks to be just as feel-good.
The Walk (September 30 limited; October 9 wide)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz
What it’s about: The true story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s 1974 attempt to walk between the Twin Towers on a tight rope.
Why we’re excited: I mean, that’s a pretty dope true story to tell. Plus JGL? We’re all about it.
Freeheld (October 2)
Directed by: Peter Sollett
Starring: Steve Carell, Ellen Page, Julianne Moore
What it’s about: Another incredibly, important true LGBT story, this one about New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester and her domestic partner who fight to ensure her pension benefits after she’s diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Why we’re excited: Aside from this incredibly important storyline, we’re excited to see Page (who has been a vocal supporter for the LGBT community, and very beautifully and publicly came out not long ago) use her acting work to continue fighting for the rights of all.
He Named Me Malala (October 2)
Directed by: Davis Guggenheim
Starring: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Mobin Khan
What it’s about: A documentary about Malala Yousafzai; the days leading up to the Talbina’s attack on her, and the aftermath.
Why we’re excited: Fighting for the of girl’s education rights, winning the Nobel peace prize, still only being 18 years old. Malala is one of the most inspiring people on the planet and we’re so excited to learn more about her story.
Legend (October 2)
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
Starring: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton
What it’s about: The story of how twins Reggie and Ronald Kray became two of history’s most notorious gangsters.
Why we’re excited: Tom Hardy plays twins. We’ll repeat that: Tom Hardy plays twins.
The Martian (October 2)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Mara, Kristin Wiig, Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Sean Bean
What it’s about: A group of astronauts mission to Mars gets cut short by a massive storm. Astronaut Mark Watney (aka Matt Damon) can’t be found and is presumed dead and his fellow astronauts head back to Earth without him. Alas, he is alive and must figure out a way to STAY alive long enough to let his fellow Earthlings know his status.
Why we’re excited: We have absolutely no chill about this plotline. We need to know what happens, which means, we need to see this movie.
Shout Gladi Gladi (October 9)
Directed by: Adam Friedman, Iain Kennedy
Starring: Meryl Streep, Melinda Gates, Wole Soyinka
What it’s about: A documentary (narrated by Meryl Streep) that tells the story of those who rescue African women and girls from obstetric fistula, a condition caused during childbirth that can turn the women into community outcasts.
Why we’re excited: A story about women, health and how every single person’s life matters. We’re putting this up there with Malala on our documentary list.
Pan (October 9)
Directed by: Joe Wright
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Cara Delevinge, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, Garrett Hedlund
What it’s about: In short, it’s a Peter Pan origin story.
Why we’re excited: Three women we adore are in this movie, plus we kinda just full-time heart origin stories. This one looks both gorgeous and occasionally terrifying.
Steve Jobs (October 9)
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Katherine Waterston
What it’s about: The story of Steve Jobs and Apple and all that wonder.
Why we’re excited: Aside from our general interest in the life of Steve Jobs, Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay which puts 100 points in the movie’s favor. Refresher: Sorkin wrote the mega-incredible screenplay for The Social Network so he totally knows how to tell a good story about tech giants. (P.S. If you need even more Apple in your life there’s an awesome documentary about Steve Jobs coming out in September. It’s called Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine.)
Crimson Peak (October 16)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain
What it’s about: A horror-fantasy film whose trailer we’ve watched 100 times. From what we can glean something tragic happened in the past and an author is torn between past love and a new intriguing stranger. There are also ghosts.
Why we’re excited: The trailer is touting this as Guillermo del Toro’s “masterpiece.” Ummmm we thought Pan’s Labyrinth was his masterpiece, so consider us excited.
Room (October 16)
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Starring: Brie Larson, Joan Allen, William H. Macy
What it’s about: Based on Emma Donoghue’s book (which we loved) this is all about mother-child love and a young boy named Jack who knows nothing about the world except the room where he was born and raised.
Why we’re excited: Book to movie adaptation! Especially a book we love! Yep. In.
Bridge of Spies (October 16)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Hanks, Amy Ryan, Alan Alda, Austin Stowell, Mark Rylance
What it’s about: Tom Hanks plays an American lawyer during the Cold War who is sent to the Soviet Union to try and help rescue a pilot.
Why we’re excited: How could we not be excited for the latest Spielberg movie? We have a feeling awards season will be too.
Goosebumps (October 16)
Directed by: Rob Letterman
Starring: Jack Black, Halston Sage, Ken Marino
What it’s about: R.L. Stine’s niece and a young kid team up after Stine’s fictitious demons get let loose on the town of Greendale.
Why we’re excited: Goosebumps. Movie. ‘Nuff said.
Suffragette (October 23)
Directed by: Sarah Gavron
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter
What it’s about: All about women in the 19th and early 20th century who fought hard for women’s rights in the British suffrage movement.
Why we’re excited: A movie about women’s suffrage starring these ladies? Yup!
Jem and the Holograms (October 23)
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Juliette Lewis, Stefanie Scott, Aubrey Peeples
What it’s about: Smalltown girl and her sisters turn into global superstar sensations. I mean, you remember?
Why we’re excited: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
The Peanuts Movie (November 6)
Directed by: Steve Martino
Starring: Noah Schnapps, Hadley Belle Miller
What it’s about: Snoopy takes on an airborne arch-nemesis, while Charlie Brown takes on some villains back home.
Why we’re excited: Snoopy on the big screen, and with an animation overhaul to boot.
Brooklyn (November 6)
Directed by: John Crowley
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Michael Zegen
What it’s about: As IMDB lays it out, “In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Ellis Lacey has to choose between two men and two countries.”
Why we’re excited: Uhh, did you read that description? Romance? In the ‘50s? Taking place across the Atlantic Ocean? Uh huh. The screenplay was also written by Nick Hornby.
Spectre (November 6)
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux
What it’s about: Espionage and intrigue and romance and all the usual James Bond hullaballoo.
Why we’re excited: Because it’s the latest Bond film, also at 50 Monica Bellucci is breaking age boundaries for what makes a Bond Girl.
Trumbo (November 6)
Directed by: Jay Roach
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Elle Fanning, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K.
What it’s about: Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo is blacklisted in 1940s Hollywood after being named a communist.
Why we’re excited: Lookin’ like an awards contender.
By the Sea (November 13)
Directed by: Angelina Jolie Pitt
Starring: Angelina Jolie Pitt, Brad Pitt
What it’s about: The story of a marriage attempting to re-find its footing in 1970s France — starring a celeb married couple we are fully obsessed with.
Why we’re excited: Brad and Angie on screen together for the first time since Mrs. And Mrs. Smith. Once again, zero chill.
Carol (November 20)
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler
What it’s about: Back in time yet again. In 1950s NYC a department store clerk falls for an older married woman.
Why we’re excited: It’s a lesbian love affair set in the ‘50s and we are fascinated to see how the era and plot-line will mix.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (November 20)
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Woody Harrelson, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Natalie Dormer, Jena Malone, Gwendoline Christie, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman
What it’s about: It’s the next installment! You know, the one where they leave District 13 to save Panem?
Why we’re excited: It’s the next installment! You know, the one where they leave District 13 to save Panem?
The Good Dinosaur (November 25)
Directed by: Peter Sohn
Starring: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn, A.J. Buckley, Anna Pacquin, Sam Elliott, Frances McDormand
What it’s about: A young dinosaur and a little boy become friends, you know, in an alternate reality where humans and dinos existed at the same time.
Why we’re excited: It’s Pixar’s second movie of the year! And after Inside Out, who wouldn’t be excited to see what they produce next?
Victor Frankenstein (November 25)
Directed by: Paul McGuigan
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay
What it’s about: Dr. Frankenstein’s creations begin to go a liiiiiiitle bit too far, and the only one who can bring him back from the brink of madness is Igor.
Why we’re excited: This looks dark and spooky and like all sorts of wonderful creepy things.
The Danish Girl (November 27)
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Eddie Redmayne, Amber Heard
What it’s about: A story of love and marriage drawn from the lives of two artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili ultimately becomes a transgender pioneer.
Why we’re excited: This film is already generating a ton of buzz, particularly Eddie Redmayne’s somewhat controversial casting and performance.
I Saw the Light (November 27)
Directed by: Marc Abraham
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen
What it’s about: The story of country legend Hank William’s rise to fame.
Why we’re excited: We are all about these biopics, particularly when they’re focused ultra-fascinating country music icons and starring men we heart.
Still waiting on the first trailer!
In the Heart of the Sea (December 11)
Directed by: Ron Howard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, Tom Holland, Brendan Gleeson, Michelle Fairley
What it’s about: Very Moby Dick-esque, back in 1820 crewmen on a New England ship have to fight to save themselves and their ship from a massive whale.
Why we’re excited: Chris Hemsworth is one of those crewmen.
Sisters (December 18)
Directed by: Jason Moore
Starring: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Maya Rudolph
What it’s about: OK. This is serious. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey play sisters who decide to throw a final, massive house party before their parents sell the family home.
Why we’re excited: I mean, do we really have to spell it out? Amy and Tina? Alrighty, then. Also, Paula Pell wrote it and she’s absolutely hilarious and you should be following her on Twitter.
Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (December 18)
Directed by: J. J. Abrams
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o, Simon Pegg
What it’s about: We honestly don’t know all that much but it’s Star Wars(!) and Luke, and Leia and Han Solo will all be there.
Why we’re excited: This is a big, massive, huge deal of a movie and we simply cannot wait.
The Hateful Eight (December 25)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, Channing Tatum
What it’s about: It’s the Civil War. It’s Wyoming. And eight people, many of whom are on the run, are brought together in a blizzard. Keep in mind, this is Tarantino so violence will abound.
Why we’re excited: No lies, Tarantino movies always get us excited. Sure they’re gory but they are SO well done, and so poised and ready for the Oscars.
Joy (December 25)
Directed by: David O. Russell
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Dascha Polanco, Virginia Maden, Isabella Rossellini, Edgar Ramirez
What it’s about: This sounds like a movie that takes place both inside and outside of the main character’s imagination. The main character is Joy, Joy is Jennifer Lawrence.
Why we’re excited: SO many reasons. Most notably, the fact that JLaw, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and David O Russell are the same exact squad from Silver Linings Playbook and they’re reunited.
Snowden (December 25)
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, Zachary Quinto, Nicolas Cage, Scott Eastwood, Timothy Olyphant
What it’s about: Based on the true story of Edward Snowden who leaked classified information from the NSA to the media.
Why we’re excited: We’ve been on pins and needles for this one! This cast, this true story, plus JGL who we forever-love.
The Revenant (December 25)
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
What it’s about: It’s the 1820s and a man named Hugh Glass decides to go after a group of people who left him for dead after he was attacked by a bear.
Why we’re excited: Because, when is Leo going to win that Oscar!
Macbeth (We’re still waiting on the release date)
Directed by: Justin Kurzel
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Elizabeth Debicki, Marion Cotillard
What it’s about: You’ve probably read it in school. Macbeth is a duke and he receives a prophecy that one day he’ll be king. He takes matters into his own hands and kills the king so he can take the thrown.
Why we’re excited: For every single reason imaginable.
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