When it comes to films, Hollywood is keen to release big-budget, blockbuster movies during the summer months. Studios like to reserve their projects for this specific time frame because it gives them more time to insure a quality movie-going experience. In addition, it gives viewers a chance to escape the summer heat in an air-conditioned movie theatre; or visit a local drive-in for a nighttime feature.
But just because the humidity dissipates and the leaves change colors on the trees, it does not mean that Hollywood won’t be releasing any more must-see movies in the remainder of 2013. There are plenty of highly anticipated releases coming in the next few months to a theatre near you.
On Friday, September 13, you can see Robert De Niro return to his mafia role roots in The Family. As a member of the infamous Manzoni crime family, De Niro plays Giovanni Manzoni, a man who assumes a new identity under the witness protection program in an attempt to escape a violent past alongside his wife and children. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, who worked with De Niro on plenty of other mafia-based films, and co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones, this should definitely be worth a watch.
Those eager for a good thriller might be interested in Prisoners, releasing a week after The Family on Sept. 20. Starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, the story follows the two, who play a father and detective, respectively, as they work to solve the disappearance of Jackman’s 6-year old-daughter and her friend.
October has a few noteworthy films in store as well. Oct. 11 sees the release of Machete Kills, the sequel to 2011’s tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top action movie Machete. In the film, Machete, played by Danny Trejo, returns as the ruthless, machete toting government agent, as he fights his way through Mexico to take out an arms dealer who plans to launch a deadly missile into space. Returning co-stars are Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez, who fought alongside Machete in the first film. New cast members include Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Amber Heard, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alexa Vega, Lady Gaga, and Charlie Sheen, who plays the president of the United States. With an ensemble cast like this, Machete Kills is poised to be a great follow up to the original.
Moviegoers waiting for a horror flick in time for Halloween should look no further than Carrie, coming on Oct. 18. This release will mark the third film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel about Carrie White, a teenage girl who has supernatural, telekinetic powers and uses them to exact revenge on those who pick on her after a prank at her high school prom goes too far. Starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, this reimagining of the story is supposed to be based more on the original story found in the novel compared to the other films of the same name.
November keeps the big movies coming. Thor: The Dark World continues the story of the Marvel Comics superhero after the events of 2012’s summer blockbuster The Avengers. Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor, the god of thunder, in a new tale to save the world from the forces of evil. Co-starring Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, this sequel should be a good entry in the continuing story of the Marvel Comics universe. Fans of other Marvel Comics superhero movies might want to stay after the credits roll, as the short epilogues that follow usually hint at what to expect from the next Marvel film.
The Wolf of Wall Street, from director Martin Scorsese, is shaping up to be another must-see of the fall. Releasing on Nov. 15, the biographical, dark-comedy film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, and chronicles the story of his rise to becoming a wealthy stockbroker on Wall Street amongst crime, corruption, and the close eye of the federal government. The film also stars Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Jon Favreau, Rob Reiner, and Spike Jonze.
Closing out the fall movie stretch is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, sequel to 2012’s The Hunger Games, releasing on Nov. 22. The film, based on the book Catching Fire, continues author Suzanne Collins’ story of Katniss Everdeen after her victory in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begins to spark a rebellion in the Capitol city, which she lives. A year later, the seventy-fifth annual Hunger Games marks the third 25-year period in which victors from previous Hunger Games compete against each other in a free-for-all fight to the death. Jennifer Lawrence returns to play Katniss and is joined by cast members Liam Hemsworth, Jena Malone, Woody Harrelson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amanda Plummer, and Lenny Kravitz.
Whether you’re interested in action and adventure, horror and suspense, or comedy and satire, the fall of 2013 is set to satisfy. New movies are announced all the time so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming releases that have yet to be revealed.
