Summer 2017 is already going down in history as one of Hollywood’s worst in recent memory, notwithstanding such standouts as “Wonder Woman,” “Dunkirk” and the little-rom-com-that-could, “The Big Sick.”
But who are we kidding? Film-goers of discerning taste know Hollywood typically holds back the good stuff for turtleneck weather, and this year is no exception.
With such highly anticipated films as Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” and Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing” already earning plaudits on the festival circuit, it’s possible to dispense with cautious optimism entirely and look forward to several titles with downright abandon.
Some themes have already emerged: It looks like sports are having a moment, between “Battle of the Sexes,” about the 1973 Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs tennis match; “Stronger,” about a 2013 Boston marathon bombing survivor and “Molly’s Game,” if poker counts as a sport.
There will be some fond looks back at movie history, with “Blade Runner 2049,” a remake of “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Last Flag Flying” (a sort-of sequel to the 1973 classic “The Last Detail”) and “The Disaster Artist,” an homage to Tommy Wiseau’s cringe-y cult film “The Room.”
* Critic’s recommendations are indicated by asterisks.
Sept. 22: * “Battle of the Sexes.” The 1973 tennis match between women’s world champion Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men’s champ Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).
“Brad’s Status.” Ben Stiller stars as a father accompanying his college-bound son to the East Coast, where he’s forced to reconnect with his old college friends.
“Stronger.” Jake Gyllenhaal stars as 2013 Boston Marathon bombing survivor and double amputee Jeff Bauman.
Sept. 29: * “American Made.” Tom Cruise reunites with his “Edge of Tomorrow” director, Doug Liman, for this story about the real exploits of a hustler and pilot recruited by the CIA.
“Flatliners.” Five medical students take on a dangerous experiment where they stop their hearts for short periods of time to experience some of the afterlife.
“Victoria and Abdul.” Judi Dench stars as Queen Victoria, who establishes an alliance with a young Indian clerk, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal).
Oct. 6: “Blade Runner 2049.” Thirty years have passed, and a new blade runner (Ryan Gosling) comes to the scene.
* “Loving Vincent.” More than 65,000 frames of hand-painted oil paintings piece together the story of Vincent van Gogh’s life.
“My Little Pony: The Movie.” A dark force threatens Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash and her friends must save their home.
“The Mountain Between Us.” Stranded after a plane crash, two strangers band together to survive hundreds of miles of wilderness.
Oct. 13: * “Goodbye Christopher Robin.” An intimate look at the relationship between beloved children’s author A.A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired “Winnie the Pooh.”
“Marshall.” The true story of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) as a young attorney for the NAACP.
Oct. 20: “Geostorm.” The world’s leaders gather together to create a network of satellites to control the global climate, but the system goes awry.
* “Only the Brave.” The story of the “Granite Mountain Hotshots,” a unit of elite Arizona firefighters that tackled one of the deadliest wildfires in history.
Oct. 27: “Jigsaw.” Law enforcement officers chase the ghost of a dead man in this horror film by the Spierig brothers.
* “Suburbicon.” An idyllic suburban community masks an underbelly of deceit and violence. With Matt Damon.
Nov. 3: “A Bad Moms Christmas.” Three women band together as they rebel against the challenges and expectations of hosting and entertaining for Christmas. With Mila Kunis.
“Thor: Ragnarok.” Thor (Chris Hemsworth) races against time to get back to Asgard and to stop the destruction of his homeworld.
Nov. 10: “Bill Nye: Science Guy.” A behind-the-scenes portrait of the “Science Guy” as he tries to change science advocacy and education.
“Daddy’s Home 2.” Father and stepfather Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) and Brad (Will Ferrell) join forces for Christmas, while their own dads (Mel Gibson, John Lithgow) also arrive home for more chaos.
* “Murder on the Orient Express.” A passenger on a European train must solve a murder before the killer strikes again.
“The Man Who Invented Christmas.” The film shows how Charles Dickens created Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer) and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol.
* “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” A woman (Frances McDormand) ignites a town controversy when she paints public signs directed at the revered sheriff (Woody Harrelson).
Nov. 17: “Justice League.” Wonder Woman, Batman and other superheroes assemble to face the threat of the villain Steppenwolf and his army.
“Wonder.” Based on the novel, August Pullman navigates school life with facial differences that his family and classmates struggle to accept.
Nov. 22: “Coco.” The Disney-Pixar animation follows Miguel as he dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol (Benjamin Bratt), despite his family disapproval.
“Death Wish.” Bruce Willis, Vincent D’Onofrio and Elisabeth Shue star in this action-thriller by Eli Roth.
* “Molly’s Game.” An Olympic-class skier ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested by FBI agents. Starring Jessica Chastain.
“Villa Capri.” Morgan Freeman stars as a manager of a Palm Springs retirement resort when a military man (Tommy Lee Jones) threatens to become the new alpha male.
Nov. 24: * “The Current War.” Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) battle over the supply of electricity.
