“Battle of the Sexes”
Synopsis: In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement, the 1973 tennis match between women’s world champion Billie Jean King and ex-men’s-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs was billed as the The Battle Of The Sexes and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world.
What You Need to Know: Coming off an Oscar win for “La La Land,” Emma Stone jumps into another awards season contender with the sports drama, “Battle of the Sexes” which is just as concerned with sexism and prejudice as it is the game the film circles around. Co-starring Steve Carrell who seems to have a killer year coming up with this and “Last Flag Flying,” the most exciting element is the re-teaming up of Carrell and directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who broke out in a big way with 2006’s “Little Miss Sunshine“.
Release Date: September 22nd
“Kingsman: The Golden Circle”
Synopsis: When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsmens’ journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret groups must band together to defeat a common enemy.
What You Need to Know: Since the release of Matthew Vaughn’s loud and all too pleased with itself “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” reactions to the film have grown anywhere from lukewarm to venomous (at least around these parts) as the flaws became more and more apparent. A undeniable highlight however was a breakout performance from Taron Egerton as the lead Eggsy and he returns as the hero for the latest which transplants our characters to the U.S. and somehow the film has managed to rope Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum and more into joining. Regardless, the trailers suggest that the heightened moments of action remain, promising what at least should be an entertaining romp, even if ends up being a dumb one as well.
Release Date: September 22nd
“The LEGO Ninjago Movie”
Synopsis: Six young ninjas are tasked with defending their island home, called Ninjago. By night, they’re gifted warriors, by day, they’re ordinary teens struggling against their greatest enemy: high school.
What You Need to Know: It’s hard to believe that “The Lego Movie” has launched such a successful series, both critically and commercially, considering the initial reactions to the first film’s conception, yet here we are. “The Lego Batman Movie” was just as good (if not better) than its predecessor and “The Lego Ninjago Movie” continues to deliver on the promise of live wire animation and hilarious back and forth between characters. On top of that, there’s the insane cast that includes Olivia Munn, Justin Theroux, Kumail Nanjiani, Abbi Jacobson and more. For a year that is seemingly a dry one for animated films, this looks to be a highlight.
Release Date: September 22nd
