I’ve perused Entertainment Weekly’s Fall Movie Preview, watched the trailers and come up with my list of 10 movies I wouldn’t mind seeing in the fall.
“Hello I Must Be Going” (Sept. 7) — A common theme during the recession has been adults forced to move in with their parents. This one has an interesting twist as 30-something divorcee Melanie Lynskey falls for a 19-year-old (Christopher Abbott of “Girls”). But their maturity levels are the reverse of what one would expect.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (Sept. 14) — Emma Watson makes her first major step toward being a movie star rather than just a “Harry Potter” star in this story about a shy high schooler (“Jack & Bobby’s” Logan Lerman) who falls in with a group of friends who accept him. So while he’s not cool and not uncool, he and his friends still end up with stories worth telling.
“The House at the End of the Street” (Sept. 21) — This horror film featuring “Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence seems to have a nice dose of characterization (Lawrence meets friends in her new neighborhood) and atmosphere (nearby woods) before launching into the scares.
“Trouble with the Curve” (Sept. 21) — Last year’s “Moneyball” pushed the mathematical side of the game, but “Curve” gets back to old-school notions of scouting, and the idea that you need to see a player to find out if he has baseball instincts. In this drama, scout Clint Eastwood’s eyes are failing him, and his estranged daughter (Amy Adams) helps out.
“Won’t Back Down” (Sept. 28) — Based on a true story, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis play mothers whose kids aren’t getting the teaching they need in an inner-city public school. So they take matters into their own hands, only to run into the resistance of the entrenched government bureaucracy and teachers unions. For those of us who support free-market education, it’ll probably be more disturbing and frustrating than inspiring, but I hope people will watch it and then look at candidates’ stances on school choice before casting their vote this November.
“Pitch Perfect” (Oct. 5) — This singing-competition dramedy looks like it could be “Glee” minus the between-song absurdities. The fact that the cast includes both Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow earns it a place on my list.
“Sinister” (Oct. 5) — Ethan Hawke stars in this film that has the typical horror setup of a family moving into a murder house. The interesting twist comes when Hawke discovers a box of filmstrips in the attic that deepen the mystery.
“Paranormal Activity 4” (Oct. 19) — This looks to be the first sequel to the events of the first movie (parts 2 and 3 are prequels) as we find out what happened to the survivors who disappeared. Of course, this series has a tradition of making trailers that don’t match up with the finished film. At any rate, after three solidly scary entries, this series is still earning my money every Halloween season at the box office.
“On the Road” (Dec. 21) — Judging by the short trailer, the film adapts not only the story (such as it is) from the classic Jack Kerouac novel, but more importantly the 1950s vibe. Done well, it could become a classic in its own right.
“This Is 40” (Dec. 21) — Writer-director Judd Apatow takes supporting players from 2007’s “Knocked Up” — married couple Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, plus their two daughters, played by Apatow’s and Mann’s kids — and continues their story of trying to avoid middle-aged malaise.
What movies are you most looking forward to in the fall? Share your list in the comment thread.