Although late December is when audiences typically see prime Oscar bait films, this fall promises to have a great line-up of movies as well. From love stories to suspenseful thrillers, here are some can’t-miss films coming out in the next few months.
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby [Sept. 12]
With this inventive drama, writer-director Ned Benson intends to show that there really are two sides to every story. Originally two separate films set in the same timeline but told through different perspectives [entitled “Him” and “Her”], “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” tells the story of a young couple’s relationship from the point of view of both the husband [James McAvoy] and wife [the talented Jessica Chastain] in what’s sure to be a fascinating watch.
The Skeleton Twins [Sept. 12]
Former SNL stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are best known for their work in outrageous comedies, but this film appears to show off their dramatic skills as well. Balancing humor and emotion, Hader and Wiig play siblings who reunite after years apart, when both their lives are in not-so-stable places. If reviews and the film’s performance at the Sundance Film Festival [where it won an award for screen writing] are any indication, then this movie is sure to impress.
This is Where I Leave You [Sept. 19]
Boasting one of the most impressive casts audiences are likely to see this year, this A-list ensemble stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, and Adam Driver as siblings forced to reunite in their childhood home following the death of their father. And if that isn’t enough to convince you this comedy-drama is a must see, Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will be playing the mother. The trailer promises laughter as well as some genuine momentsof emotion.
Gone Girl [Oct. 3]
The best-selling phenomenon has become one of the year’s most hotly anticipated films. Ben Affleck will play Nick, a man who comes under suspicion following the disappearance of his wife [Rosamund Pike]. The novel’s author Gillian Flynn penned the screenplay and David Fincher, who’s known for his work on thrillers, is directing. All good signs that this film will be as dark, engaging, and twisted as its source material. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Rosewater [Nov. 7]
“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart makes his directorial debut with “Rosewater,” an intense drama which tells the true story of a journalist who spent five months being interrogated and tortured in an Iran prison. This harrowing tale of survival is mandatory viewing, especially given our global political climate.
The Theory of Everything [Nov. 7]
The trailer alone for this movie nearly had me in tears. This moving British biopic stars Eddie Redmayne as physicist Stephen Hawking [a role that’s almost guaranteed to earn him an Oscar nomination] and Felicity Jones as Jane, the woman he fell in love with while at Cambridge. The movie will chronicle not only their relationship but also Hawking’s diagnosis, struggles with disease, and success in the physics field.
Interstellar [Nov. 7]
Writer-director Christopher Nolan can do no wrong, or at least he hasn’t yet. And by the looks of his newest movie that’s not going to change anytime soon. Fresh off his Oscar win and Emmy nomination, Matthew McConaughey leads the cast in this science fiction film, which also features Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, and Matt Damon. The trailer reveals little about the story’s plot except that it deals with space travel and the fate of humanity. But that, coupled with the cast and director, is more than enough to excite me.