George Clooney hangs out with an outlaw psychic! Hilary Swank vanishes in the less-than-friendly skies! Matt Damon blows the whistle! Unless you’ve been living where the wild things are, you’ve probably guessed that it’s fall, which means Hollywood’s cool kids have begun their grab for gold. The unofficial awards season launches with the more “serious,” adult-minded material that rolls out after the summer blockbuster period wanes. But for the masses, there will still be plenty of fun flicks — if on a more modest scale — to whet appetites for popcorn. Here’s what’s coming; dates are subject to change.
Oscar bait
The Informant! (Sept. 18)
Stars: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale
Behind the camera: Steven Soderbergh
Scenario: A dark-comedy take on journalist Kurt Eichenwald’s book about an executive for agri-giant Archer Daniels Midland who narcs on a price-fixing scam.
Prospects: Damon and Soderbergh have both become known for quality.
Our take: Agri-business could mean big business at the podium.
Rated: R
Bright Star (Sept. 18)
Stars: Abbie Cornish, Ben Wishaw, Paul Schneider
Behind the camera: Jane Campion
Scenario: Nineteenth-century British poet John Keats has a secret affair with his gorgeous muse before fate intervenes.
Prospects: Campion (“The Piano,” “The Portrait of a Lady”) is a master at sexy, visually stunning and thematically esoteric costume pictures aimed at women.
Our take: Bodices rip; critics swoon.
Rated: PG
Amelia (Oct. 23)
Stars: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Virginia Madsen
Behind the camera: Mira Nair
Scenario: Adventure about proto-feminist aviatrix Amelia Earhart, her trailblazing, her marriage and her evaporation.
Prospects: The Academy loves lavish period-production values in an old-school epic.
Our take: Swank is never lost on the red carpet.
Rated: PG
Family Affairs
Where the Wild Things Are (Oct. 16)
Stars: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Forest Whitaker (voice), James Gandolfini (voice)
Behind the camera: Spike Jonze
Scenario: It’s based on Maurice Sendak’s 1963 children’s book about a little boy’s imaginary forest of colorful beasts.
Prospects: The progressive filmmaker (“Being John Malkovich”) adds hip cred and special effects to a classic.
Our take: Wild things make everything … groovy?
Rated: PG
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Sept. 18)
Stars: Voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Andy Samberg, James Caan, Mr. T
Behind the camera: Philip Lord, Chris Miller
Scenario: It’s raining food! And it’s out of control!
Prospects: Boasting one of the best titles ever, this animated version of a Judi Barrett novel features a voice cast both au courant and retro.
Our take: Sunny forecast for kids at the box office
Not yet rated
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (Nov. 6)
Stars: Jim Carrey, Bob Hoskins, Cary Elwes, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright Penn
Behind the camera: Robert Zemeckis
Scenario: Scrooge. Tiny Tim. Ghosts. You know the drill.
Prospects: Why the Dickens do we need another “Christmas Carol”? So the guy behind “Polar Express” can show us his motion-capture technology some more.
Our take: Bah, humbug. How about an original story idea?
Not yet rated
Shocks and Awe
9 (Sept. 9)
Stars: Voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau
Behind the camera: Shane Acker
Scenario: It’s a feature-length expansion of Acker’s Oscar-nominated animated short about post-apocalyptic dolls fighting robots.
Prospects: Tim Burton produces, adding brand identity for all things weird/interesting/creepy.
Our take: Edgy stop-motion style starts buzz.
Rated: PG-13
Jennifer’s Body (Sept. 18)
Stars: Megan Fox, Adam Brody, Amanda Seyfried
Behind the camera: Karyn Kusama
Scenario: A gory yarn by Diablo Cody has a seductive demon cheerleader who literally feeds on young men.
Prospects: Did you just read that description?!?
Our take: “Transformer” eye candy attempts an acting vehicle.
Rated: R
The Road (Oct. 16)
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Robert Duvall
Behind the camera: John Hillcoat
Scenario: Based on the 2006 Cormac McCarthy novel, it boasts post-apocalyptic thrills and father-son bonding with a side order of cannibalism.
Prospects: The book has devoted fans, but the release of this adaptation had been postponed for a year.
Our take: Superior pedigree, grim milieu.
Rated: R
The Box (Nov. 6)
Stars: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella
Behind the camera: Richard Kelly
Scenario: What if opening a box from a sadist gave you instant wealth, but killed a random stranger?
Prospects: Moral dilemma as easy to swallow as Junior Mints.
Our take: PG-13 thrills just in time for Halloween.
Rated: PG-13
Joking Matters
All About Steve (Sept. 4)
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church
Behind the camera: Phil Traill
Scenario: Romantic comedy about a CNN cameraman (Cooper, of “Hangover”) and a stalking crossword puzzle whiz (“Proposal” star Bullock).
Prospects: Cute co-stars fresh off two summer hits could do decently.
Our take: A six-letter word for hot: C-O-O-P-E-R.
Rated: PG-13
Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself (Sept. 11)
Stars: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige
Behind the camera: Tyler Perry
Scenario: Rotund diva Medea returns.
Prospects: That’s a threat, not a promise.
Our take : But Perry fans flock to him in his frock
Rated: PG-13
Couples Retreat (Oct. 9)
Stars: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis
Behind the camera: Peter Billingsley
Scenario: Couples go on exotic holiday, but find themselves in forced group therapy instead.
Prospects: The preview trailer features sophomoric sexual sight gags.
Our take: Marriage counseling and bikinis — now that’s comedy.
Not yet rated
Mixed Nuts
Capitalism: A Love Story (Oct. 2)
Stars: Greedy Wall Street types, clueless politicians
Behind the camera: Michael Moore
Scenario: It’s a documentary about how and why the economy died last year.
Prospects: Do we really want to see a movie about recession while we’re still living it?
Our take: Moore means controversy, and controversy sells.
Not yet rated
Whip It (Oct. 9)
Stars: Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon
Behind the camera: Drew Barrymore
Scenario: A comedy-drama set in the wild world of roller derby, based on the eponymous novel.
Prospects: Barrymore makes her directorial debut with the endearing Page (“Juno”) as leading lady.
Our take: Cat fighting on wheels!
Rated: PG-13
This Is It (Oct. 28)
Star: The late, great Michael Jackson
Behind the camera: Sony Pictures, Sony Music, AEG Live and the estate of Michael Jackson
Scenario: The documentary combines footage of the artist’s last concert tour rehearsals, backstage footage and insider interviews.
Prospects: If M.J. fatigue hasn’t set in, it will rock the world — literally.
Our take: A final “Thriller” for mourning fans.
Not yet rated
The Men Who Stare at Goats (Nov. 6)
Stars: George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey
Behind the camera: Grant Heslov
Scenario: It’s supposedly inspired by a true story about how the U.S. military has explored the use of the paranormal powers of the mind as a lethal weapon.
Prospects: With one of autumn’s best, most experienced casts and a premise to rattle the Pentagon, expect lots of media attention.
Our take: It’s got Clooney and telekinetic killing? We’re in!
Not yet rated
