“Battle of the Sexes”
Cast: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Elizabeth Shue, Sarah Silverman, Chris Parnell
Synopsis: Based on the true story of the ridiculous tennis champ and hustler Bobby Riggs attempt to discredit women’s tennis by playing and beating the top female players, and the brickwall he hit in Billie Jean King.
What You Need To Know: The pairing of Emma Stone and Steve Carell is enough to sell our ticket to “Battle Of The Sexes.” Not only are Stone and Carell reliable comedic forces, but both have been steadily moving toward more rewarding, emotionally grounded roles, and for all the 70s pomp that ‘Battle’ promises, it appears as though it’s also going to pack in some nuance and substance. The third feature from the directing team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (“Little Miss Sunshine”), ‘Battle’ looks poised to strike a nerve in today’s political climate, where casual sexism — stoked from the highest office in the land — has once again reared its ugly, shameless head.
Release Date: September 22
“The LEGO Ninjago Movie”
Voice Cast: Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Michael Peña, Kumail Nanjiani, Abbi Jacobson, Jackie Chan.
Synopsis: Six young ninjas are tasked with defending their island home, called Ninjago. By night, they’re gifted warriors, by day, they’re ordinary teens struggling against their greatest enemy: high school.
What You Need To Know: Everyone laughed when a “The LEGO Movie” was announced way back when, but filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller proved a sharp idea can work even with what appears to be the flimsiest excuse for leveraging a brand. “The LEGO Batman Movie” followed and while nowhere near as compelling, it still proves there’s more gas in the tank for ‘LEGO’ movies. The latest to try its luck will be the “The LEGO Ninjago Movie.” Helmed by filmmakers behind the “TRON: Uprising” TV series, “The Power Puff Girls” and “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” their credits aren’t dazzling, but Warner Bros. has strong faith that ‘Ninjago’ is just the first to come in a larger series.
Release Date: September 22
“Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House”
Cast: Liam Neeson, Michael C. Hall, Diane Lane
Synopsis: The life story of Mark Felt, best known as “Deep Throat,” the FBI informant who helped bring down President Richard Nixon during the Watergate investigation.
What You Need to Know: FBI special agent Mark Felt’s life story was already seen, in part, through Hal Holbrook’s shadowy but nevertheless excellent supporting turn in “All the President’s Men.” But there are many things still unknown about the reclusive federal secret agent, which is what writer/director Peter Landesman (“Concussion”) hopes to communicate with his newest film. With a noteworthy cast and promising material, we hope “Mark Felt” leaves us talking for days.
Release Date: September 29
“Blade Runner 2049”
Cast: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright
Synopsis: A young blade runner’s discovery of a long buried secret leads him on a quest to track down former blade runner, Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years.
What You Need to Know: Harrison Ford thus far in his career has brought back two of his most definitive characters in Indiana Jones and Han Solo, with the former a bust and the latter arguably his best performance as the smuggler. That being said, Decker looks less like an integral part of the success of “Blade Runner 2049”, but it adds an interesting dimension to an already fascinating film. No, the real intrigue lies in director Denis Villeneuve and DP Roger Deakins, who, if the trailers are anything to go by, have created something at the very least visually masterful. There’s no real way to improve on the original; it’s a classic for a reason, but perhaps these two visionaries can update and expand with the same level of artistry as the first.
Release Date: October 6
“The Mountain Between Us”
Cast: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet
Synopsis: Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain.
What You Need To Know: This is an interesting one as Dutch/Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad isn’t known at all for Hollywood fare. In fact, he’s more a Cannes or international film festival director, with titles like “Paradise Now” and “Omar” (both Best Foreign Language Film entries for the Oscars). So it’s quite surprise to see him take on what many have called an epic love story. He sees it as something different. “I think optimism and hope is crucial to survive. And to go on with your life even if you’ve had a lot of bad luck. So if you give (in) to the bad luck, you will die. (But) if you fight the bad luck, you have a better chance to survive and make your life better. This is very simple wisdom, yes? But still very crucial especially in these kind of days, when everybody feels entitled to their good luck.”
Release Date: October 6
“Una”
Cast: Rooney Mara, Ben Mendelsohn and Riz Ahmed
Synopsis: A woman confronts an older man, her former neighbor, to find out why he abandoned her after they had a sexual relationship when she was thirteen.
What You Need To Know: Risqué material to be sure, director Benedict Andrews adapts the controversial play “Blackbird” and yields what sounds like some striking results and harrowing performances. Our review from Telluride of last year said, “‘Una’ is bursting with exceptional confidence and style…the aesthetic is Jonathan Glazer meets Andrea Arnold,” and hell, with that cast and that quote, it’s more than good enough for us.
Release Date: October 6
“The Florida Project”
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Caleb Landry Jones
Synopsis: Street-smart six-year-old Moonnee (Brooklynn Price) and her friends revel in the childhood novelty of a fluorescent Kissimmee summer. Meanwhile, Moonee’s mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite) and their frazzled landlord (Willem Dafoe) struggle behind the scenes to manage the kids’ low-income lives.
What You Need to Know: This second feature from “Tangerine”director Sean Baker once again showcases Baker’s greatest asset as a creator: his ability to lend voices to society’s invisible populations. “The Florida Project,” which illuminates the lives of Florida’s homeless(-ish), shows with heartfelt humor and bluntness how poverty affects families. Though Baker’s sophomore film doesn’t keep up the iPhone cinematography of “Tangerine,” it still possesses a number of Baker’s trademarks: nauseatingly bright colors, unflinching realism, and incredible performances. Newcomer Bria Vinaite will likely go on to do incredible things after her turn as Halley in “The Florida Proejct,” and critics are hailing Willem Dafoe’s performance as one of his best yet. This Cannes competitor is scheduled for limited release this fall.
Release Date: October 6
“Goodbye Christopher Robin”
Cast: Domhall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly Macdonald
Synopsis: A behind-the-scenes look at the life of author A.A. Milne and the creation of the Winnie the Pooh stories inspired by his son C.R. Milne.
What You Need to Know: If the trailers are anything to believe, the most reminiscent film to Simon Curtis’s latest work is 2004’s “Finding Neverland,” which similarly chronicled how a writer drew inspiration from his own experience to capture a story of boyhood wonder and imagination. While some have grown tired of these standard, by the numbers “prestige dramas”, there’s a possibility for whimsy in this film and an equal measure of nostalgia for a large part of the audience that might be just the right age to latch on to a tale like this. Regardless, with Margot Robbie and the always wonderful Domhall Gleeson at it’s best it could be entirely winsome. Also noteable is that it might be Fox Searchlights big Oscar grab for the season, making them eager for a positive response.
Release Date: October 13
“Breathe”
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy
Synopsis: The true story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, a loving, committed couple who fight the good fight when Robin is diagnosed with a debilitating disease. Expect heart-tugging melodrama.
What You Need to Know: Andy Serkis is an extraordinary, unparalleled actor. That much is indisputable. His directorial chops, however, are currently unproven, though we’re curious to see if his feature directorial debut, the weepy, Oscar-friendly biopic “Breathe,” proves his visceral talents extend behind-the-camera. The trailer didn’t necessarily wow us, and it doesn’t look like our usual affair, but we’re holding out hope — much like the characters — that this one is worth our while.
Release Date: October 13
“The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)”
Cast: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman
Synopsis: An estranged family gathers together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father. Expect dysfunctional comedy layered with wry, incisive humour.
What You Need To Know: One of the first two Netflix films to ever play in competition for the Palme D’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the latest comedy-drama from Noah Baumbach, the best contemporary chronicler of New York (sorry Woody Allen) marks his third collaboration with Ben Stiller and more startlingly, his first with Adam Sandler (taking a mature break from his other lousy Netflix “comedies”). The two comedians star as brothers Matthew and Danny who attempt to resolve their lifelong insecurities and need for parental approval as they gather to honour their cantankerous father (Dustin Hoffman). After the effervescent Greta Gerwig-collaborations “Frances Ha” and “Mistress America”, Baumbach seems to be easing into a remarkable groove of making sharp films about the increasing neuroses of middle-age and long may Baumbach’s insights remain undimmed.
Release Date: October 13