4 Movies Coming This Fall That You Really Can’t Miss

With one exception (Deadpool and Wolverine), I haven’t been to the cinema in a long time because of the general mediocrity and general kitsch that can be found in what Hollywood has offered us lately. Fortunately, the lean months seem to be over, and with them a lot of top-notch films and — watch out — interesting movies that are coming out soon that won’t be filled with superheroes or will simply be formulaic projects made by a director who’s run out of ideas.

Just when I thought I was finally free, they drag me back in. To the cinema, that is. The four films below are guaranteed to make at least four trips to my local multiplex over the next few months, and I know I won’t be the only one.

First off, let me say that I am a huge Megan Park fan.

My old assstarring Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza, is a new feature film written and directed by Park that revolves around a simple but brilliant idea: What if you could meet an older version of yourself face to face?

Park’s story is a coming-of-age gem that will tug at your heartstrings, and the two leads, led by Plaza as the 39-year-old (“very young adult!”) version of Elliott’s lead character, are perfectly cast. It’s essentially an 18th birthday mushroom trip that introduces Elliott’s free-spirited younger self to her older, witty self, setting the story in motion. “But when Elliott’s ‘old ass’ starts doling out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she needs to rethink everything about family, love and what becomes a transformative summer.”

Considering the fact that my cheeks hurt from smiling throughout the entire trailer, I’d say that bodes well for the film itself. It’s a fun thought experiment that makes for a fresh and original storyline that you don’t want to end.

The next film on the list that I am most looking forward to is an independent gem from studio Neon, which is being described as Diamonds in the rough competition at Cannes this year. It’s about a sex worker who marries the drug-addicted scion of a Russian oligarch, played by Mark Eydelshteyn, who gives a mesmerizing performance that has been compared to the work of Timothée Chalamet.

The role of the prostitute Anora, performing under the name Ani, is played by the energetic Mikey Madison.

Two lost souls finding each other in the midst of their weariness isn’t exactly bold new narrative territory for a film. Still, I always have time for a film that finds heart and humanity in the humblest and most unexpected places. Delights EW about Anora: “Ani wins us over from the moment she appears on screen, charming her clients and delivering one-liners amidst lap dances. Madison is full of life in the role, combining street smarts, romantic naivety and effortless charm.”

Silence on the Western Frontdirector Edward Berger’s Netflix World War I film was one of the most disturbing yet unforgettable war films I’ve ever seen in my life. So I’m all for Berger’s new film ConclaveVatican politics drama starring Ralph Fiennes, given the director’s previous work. But also because it’s based on a book by a first-rate author I can’t get enough of — Robert Harris, whose 2016 novel of the same name forms the basis for this new film.

Harris writes a lot of great historical novels — and speaking of Netflix, his Munich has also been made into a feature film for the streaming platform.

As for the plot Conclave: The official synopsis states that “one of the most secret and ancient events in the world is taking place—the election of a new pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with carrying out this secret process after the unexpected death of his beloved pope. When the most powerful leaders of the Catholic Church from around the world gather and are locked in the corridors of the Vatican, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and uncovers a secret that could shake the very foundations of the Church.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go into this fourth film with the lowest expectations possible.

Don’t get me wrong; I’ll be one of the first in line to see it because, come on — it’s a sequel to one of the best, most iconic films of the 2000s that we’re talking about here. Also from the same director who found a way to continue the story of late Rome, when the empire was at the height of its decadence and corruption.

There is really no need to say anything about the original here. Gladiatorstarring Russell Crowe, which told an epic story of military and political intrigue and was full of fascinating gladiatorial combat that ultimately left us all in shock. The cinematography was evocative and atmospheric. The soundtrack was soul-stirring.

Can lightning strike twice in the same place? I can’t wait to find out. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic. “Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle,” the official synopsis reads, “Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced into the Colosseum after his home falls to the tyrannical emperors who now rule Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to the past to find the strength and honor to restore Rome’s glory to his people.”

Oh, and by the way — I forgot to mention that this time, the Colosseum is hosting water battles. Let the games begin.