From a Marilyn biopic to a Bowie doc to a Billy Eichner rom-com, here are all the movies you need to know for September 2022

Theaters everywhere and Peacock (September 2)Is there anything more ripe for a satirical takedown than megachurches? There’s an inherent, distinctly American hypocrisy in profit-driven institutions run by people of God flaunting those profits—a hypocrisy that lends itself nicely to dramatic tension. Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall take such tension to cringe-worthy, hilarious, yet all-too-believable extremes in the mockumentary , screenwriter Adamma Ebo’s feature directorial debut. In Brown and Hall, who play a disgraced pastor and his first lady trying to rebound from public scandal, Ebo has a delightful pair of punching bags, a means to positively pillory commodified religion that would all be harmless fun were it not for the actual scandals of megachurch pastors like Ted Haggard. And while these are two actors with no qualms about debasing themselves in the name of comedy, they’re also adept at digging into their characters’ deep-buried shame, unearthing the human capacity for denial. Brown is all bravado, demonstrating how one’s faith can sour into false confidence despite all evidence of failure. Hall turns her sunny smile into a mask, one that slips in crucial, blink-and-you’ll-miss-the-vulnerability moments. Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and Daniel Kaluuya are among the producers of this timely tale of false prophets. [Jack Smart]

Disney+ (September 8)The trailer for Pinocchio touts the film as coming from “legendary” director Robert Zemeckis. That might be a heaping teaspoon of hyperbole from the Disney marketing department, but if anyone can pull off a live-action/CG-animation hybrid music version of , it’s the director of Back To The Future, Forrest Gump, The Polar Express, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Zemeckis veterans Tom Hanks and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are on board as a live-action Gepetto and the voice of Jiminy Cricket, respectively, while Cynthia Erivo plays the Blue Fairy, Luke Evans is the Coachman, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, an 11-year-old British actor best known for The Haunting Of Bly Manor, voices the titular wooden puppet who yearns to be a real boy. The trailer is charming, the cast impeccable, and Erivo sounds fab singing “When You Wish Upon a Star.” And that’s no lie, though we’re still surprised that the movie will bypass theaters and debut instead on Disney+. [Ian Spelling]

Theaters everywhere (September 9)There’s been a spate of recent horror movies involving Airbnb bookings going horribly awry, including The Rental, You Should Have Left, Superhost, and even this year’s Men. It’s a new twist on an old boon for screenwriters, as movies about vacation rentals and hotel stays that turn bloody are nearly as old as cinema itself. The latest booking for inhospitable lodging is , written and directed by first-timer Zach Cregger and starring Georgina Campbell, Justin Long, and Bill Skarsgård. In the trailer, Tess (Campbell) shows up to a booked bed and breakfast that is apparently already occupied by Keith (Skarsgård). After some back and forth, stormy weather, and convincing by Keith, she decides they can platonically share the house for the night. Bad idea, Tess! Awakened by a loud bump, Tess goes to find Keith and … things get weird. While the setup seems simple enough, the film’s title and tagline (“Some stay for a night. Some stay for a week. Some never leave.”) allude to something more. Plus, the trailer hints at just enough to keep you guessing—and for the filmmakers, hopefully guessing enough to get you into the theater. [Don Lewis]

Theaters everywhere (September 13)Kevin Smith originally planned to end his movies’ shared “View Askewniverse” in 2001 with the particularly puerile Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. His lack of success at other kinds of movies ultimately brought him back, and for the better: both Clerks II and Jay And Silent Bob Reboot dealt with what happens when someone like Smith is forced to mature and support a family, and showed more emotional growth than most of his recent output. It took him a while, but he finally convinced both Jeff Anderson and Brian O’Halloran to reunite a third time, 16 years after Clerks II, so we could check in on Dante, Randal, and the Quick Stop again.Mirroring actual events in Smith’s life, albeit out of chronological order, the latest installment in the now-trilogy sees Randal having a heart attack, and deciding, once he survives it, to make a movie. That movie? Clerks. If this sounds overly self-indulgent, consider that this particular strain of self-indulgence is what Smith does best; he has always been funniest and truest when talking about himself. It’s when he tries to make action or horror movies that the trouble starts. [Luke Y. Thompson]

Theaters everywhere (September 16)“Ever since I was 16, I was determined to have the greatest adventure that any one person could ever have,” says David Bowie in , director Brett Morgen’s trippy, comprehensive documentary tribute to the late rocker’s restless, 50-year musical journey. Morgen’s got plenty of rock-doc cred, having gifted music fans with 2015’s Cobain: Montage Of Heck and 2012’s Rolling Stones celebration Crossfire Hurricane. In Moonage Daydream, Morgen charts a psychedelic course through the many phases of Bowie’s career, touching on signature personas like Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Halloween Jack, the Thin White Duke, and the Blind Prophet, his final musical creation before his death from liver cancer in 2016.Moonage Daydream is officially sanctioned by Bowie’s estate, allowing Morgen access to never-before-heard recordings and never-before-seen concert footage and personal journals. The result should be a full-blown sensory collage of sight, sound, and Bowie’s incisive contemplations on life. So fingers crossed that Moonage Daydream lives up to its promise of being far from a standard biographical portrait. Because David Bowie was never a standard musical artist. [Mark Keizer]

Theaters everywhere (September 16)Stuck in pandemic lockdown in New Zealand, Ti West began filming this prequel to his slasher film X as soon as the latter wrapped, and before anyone publicly announced it. Mia Goth removes the old-age prosthetic to play a younger version of homicidal senior Pearl. Set during World War I, it will depict her younger life on the family farm, taking care of her disabled parents whom she wishes would just die. And perhaps she’ll make that happen. But will her newly discovered homicidal tendencies get in the way of a major casting call that might just bring her the fame she desires? If you’ve seen X, you can guess the answer.But this is all about the journey, not the destination. Rather than a throwback to ’70s slasher movies, as X was, is expected to take its visual cues from Douglas Sirk melodramas and Disney musicals, which would be a significant stylistic departure for West. The director’s known for his slow burns, but based on the trailer for Pearl, this girl’s not waiting around forever to shed some blood. [Luke Y. Thompson]

Theaters everywhere (September 16)The poster proclaims, “Her Reign Begins.” The truth, however, is that we have been living in Viola Davis’ world for many years now. She has conquered all mediums: screen, stage, even books. Yet somehow looks like another departure for the Oscar and Emmy winner that promises to show something we haven’t yet seen from her. Are you ready for Viola Davis, action star?In this historical epic inspired by true events, Davis plays the leader of an all-female warrior regiment defending John Boyega’s king of Dahomey—a powerful African state in the 18th and 19th centuries. The warriors include Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die), Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad), and Adrienne Warren (Tony-winning star of Broadway’s Tina). Though the plot is unclear from the trailers, the action looks legit. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood proved she can direct big sprawling action sequences while keeping a firm hand on story and character with her last film, 2020’s The Old Guard. If The Woman King film delivers, Davis might find herself contenting for awards again, in addition to proving her action bona fides. [Murtada Elfadl]

Select theaters (September 16)The meme-approved, $310 million worldwide box office success of the Oscar-nominated Knives Out created, in the form of Netflix’s bankrolling two planned sequels, cartoonish wealth for writer-director Rian Johnson. But will it additionally spark, let alone sustain, a broader reemergence of original whodunits? An early case study in this marketplace question arrives in the form of , a 1950-set mystery-comedy from screenwriter Mark Chappell and director Tom George.When Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody), an American film producer seeking to adapt a British stageplay, is killed, world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) teams up with the eager but green Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) to sift through a laundry list of suspects (including apparently Richard Attenborough, played by Harris Dickinson, plus David Oyelowo, Ruth Wilson, and Shirley Henderson) who also double as potential victims. The recipe for this affair—droll humor, a pinch of Wes Anderson-inspired visual framing—seems familiar enough. And the movie’s lack of a splashy fall festival premiere slot indicates its distributor views it as more of a commercial play than an awards contender. Still, what’s wrong with that? Let the guessing games begin. [Brent Simon]

Theaters everywhere (September 23)It will be a busy fall season for Harry Styles and Florence Pugh, who have three buzzy movies coming out between the two of them. First for both is director Olivia Wilde’s period psychological thriller . Pugh has the lead role as a 1950s housewife living in a seemingly idyllic community. However, the company where her husband (Styles) works seems to be in control of their lives. Something seems off. Is she being watched? Stalked? Thanks to shades of The Stepford Wives crossed with The Truman Show, the Twitterverse has been abuzz with excitement since the trailer dropped; the combination of Pugh and Styles trapped in a “bad romance” seems irresistible. Not to mention that it’s Wilde’s first foray behind the camera since her directorial breakout with 2019’s excellent Booksmart. In addition to looking acutely stylish, the movie boasts an in-demand supporting cast to match, including Chris Pine, Kiki Layne, and Gemma Chan. Arianne Phillips’ period costumes and sets are lavish and colorful, popping off the screen and framed by Matthew Libatique’s gorgeous cinematography. All that and a taut, suspenseful mystery promises a special moviegoing experience. [Murtada Elfadl]

Netflix (September 23)Allison Janney already let the cat out of the bag with a late night talk show appearance in which she revealed undertaking two hours of fight training per day to play a “female Dirty Harry” in her new movie. Otherwise, much about the intriguing-sounding feminist revenge-thriller Lou remains under wraps—save that Janney stars as the withdrawn, “particular-set-of-skills”-possessing title character, who after a young neighbor is kidnapped, teams up with the girl’s mother (Jurnee Smollett), presumably resulting in things not going so well for co-star Logan Marshall-Green.Perhaps most noteworthy, though, is the fact that Lou is produced by J.J. Abrams through Bad Robot Productions, so it could in theory be another down-and-dirty Cloverfield universe spin-off genre effort. Does the kidnap victim have a telepathic connection to Seabed’s Nectar? Were her kidnappers dispatched by Tagruato corporate minders to help engineer a new Slusho! flavor? Hey, maybe not, but you can at least ponder this alternate cinematic universe scenario as you sit back and enjoy a weapon-wielding Janney, preferably filmed with lots of walk-and-talks. [Brent Simon]

Netflix (September 28)Norma Jeane Baker grew up in an orphanage and various foster homes, suffered three failed marriages and multiple miscarriages, and died at the age of 36. Marilyn Monroe was an actress, sex symbol, and celebrity. Norma Jeane and Marilyn were, of course, the same person. But the pain and loneliness of being Norma Jeane led to the creation of Marilyn, which seems to be the argument director Andrew Dominik (The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford) is making in his much-anticipated new film, . Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel of the same name, Blonde is a fictionalized and highly stylized interpretation of Monroe’s tragic life. Top-billed Ana de Armas reportedly spent nine months training with a dialogue coach to nail Monroe’s breathy voice. She’s joined by a supporting cast that includes Bobby Cannavale and Adrien Brody as riffs on Monroe’s last two husbands, Yankees slugger Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller. If the film’s trailers are any indication, the visuals are going to be stunning period recreations that express Monroe’s fractured state of mind. Much to Dominik’s bewilderment, Blonde is rated NC-17. Netflix, who’s distributing the film, doesn’t seem to mind, especially if Oscar nominations are practically assured for this controversial, mostly black-and-white deconstruction of stardom’s most famous victim. [Mark Keizer]

Theaters everywhere (September 30)It took a while, like over 100 years, but we finally have the first romantic comedy from a major Hollywood studio that centers around a relationship between two gay men. stars and is co-written by Billy Eichner (TV’s Billy on the Street), who didn’t want to squander such a historic opportunity, so he insisted the film be authentic to the LGBTQ+ dating experience. That meant acknowledging that gay and straight relationships are, in fact, different. “This is not as simple as doing When Harry Met Sally and swapping in two men,” he told Rolling Stone.Eichner plays Bobby, a podcaster asked to write a gay rom-com script that would appeal to straight people. This makes him wonder, “Am I going to be in the middle of a high-speed chase and all of a sudden fall in love with Ice Cube?” While navigating that career crisis, the independent-minded singleton falls for a “gay Tom Brady” played by Hallmark Channel mainstay Luke Macfarlane. As their relationship grows, they encounter many of the unique challenges faced by queer couples today. Directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors), Bros features an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast that includes Ts Madison, Monica Raymund, Guillermo Díaz, Jim Rash, Harvey Fierstein, and season 13 RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Symone. Bros may be the first gay rom-com from the studio big boys, but it better not be the last. [Mark Keizer]

Disney+ (September 30)Disney’s horror-comedy Hocus Pocus haunted theaters way back in 1983. Truth be told, it was more trick than treat, drawing frightful reviews and ghastly box office results. But time and repeated Halloween viewings morphed the film into a cult favorite, and demand grew for a reunion of the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler as Winnie, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah, and Kathy Najimy as Mary). Well, here we go. It’s 29 years later, and the Sanderson sinisters, er, sisters return to action in , premiering on Disney+. Also back is Doug Jones, who played the scene-stealing zombie Billy Butcherson in the original film and has since emerged as a modern-day Lon Chaney, Hollywood’s go-to guy for inhabiting fantastical creatures (Abe Sapien in Hellboy, The Faun in Pan’s Labyrinth, the Amphibian Man in The Shape Of Water, and Saru on Star Trek: Discovery). Here’s hoping that Hocus Pocus 2 is fun and funny, and better than the original. Even if it proves to be a witch’s brew of badness, we’re on board just to see Ted Lasso breakout Hannah Waddingham as a witch. [Ian Spelling]

Select theaters (September 30)“I suppose every house around here has the same ghosts,” Sarah Murphy (Aisling Franciosi) muses through a haze of cigarette smoke in the trailer for , the sophomore outing from Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer of The Fits. At a taut 94 minutes, this chilly A24 thriller asks what happens when one of those ghosts comes back to life. Are we beholden to the memories of what they could have been? Or is it possible to adapt to the thorny reality of who they’ve become? The ghost in question is prodigal golden-boy Brian (Normal People’s Paul Mescal), returned to his remote, cool-toned Irish fishing village after an extended flight to Australia. When he is accused of a serious crime, a small lie from his mother, Aileen (played by the always-excellent Emily Watson), ripples outward through their close-knit community with the same force as the waves constantly crashing against the island’s craggy shores. Adapted from a story by Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly and Shane Crowley and set against an appropriately gloomy backdrop from director of photography Chayse Irvin (Blonde, Beyoncé’s Lemonade), God’s Creatures probes the depths of a mother’s love and proves that Mescal—both in character and as an actor—is capable of so much more than the romantic notions of his past. [Emma Keates] 

Other noteworthy film titles this month include Apple TV+’s Zac Efron vehicle The Greatest Beer Run Ever (select theaters and Apple TV+ September 30), Amazon’s remake of Goodnight Mommy (Prime Video September 16) and adaptation of My Best Friend’s Exorcism (Prime Video September 30), IFC’s equally scary-looking Burial (select theaters September 2) and the Thandiwe Newton-starrer God’s Country (select theaters September 16), Roadside Attractions’ heartwarming indies Gigi & Nate (select theaters September 2) and The Good House (theaters everywhere September 30), and Focus Features’ biographical The Silent Twins (theaters everywhere September 16), starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance. [Jack Smart]