Even if you’re stranded on a deserted planet with Matt Damon, you’re still going to need something to watch. There’s a lot coming out this season, from fascinating biopics to edge-of-your-seat thrillers that take you to the farthest reaches of the earth. Here are 101 movies you need to know about this fall.
September
‘Coming Home’: S
‘The Challenger’:
‘Sleeping With
‘The Visit’:
‘The Perfect Guy’:
A man is arrested and sent to a labor camp during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. His return home is anything but a pleasant reunion with his wife. The film by Zhang Yimou is in Mandarin with subtitles.
The late Michael Clarke Duncan stars in this movie about a boxer from the Bronx. Also starring S. Epatha Merkerson and Kent Moran, who wrote and directed it.
Other People’:
Jake and Lainy, who can’t stop sleeping around, form a kinship built on just being friends. Starring Alison Brie, Jason Sudeikis, Natasha Lyonne, Adam Scott and Jason Mantzoukas.
From M. Night Shyamalan comes this horror comedy about two siblings having a creepy trip to visit their grandparents. Starring Kathryn Hahn.
In this thriller, Sanaa Lathan plays a woman who meets a seemingly nice guy (played by Michael Ealy), who turns out to be far from perfect.
’12 Rounds 3:
‘Goodnight Mommy’:
‘Time Out of Mind’:
‘Meet the Patels’:
‘A Brilliant
‘Listening’:
‘Pawn Sacrifice’:
‘Peace Officer’:
‘Black Mass’:
‘Cooties’:
‘Everest’:
‘Captive’:
‘Sicario’:
‘Maze Runner:
‘About Ray’:
‘The New Girlfriend’:
‘Some Kind of Hate’:
‘Pay the Ghost’:
‘Hell & Back’:
‘The Intern’:
‘The Green Inferno’:
‘Mississippi Grind’:
‘The Keeping Room’:
‘Hotel
’99 Homes’:
‘Stonewall’:
‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story’:
‘Ashby’:
‘Wildlike’:
‘Misunderstood’:
‘The Walk’:
‘Attack on
‘Labyrinth of Lies’:
Lockdown’:
WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose stars in the latest installment of this low-grade thriller series. Ambrose is a great personality, so he might be able to elevate the material.
Twin brothers, age 9, try to determine if the woman who came home covered in bandages is their mother. This acclaimed film is in German with subtitles.
From Oren Moverman, director of “The Messenger,” comes this drama about a homeless man trying to get back in touch with his daughter. Starring Richard Gere, Steve Buscemi and Jena Malone.
Indian-American Ravi Patel chronicles his quest to find love with the help of his parents in this rom-com documentary.
An autistic boy with a knack for math joins the International Mathematics Olympiad. Starring Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins.
Grad students figure out a way to create mind-reading technology, which could lead to their demise.
“The Last Samurai” director Edward Zwick helms this biopic about chess legend Bobby Fischer as he gets ready to face off against Boris Spassky. Starring Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Lily Rabe and Peter Sarsgaard.
This documentary follows a former sheriff who is investigating the death of his son-in-law by the SWAT team he himself formed years earlier.
Johnny Depp stars in this crime drama as Irish Mob boss “Whitey” Bulger in the 1970s when he was working with the FBI to help take down the Italian mob. Also starring Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch and many other top actors. Directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”).
There’s a zombielike outbreak at an elementary school for anyone who had not gone through puberty and who has eaten some tainted chicken nuggets. It’s up to the teachers to save the world. Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill and Jack McBrayer.
A snowstorm causes havoc for a team climbing Mt. Everest. Starring Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright, Emily Watson and Sam Worthington.
A single mother and former drug addict is taken hostage by a murderer in this thriller starring Kate Mara, David Oyelowo and Michael Kenneth Williams.
An FBI agent works in the drug war between the United States and Mexico. Starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin.
In this sequel, the Gladers, who found their way to freedom, now have to deal with new dangerous situations while they investigate the WCKD.
A New York family deals with its teenage daughter’s transition into becoming a man. Starring Naomi Watts, Elle Fanning and Susan Sarandon.
After her best friend dies in this drama, a woman learns a secret about her late pal’s husband. In French with subtitles.
The spirit of a bullied girl takes vengeance on the oppressors of a bullied teen at a reform school in this horror flick.
Nicolas Cage stars in a thriller. That’s all I’m giving you.
This animated film from some of the folks behind “Robot Chicken” follows a pair of BFFs who go to hell to find their other friend. Featuring the voices of Mila Kunis, T.J. Miller, Susan Sarandon, Michael Peña and Bob Odenkirk among its impressive cast.
A retired widower played by Robert De Niro takes a gig as an intern at a fashion website run by a young woman (Anne Hathaway). I wonder what the devil she’ll be wearing. Written and directed by Nancy Meyers (“What Women Want,” “It’s Complicated”).
From modern horror icon Eli Roth comes this scare fest about activists in the Amazon dealing with cannibals.
Two poker players road trip through the Midwest and South, seeking fortune. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn.
Set during the end of the Civil War in the south, two sisters and a slave are pitted up against some Union soldiers who have broken off from the army to cause havoc. Starring Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru and Sam Worthington.
In this animated sequel, the monsters are trying to help Dracula’s grandson get more monstrous so he will stick around the title hotel. Featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez and Nick Offerman.
Indie darling director Ramin Bahrani turns out this drama about a man working for the real estate broker who evicted him and his family from their home. Starring Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon and Laura Dern.
This fictionalized historical drama is set around the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969 and the fight for gay rights. From “Independence Day” director Roland Emmerich, starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Ron Perlman.
This documentary tells the story of Lizzie Velasquez, a woman who is afflicted with a rare syndrome that keeps her from gaining weight, who was cyber bullied and became an activist.
Nat Wolff plays a high schooler who finds friendship with his neighbor Ashby (Mickey Rourke), who worked as an assassin for the CIA. Written and directed by Tony McNamara.
A teenage girl is sent to Juneau, Alaska, to live with her uncle, but when that turns sour, she’s on the run back to Seattle. However, there’s a lot of dangerous Alaskan wilderness to get through. Starring Bruce Greenwood, Ella Purnell and Diane Farr.
A young girl living in Rome is on her own after her broken family and best friend desert her. Starring Giulia Salerno and Charlotte Gainsbourg. From writer/director Asia Argento.
This biopic tells the story of Philippe Petit, the high-wire daredevil who crossed the Twin Towers on a tight rope in 1974. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley and Charlotte Le Bon. Co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
The Japanese manga series comes to life in this live-action film about a society that lives in enclosed cities to protect people from the Titans — giant creatures that eat humans.
Based on a true story, this film looks at the efforts to investigate cover-ups of many Germans’ Nazi pasts, leading to the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials of 1963-65. In German with subtitles.
October
‘Shanghai’:
‘Freeheld’:
‘Legend’:
‘The Martian’:
‘Partisan’:
‘He Named
‘Taxi’:
‘Trash’:
‘Steve Jobs’:
‘The Final Girls’:
‘Masterminds’:
‘Pan’:
‘Knock Knock’:
‘Big Stone Gap’:
John Cusack stars as an expat visiting Shanghai in the months before the attacks at Pearl Harbor. This film was released internationally back in 2010; the reasons for the delays domestically are less than clear.
Julianne Moore and Ellen Page star as domestic partners in this drama, based on a true story. When Moore’s New Jersey police lieutenant is diagnosed with cancer, they work to get her pension benefits for her partner. Also starring Steve Carell, Josh Charles and Michael Shannon.
Tom Hardy has double duty as gangsters Reggie and Ronald Kray in this biopic written and directed by Brian Helgeland. Also starring Emily Browning and Paul Bettany.
Based on my new favorite book by Andy Weir (seriously people, it’s amazing), this Ridley Scott sci-fi adventure stars Matt Damon as an astronaut who has to find a way to survive on Mars after his crew, thinking he was killed, leave the Red Planet after a catastrophic storm. The stellar cast also includes Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Kristen Wiig, Sebastian Stan, Michael Peña, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, Sean Bean and Jeff Daniels.
A boy living on a commune that raises assassins begins to be at odds with the leader of the group. Starring Vincent Cassel.
This documentary looks at the courageous young Pakistani woman who stood up for women’s rights and eventually spoke at the United Nations.
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was banned from making movies, but he’s continued to do so. This documentary chronicles his work as a taxi driver.
From director Stephen Daldry (“Billy Elliot”) comes this film set in Brazil about some boys who find a wallet in a garbage dump. The police want it, but the boys won’t give it to them.
Michael Fassbender stars in this biopic about the iconic Apple CEO. Also starring Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels. Directed by Danny Boyle with a script by Aaron Sorkin.
The daughter of a famous horror movie actress who died is whisked away into one of her mom’s movies, where they team up to fight the murderer.
This heist comedy, from Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”), stars Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis.
A new live-action Peter Pan feature, with Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, Levi Miller as Pan, Garrett Hedlund as Hook, Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, and Amanda Seyfried as Mary. Directed by Joe Wright (“Anna Karenina,” “Atonement”).
Eli Roth’s second film of the season tells the story of two women who knock on the door of a married man (Keanu Reeves) and begin a potentially treacherous seduction that can endanger his life and family.
A longtime spinster in a small Virginia mountain town becomes the center of attention after discovering a family secret in this film starring Ashley Judd.
‘My All American’:
‘Goosebumps’:
‘Crimson Peak’:
‘Beasts of No Nation’:
‘Momentum’:
‘Bridge of Spies’:
‘Experimenter’:
‘Truth’:
‘Meadowland’:
‘Room’:
‘Watchers of the Sky’:
‘Attack on
‘Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension’:
‘The Last
‘Suffragette’:
‘Jem and
‘Extraordinary Tales’:
‘Rock the Kasbah’:
‘I Smile Back’:
‘Burnt’:
‘Bone Tomahawk’:
‘Our Brand is Crisis’:
‘Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse’:
‘Collide’:
‘The Wonders’:
‘Yakuza Apocalypse’:
Stylistic Japanese director Takashi Miike turns out a new ultraviolent gangster flick.
Based on a true story, this film tells the story of underdog college football player Freddie Steinmark, who had his life cut short by cancer. Starring Finn Wittrock, Sarah Bolger and Aaron Eckhart.
The popular YA horror series is the inspiration for this new adventure flick. All the evil creepy crawlies created by famed “Goosebumps” author R.L. Stine (played by Jack Black) come to life. It’s up to Stine, his niece and some neighbor kids to save the day.
Visionary writer/director Guillermo del Toro turns out this new fantastical horror movie about a house that seems to be alive, with the ability to breathe, bleed and retain memories. Things likely won’t go well when Mia Wasikowska’s Edith moves in. Also starring Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston.
This Netflix film tells the story of a child soldier in Africa. Starring Idris Elba. Written and directed by Cary Fukunaga.
A final heist turns into a murder mystery in this thriller starring Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman and James Purefoy.
Director Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks reunite for this based-on-a-true-story Cold War-set drama about a lawyer brought in by the CIA to help free pilot Francis Gary Powers, who was captured by the Soviets. Also starring Alan Alda, Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan. Co-written by Matt Charman and Ethan and Joel Coen.
This biopic looks at psychologist Stanley Milgram, who ran experiments in 1961 that tested how far people were willing to follow an authority figure. Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, Taryn Manning and Anton Yelchin.
Robert Redford plays Dan Rather in a docudrama about the events in 2004 regarding coverage of President George W. Bush’s military record. Also starring Cate Blanchett and Topher Grace.
After their son disappears, a couple begins to fall apart. Starring Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi and Elizabeth Moss.
A mother, confined to a single room with her young son, strives to keep him safe and healthy. Based on the book by Emma Donoghue and starring Brie Larson, William H. Macy and Joan Allen.
This documentary looks into the life of Raphael Lemkin,who coined the word genocide. Built around the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “A Problem From Hell.”
The second part of the Japanese manga adaptation.
There is activity of the paranormal persuasion. And ghosts.
Vin Diesel headlines this fantasy adventure flick about a modern day, you guessed it, witch hunter. The last one, from what I hear. Also starring Rose Leslie and Elijah Wood.
Explore the early days of feminism and the suffragette movement in this new drama starring Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter.
The truly, truly outrageous film adapts the popular 1980s animated series into a film about a girl who becomes a singing sensation.
This animated anthology film adapts five Edgar Allan Poe stories.
Bill Murray headlines this comedy about a music manager who discovers a new talent in Afghanistan. Also starring Zooey Deschanel, Bruce Willis, Scott Caan and Kate Hudson. Directed by Barry Levinson.
Sarah Silverman takes a dramatic turn as an out-of-control mother looking for redemption. Also starring Josh Charles and Thomas Sadoski.
Bradley Cooper plays a rock star chef looking to come back from a breakdown. Also starring Sienna Miller and Omar Sy.
Kurt Russell is a sheriff in this new western horror film where he and his posse have to save people from cannibals. Also starring Patrick Wilson and Sean Young.
Director David Gordon Green presents this comic drama based on the documentary of the same name about American campaigning tactics being applied to South America. Starring Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton and Zoe Kazan.
There’s a zombie attack — how original — and it’s up to some scouts to save the world. Starring Tye Sheridan, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Cloris Leachman.
An American becomes a driver for a drug ring in Munich. Expect some big chase scenes on famed high-speed highway, the Autobahn. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones and Anthony Hopkins.
This Italian film, which won director Alice Rohrwacher the Grand Prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, follows a young girl and her three sisters for a very eventful summer.
November
‘Trumbo’:
‘Miss You Already’:
‘Brooklyn’:
‘Spectre’:
‘The Peanuts Movie’:
‘Spotlight’:
‘The Outskirts’:
‘The Hallow’:
‘Lost in the Sun’:
‘Rings’:
‘The 33’:
‘Love the Coopers’:
‘By the Sea’:
‘Entertainment’:
‘Secret In Their Eyes’:
‘Carol’:
‘The Hunger
‘The Good Dinosaur’:
‘Victor
‘Creed’:
‘The Night Before’:
‘The Danish Girl’:
‘I Saw the Light’:
Bryan Cranston plays Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted, in this biopic. Also starring Elle Fanning, Diane Lane and Helen Mirren.
“Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke tells the story of two friends on very different paths. Starring Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette.
Based on a novel by Colm Toibin, this 1950s period piece, set in the title borough and in Ireland, follows a woman played by Saoirse Ronan who must choose between where she wants to live. Also starring Domhnall Gleeson and Michael Zegen.
Daniel Craig’s fourth James Bond movie pits the superspy against the criminal organization SPECTRE and Christoph Waltz’s Franz Oberhauser. Directed by Sam Mendes.
Snoopy, Charlie Brown and all your favorite “Peanuts” characters are featured in this animated flick. From Steve Martino, the director of “Horton Hears a Who.”
This drama tells the real-life story of The Boston Globe’s investigation into the cover-up of child molestation within the Catholic Church. Starring Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and Billy Crudup. From underrated director Tom McCarthy (“The Station Agent”).
Two geeky girls, played by Victoria Justice and Eden Sher, look to get revenge against the popular kids by bringing together all of the outcast students.
A family is facing off against a demonic presence after they move to a secluded home in Ireland.
A teen and a crook go on a crime-ridden road trip. Starring Joshes Duhamel and Wiggins.
The Ring franchise returns with a plural name and a new video tape to bring the horror. But who uses video tapes anymore? Who even owns a VCR to play this? Will the soundtrack be released on cassette?
Based on a true story, this film recounts the harrowing disaster that caused 33 men to get trapped in a mine in Chile for 69 days and the struggle to rescue them safely. Starring Rodrigo Santoro, Antonio Banderas and Cote de Pablo.
Four generations of the Cooper family bond at their Christmas Eve party. Hilarity and shocking events ensue. Starring Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Ed Helms, Diane Keaton and a lot of other famous stars.
Angelina Jolie writes, directs and stars in this romance about a dancer and a writer living in France who are each tempted by some of the locals. Also starring hubby Brad Pitt.
Gregg Turkington, aka comedian Neil Hamburger, stars in this drama about a downtrodden comedian slogging across the Mojave Desert, doing shows when he can, on his way to meet his daughter. Also starring Tye Sheridan, John C. Reilly.
Writer/director Billy Ray (“Breach,” “Shattered Glass”) delivers this new thriller about a trio of friends — two are FBI investigators and the other is a District Attorney — who spend more than a decade investigating a murder. Starring Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Very likely to land Oscar nominations, this adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel follows a woman working at a department store in the 1950s who falls for an older woman. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Directed by Todd Haynes.
You say you want a revolution? Jennifer Lawrence returns for the final installment of the popular dystopian series.
This year’s second Pixar movie will have to be really spectacular to match the wonderful “Inside Out.” This has a young human befriending a dinosaur.
James McAvoy is Dr. Frankenstein and Daniel Radcliffe is Igor in this new interpretation of the classic monster story. Directed by Paul McGuigan, who also directed episodes of the BBC’s “Sherlock” television series.
The Rocky franchise changes focus, moving to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of Apollo Creed, as he works to become the new champ. His trainer: Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone, looking old and wearing lots of hats).
Three BFFs, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie, are reuniting for one last night of depravity in this comedy directed by Jonathan Levine (“The Wackness”).
Based on a true story, Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne plays Einar Wegener, an artist who was one of the first people to get gender reassignment surgery, becoming Lili. Also starring Alicia Vikander. Directed by Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech”).
Tom Hiddleston plays Hank Williams in this biopic about the country legend. Also starring Elizabeth Olsen, David Krumholtz and Bradley Whitford.
