Worst2First: My Most Anticipated Films of Fall 2017

Worst2First: 

My Most Anticipated Films of Fall 2017

With summer ending, it's time for leaves to change, everything to have a pumpkin spice to it, and the arrival of some very exciting fall films.  The months of September, October and November brings a smorgasbord of movies - from comic book action to murder mysteries, to horror remakes and highly anticipated sequels.  The next three months have some exciting films to offer, and here are the ten I'm most excited about.

**There will be no spoilers, 

since the films haven't been released yet.

Also, dates are subject to change**

 #10

The Foreigner

October 13

When I heard of another Jackie Chan movie, I groaned on the inside.  Sure, his Chinese films are epic and he's one of the most physically talented actors around, but his American works have been mostly family-friendly flare that are more cheese than substance ("The Spy Next Door" immediately comes to mind), or direct-to-DVD stinkers.  When I saw the trailer for "The Foreigner," however, my mind changed.  Here, Chan is not a goofy, bumbling martial artist but a humble man who witnesses his teenage daughter's death at the hands of terrorists.  He pleads for help from the British government, especially official Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), but it seems he has his own hidden demons that could have ties to what happened.  Chan's character goes on a quest for vengeance that looks to be exciting and thrilling, and Chan appears at the top of his game - physically fit at the age of 63.

#9

The Snowman

October 20

Michael Fassbender stars as a lead detective who fears a recent murder could be the work of a long-dormant serial killer.  He enlists the help of a brilliant new recruit played by Rebecca Ferguson to help track down the killer before he strikes again, all the while the killer taunts them.  This looks to be a great cat-and-mouse thriller starring Fassbender, Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer and J.K. Simmons.

 #8

Murder on the Orient Express

 November 10

 Based off the acclaimed novel by Agatha Christie, "Murder on the Orient Express" is a "Clue"-like film that features a murder on the classic Orient Express, and a venerable who's who of suspects, and only the greatest detective on the planet - Hercule Poirot - can solve it.  The film features a stellar cast including Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Daisy Ridley and Johnny Depp and looks to be a thrilling whodunit mystery.

#7

American Assassin

September 15

 When his fiancee is murdered by terrorists, Mitch Rapp enlists in the CIA's blackops program in hopes of getting revenge.  He is placed under the tutelage of a Cold War veteran, Mitch learns there's more to killing than just learning how to use a gun.  Starring Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan and Taylor Kitsch, this looks to be an action-packed spectacle with great actors and a decent story.

#6

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

 September 22

 "Manners maketh man."  After the first film became a surprise hit, it was only a matter of time before the sequel was made.  Once again blending stylistic James Bond-style action with cutting-edge, intelligent humor, "The Golden Circle" looks to be every part the original's equal, with strong performances by Taron Egerton, Julianne Moore, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Colin Firth.  This time around, the British Kingsman look toward their American counterpart to help take down The Golden Circle, which destroyed their base of operations.  It'll be interesting to see how they develop the characters and how the new ones will interact with them, but I'm very optimistic it'll maintain its sense of style and excitement.

#5

Blade Runner 2049

October 6

 Thirty-five years after the original sci-fi epic, "Blade Runner 2049" reunites Harrison Ford in one of his most iconic roles, as now he must work with a new Blade Runner to stop the end of the world.  Directed by Denis Villeneuve (who directed the stellar "Arrival") and starring Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto and Harrison Ford, the film looks to expand on the original's sense of wonder and amazement, while utilizing all the modern CGI it can muster to make the film look sleek, stylish, and a hint of the old classic film noir. 

#4

Justice League

November 17

 DC Comics has really had issues with bringing their comics to their own cinematic universe.  "Batman v. Superman" and "Suicide Squad" were both massive failures, but "Wonder Woman" was easily one of the best comic book films since "The Dark Knight."  So Zack Snyder (who directed aforementioned "Batman v. Superman") returns to the director's helm with "Justice League," reuniting Batman and Wonder Woman along with newcomers Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg as they battle the evil Steppenwolf and his Parademons.  The newest trailer looks to be the best yet, as they did a lot of re-shoots to incorporate more Wonder Woman in the picture (no surprise since the surprise success of her origin film).  I'm moreso cautiously optimistic than I was before, and we'll see how the film holds up. 

#3

It

September 8

 "Everything floats down here!"  Stephen King's most iconic novel has finally been given the big screen credit it deserves (the original film starring Tim Curry was actually a made-for-TV movie), as we see the true terror that Pennywise the Clown will inflict on the small town of Derry, Maine.  In the town, kids disappear all the time, and when a group of youth discover it's due to a demonic being known as Pennywise, they unite in hopes of stopping him for good.  The trailers look downright terrifying, and hopefully they don't end it like they did the television series.  I have high hopes for this one - especially after the horrendous way "The Dark Tower" was treated - and I can't wait to see...It.

#2

Mother!

September 15

Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer.  That cast alone makes me excited, but seeing that it's written and directed by the famed Darren Aronofsky, I'm over the moon.  Not much is known about the film, except it features two couples - Lawrence/Bardem and Harris/Pfeiffer - and the ensuring psychological damage it deals on them, especially Jennifer Lawrence's character.  It looks to be another spellbinding, mind-twisting, all-out-insane Aronofsky work, which will more than likely be recognized come awards season.

#1

Thor: Ragnarok

November 3

The latest Marvel film holds the top spot for my most anticipated movies of the fall.  Thor takes center stage again as he wages war against Hela, who threatens to destroy Asgard and bring upon Ragnarok - the end of all things.  However, to get to Asgard he must battle his old friend the Hulk without Mjolnir, and forge an uneasy alliance with his trickster brother Loki before taking on the goddess of death.  Cate Blanchett looks to be the perfect choice for Hela, and we'll see how Marvel treats this very dark storyline in its typical family-friendly fashion.  Needless to say, this has been the film I've been dying to see for awhile, and it looks to be another knockout for the MCU.