10 Indie(-ish) Films We’re Excited About This Fall
Attention, movie buffs: as blockbuster season begins its watery wind-down, it’s just about time to get jazzed for all the fall festivals. (You know–Oscar season’s super-cool sisters.) And this autumn, there’s a lot to be excited about in limited release. From assorted book adaptations to star-studded black comedies; from politically-minded thrillers to stop animation, we’ve compiled a handy guide to your local art house’s fall season. . .with a few sneaky blockbusters thrown in.
So bring on the sweaters, the warm drinks! And let’s all go to the movies. . .
1. Wild
Wild, based on Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling memoir of the same name, is the story of one woman’s 1,100-mile hike as she attempts to recover from recent trauma. Reese Witherspoon stars in this labor of love, to hit theaters December 5th.
2. Madame Bovary
Mia Wasikowska has already proven her mettle as an Edwardian English waif (see her spell-binding turn in 2011’s Jane Eyre), so we have every reason to imagine that the young actress is up to the task of embodying another literary heavyweight. Also featuring Paul Giamatti and directed by Sophie Barthes, this flick was recently screened at the Telluride Film Festival, and has appeared in select theaters as of August 30th.
3. Gone Girl
If you haven’t already whipped through Gillian Flynn’s page-turning thriller. . .well, get thee to a library stat. David Fincher has adapted this story about a murderously mismatched couple for the big screen. This suspenseful mystery, stars the ever-groovy Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. It comes out October 3rd.
4. The Skeleton Twins
SNL-vets Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader try drama on for size (spoiler alert: it fits!) in Craig Johnson’s new film about two estranged twins rediscovering life together. It gets a wide release September 12th. Mark your calendars.
5. Dear White People
We’ve already expressed our glee for this one, but just to reiterate: this October 24th, a smart, snappy comedy about race is planning to rock a boat near you.
6. Into The Woods
Okay, okay. . .not an indie flick by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t be waiting in line for this guy at midnight the night before. Rob Marshall has brought one of Broadway’s greatest musicals to the big screen, along with a stellar cast and a soundtrack we already know all the words to. This Christmas: go into the woods.
7. The Boxtrolls
A young orphan boy and his surrogate family of “cave-dwelling trash collectors,” must rally when an evil exterminator comes to town. Leading this fall’s animated features (with some pretty incredible animation), The Boxtrolls, hits theaters September 25th.
8. The Interview
Another out-and-out comedy from the graduates of Apatow Academy, this Evan Goldberg/Seth Rogen production dances with the subversive. James Franco and Seth Rogen play a reporting duo who are enlisted to assassinate Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Coming this Christmas.
9. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them
This curious love story comes from the mind of writer/director Ned Benson. While one couple attempts to reclaim a love lost, two different movies capture the male (James McAvoy) and female’s (Jessica Chastain) perspective on the relationship. Re-cut now as a single feature, the movie begins screenings September 12th.
10. Rosewater
Jon Stewart (yes, that Jon Stewart) turns a fresh eye to film directing with this drama about a journalist detained in Iran for a brutal questioning (Gael Garcia Bernal). Considered to be a strong contender for Oscar nods, Rosewater arrives in select theaters November 7th.
