The Most Anticipated Movies of Fall and Winter 2016

2016 has been an underwhelming year, unfortunately, with the summer movie season having a disappointing string of films but ended with a glimmer of hope. The only saving grace by capping the year as a good year at the most is the Fall Movie Season where studios release directors' best work that can inspire and/or surprise you. Despite the crummy summer, I am actually looking forward to most of the movies in the Fall/Winter lineup than the summer, honestly, because there is a wide range of true stories, mysteries, comedies and entertaining sci-fi flicks especially one, in particular.

#1 and #2 were easy to establish but the rest were a bit difficult to place to be honest because there are a lot that are particularly interesting and also, I'm looking forward to.

Note: Silence, from my favorite director, Martin Scorsese, is not on the list because I have heard very little about that movie and there's not much material posted regarding that project but I'm very much looking forward to the overall product.

So, without further ado, here are my 10 most anticipated movies of the last 4 months of 2016.

10. The Accountant (Oct. 14)

Ben Affleck stars as a talented and skilled accountant who is also a freelance assassin. That's a weird but interesting concept buy why is he an assassin? Well, it is because he is a forensics accountant for dangerous criminal organizations using a CPA office as a cover. Director Gavin O'Connor is the head of this latest film that also stars Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal and John Lithgow. It may be a supreme crime drama or may be a muddled and dark mess but I'm looking forward to this one. However, Warner Bros. is having a rough year, so, I'm hoping this is good.

9. Loving (Nov. 4)

This has Oscar buzz written all over it not for its cast but for Jeff Nichols, the director, who is on a roll with solid films like Midnight Special, Take Shelter and Mud, which was one of my favorite films of 2013. If you are not familiar with the Loving v. Virginia case in 1967, you might want to take a gander at its history and then the film because controversy was surrounding the interracial marriage between Mildred Jeter, a black woman, and Richard Loving, a white man. This looks like a powerful film that is both moving and interesting and has a fantastic cast with Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Nick Kroll, Marton Csokas and Michael Shannon.

8. Hacksaw Ridge (Nov. 4)

(The quality is all right. If it's not great: then here is the link: Hacksaw Ridge YouTube Official Trailer)

Aside all of his personal problems, Mel Gibson, the director, is back. He has had a solid string of movies with Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto, a movie that was ambitious in its production setting and beliefs but had a conventional story in my opinion. When I watched the trailer, the first half felt soap-operatic, but then the second half turned into a violent war epic. He tackles violence real well. This movie is based on a true story about Desmond T. Doss, an adventist who refused to bear arms during war and that story was interesting especially in a battlefield. It has the combination of Full Metal Jacket and Saving Private Ryan but it looks effortless.

7. Passengers (Dec. 21)

The trailer is visually stunning and crisp presenting with deluxe compartments of the ship but when a mysterious accident ensues, two people have woken up: Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. It seems that they are having a flirtatious and humorous first date but when everything goes right with them personally and then trouble seems to overcome them. What is going on here? There are echoes of Stanley Kubrick in this trailer with 2001 and The Shining but also Gravity and Sunshine. A good fall season for sci-fi films and this could be a nice Christmas present along with Rogue One.

6. La La Land (Dec. 2)

(Both the Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone teasers.)

Again, I'm not a big fan of musicals but somehow we have one that comes out almost the end of every year and there could that can get my attention. Now, director Damien Chazelle directed Whiplash, one of the best movies of 2014 and it was dynamic and that is why his next project is on my list of the most anticipated movies. He and editor Tom Cross reunite to tell a romantic tale about an aspiring actress played by Emma Stone and jazz pianist played by Ryan Gosling to chase their dreams but as success builds, their romance falls apart. It also stars J.K. Simmons in it. This movie looks like a quiet dark horse for the Oscars.

5. Doctor Strange (Nov. 4)

This is a Marvel movie that looks like a crazy but different superhero movie. However, I would not classify it as a superhero movie more of a fantasy movie because he is a sorcerer. Based on the trailer, it has an Inception/Matrix vibe going on regarding sorcery, training, and city-bending. But, the cast sells it: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong and Tilda Swinton. I mean, this looks like a fun ride and Marvel has a good record this year with 2 out of the 3 movies being very good, so let's see, if they can finish on a very good note like its start with Deadpool, even though it is Fox's property.

4. The Girl on the Train (Oct. 7)

Ooo-kkk...we got a divorcee fantasizing about a young couple as she commutes on a train to work every day until she witnesses something so shocking and that got me hooked because it is so deceptive regarding who are the key players in the crime. Director Tate Taylor, from The Help, goes in a dark direction with this mystery which based on the best-selling novel. It has a Gone Girl vibe going on but with a bit of Fatal Attraction. It stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans and Alison Janney. I am hoping for this to be a good movie, at the very least.

3. Arrival (Nov. 11)

Director Denis Villeneuve is on a roll right now with Prisoners, a movie that I liked not loved like the majority of people, Enemy, a screwed-up movie that is ambitious and Sicario, a daring story about what is going in the criminal world in Mexico, which was one of the best movies of last year. This sci-fi flick came out of nowhere and strongly got my attention with the trailers and I am hoping that this is an original and thought-provoking sci-fi film. It stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker.

2. Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them (Nov. 18)

I thought the Harry Potter franchise is over...well, it is...but, we have a spin-off going on from the minds of J.K. Rowling and David Yates here and has that same magic from the films again. The inner child in me is super-excited about this movie because I, along with many fans, grew up with the series, reading the books and watching them. This movie follows Newt Scamander played by Eddie Redmayne with a mysterious briefcase full of creatures arriving to America. All the creatures escape and all the officials are after Newt and the creatures. This looks like a fun adventure without a doubt. It also Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Samantha Morton, Alison Sudol and Colin Farrell in the movie. I can't wait but there's one more that is not heavily advertised but I'm still excited about...

1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Dec. 16)

Yep, we have another Star Wars movie...again...but not Episode VIII. It is an anthology film about a myriad of Rebel fighters attempting to steal the Death Star plans before the Emperor enforces them. We kind of know what happens in Episode IV...but who cares? It's freakin' Star Wars. What I like so far is that this is more of a military-driven movie than a fantasy film, almost like a sci-fi version of Zero Dark Thirty. Director Gareth Edwards is taking the lead and hope to have us a grand adventure. It has Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed and Forest Whitaker. Here's to another great Star Wars epic.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Sully (Sept. 9)