It’s been an exhausting summer of superheroes, sequels and special effects galore, but the fall season is just around the corner to provide a respite from the ever-bigger summer blockbusters. The studios will be unloading their Oscar contenders and “prestige” pictures throughout the rest of the year, delivering much-anticipated work from acclaimed directors and a few blockbusters to keep the money rolling in. Here are five upcoming movies worth checking out when they arrive on a silver screen near you.
“Gravity” (Oct. 4)
Director Alfonso Cuaron’s (“Children of Men”) newest film takes a trip into space for a harrowing thriller. Shot in 3D and featuring several of Cuaron’s signature long camera takes, “Gravity” follows two astronauts, George Clooney (“Oceans Eleven”) and Sandra Bullock (“The Proposal”) as they struggle to survive after their space station malfunctions. This movie promises to be the fall’s most eye-popping experience.
“About Time” (Nov. 8)
Strong, formula-shattering romance movies have been hard to come by lately, but this latest effort from writer-director Richard Curtis (whose screenplay credits include “Love Actually” and “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”) may reverse that trend. With a high-concept premise that offers the down-on-his-luck Tim an opportunity to travel back in time to change the course of his unsatisfying love life with the reliably strong Rachel McAdams in the co-lead role as Tim’s love interest, “About Time” might answer the question, “Where is the love?”
“The Wolf of Wall Street” (Nov. 15)
From the moment Kanye West’s “Black Skinhead” roars in during the trailer, this movie looks like a zany blast of excessive fresh air from Director Martin Scorsese (“Shutter Island”), who’s lost none of his cultural cachet even at 70 years old. Leonardo DiCaprio (“Inception”) plays Jordan Belfort, a high-achieving stockbroker living a life of luxury until the federal government exposes his corrupt business practices. The star-studded cast also includes Matthew McConaughey (“The Lincoln Lawyer”), Jonah Hill (“This Is The End”), Spike Jonze (“Where The Wild Things Are”), Margot Robbie (“Pan Am”), Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), Kyle Chandler (“Zero Dark Thirty”) and Rob Reiner(“The Story Of Us”). Oscars are practically a foregone conclusion.
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” (Nov. 22)
A year and a half after the first adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ wildly popular YA novels, Katniss Everdeen returns to the silver screen for another adventure in the dystopian Panem. With promising new cast members (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone), a new director (Francis Lawrence of “I Am Legend,” replacing Gary Ross) and new screenwriters (Simon Beaufoy of “Slumdog Millionaire,” Michael Arndt of “Toy Story 3”), this sequel has a refreshed pedigree. And with a story that draws Katniss and her friend Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) closer to the sinister government forces preserving inequality on Panem, the movie may offer some political resonances for observant viewers.
“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” (Dec. 20)
Upon its 2004 release, “Anchorman” achieved modest commercial success and favorable reviews for inspired comedic creations from Will Ferrell (“Step Brothers”), Paul Rudd (“This Is 40”), Steve Carell (“Crazy, Stupid, Love.”) and Christina Applegate (“Up All Night”). In the years since, the movie has grown in stature with fans crying for a sequel to the story of legendary news anchor Ron Burgundy and his loyal team.
Ferrell and writer-director Adam McKay (“Step Brothers”) toyed with the idea of reuniting the cast for a Broadway musical version, but they eventually opted for a sequel instead. Kristen Wiig (“Despicable Me 2”) and Harrison Ford (“Star Wars”) have joined the cast, and early trailers suggest that the original actors haven’t missed a step.
Also worth a look:
- “American Hustle”
- “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
- “12 Years a Slave”
- “Inside Llewellyn Davis”
- “Nebraska”
- “Captain Phillips”
- “Thor: The Dark World”
- “Blue is the Warmest Color”
thescene@theeagleonline.com
