Fall Movie Preview

Note that my selective "preview" is basically a list of movies I might want to see at some point. Also note that I rarely see movies in the thea-TAH anymore, so it may be a long time before I DO see any of these.

*Sully (now playing): Eastwood. Hanks. Other surnames. Should be a stirring flick. I predict that in about two years, there will be about 10 copies at any given time at my liberry, but I won't really feel like seeing it by that point. Respect, though, because Eastwood and Hanks are AMERICAN ICONS. (Cue "Battle Hymn of the Republic," please.)

*Storks (9/23): Animated Warner Brothers film looks charming enough, but I include it because, hey, I went to the same school as the co-director!

*Tower (10/12): It's hard to believe that this is the first documentary about the infamous 1966 shootings on the University of Texas campus, if only because it feels like tons of movies have been inspired by the event. "Tower" looks to take an interesting approach.

*Dr. Strange (11/4): I don't know about this one, but I like to see all the Marvel movies, so might as well be honest and put it on the list. It certainly seems like this will be an unconventional superhero movie. One might even say odd...weird...bizarre...unusual...It feels like I'm missing a word here that would be perfect.

*Nocturnal Animals (11/23): I know what you're thinking. Romantic thriller. Amy Adams. Huh? Huh?

Well, wash your mind out with soap! Amy Adams is a talented actress, not a sex object. Jeez. I totally didn't think anything along those lines at all!

This looks like an interesting one, though, as Adams reads her ex-husband's novel and thinks, "Hmm, the characters in this violent revenge fantasy remind me of someone--namely, me and my ex-husband." So you get a story within a movie as other talented people play the characters in the novel somehow. Could be a real mind twister. And Isla Fisher as the character in the novel Adams thinks is based on her is awesome casting.

*Allied (11/23): Well, this one just got a whole lot of pub from the Brangelina divorce news. My eyebrow raises when I see a movie compared, even in passing, to "Casablanca." Someone in "Entertainment Weekly" referenced the costumes and/or the setting, and, well, that do get my attention. I like the idea of a WWII-era movie of intrigue and romance, and while Robert Zemeckis doesn't necessarily mean credibility these days, I'll give this a shot.

*Moana (11/23): While I'm being honest, I might as well admit that I'm gonna see the big Disney movie eventually, one way or the other. I can only hope that this one is decent. Sad thing is, I'm not excited about the guy from "Hamilton" doing the songs because I don't know much about "Hamilton," but I do know The Rock's work. As a bonus, it looks like the regular Disney/racism/cultural appropriation controversy is playing out early this time.

*The Founder (12/16): Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, who kicked out his brothers to take over development of McDonald's. Yeah, yeah, but will this movie cover his stewardship of the San Diego Padres and their cool taco uniforms?

*Passengers (12/21): Here's the summary from a quick Google search:
Awakened from suspended animation 90 years too soon, two space travelers (Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt) must find a way to save the other 5,000 passengers aboard their endangered ship
I suppose a lot of people will go gaga over Lawrence and Pratt, but I just think the premise is compelling. Maybe they just say, "Eh, what are you gonna do?" and hog the whole ship themselves.

*Sing (12/21): I've had it with singing competitions--actually never had it--but this is a cartoon! Should at least be something different. Matthew McConaughey and John C. Reilly as a koala/sheep buddy team is worth a watch.

*Gold (12/25): If McConaughey as a koala doesn't do it for you, well, how about as a prospector searching the jungles of Borneo for gold? Stephen Gaghan said some promising things about this one. He should considering HE wrote and directed it, but still, I'm on board.