Fall 2022 Preview: 60+ Must-See Films To Watch - Page 2 of 7

“Don’t Worry Darling” 
One of this year’s most anticipated sophomore directorial efforts has to be Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” the follow-up to her acclaimed coming-of-age “Booksmart.” Working with a bigger budget and scope, Wilde now takes a look (via Katie Silberman’s original script) at the American suburbs in the 1950s and the secret machinations underneath. The trailers indicate this to be a creepier social commentary as Florence Pugh’s Alice learns more about the suburban utopia supposedly created by her husband Jack (Harry Styles); we’ll find out when the movie makes its heavily anticipated premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Wilde also stars in the movie, alongside Chris Pine, Kate Berlant, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll, Timothy Simons, Sydney Chandler, KiKI Layne, and Dita Von Teese
Release Date: September 23 via Warner Bros

Lou” 
Allison Janney kicking ass” may not have been on your 2022 to-view list a few months ago, but Netflix has changed that with their recent announcement of the upcoming thriller “Lou.” Janney teams up with Jurnee Smollett to pursue a missing young girl in this action-thriller that promises some hand-to-hand combat from Janney, if the trailer is any indication. Could this be Janney’s Liam Neeson evolution? Logan Marshall-Green and Greyson Holt also star. 
Release Date: September 23 via Netflix

The Munsters” 
Every now and then a movie trailer goes viral because everyone’s confused: that recently happened with writer/director Rob Zombie’s brightly colored and extra kooky take on “The Munsters,” finally coming out this September. A new camp classic in the making? A disaster of intent and execution? This could easily be one of the strangest movies of the rest of the film year, and therefore one of its more memorable. Cassandra Peterson, Sylvester McCoy, Dee Wallace, Sheri Moon Zombie, Jorge Garcia, Daniel Roebuck, Richard Brake, Butch Patrick, Jeff Daniel Phillips, and Pat Priest star. 
Release Date: September 27 via Netflix

Bros” 
After boosting the silver screen careers of Pete Davidson and Amy Schumer, producer Judd Apatow does something similar for comedian Billy Eichner, a scene-stealer in basically whatever series he’s on, now given a lead movie role. Eichner stars opposite Luke Macfarlane in the gay romantic comedy “Bros,” which he co-wrote with director Nicholas Stoller. Adding to the excitement of seeing Eichner on the big screen, “Bros” also boasts an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast, including Ts Madison, Monica Raymund, Guillermo Díaz, Guy Branum, and Amanda Bearse
Release Date: September 30 via Universal Pictures

“God’s Creatures
Emily Watson stars in the latest from “The Fits” collaborating writers Anna Rose Holmer and Saela Davis, in this tale about a mother and son whose family is damaged by a lie. Reviewing from its premiere at Cannes, our critic wrote that the movie is elevated beyond its familiar plot points by Watson and Paul Mescal’s performances, and that the work from cinematographer Chayse Irvin is “searing.” Aisling Franciosi also stars.
Release Date: September 30 via A24.

Hocus Pocus 2” 
The Disney nostalgia train arrives right on time with this sequel to “Hocus Pocus,” a favorite from 1993 about three kooky witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker). Now, a trio of young Salem high school friends (Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, and Whitney Peak) have to navigate their witchy ways after accidentally summoning them. Directed by Anne Fletcher (“Step Up,” “Dumplin’”), the sequel also stars Doug Jones, Hannah Waddingham, Tony Hale, and Sam Richardson
Release Date: September 30 via Disney+.  

Smile” 
What is it that can be so creepy about a big smile? Debut writer/director Parker Finn toys with this idea in this intriguing new movie, one that earned some great reactions from this critic’s audience when its trailer played before “Nope.” This curious movie stars Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey, Kal Penn, Judy Reyes, Rob Morgan, and Gillian Zinser
Release Date: September 30 via Paramount Pictures.

September Honorable Mentions:
Anyone who has felt like Jon Hamm needs more comedy work should be delighted to hear that he’s bringing back the Chevy Chase character Fletch in the Greg Mottola-directed “Confess, Fletch” (September 18 via Miramax). The murder mystery features Hamm starring opposite other people who are a lot of fun to watch cut loose, like Lorenza Izzo, Roy Wood Jr., Annie Mumolo, Ayden Mayeri, Kyle MacLachlan and Marcia Gay Harden. For less goofy fare, prolific writer/director Tyler Perry has a period piece love story that will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and then later on Netflix on September 23: “A Jazzman’s Blues” stars Joshua Boone, Amirah Vann, Solea Pfeiffer, Austin Scott, and Ryan Eggold. Fans of unforgettable documentaries will want to keep an eye out for Reid Davenport’sI Didn’t See You There,” which captures the disabled filmmaker’s daily POV from his wheelchair while his voiceover ruminates on the circus tent being put up near his Oakland apartment. The film received a Directing award for U.S. Documentary when it premiered at Sundance 2022, and will be released on September 30.

OCTOBER 

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
The next Stephen King cinematic adaptation comes with this take on one of his short story, as produced by Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy. “The Little Things” writer/director John Lee Hancock shepherds this coming-of-age story, about a boy (Jaeden Martell) who befriends a reclusive billionaire (Donald Sutherland) who dies, but is able to be reached via phone.
Release Date: October 5 via Netflix.

Amsterdam
David O. Russell hasn’t directed a movie since 2015’s “Joy,” and returns to the award season with his original script, “Amsterdam.” Like his previous movies (“American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “I Heart Huckabees”), “Amsterdam” boasts one of the most stacked casts of the year: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, and, of course, Robert De Niro
Release Date: October 7 via 20th Century Studios

Hellraiser” 
Horror remakes are, as we well know, a real toss-up, but this “Hellraiser” reattempt comes with some intrigue. It’s directed by David Bruckner, who has risen in the horror director rankings thanks to chilling movies like “The Ritual,” and “The Night House.” On top of that, this version of Pinhead is played by Jamie Clayton (“Sense8”), which is exciting, striking casting for the revered Clive Barker property. Goran Visnjic, Hiam Abbass, Brandon Flynn, Drew Starkey, Odessa A’zion, Selina Lo, and Aoife Hinds also star. 
Release Date: October 7 via Hulu.