When September arrives, it feels like the end of summer; but considering the season doesn't really end until the month has almost left us, that's a bit of a lie. And, it certainly feels less honest when you take into consideration that this September feels like another one of those months that further proves that the cinematic "off season" is only shrinking further into non-existence. The following 10 films are ready not only to help you contribute to the financial institution of theatrical exhibition, they're also open to entertaining you as only they can.
The Nun
The universe of The Conjuring films is getting a little bit bigger, thanks to Annabelle: Creation's success in helping to continue the franchise within a franchise. Now, Valac, the demon turned possessed nun of The Conjuring 2 is taking the stage with The Nun. If you need a refresher on just how The Nun connects to The Conjuring universe, that's the sort of knowledge that's out there on the internet for you to read. What isn't out there is just how Taissa Farmiga and Demian Bichir's members of the Catholic church will fare against the origins of this dark presence. Looking at the franchise's history, it'll be a scary good time, but we might not want to get too attached to these folks.
Opens Sept. 7th
Peppermint
Much like Die Hard before it, the cottage industry known as the "Taken, but with __" genre hasn't slowed down a bit, especially if you read just the synopsis for Peppermint. That's all well and good, but there's two major factors that make this clone one to watch out for: the first being that the director is none other than Pierre Morel, the director of the first/best Taken. The second, and most important decision is how they decided to fill in that blank: "Taken, but with Sydney F'ing Bristow," as Jennifer Garner has returned to professional ass-kicking, and business looks as brutal as ever. Should this do well enough, it might be a good time to re-stoke the fires surrounding that Alias reboot, and turning it into a revival.
Opens Sept. 7th
The Predator
If you went back in time to 2010 and told us that, in the not too distant future, Shane Black would not only write a new Predator film, but also direct it, we probably would have still gone to see Predators, but also have formed an orderly line to see The Predator right after. Bridging the continuity between the older films and the Adrian Brody sequel, Black returns with co-writer Fred Dekker to bring Boyd Holbrook, Sterling K. Brown, and a ton of other familiar faces closer to a new breed of killer. Don't let the box office returns on The Nice Guys fool you, Shane Black has been on a hot streak. Fingers crossed that the dice land in his favor on this one, as it looks like the sequel everyone's been waiting for since Predator.
Opens Sept. 14th
A Simple Favor
When you think of writer/director Paul Feig, you're more likely to think of fast paced comedy rather than a twisted mystery. And, that's probably why he decided to make the noir tinged thriller A Simple Favor, which seemed to have come out of nowhere -- especially considering how Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are the film's leads. On the surface, this looks like a pot-boiler that sees Kendrick's character trying to find out what happened to her new, and now recently disappeared, friend. But, as any mystery buff or Gone Girl fan will tell you, the truth of the matter is probably going to take some digging, and we've got our shovels ready.
Opens Sept. 14th
White Boy Rick
Whiz kids exist in all sorts of lines of work, and the drug trade was certainly no exception. Just ask Richard Wershe Jr., the youngest FBI informant / drug dealer whose true story inspired White Boy Rick. Actor Richie Merritt makes his debut playing the titular character, with Matthew McConaughey playing his father, in a story that sees young Rick making money as fast as he made both friends and enemies, in a story that looks to play out like a Reagan-era version of The Social Network, just set in the criminal underworld of '80s Detroit.
Opens Sept. 14th
The House With A Clock In Its Walls
Not to be confused with Hotel Artemis, The House With A Clock In Its Walls looks like the sort of family friendly romp you'd see just before Halloween, and Amblin Entertainment's hand in helping this film out only cements that further. But what's most intriguing about what looks like a fantastic Goosebumps adjacent film, featuring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett in its cast, is the fact that Eli "Hostel" Roth directed it. It's a move that's reminiscent of Danny Boyle shifting from 28 Days Later to Millions, and if it's anywhere near as successful, this one's going to be as fun as it looks.
Opens Sept. 21st
Life Itself
So far, everything that's been selling Life Itself has been incredibly vague, yet at the same time very clear about what you're going to see. Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde are going to fall in love, this love apparently will affect other people (like Antonio Banderas and Olivia Cooke) throughout the world, and a lot of sad / uplifting stuff is going to happen. That said, This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman is the hand behind the story, as well as the director who'll be making his debut in said chair on Life Itself. So, if there's anyone you could trust to break your heart, and slowly piece it back together with some Oscar Isaac, it'd definitely be him. Kleenex, how are you not sponsoring this?
Opens Sept. 21st
Assassination Nation
Earlier this year, Sorry To Bother You took on Capitalism, and other societal mores / woes, and spun them into a story that's too outrageous to describe. In a very similar vein, Assassination Nation promises to take themes such as the high school experience and internet culture, and put them through the same ringer. Needless to say, this means that what looks like a slow, but brutal descent into madness and Purge style mayhem is pretty much a must see. Though when you think back to how this film was provoking reactions similar to those of Mandy and Hereditary at this year's Sundance Film Festival, it's not that big of a shock.
_Opens Sept. 21st _
Night School
Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish are two talents that have had meteoric rises in the world of comedy, so their teaming up was only a matter of time. In that respect, Night School isn't only a funny spin on the standard teacher/student inspiration film, it's also a film that was destined to be. With Hart as the student and Haddish as the teacher, mischief is a two way door, as Kevin's protagonist dishes it out with Tiffany's semi-antagonist more than happy to return it. If you want to play it on the nose in the month that typically heralds the return to school, you can't go wrong.
Opens Sept. 28th
Smallfoot
The kids may have gone back to school, but that doesn't mean you can't sneak them off to the movies on a random weekend for some fun. Warner Bros understands this, and they've made sure that Smallfoot will be there for you and your younglings when you feel the need for some animated thrills. Channing Tatum, Zendaya, Lebron James, and James Corden all star in a cast that includes too many big names to mention, in an equally large story about a Yeti, a man, and the bridge between our worlds. It looks silly, but so did Storks, and that actually turned out to be way better than anyone could have imagined. So, for Smallfoot, we're ready to believe.
Opens Sept. 28th
