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Can anyone tell me where the summer went? Somehow, while I was planning play dates, packing snacks, and generally playing private cruise director to a demanding boss of my own creation, Summer Blockbuster Season just packed up and left town. And now, here we are, staring right into the eyes of its darker, chillier, and much more serious replacement, Award Season. For the next four months or so, many of this year’s most heavily-buzzed, most noteworthy films will be hitting theaters. It’s a whole lot to absorb all at once, so take a deep breath and brace yourself for a look at the movies of September and October.
Before we begin, the usual disclaimer: especially during this time of year, release dates can (and most likely will) change—and other releases will open gradually, over a number of weeks or months. Also, I list films here by the week of release, typically using Friday as the standard release day—but, especially on holiday weekends, films may open earlier in the week. So, as always, keep an eye on your local listings for exact release dates.
SEPTEMBER 6:
Unlike Summer Blockbuster Season, which usually arrives with a big, noisy cannonball, Award Season tends to arrive cautiously, tip-toeing its way in, testing the chillier waters before diving in. And that’s certainly the case for this year’s Award Season.
The most highly anticipated release of this week is It Chapter Two, the follow up to 2017’s It, which catches up with the lovable characters 27 years after their first terrifying encounter with evil clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård).
Also this week, Henry Cavill, Stanley Tucci, and Ben Kingsley head up the all-star cast of Night Hunter, the story of a group of crime fighters caught up in the case of a troubled killer. And Edie follows the adventures of an 83-year-old woman who decides to climb Scotland’s Mount Suilven.
Or, if you’re in the mood for a true story, there’s the music doc Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, the story of a medical student’s quest to improve medical care for motorsports in Rapid Response, or a look at 2001’s Daytona 500 in Blink of an Eye.
Kristin’s Pick: I still remember the nightmares that the original It gave me, years and years ago. So I’m looking forward to this updated second installment.
SEPTEMBER 13:
This week starts with some laughs, as Jennifer Lopez leads a group of strip club owners who decide to get back at their shady Wall Street clients in Hustlers.
But it’s not all funny business this week. In The Goldfinch, Ansel Elgort stars as a young man who’s trying to piece together a mystery years after his mother was killed in a bombing in a museum.
Also this week, Peter Sarsgaard plays a man who tunes homes to the residents’ moods in The Sound of Silence. Emile Hirsch is a paranoid dad who’s trying to keep his daughter safe in Freaks. And Liam: As It Was follows the comeback of Liam Gallagher.
Kristin’s Pick: This week offers some interesting possibilities—but I’ll give my pick to Ansel Elgort and Nicole Kidman in The Goldfinch.
SEPTEMBER 20:
Things get a little more crowded this week, as a wide variety of noteworthy releases hits theaters—starting with the big-screen adaptation of Downton Abbey. In Ad Astra, Brad Pitt plays an astronaut in search of answers regarding his missing father and a failed mission. Or, for a little blast from the past, there’s Rambo: Last Blood, following Sly Stallone’s Rambo as he faces one final mission.
Also this week, Rob Zombie returns with 3 from Hell, the sequel to The Devil’s Rejects. And the documentary Where’s My Roy Cohn? explores how Cohn managed to shape American politics.
Kristin’s Pick: This week offers even more intriguing options. But as much as I love Stallone, I have to give my pick to Brad Pitt in space in Ad Astra.
SEPTEMBER 27:
Again this week, we’ve got a little bit of something for all ages and all tastes. Dreamworks Animation provides some family-friendly animation in Abominable, the story of a teenage girl who sets out to return a lonely Yeti to his home.
For some action and thrills, there’s 21 Bridges, starring Chadwick Boseman as a disgraced detective who’s determined to redeem himself by solving a case that goes deep into the NYPD. Or there’s The Hunt, which follows the story of 12 strangers who are brought together for a terrifying reason.
And, finally this week, the first of Award Season’s big biopics, Judy stars Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland on a concert tour in 1968.
Kristin’s Pick: This week brings more tough choices. I know that my daughter will be excited to see Abominable—but I’m hoping for great things from Judy.
OCTOBER 4:
It may be a month for ghosts and goblins, but you won’t find any big horror movies the first week in October. But you will find Joker, a standalone origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix as troubled Arthur Fleck.
If you prefer biography, you might want to check out The Current War, which tells the story of the race between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) to see whose electrical system would win out.
Also this week, Pedro Almodóvar directs Pain and Glory, starring Antonio Banderas as a successful film director reflecting on his career. And Roger Waters: Us + Them follows the legendary musician’s 2017-2018 tour.
Kristin’s Pick: Joaquin Phoenix seems like a pretty good choice to play the Joker. No one does crazy quite like he does. So I’ll give Joker my pick this week.
OCTOBER 11:
This week is loaded with entertainment for all ages—starting with Ang Lee’s latest, Gemini Man, starring Will smith as an aging hitman who suddenly finds himself battling a younger version of himself.
Or, for a little spooky family fun, there’s the new animated version of The Addams Family, headed up by Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac voicing Morticia and Gomez Addams.
Kristin’s Pick: I’m actually looking forward to both releases this week—but I’ll take a chance on The Addams Family for my pick.
OCTOBER 18:
Dark forces come out for battle this week as Angelina Jolie returns for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the sequel to 2014’s Maleficent. Though Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) have made their peace, they still find themselves torn in different directions.
Meanwhile, in another long-awaited sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap, Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) continue their journey together, battling zombies as they go.
Also this week, a young Nazi discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in Taika Waititi’s “anti-hate satire,” Jojo Rabbit. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star as two lighthouse keepers in the 1890s in The Lighthouse. And suburban soccer moms face off in Greener Grass.
Kristin’s Pick: It’s been 10 years since the release of the wildly funny Zombieland. And though director Reuben Fleischer hasn’t blown me away since then, I’m still excited to see Zombieland: Double Tap.
OCTOBER 25:
Believe it or not, we’ve come to the last weekend in October without the release of a single major horror film. Is it even October if there aren’t any horror movies?
Instead this week, you’ll find Black and Blue, starring Naomie Harris as a rookie cop who sets out to escape vengeful criminals and crooked cops after she finds evidence that two of her colleagues murdered a drug dealer.
War drama The Last Full Measure tells the story of an airman (played by Jeremy Irvine) who’s awarded for his military actions 34 years after his death. In The Aeronauts, Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne team up as a pilot and scientist traveling by hot air balloon. And Frankie follows a family as they attempt to deal with life-changing events while on vacation together in Portugal.
Kristin’s Pick: Earlier this year, I enjoyed director Tom Harper’s Wild Rose, so I’ll give his follow-up, The Aeronauts this week’s pick.
And, with that, we’ve come to the end of October—two whole months of action and adventure, biography and drama, all pointing toward the two busiest months of the year for movie buffs and film critics alike. We’ve got a whole lot left to cover—so let’s take some time to take it all in before we pick up where we left off with Part 2.
