Films to fall for
As the fall movie season looms and the awards season is just about to show some promising changing colors at the movieplexes, there also comes news that John Carpenter’s “Halloween” franchise is about to rise from the dead one more time, a star is being born once again, man is about to set foot on the moon for the first time one more time, and the Sundance Kid is turning in his acting guns for good— or so he says.
And a rock ‘n’ roll kid from Oklahoma also is about to further his acting career. So let’s preview what’s happening …
FRIDAY
‘Peppermint’
Stillwater’s own Tyson Ritter, already a rock star as the lead voice in the Oklahoma-born power-pop band All-American Rejects, now advances his film-acting career as one of the leads in director Pierre Morel’s thriller about a woman who finds herself with nothing to lose, and is now going to take from her enemies the very life they stole from her. Ritter’s leading lady— Jennifer Garner. Go, Tyson!
‘The Nun’
A priest with a deeply troubled past and a novitiate about to take her final vows are sent by the Vatican to Romania to investigate the death of a young nun and end up confronting a demonic nun in this thriller starring Taissa Farmiga, Demian Bichir, Bonnie Aarons and Charlotte Hope, directed by Corin Hardy from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman.
SEPT. 14
‘Lizzie’
This fact-based psychological thriller from director Craig William Macneill and writer Bryce Kass is based on the infamous 1892 ax-murders in the Borden family. Chloe Sevigny (TV’s “The Big Love”) plays Lizzie Borden, and Kristen Stewart is cast as young family servant Bridget Sullivan.
'The Predator'
The sci-fi action series that began with “Predator” (1987), kept rolling with “Predator 2” (1990) and “Predators” (2010), continues under the direction of Shane Black, who co-wrote this latest chapter and had a supporting role in original installment. In “The Predator,” when a young boy accidentally causes the lethal creatures’ return to Earth, a ragtag group of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher must join forces to prevent the end of the human race. Yvonne Strahovski, University of Oklahoma alumna Olivia Munn and Jacob Tremblay star.
‘A Simple Favor’
This stylish thriller from director Paul Feig and screenwriter Jessica Sharzer, mommy blogger Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Emily’s husband, Sean (Henry Golding), is in on the hunt in this tale full of twists, betrayals, secrets, revelations, love, loyalty, revenge and— murder.
‘White Boy Rick’
Set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, this thriller from director Yann Demange and writers Andy Weiss and Logan and Noah Miller is based on the true story of a blue-collar father and his teenage son, Rick Wershe Jr. (Richie Merritt), who became an undercover police informant and later a drug dealer, before he was abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to life in prison. Cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bel Powley, RJ Cyler, Rory Cochrane, Brian Tyree Henry, Jonathan Majors, Eddie Marsan, Richie Merritt and Piper Laurie.
SEPT. 21 ‘The House with a
Clock in Its Walls’
Young orphan Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) helps his warlock uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) frantically search for a clock that’s ticking away the few hours left until the end of the world in this family fantasy/horror thriller from director Eli Roth and screenwriter Eric Kripke. Cate Blanchett and Kyle MacLachlan also star.
‘Life Itself’
As a young New York couple (Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde) go from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes. Director/writer Dan Fogelman (“This Is Us”) examines the perils and rewards of everyday life in a multigenerational saga featuring an ensemble that includes Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Olivia Cooke and Mandy Patinkin. Set in New York City and Carmona, Spain, “Life Itself” is said to examine the human condition and all of its complications with humor, poignancy and love.
SEPT. 28 ‘Hell Fest’
In this chiller from director Gregory Plotkin and writer Blair Butler, a masked serial killer turns a horror-themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons think it’s all part of the show. Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards and Bex Taylor-Klaus star.
‘Little Women’
Sarah Davenport, Allie Jennings, Lea Thompson, Lucas Grabeel and Ian Bohen star in this modernday retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 classic novel, directed by Clare Niederpruem from a screenplay by Niederpruem and Kristi Shimekm.
‘Night School’
A bunch of rowdy young miscreants are “sentenced” to attend night school so that they might pass the GED exam to finish high school in this comedy from director Malcolm D. Lee and writers Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matthew Kellard, Nicholas Stoller and John Hamburg. The adage of “too many cooks” may apply here. Stars include Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish and Keith David.
‘The Old Man & the Gun’
Robert Redford has announced his retirement from acting, having chosen as his final role that of real-life repeat prisonbreaker and heist artist Forrest Tucker, a 70-yearold career criminal whose elusiveness and unprecedented string of crimes enchanted the public while confounding authorities. Written and directed by David Lowery, based on a 2003 New Yorker article by David Grann, the film also features Casey Affleck playing a pursuing detective who can’t help but admire Tucker’s wile, and Sissy Spacek portraying the woman who loves Tucker despite his chosen profession. Other co-stars include John David Washington, Danny Glover and Tom Waits. It’s a good bet Redford will continue to direct, but he’ll be missed by millions in front of the camera. This old man has toted a big gun in the world of film craft for a long, stellar time.
‘Smallfoot’
In this American-Spanish computer-animated comedy directed by Karey Kirkpatrick and based on the book “Yeti Tracks” by Sergio Pablos, a Yeti is convinced that the elusive creatures known as “humans” really do exist. The film stars the voices of Channing Tatum, Danny DeVito, Common, James Corden, Zendaya, Gina Rodriguez and Jimmy Tatro.
OCT. 5 ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’
In this mystery thriller from writer-director Drew Goddard, each with a secret to hide, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of a night, everyone will have one last opportunity to find redemption and avoid disaster. Cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Nick Offerman, John Hamm, Dakota Johnson and Jeff Bridges.
‘A Star Is Born’
This third re-imagining of the 1937 film of the same name stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the roles of a fading alcoholic country music star and the young singer and actress he helps to find fame and fortune. Cooper also makes his directorial debut working from a script he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Will Fetters. Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle and Sam Elliot also star.
‘Venom’
Tom Hardy portrays a journalist and scandal victim who attempts to revive his career by investigating questionable doings at the Life Foundation, only to come in contact with an alien symbiote that bonds with Brock, giving him superpowers and a horrific alter-ego as the two beings share the same body. This latest offering from Marvel Entertainment also stars Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed and Scott Hays. Ruben Fleischer directs from a script by Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner, Kelly Marcel and Will Beal.
OCT. 12 ‘Beautiful Boy’
Director Felix Groeningen has cowritten this dramatic screenplay with Luke Davies, based on the best-selling memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff (played by Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet, respectively), that tell the true story of a family experiencing survival, relapse and recovery from addiction over a period of many years. Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan co-star.
‘First Man’
Ryan Gosling stars in this biopic on astronaut Neil Armstrong, focusing on the period of Armstrong’s life from 1961-1969, leading up to the dangerous space mission that made him the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. Directed by Damien Chazelle from a screenplay by Josh singer, based on the biography by James R. Hansen, the film also examines the sacrifices and costs to the nation and Armstrong himself that made the fantastic voyage possible.
‘Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween’
This family-oriented horror comedy from director Ari Sandel and writer Rob Lieber is based on a children’s book series by R.L. Stine and is a sequel to the 2015 film “Goosebumps.” In the small town of Wardenclyffe on Halloween night, two boys find a manuscript in an abandoned house. When they open it, the unknowingly release Slappy, who plans to cause a Halloween apocalypse with the help of monster allies. Now the two boys and one of their sisters seek to thwart Slappy’s plot before it’s too late.
OCT. 19 ‘Serenity’
Here is a neo-noir thriller from writer-director Steven Knight about a fishing boat cabin whose mysterious past comes back to haunt him when his ex-wife tracks him down with an urgent plea for help, catching him up in a new situation that may not be all that it seems. Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou and Jeremy Strong star.
‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
Director Marielle Heller’s biographical comedy is based on a memoir of the same title by Lee Israel (played by Melissa McCarthy), who made her living writing stories on highprofile women such as Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, cosmetics tycoon Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen from the 1960s to the 1980s, until the new publishing trend toward dirt-digging bios killed her sales. Then she stoops to forging letters from famous deceased writers, playwrights and actors, and selling them. When suspicions are aroused, Israel and her ex-con friend and accomplice Jack (Richard E. Grant) resort to stealing actual letters from library archives and selling those instead.
‘Halloween’
The 11th installment of this infamous slasher series is directed by David Gordon Green, written by Green, Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride. It is a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 original (with the events of many previous sequels sort of discarded), and Carpenter is actually involved in this one as composer, executive producer and creative consultant. Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode (wasn’t she killed in one of the recent chapters?) for a (maybe) final showdown with masked murderer Michael Myers (again, Nick Castlerprise, with his stuntman James Jude Courtney). Set 40 years after Chapter One, the film also stars Judy Geer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton and Virginia Gardner.
‘The Hate U Give’
Based on Angie Thomas’ 2017 novel of the same name, this crime drama/ thriller from director George Tillman Jr. and adapted for the screen by Tina Mabry and Audrey Wells, stars Amanda Stenberg as Star Carter, a girl constantly torn between her poor black neighborhood and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. This tricky balancing act is destroyed when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend at the hands of police. Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby and Common are among the supporting cast.
OCT. 26 ‘Hunter Killer’
An inexperienced submarine captain (Gerard Butler) must team with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been abducted by a rogue general in this action-thriller directed by Donovan Marsh and written by Arne L. Schmidt from a novel by George Wallace and Don Keith. Linda Cardellini and Gary Oldman also star.
‘Johnny English Strikes Again’
Rowan Atkinson returns as mumbling, bumbling British spy Johnny English, called back into action when a cyberattack reveals the identity of every active secret agent in Britain. The hapless, techno-challenged hero must overcome his lack of cyber skills in order track down the hacker. Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Jake Lacy and Emma Thompson costar in this Bond-spoof from first-time director David Kerr, working from a script by William Davies.
NOV. 2 ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
Director Bryan singer’s rock epic covers the rise of Queen and the struggles of flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) as he faces an AIDS diagnosis, climaxing with the revolutionary band’s legendary performance at the 1985 Live Air concert. Written by Anthony McCarten from a story by McMarten and Peter Morgan, the supporting cast includes Joseph Mazzello, Mike Myers, Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy and Gwilym Lee.
‘Boy Erased’
Joel Edgerton directs, co-writes (with Garrard Conley) and co-stars in this fact-based story of the son of a Baptist preacher (Lucas Hedges) who is forced to participate in a church-supported gay conversion program after being forcibly outed to his parents, played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe.
‘Nobody’s Fool’
For once, Tyler Perry writes and directs a film without including his name in the title. This comedy-drama is about a woman who is released from prison and reunites with her sister, only to discover that sis is in an online relationship with a man who may not be what he seems. It credits Missi Pyle, Courtney Henggeler and Tika Sumpter as the stars, but don’t be surprised if Perry shows up in there somewhere, credited or not.
‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’
A young girl is transported into a magical world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice in this fantasy drama directed by Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston, written by Ashleigh Powell and Tom McCarthy and based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” and Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker.” The film stars Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy, Eugenio Derbez, Matthew Macfadyen, Richard E. Grant, Misty Copeland, Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman. The Disney production will be shown in Real D 3-D and IMAX 3-D.
‘Suspiria’
Based on the 1977 horror cult favorite of the same name by revered Italian filmmaker Dario Argento, this remake helmed by Luca Guadagnino and rewritten by David Kajganich follows Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) to Marcos Dance Academy in Berlin, where she impresses artistic director Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) with her dancing talents. After a series of mysterious disappearances among the students, Susie, her new friend Sara (Mia Goth), Madame Blanc and elderly psychologist Jozef Klemperer (Lutz Ebersdorf) learn the school may possess dark secrets that could kill them all.
NOV. 9 ‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web’
Clair Foy plays outcast vigilante defender Lisbeth Salander from the popular book series by Stieg Larsson. Fede Alvarez directs this thriller from a script by Alvarez, Steven Knight and Jay Basu.
‘Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch’
This fully animated retelling of Dr. Seuss’ holiday classic features British actor Benedict Cumberbatch giving voice to the to the cynical, grumpy creature who’s on a mission to steal Christmas, until a young girl’s generous holiday spirit causes him to have a change of heart. Directed by Scott Moiser and Yarrow Cheney from a screenplay by Michael LeSie and Tommy Swerdlow.
‘Overlord’
On D-Day eve, U.S. paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to carry out a mission key to the success of the invasion, but they begin to discover there is more than meets the eye going on in a Nazi-occupied village — a German experiment that delves into the supernatural. Jules Avery directs from a screenplay by Ray and Mark L. Smith. This horror/sci-fi/war story stars Wyatt Russell, Bokeem Woodbine and Pilou Asback in key roles.
‘Peterloo’
Mike Leigh writes and directs this retelling of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a pro-democracy rally in Manchester escalates to one of the bloodiest episodes in British history when government forces charge into a crowd of more than 60,000 protesters demanding political reform. Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Neil Bell, Philip Jackson, Vincent Franklin, Kari Johnson and Tim McInnerny head the cast.
‘At Eternity’s Gate’
Willem Dafoe stars as Vincent van Gogh in this biopic from director Julian Schnabel — co-writing with Jean-Claude Carriere — portraying the last two years of the artist’s life in Aries. Rupert Friend co-stars as brother Theo van Gogh and Oscar Isaac portrays painter Paul Gauguin, Vincent’s friend. A November release date is yet to be determined.
Nov. 16 ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’
Tulsa’s own Tim Blake Nelson reteams with filmmaking super-siblings Joel and Ethan Coen (“O Brother, Where Art Thou?” was their first collaboration) for this off-center Western starring Nelson in the title role. Here’s a shoot ‘em up that’s bound to score a bull’s-eye.
‘Fantastic Beasts:
The Crimes of Grinderwald’
Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander, banished Hogwarts magizoologist, to clash with dark wizard Grinderwald (Johnny Depp) in this prequel to J.K. Rowling’s popular series.
‘Widows’
After four men are killed attempting to pull a heist, their widows decide to finish the job in this dramatic thriller from director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”). Viola Davis stars with Carrie Coon, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez and Daniel Kaluuya (“Get Out”).
Nov. 21 ‘Green Book’
Viggo Mortensen stars in this dramatization of a true story about a friendship that transcends race, class and the 1962 MasonDixon Line. Directed by Peter Farrelly, who co-wrote this dramatic screenplay with Nick Vallelonga and Brian Currie, Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an ItalianAmerican neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Marschala Ali), a worldclass black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the deep south, relying on the “Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African Americans. Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco and P.J. Byrne lead the supporting cast.
‘Creed II’
Michael B. Jordan is back in the ring as Adonis Creed, son of the late Apollo Creed, to duke it out with Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), whose father, Ivan (Dolph Lundgren) killed Apollo in the ring. In this latest of a long line of sequels that began with “Rocky” in 1976, Sylvester Stallone also returns in the character that made him famous, and also directs.