Fall movies worth the wait
Enough of the heat. Bring on those crisp, cool fall movies.
This certainly isn't the most comprehensive list of worthwhile films to see this season. The rest of the September slate is too boring to mention, and nobody wants to think about cold, snowy December just yet.
Here's just a little taste of what you can see in theaters while you tend to your gourds at home:
Gone Girl (Oct. 3)
Ben Affleck is suspected of murdering his missing wife in this twisty adaptation of the popular Gillian Flynn novel, as directed by David Fincher ("The Social Network"). Spoiler: The real ladykiller is Affleck's handsome chin.
Opening against: The creepy doll from "The Conjuring" gets a spin-off in "Annabelle," and I get a whole new set of nightmares. Also Nicolas Cage gets "Left Behind" in a reboot of that book series people read 15 years ago.
St. Vincent (Limited release Oct. 10)
Critics are raving about Bill Murray's turn as a drunken gambler tasked with baby-sitting his 12-year-old neighbor.
Stuff actually opening in Coeur d'Alene on Oct. 10: Steve Carell shares in a "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" with his kid, Alexander. Apparently, "Dracula Untold" needs to be told, and Robert Downey Jr. is a lawyer, not an Iron Man, in "The Judge."
Birdman (Limited Oct. 17)
Look for the long overdue resurgence of Michael Keaton in this film about a once-popular actor (famous for playing a superhero, no less) trying to mount a Broadway play.
Stuff actually opening in Coeur d'Alene on Oct. 17: Brad Pitt's war film, "Fury," also stars Shia LaBeouf, probably without the paper bag on his head. And there's also some Nicholas Sparks nonsense called "The Best of Me."
Nightcrawler (Oct. 31)
No, not a movie about the X-Men's favorite blue teleporter. It's a crime thriller starring the very underappreciated Jake Gyllenhaal which opened to strong reviews at this month's Toronto Film Festival.
Interstellar (Nov. 7)
Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight" Trilogy) unveils his secretive space adventure, which has been compared to "2001: A Space Odyssey" by a bunch of people who haven't seen the movie yet. You've got recent Oscar winners Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, so everything should be OK, OK, OK.
Opening against: Marvel's little-known superhero team "Big Hero 6" is Disney's next big animation blockbuster. It will make a ton of money, because never doubt Disney and little-known Marvel superhero teams (see: "Guardians of the Galaxy").
Foxcatcher (Limited Nov. 14)
Plenty of acclaim already heaping onto this fact-based drama about Olympic wrestling and murder starring Channing Tatum and Steve Carell, being creepy under a fake nose.
Stuff actually opening in Coeur d'Alene on Nov. 14: Something "Beyond the Lights," and a little sequel called "Dumb and Dumber To," which, if you ask me, is still a really terrible idea.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Nov. 21)
You loved the book. Now here's half the story on the big screen! Also enjoy: Part 15 of "Lord of the Rings" or whatever "The Battle of the Five Armies" is about on Dec. 17.
More Thanksgiving blockbusters: "The Penguins of Madagascar," so great in small doses, now have their own unnecessary spin-off. And speaking of unnecessary, there's "Horrible Bosses 2" for your long holiday weekend away from your real-life horrible bosses.
And stay tuned for: More unwanted sequels in December! "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" (Dec. 19) and "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" (Dec. 25) want your money real bad.
Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.