The weather will soon start to cool down and after a decent summer at the box office, characterized by Suicide Squad’s strong numbers, it’s time to see what Fall 2016 has in store. There are many movies (not named Star Wars: Rogue One) which have us intrigued. Below are some of our hot picks for a cool Fall cinema experience.

Harry
The Magnificent Seven – As much as I hate remakes, I am intrigued to see if Antoine Fuqua can make this a success. He has a lot of star power in this film with Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D’Onofrio and so many others tasked to bring this story to life. For those that don’t know the story, it’s based off of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, about 7 outlaws enlisted by a town to save them from an evil land baron. Expect lots of gun violence and Denzel one-liners. It releases September 23, 2016.

Assassin’s Creed – Yes, I know that it’s a movie based on a video game and historically, they don’t do well. Also, it releases right after Star Wars: Rogue One. However, there is no Assassin’s Creed game being released this year, which may be a good reason to go see this movie. Michael Fassbender stars as a descendant of the Assassin’s Guild, and is saved from death by Abstergo Industries. He is forced to play out his ancestor’s memories and in the process learns skills he has never dreamed of having. From what many of us know already, Ubisoft has worked closely to develop this movie so that it stays true to their video game series.  Also, one of the leaps of faith was performed at 125 feet and is one of the highest free falls ever performed by a stuntman. Regardless of the final outcome, I am there Day One.
Release Date: December 21, 2016. The film has not yet been rated.

Paul
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children – I don’t know about you, but a Tim Burton film chronicling the exploits of X-Men type children with a star studded cast of Eva Green, Samuel L Jackson, Judi Dench, and the up and coming Asa Butterfield, is right up my alley. For those of you unfamiliar with the premise, Jacob (Butterfield) learns of a secret world through his grandfather and this leads him on a journey to discover not only his powers but those of others hidden away. This leads him to Peregrine (Green), who runs a safe house for children with unusual talents. To keep them safe, Jacob will have to hone his talents and use them through both time and space to keep his newly found friends from a disastrous fate.
Release Date: September 30, rated PG-13

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – We return to JK Rowling’s wizarding world, but without the iconic boy magician, Harry Potter. This film concentrates on the misadventures of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), set seventy years before Potter and in America. Newt is in the US to confer with the American magical council to combat a muggle society led by Mary Lou (Samantha Morton), that is hellbent on destroying their magical counterparts. Complicating matters further, Newt brought with him a horde of creatures in his expandable suitcase that escape, threatening to expose their world. Can Newt collect his escaped beasts and defeat the evil Mary Lou?
Release Date: November 18th, rated PG-13

 

Doug
Doctor Strange – All of the whitewashing drama aside, I don’t know a comic book reader who’s NOT looking forward to seeing this. The trailers that have been released really look good, and the movie feels like it might be a real mind-bender in terms of visual style. With Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role, Doctor Stephen Strange is a brilliant (but arrogant) neurosurgeon who suffers injuries to his hands, effectively destroying his career.  He sets out across the world to find a way to heal them, and is found by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and Baron Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). The two train him and assist him in becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, in order to defend Earth from an extra-dimensional enemy. On this journey of healing & discovery, Dr. Strange will go from thinking he knows it all, to realizing how little he actually knows.
Release Date: November 4th, rated PG-13

Collateral Beauty – I only recently came across this trailer to this gorgeous film, and then someone started cutting onions & kicking up dust in my office. Collateral Beauty stars Will Smith as a man who’s heading into a downward spiral after a tragic event in his life. In order to cope, he begins writing letters to the metaphysical concepts of Love, Death, and Time. Little does he know, he’s about to get an…interesting response. With a stellar cast, including Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, and Kate Winslet, this film strikes me as a modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – with the three ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet To Come being represented by Death, Time, and Love. A chance find, this one is definitely on my list, and I’m sure it’ll have a wonderful message.
Release Date: December 16th. The film has not yet been rated.

 

Bronte
The Birth of A Nation – Nate Parker is the star, co-writer, co-producer, and director of this story of revolutionary slave Nat Turner. Turner was a Virginian slave who was taught to read so that he could become a preacher and preach Christianity to the slaves. This made him one of the few slaves that were legally allowed to read. Also starring Gabrielle Union & Armie Hammer, this story will show Nat Turner’s travel from plantation to plantation, witnessing the horrors of slavery which incited him to lead an uprising in 1831 Virginia. The movie title Birth of a Nation is taken from the DW Griffith 1915 film, which was used as a tool for white supremacist propaganda. When asked why he used the title that he used, Parker said, “I have reclaimed this title and repurposed it as a tool to challenge racism and white supremacy in America, to inspire riotous disposition toward any and all injustice in this country, and to promote the kind of honest confrontation that will galvanize our society toward healing and sustained systemic change.” I plan on bringing a box of tissues when I see this.
Release date: October 7, 2016, rated R

The Eagle Huntress – This film is the story of a young girl (Aisholpan Nurgaiv) who aspires to be the first female in twelve generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter. This documentary is narrated by Daisy Ridley of The Force Awakens, and is filmed in scenic Western Mongolia. It’s sure to be an empowering movie for kids, and stunningly a beautiful experience for nature-loving adults. I am really looking forward to the GoPro shots taking from an eagle’s POV.
Release date: October 28, 2016, rated G

 

There you have it, folks. PCU’s list of our most anticipated fall movie picks.  Please bear in mind that these are just a few of the films due out in the remainder of the year, and we know that there’s lots more coming out this year. If we missed any films that you want to see, please tell us in the comments!