September’s Top Movies

All Eyez on Me

Tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur. The film follows Shakur from his early days in New York City to his evolution into being one of the world’s most recognized and influential voices before his untimely death at the age of 25. Against all odds, Shakur’s raw talent, powerful lyrics and revolutionary mind-set propelled him into becoming a cultural icon whose legacy continues to grow long after his passing.
Vitals: Director: Benny Boom. Stars: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, Kat Graham, Annie Ilonzeh, Lauren Cohan, Keith Robinson, Jamal Woolard, Dominic L. Santana. 2016, CC, MPAA rating: R, 140 min., Drama, Box office gross: $44.724 million, Lionsgate.
Extras: “Legends Never Die: The Making of All Eyes on Me” featurette, “Becoming Tupac” featurette. Blu-ray adds deleted scenes, #”All Eyez on Me Conversations” featurette, Demetrius Shipp, Jr. audition.
Available: 09/05.
 

Beatriz at Dinner

Provocative and sharply hilarious film about characters from vastly different sociopolitical backgrounds colliding over dinner. Beatriz (Salma Hayek), an immigrant from a poor town in Mexico, has drawn on her innate kindness to build a career as a spiritual health practitioner in Los Angeles. Doug Strutt (John Lithgow) is a cutthroat, self-satisfied billionaire real estate developer. When these two opposites meet at a dinner party, their worlds collide.
Vitals: Director: Miguel Arteta. Stars: Salma Hayek, Chloe Sevigny, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: R, 82 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $6.832 million, Lionsgate.
Extras: Photo gallery.

Available: 09/12.
 

The Big Sick

Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, “The Big Sick” tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Zoe Kazan) after one of his stand-up sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he’s never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.
Vitals: Director: Michael Showalter. Stars: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zenobia Shroff, Adeel Akhtar. 2017, CC, MPAA rating: R, 120 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $24,547 million, Lionsgate.
Extras: “A Personal Journey: The Making of The Big Sick” featurette; “The Real Story” featurette; 2017 SXSW Film Festival panel;
cast & filmmaker commentary with actor-writer Kumail Nanjiani, writer Emily V. Gordon, producer Barry Mendel and director Michael Showalter; “The Big Sick: The Other Stuff,” deleted scenes, “The Bigger Sick: Stick Around for More Laughs.”

Available: 09/19.
 

 

 

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

The story of two overly imaginative best friends, George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch), who hypnotize their principal (Ed Helms) into thinking he’s the hero from their comic books: Captain Underpants Based on the bestselling book series by Dav Pilkey.
Vitals: Director: David Soren. Stars: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Thomas Middleditch, Jordan Peele, Kristen Schaal, DeeDee Rescher, Brian Posehn, David Soren.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 89 min., Family Animation, Box office gross: $73.001 million, DreamWorks Animation/Fox.
“Hero Edition” Bluray extras: Featurettes: “The Really Cool Adventures of Captain Underpants Motion Comic,” “The Captain Underpants Guide to Being a Hero,” “The Professor Poopypants (Totally Original and Supercool) Guide to Being a Villain,” “Kevin Hart and Ed Helms Surprise Fans,” “Lunch Lady PSA with Kristen Schaal,” “Sock Puppets Real Stars”; deleted scenes; lyric videos: “Captain Underpants” theme by Weird Al” Yankovic and “A Friend Like You” by Andy Grammer; “Tighty-Whitey Q&A with the Stars – Part 1 and Part 2”; gallery: “Comic Book Covers,” “The Art of DreamWorks Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.”
Available: 09/12.
 

Certain Women

One of America’s foremost filmmakers, Kelly Reichardt (“Wendy and Lucy,” “Meek’s Cutoff”) directs a remarkable ensemble cast led by Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and Laura Dern in this stirring look at three women striving to forge their own paths amidst the wide-open plains of the American Northwest: a lawyer (Dern) who finds herself contending with both office sexism and a hostage situation; a wife and mother (Williams) whose determination to build her dream home puts her at odds with the men in her life; and a young law student (Stewart) who forms an ambiguous bond with a lonely ranch hand (radiant newcomer Lily Gladstone). As their stories intersect in subtle but powerful ways, a portrait emerges of flawed, but strong-willed individuals in the process of defining themselves. On DVD and Blu-ray, with a new 2K digital transfer, supervised by director Kelly Reichardt and cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray.
Vitals: Director: Kelly Reichardt. Stars: Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, James Le Gros, Rene Auberjonois, Jared Harris, Lily Gladstone.
2016, CC, MPAA rating: R, 107 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.032 million, IFC/The Criterion Collection.
Extras: New interviews with the film’s cast and crew, including Reichardt and executive producer Todd Haynes; new interview with Maile Meloy, author of the stories on which the film is based; trailer; an essay by critic Ella Taylor.

Available: 09/19.
 

47 Meters Down

On the rebound after a devastating break-up, Lisa (Mandy Moore) is ready for adventure while on vacation in Mexico. Even still, she needs a little extra persuasion when her daring sister Kate (Claire Holt) suggests they go shark diving with some locals. Once underwater in a protective cage, Lisa and Kate catch a once in a lifetime, face-to-face look at majestic Great Whites. But when their worst fears are realized and the cage breaks away from their boat, they find themselves plummeting to the bottom of the seabed, too deep to radio for help without making themselves vulnerable to the savage sharks, their oxygen supplies rapidly dwindling.
Vitals: Director: Johannes Roberts. Stars: Mandy Moore, Matthew Modine, Claire Holt, Yani Gellman, Santiago Segura.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 87 min., Horror Suspense, Box office gross: $42.414 million, Lionsgate. Extras: TBA.
Available: 09/26.
 

 

 

The Hero

Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is a Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories with his former co-star, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte (Laura Prepon), and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter), all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.
Vitals: Director: Brett Haley. Stars: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Katharine Ross, Nick Offerman, Katharine Ross.
2016, CC, MPAA rating: R, 97 min., Drama, Box office gross: $3.058 million, Lionsgate.
Extras: Audio commentary with writer-director Brett Haley and Sam Elliott, photo gallery.

Available: 09/19.
 

It Comes at Night

Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, the tenuous domestic order a man has established with his wife and son is put to the ultimate test with the arrival of a desperate young family seeking refuge. Despite the best intentions of both families, paranoia and mistrust boil over as the horrors outside creep ever-closer, awakening something hidden and monstrous within him as he learns that the protection of his family comes at the cost of his soul.
Vitals: Director: Trey Edward Shults. Stars: Joel Edgerton, Chris Abbot, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: R, 91 min., Horror Thriller, Box office gross: $13.847 million, Lionsgate.
Extras: “Human Nature: Creating It Comes at Night” featurette.

Available: 09/12.
 

Lowriders

A young street artist, Danny, in East Los Angeles is caught between his father’s obsession with lowrider car culture, his ex-felon brother and his need for self-expression. Danny puts his graffiti artist skills to use and paints murals on the hoods of lowrider cars to help his brother win an upcoming competition.
Vitals: Director: Ricardo de Montreuil. Stars: Melissa Benoist, Eva Longoria, Theo Rossi, Demian Bichir.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 99 min., Drama, Box office gross: $6.179 million, Universal.
Extras: “Lowriders: Art, Love, and Family,” “Ghost’s Arrival,” “The Culture of Lowriders,” “Ghost’s Arrival.”

Available: 09/05.
 

 

 

Megan Leavey

Based on the life of a young Marine Corporal (Mara) whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq. When she is assigned to clean up the K9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey identifies with a particularly aggressive dog, Rex, and is given the chance to train him. Over the course of their service, Megan and Rex completed more than 100 missions until an IED explosion injures them, putting their fate in jeopardy.
Vitals: Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Stars: Kate Mara, Common, Tom Felton, Edie Falco, Ramón Rodríguez, Will Patton, Sam Keeley, Bradley Whitford.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 116 min., Drama, Box office gross: $12.465 million, Universal.
Extras: “Never Give Up”: An inside look at how Megan Leavey learned to trust Rex.

Available: 09/05.
 

The Mummy

Universal is rebooting its classic monster film franchise under the banner Dark Universe, linking all its creatures (to compete with Marvel’s universe) via an organization called Prodigium, a research facility set up to destroy evil, run by Doctor Henry Jeykll (Russell Crowe). The first entry was supposed to be “Dracula Untold” but that was so poorly received that Universal made “The Mummy” its first official release in this new universe. The next up: Bill Condon’s “The Bride of Frankenstein” in 2019. Unfortunately, this “Mummy” doesn’t hold a candle to the original, nor the first reboot, the Stephen Sommers/Brandan Fraser outing in 1999, which was scary, funny and very, very clever. This time around, the “Mummy” is a woman. Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.
Vitals: Director: Alex Kurtzman. Stars: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe, Jake Johnson, Annabelle Wallis, Courtney B. Vance.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 110 min., Horror Action, Box office gross: $78.624 million, Universal.
Extras: Deleted and extended scenes; “Cruise & Kurtzman: A Conversation Rooted in Reality” about the making of “The Mummy”: “Rooted in Reality” filmmakers and cast discussion on how they broke away from old tropes and traditions to create a realistic 21st century monster movie; “Life in Zero-G: Creating the Plane Crash”; “Meet Ahmanet” in which Sofia Boutella shares the excitement of reinventing a monster icon; “Cruise in Action” stunt featurette; “Becoming Jekyll and Hyde”: “Choreographed Chaos” featurette on how the filmmakers created an outdoors clash between ancient and modern worlds; “Nick Morton: In Search of a Soul” featurette; “Ahmanet Reborn Animated Graphic Novel”; feature commentary with director and producer Alex Kurtzman, and cast members Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis and Jake Johnson.

Available: 09/12.
 

Paris Can Wait

Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Long married to a successful, driven but inattentive movie producer, she unexpectedly finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with a business associate of her husband. What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a carefree two-day adventure replete with diversions involving picturesque sights, fine food and wine, humor, wisdom and romance, reawakening Anne’s senses and giving her a new lust for life.
Vitals: Director: Eleanor Coppola. Stars: Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, Arnaud Viard, Cedric Monnet.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 92 min., Romantic Comedy, Box office gross: $5.523 million, Sony
Extras: TBA.

Available: 09/05.
 

 

 

Transformers: The Last Knight

The fifth “Transformers” installment shatters the core myths of “The Transformers” franchise, and redefines what it means to be a hero. Humans and Transformers are at war, Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past, in the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Saving our world falls upon the shoulders of an unlikely alliance: Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg); Bumblebee; an English Lord (Anthony Hopkins); and an Oxford Professor (Laura Haddock). There comes a moment in everyone’s life when we are called upon to make a difference. Here the hunted will become heroes. Heroes will become villains. Only one world will survive: theirs or ours.
Vitals: Director: Michael Bay. Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel, Laura Haddock, Santiago Cabrera, Isabela Moner, Jerrod Carmichael, Stanley Tucci.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 149 min., Action, Box office gross: $129.801 million, Paramount.
Blu-ray extras: “Merging Mythologies” of the secret Transformers history; “Climbing the Ranks” military training featurette; “The Royal Treatment: Transformers in the UK”; “Motors and Magic”; “Alien Landscape: Cybertron”; “One More Giant Effin’ Movie.”

Available: 09/26.
 

Wonder Woman

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior and raised on a sheltered island paradise. When an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers … and her true destiny.
Vitals: Director: Patty Jenkins. Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner, Lucy Davis, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Eugene Brave Rock, Saïd Taghmaoui.
2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 141 min., Action, Box office gross: $402.201 million, Warner.
Extras: “Crafting the Wonder” behind-the-scenes production featurette; “A Director’s Vision: Themyscira: The Hidden Island”; “A Director’s Vision: Beach Battle”; “A Director’s Vision: A Photograph Through Time”; “A Director’s Vision: Diana in the Modern World”; “A Director’s Vision: Wonder Woman at War”; “Warriors of Wonder Woman” featurette on the creation of the Amazon army as the women of “Wonder Woman” transform emotionally and physically into the world’s most powerful and heroic warriors; “The Trinity” in which filmmakers and comic book creators explore the legend of Wonder Woman and how she stands shoulder to shoulder with Superman and Batman to create the pillars of the DC Universe; “The Wonder Behind the Camera”: the women behind the wonder; “Finding the Wonder Woman Within”: award-winning poets and inspiring public figures reveal the impact and importance of DC’s heroine; extended scenes; blooper reel. Blu-ray adds “Epilogue: Etta’s Mission,” in which Etta Candy gets the boys back together for a secret mission that could impact humanity’s future.

Available: .09/19