Fall cinema 101
A master class of autumn offerings after a particularly slack summer
It’s been a dismal summer for movies. Cinema has been sleeping late, slacking off and not cutting the lawn. But back-to-school may yet set things straight. Here’s a look at the fall lineup, starting with the three Rs: remakes (and sequels), reading and reality. Dates, like deadlines for that big school project, are subject to change.
Remakes (and sequels)
The lone superhero movie of the season, (Nov. 4), falls into this category as it connects with the larger Marvel universe. Benedict Cumberbatch stars. And from a galaxy far, far away comes (Dec. 16), latest in the Star Wars saga, with Felicity Jones as the plucky heroine. You can also see her in (Oct. 28), another Da Vinci Code sequel. The season’s one true remake is
(Sept. 23), Antoine Fuqua’s take on John Sturges’ 1960 western, itself based on 1954’s from Akira Kurosawa. As for sequels, Renée Zellweger dusts off her British accent for
(Sept. 16). Tom Cruise goes back to his Jack Reacher character in the ironically named
(Oct. 21). Tyler Perry gets back in drag for
(Oct. 21). Billy Bob Thornton dons the red suit again in (Nov. 23). And comedian Kevin Hart stands up for (Oct. 14).
And because horror never dies, there’s another trip to the woods with (Sept.16).
(Oct. 21) provides a simple spelling test. And (Oct. 28) is the latest in a series so old it started with a haunted videocassette.
Reading
You could fill a syllabus with the adaptations hitting screens this fall. Carol Shields’ final novel, (Oct. 14), is now a movie starring Catherine Keener. Other adult novels include
(Sept. 23), starring Kate Winslet;
(Oct. 7), featuring Emily Blunt; (Dec. 16), with Patrick Wilson; Billy Lynn’s
(Nov. 11); and (Oct. 21), with Ewan McGregor starring and directing. For the younger set there’s
(Dec. 23); (Sept. 7); course (Sept. 30); and of
(Nov. 18), although it’s inspired by rather than directly based on J.K. Rowling’s fictional textbook from the world of Harry Potter. Finally there’s Denis Villeneuve’s
(Nov. 11), based on the short story by Ted Chiang. (Oct. 28) is Park Chan-wook’s reimagining of Sarah Waters’ novel (Nov. 25) is Tom Ford’s adaptation of the novel And
(Dec. 25), starring Denzel Washington, is based on the play by August Wilson.
Reality
Harrowing stories of courage, redemption and french fries are coming to theatres this fall. (Sept. 9) stars Tom Hanks as the pilot who landed a stricken Airbus on the Hudson River. (Sept. 16) features Joseph Gordon Levitt as a CIA whistleblower.
(Sept. 30) recounts a deadly 2010 explosion and oil spill.
(Oct. 7) recounts an 1831 slave rebellion. Mel Gibson brings us the story of a conscientious objector who won the Medal of Honor in (Nov. 4). (Nov. 11) tells of a couple fighting inter-racial marriage laws. Miles Teller stars as boxer Vinny Pazienza in (Nov. 23). And (Dec. 16) gives us Michael Keaton as McDonald’s magnate Ray Kroc.
These are all U.S. tales, but the rest of the world has stories to tell as well. (Sept. 23) is about a Ugandan chess prodigy.
(Oct. 7) features Timothy Spall as British Holocaust denier David Irving. Daisy Ridley narrates the story of a Kazakh eagle hunter in (Nov. 4).
Recess
School can’t be all work and no play. Animated antics this fall include (Sept. 9), a retelling of
(Sept. 23), about a special delivery; (Nov. 4), featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake; (Nov. 23), a Disney feature about a heroic navigator; and the musical (Dec. 21). More grownup comedy includes
(Sept. 30), about a bank heist gone hilariously wrong; the musical (Dec. 9), with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone; the spy comedy
(Oct. 21); the female-centric comedy 20th
(Dec. 21); (Nov. 11), one of those dysfunctional family holiday gatherings; and (Dec. 9), one of those dysfunctional workplace holiday gatherings.
Canadian Studies
Quebec’s prolific young (still just 27) director Xavier Dolan unveils his newest, (Sept. 23), which won the Grand Prize of the Jury in Cannes last May. Other patriotic choices include Tatiana Maslany in (Dec. 2); and (a.k.a. French for “country”), from Chloé Robichaud, opening Sept. 16; and Matt Johnson’s (Sept. 30), which imagines a faked moon landing.