September marks the beginning of school, the changing of leaves, and the chill in the air. Most importantly, it signals the beginning of the fall movie season. Here are the best trailers for films released the first month of fall.
Best Tearjerker: The Light Between Oceans
The trailer alone is worth a few hankies for the film The Light Between Oceans. Michael Fassbender and the stunning Alicia Vikander star as a couple who are unable to have their own children but are ecstatic when a beautiful baby girl happens to wash ashore. They raise the girl until they meet the birth mother of the lost girl The trailer is heartbreaking and alludes to fine acting from the three leads including Rachel Weisz as the girl's mother. The film is based on a novel and it definitely fulfills the need for a sad fall drama, but this one may be too devastating. Either way, the trailer is emotional with a lot of potential.
Most Terrifying: Morgan
Kate Mara, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Giamatti star in this bizarre sci-fi thriller. The eponymous Morgan is a genetically engineered teen who seems to have anger problems. Killing people is her first instinct and it is up to Kate Mara to investigate how this happened. That investigation goes a bit wonky when they discover that Morgan can move things with her mind. The trailer for Morgan is just eerie enough to stick with you until you make it to the movie theater.
Best Sequel: Blair Witch
The trailer for Blair Witch is unquestionably promising. The trailer was first unveiled at Comic-Con this year with a bit of mystery surrounding it. The filmmakers seem to be making their best attempt at making audiences forget about the failed 2000 sequel. For the new film, the little brother of Heather, one of the campers from 1999’s The Blair Witch Project, returns to the woods.
The original film had one of the most memorable and brilliant marketing campaigns. The trailer was simplistic and only showed Heather talking into the camera and apologizing to the family of the other two campers who she convinced to go into the woods with her. It appears that there is a bit of homage to that idea in the new installment's trailer. The brother looks terrifyingly into the camera to apologize. The found-footage film may not live up to the terror of the original after all of these years of found footage films. The Blair Witch Project was revolutionary. But audiences now have seventeen years of experience with the sub-genre. The trailer is still strong enough to give audiences the impression that the Blair Witch is still a frightening villain to behold.
Best True Story: Snowden
Joseph Gordon-Levitt appears to be a revelation in the trailer for Snowden. The film is based on Edward Snowden’s life from what led him to work for the government to his discovery of NSA surveillance on citizens of the world. He stole the sensitive material to expose the government committing treason. The trailer is intense and works so well as a thriller that it is amazing that the film is based on a true story. Joseph Gordon-Levitt adopts a speaking voice to better emulate Snowden. But that just looks like the beginning to his possible award winning performance. The trailer for Snowden looks to be a nerve-racking drama that proves truth is stranger than fiction.
Best Family Fantasy: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
There is a good amount banking on Tim Burton’s next film, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, following the underwhelming Alice Through the Looking Glass. It appears that the film, which is based on a series of Young Adult novels, may be attempting to fill the void left after the conclusion of the Harry Potter series. With all of that in mind, the trailer cancels out any possible reservations viewers may have, as it appears to be quite the spectacle. Rather than Hogwarts, we get a home of children that are not wizards but do have something extraordinary about them. It’s like X-Men but not quite. Hopefully, the trailer is not the best thing about Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and the film will be able to maintain its charm at feature length.
Best Indie: Other People
The trailer for Other People is a reminder of why Molly Shannon is an underrated actress deserving of more attention. Jesse Plemons plays a man who returns home to take care of his cancer-stricken mother (Shannon). While doing this, he is able to understand who his parents are as people. The trailer somehow manages to be hilarious in the face of tragedy. The subject matter may be sad but the film seems to manage it with humor and grace. Independent films are often a buried treasure since the advertising budgets are so tiny that many are unaware of their existence. Perhaps, a small film like Other People may not appeal to an audience as large as a Tim Burton film. But, for those who to discover the films, they are usually something special. The trailer for The Other People is certainly something special.
Best Western Remake: The Magnificent Seven
Not just filling the Western void but also a remake, The Magnificent Seven features an outstanding cast and enough energy that would make the Red Bull guy envious. The trailers convey a film that is action-packed, full of zingers and full of terrific characters. Adding a cover of the song "House of the Rising Sun" was also a nice touch.
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