Looking to get off campus and hit the theater for a study break? If so, you’re in luck. The next four months have a lot to offer on the big screen. Let’s take a look at 11 movies you won’t want to miss this semester.
It, September 8
What are you afraid of? Based on the Stephen King 1986 novel, It chronicles neighborhood kids’ misadventures as they uncover the terror lurking beneath their hometown of Derry, Maine in 1989. Starring Bill Skarsgård and Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and directed by Andrés Muschietti, It is my prediction for the season’s scariest movie. Start the semester off strong by checking out It on September 8. Just be sure to bring along a friend or two.
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Mother!, September 15
There’s trouble in paradise when a couple’s picturesque home becomes a haven for unwelcome guests. The Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence and No Country for Old Men’s Javier Bardem star in this thriller/horror flick. Known for Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream, director Darren Aronofsky promises dread and distrust at every turn in this tale that will leave you fearful of those closest to you.
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Kingsman: The Golden Circle, September 22
The spy genre has never shown a snider side than in Kingsman. Part two, The Golden Circle, premieres this fall and is directed by Matthew Vaughn. Starring Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, and Julianne Moore, the second episode follows the heroes as they team up with their Yankee counterparts, The Statesmen, to take down the globe’s latest threat. Buckle up for a thrill ride that’s sure to freshen up one of Hollywood’s more traditional genres.
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Blade Runner 2049, October 6
Ridley Scott’s neo-noir saga returns with this sequel to the 1982 classic, Blade Runner. 2049 is set in the same futuristic dystopia as the original, just thirty years later. Now, Officer K (Ryan Gosling) seeks answers to the story surrounding Deckard (Harrison Ford) and his mysterious disappearance in the original movie. Adept at combining suspense with original and thoughtful storytelling, director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners, Arrival) is poised for another blockbuster hit with Blade Runner 2049. Take a study break on October 6 to check out what will be the most ambitious sci-fi adventure of the year.
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Marshall, October 13
Experience Thurgood Marshall’s story before he became America’s first African-American Supreme Court Justice and won Brown v. Board of Education. Directed by Django Unchained’s Reginald Hudlin, Marshall follows the prolific Civil Rights leader in his early days as an attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The talented Chadwick Boseman stars as the young attorney from Maryland, adding another layer of anticipation and hype around his lead role in Marvel’s Black Panther, slated for 2018.
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Suburbicon, October 27
Matt Damon brings home the bacon in the Coen brothers’ latest work. Set in the 1960s, Suburbicon takes a light-hearted look at revenge in classic Coen style, reminiscent of Burn After Reading. For uncomfortable laughs and caricatures of bygone days, check out this quirky action/comedy on October 27th.
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Thor: Ragnarok, November 3
Return to Asgard for the final showdown, known in Nordic legend as “Ragnarok.” Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) team up to take down Nordic villain Hela (Cate Blanchett) in what is sure to be one of the year’s hottest blockbusters. The seventeenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok comes at the height of Hollywood’s superhero craze, with DC’s Justice League hot on its heels and Marvel’s latest mashup, Avengers: Infinity War, coming in 2018. Between increasingly epic fight sequences and roaring laughs, Marvel’s formula is evident in Thor: Ragnarok and will certainly serve the hammer-throwing demigod well this November.
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Murder on the Orient Express, November 10
Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel comes to life in this riveting whodunit. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the classic tale is serviced by an all-star cast, including Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Daisy Ridley. While this fall features several sci-fi thrill rides, Branagh looks to do more with less on this rail-bound mystery set in the twentieth century. Everyone is a suspect in this epic adventure, and it’s up to you to solve the case.
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Justice League, November 17
Polish your tiara and break out the spandex–justice is served this November. DC looks to build off its raving success this summer with Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot. Moreover, the franchise is hoping to put the days of Batman v Superman and Man of Steel behind it. While these movies were mediocre at best, the debut of Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) offer enough variety and comic relief to potentially boost Justice League above current expectations. However, Zack Snyder’s return to the franchise is concerning. Should they learn from the reception of Snyder’s previous two flicks compared to that of Wonder Woman, DC will challenge archrival franchise Marvel this fall, for dominance of the superhero multiverse, with Justice League.
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Darkest Hour, November 24
When millions fell to tyranny and subjugation, one man refused to surrender. Witness the ferocity and courage of Winston Churchill, Britain’s Prime Minister during WWII, and the rise of Nazi Germany. Gary Oldman plays the curmudgeon-turned-bulldog while Lily James and Ben Mendelsohn co-star. Director Joe Wright tells the story of the man who penned the timeless words, “We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.”
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi, December 15
The galaxy’s favorite Jedi comes home this winter break, but his motives are unclear. In Star Wars’ fortieth year, The Last Jedi appears to take the saga in an entirely uncharted direction. Known for his sci-fi hit Looper, director Rian Johnson shows that the moral landscape of the galaxy far, far away is evolving beyond just dark and light. Led by former Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) must discover her destiny as she explores her abilities with the Force. However, her self-discovery has massive implications; war rages on across the galaxy between The First Order, led by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and the Resistance, with General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and Finn (John Boyega) at its helm. The battle lines will become blurred, as Skywalker’s journey has led him to question traditional norms of good and evil. Prepare for the jump to hyperspace this Christmas–The Last Jedi is sure to astound and excite.
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