September arrives with, I assume, a lot of Oklahoma heat still shining down upon us. This month, I’ve got a wide variety of choices with mostly smaller films and one big action tent pole spectacle for good measure. I’d also like to inform you that it is my birthday month – so please plan accordingly.
Starting the month strong is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The second installment of Phase Four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, a man who must confront his past when the Ten Rings organization pulls him back into his former life. Co-starring Awkwafina, Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh, the film tells an action-packed origin story with some bonkers set pieces and fight choreography. It releases on Sept. 3.
Next up is a period drama called The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Based on a 2000 documentary of the same name, the adaptation sets out to dramatize the life of the titular Tammy Faye, a televangelist, singer and television personality who gained undue popularity in the ’70s and ’80s with her then husband, Jim Bakker. Filled with all the ups and downs of their turbulent, lavish and often criticized lifestyle, the film looks like an acting showcase for its two leads, Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield. Directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick), it should also have a fair bit of comedy dashed in. It’s out on Sept. 17.
To add some British flare to your life, I recommend this next film called The Duke. The film stars Jim Broadbent as Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver who steals a portrait of the Duke of Wellington and sends ransom notes, saying that the painting will be returned if the government invests more money in elderly care. Based on true events and co-starring Helen Mirren and Matthew Goode, the film is shaping up to be quite a good time, full of English humor and wit. It releases on Sept. 17.
If you’re looking for something odd, The Nowhere Inn should likely satisfy. Starring Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent, plus Carrie Brownstein and Dakota Johnson as fictionalized versions of themselves, the thriller mockumentary seems like it’s going to start out normal and just go way off the rails. The trailer doesn’t give much away, which is a blessing in this spoiler-laden age, so I’m optimistic it’ll be an insane ride that people will be trying to piece together long after they leave the theater. It releases Sept. 17.
Lastly, a South Korean television show with a plethora of awards under its belt recently became available in the U.S.. Titled Beyond Evil, the show focuses on two police officers and their unwavering determination to catch a serial killer. The drama, literally translated as Monster, will likely be a thrilling ride full of some dark turns. If you need a good detective mystery, it’s streaming on Netflix now.
