10 New Movies To Get You Pumped For Awards Season
Get your 🍿 ready.
Sorry to break it to you, but summer’s winding down. That means it’s time to trade our beach bags for backpacks and our bathing suits for sweatshirts. It’s also time to say goodbye to summer blockbusters and welcome the movies that hope to be contenders in the 2016–2017 awards season. Here are 10 movies that should be on your list for the fall.
1. “Sully” (Sept. 9, 2016)
You’d think Tom Hanks would stay away from planes after “Cast Away.” Well, he’s back in the air, but this time, he’s the pilot. Hanks plays Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after losing the plane’s engines. We all know how all 155 passengers and crew survived, but “Sully” also takes a look at the aftermath of the miracle, including the investigation into what went wrong, as well as how Sully dealt with the sudden fame.
2. “Birth of a Nation” (Oct. 7, 2016)
Get ready for some controversy, both on and off the screen. “Birth of a Nation” tells the story of Nat Turner and his journey from preacher to slave rebellion leader. Nate Parker (“Beyond The Lights”) serves as the writer, producer, star and director of the drama that was sold for a record $17.5 million deal after premiering at Sundance this past January. The only thing that could hold this movie back from being a serious contender is the news of Parker’s college rape trial and whether the studio and fans will support the emerging star.
3. “The Girl on the Train” (Oct. 7, 2016)
Remember when “Gone Girl” was one of the most thrilling and talked-about movies of 2014? 2016 has found their version, and its name is “The Girl on the Train.” Based on the hit novel, the film stars Emily Blunt as divorcee Rachel Watson, an alcoholic who rides the train every day and fantasizes about a young couple she sees out the window. When Rachel sees something shocking, the chilling mystery begins to alter the course of her existence.
4. “Bleed for This” (Nov. 4, 2016)
Boxing movies are slowly becoming the new normal. Fresh off the success of “Creed” and the recent “Hands of Stone,” “Bleed for This” tells the true story of Vinny Paz, a struggling boxer who looks to make a comeback after a career-threatening injury. The hype behind the movie centers on star Miles Teller, who is slowly becoming one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. If both Teller’s and the film’s performance are hits (Teller’s with reviewers, the film’s at the box office), Teller could very well become a dark horse candidate in the best acting races.
5. “Arrival” (Nov. 11, 2016)
Is there a hotter director right now than Denis Villeneuve? Some of you might be asking, “Who is that?” but I’m sure most of you have heard of “Prisoners” and “Sicario,” which were both critical and commercial successes. Villeneuve looks to add to that success with “Arrival,” a sci-fi thriller that tackles as its subject extraterrestrial life and mankind’s attempt to find answers. Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker all star.
6. “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” (Nov. 11, 2016)
I would be lying to you if I said I don’t have chills after watching this trailer. Ang Lee’s war drama, told through flashbacks, tells the story of Billy Lynn, an Iraqi war hero who confronts the harsh and troubling realities of war after he is brought home for a victory tour. Many critics believe that Lee and the movie will score a plethora of nominations after Lee dazzled critics by showing them an 11-minute sequence from the film back in April.
7. “Manchester by the Sea” (Nov. 18, 2016)
If there’s one thing Casey Affleck knows, it’s a good Massachusetts accent. After acting in hits like “Good Will Hunting” and “Gone Baby Gone,” Affleck will reprise that accent in “Manchester by the Sea.” Another Sundance success, Affleck stars as Lee Chandler, an uncle who is forced to return home when he is made the legal guardian of his nephew after the father’s death. Affleck has a legitimate shot at a Best Actor nomination, as IndieWire said it was the “performance of his career.” Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams, and Lucas Hedges also star.
8. “La La Land” (Dec. 2, 2016)
If you were wondering if Damien Chazelle’s next film would be as successful as “Whiplash,” the early buzz about“La La Land” has been nothing but positive and stunning. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling play Mia and Sebastian, two aspiring entertainers who deal with the trials and tribulations of falling in love in Los Angeles. Chazelle’s musical will only gain more traction and excitement as December approaches.
9. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Dec. 16, 2016)
If you were having some space warfare and Storm Trooper withdrawals, have no fear, “Rogue One” is here! Piggybacking off the huge success of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the next chapter in the Star Wars universe is here, but with a new and different twist. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is the first standalone Star Wars anthology film, which takes place before the events in “Star Wars Episode IV — A New Hope.” In the film, the Rebellion attempts to steal the plans to the Death Star. Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, and Ben Mendelsohn star.
10. “Live by Night” (Jan. 13, 2017)
Set during the Prohibition era, “Live by Night” tells the story of Joe Coughlin, the son of a Boston police captain who later becomes a bootlegger and gangster in Florida. Based on the 2012 novel by Dennis Lehane, Ben Affleck wrote, directed, and will star in the film. Not a lot of information about the film has been released, but the movie was pushed up nine months from Oct. 2017 to Jan. 2017 to give it a 2016 awards-friendly release date. This is Affleck’s first time stepping behind the camera since “Argo,” which won Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
Have any more movies you think we should see? Let us know!
