Stronger

Director David Gordon Green

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Richard Lane Jr.

Rating R

Release Date September 22nd, 2017 (Limited)

“The inspiring real life story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become a symbol of hope following the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.”

From director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Joe), Stronger is based on the strength of a Boston Marathon victim Jeff Bauman, who after losing his legs in the bombing, was able to help with a nationwide manhunt. The trailer looks amazing and even though this will be a tearjerker, it will be worth it! The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Clancy Brown, and Miranda Richardson. Check out the newly released official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Stronger:

• Both Jeff Bauman and Jake Gyllenhaal threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park for the Marathon Monday game of April 18, 2016.
• Filmed at the same time as Patriots Day (2016), the other Boston Marathon bombing-related movie. Jeff Bauman is a supporting character in it portrayed by Dan Whelton.
• Jeff Bauman's former supervisor at Costco, Kevin, auditioned to play himself in the movie. Although he was not chosen for the part he is an extra in more than one scene.

Friend Request

Director Simon Verhoeven

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Alycia Debnam-Carey, William Moseley, Connor Paolo, Brit Morgan

Rating R

Release Date September 22nd, 2017

“A popular college student graciously accepts a social outcast’s online friend request, but soon finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to make her lonely by killing her closest friends.”

Directed by Simon Verhoeven, Friend Request is a horror thriller about a college student who accepts a lonely girls online friend request and suddenly those closest to her start dying. The cast includes Alycia Debnam-Carey, William Moseley, Connor Paolo, and Brit Morgan. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Friend Request:

• The film was shot in Cape Town, South Africa. Although the film was produced by the German director Simon Verhoeven and German production companies, the largely English-speaking cast required that the film be shot in English. Filming ended in March 2014.
• Even though the whole movie revolves around Facebook, it is not actually mentioned explicitly.
• The film released in Germany January 2016.

Battle of the Sexes

Director Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Genre Biography | Comedy | Sport

Cast Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Sarah Silverman, Alan Cumming

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 22nd, 2017

“The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.”

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Battle of the Sexes is based on the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. The cast includes Emma Stone as Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs. The cast also includes Sarah Silverman and Alan Cumming. Check out the official trailers below!! 

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Battle of the Sexes:

• Both leading actors are almost an exact match for the actual ages of the characters they are playing. Billie Jean King was 29 years old and Bobby Riggs was 55 in 1973. At the time of filming Emma Stone was 28 and Steve Carell 54.
• This is the second time Emma Stone and Steve Carell have worked together since Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011).
• Despite her role as a tennis star, Emma Stone has admitted that she herself is not very skilled at tennis.

The Houses October Built 2

Director Bobby Roe

Genre Horror

Cast Brandy Schaefer, Zack Andrews, Mikey Roe, Bobby Roe

Rating R

Release Date September 22nd, 2017

“Recovering from the trauma of being kidnapped last Halloween by the Blue Skeleton - a group who take “extreme haunt” to another level - five friends decide they must face their fears in order to move on. ”

From director Bobby Roe, who also directed and played a role in the first film same as the sequel, The Houses October Built 2 is a found-footage documentary stile horror film about a group of people who seek out the scariest haunted houses all over the country. The cast includes Brandy Schaefer, Zack Andrews, Mikey Roe, and Bobby Roe. Check out the official trailer below!!

Loving Vincent

Director Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman

Genre Animation | Biography | Crime

Cast Jerome Flynn, Saoirse Ronan, Aidan Turner, Holly Earl

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 22nd, 2017

“A feature film about the life and mysterious death of Vincent Van Gogh.”

From directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, Loving Vincent is a very uniquely presented intimate portrayal of the life of the famed artist Vincent Van Gogh. The credited cast includes, Jerome Flynn, Saoirse Ronan, Aidan Turner, and Holly Earl. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Loving Vincent:

• The world's first fully painted animation feature.
• It took over 100 artists to hand paint this movie about Van Gogh.
• Each of the film's 65,000 frames is an oil painting on canvas, using the same technique as Van Gogh, created by a team of 125 painters.

Woodshock

Director Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy

Genre Drama

Cast Kirsten Dunst, Pilou Asbæk, Joe Cole, Lorelei Linklater 

Rating R

Release Date September 22nd, 2017 (Netflix June 21st, 2020)

“A haunted young woman spirals in the wake of profound loss, torn between her fractured emotional state and the reality-altering effects of a potent cannabinoid drug.”

Written and directed by costumer designers turned directors Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy, Woodshock is a trippy drama that will more than likely take viewers on a very wild ride. The cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Pilou Asbæk, Joe Cole, and Lorelei Linklater. As of right now the movie is slated for a to be determined 2017 release. Check out the official trailer below. 

American Assassin

Director Michael Cuesta

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Taylor Kitsch

Rating R

Release Date September 15th, 2017

“Long before he began hunting terrorists, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college scholar/athlete. Then, tragedy struck and Rapp was recruited into the nation’s most elite covert operations program. After completing training designed to teach the kind of lethal skills necessary to target our most dangerous enemies, here and abroad, he is a man reborn with a mission of retribution”

From director Michael Cuesta (Kill the Messenger), American Assassin is a spy thriller based on the book of the same name written by Vince Flynn, the talented author who died tragically in 2013 after a battle with prostate cancer. I have yet to read the book but I plan on grabbing it from my local library soon because the trailer looks damn good! The cast includes Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, and Taylor Kitsch. Check out official trailers for yourself below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, American Assassin:

• 'American Assassin' is one of fifteen novels set in the world of counter-terrorism operative Mitch Rapp. Every single one has been a New York Times best-seller, the three most recent entries have been number one New York Times best-sellers, and the series has sold nearly 20 million copies to date.
• Dylan O'Brien's first leading role in a movie, after sustaining serious injuries during production of Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018).

Mother!

Director Darren Aronofsky

Genre Drama | Horror | Mystery

Cast Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer

Rating R

Release Date September 15th, 2017

“A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.”

Written and directed by Brooklyn, New York native Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan), Mother! is a unique horror mystery from the mind of a man known for films that tend to push the limit. I'm not sure what the heck is going on in the trailer but this looks like it will be pretty intense! The cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Check out the exclusive trailers below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Mother!:

• Jennifer Lawrence dropped out of The Rosie Project, in order to work with Darren Aronofsky on this movie, and the two began dating during filming.
• Michelle Pfeiffer admitted to not understanding the script the first time she read it; describing it as "esoteric." However the actress committed to the project after becoming excited by the character she would be playing.

Brad's Status

Director Mike White

Genre Comedy

Cast Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer, Michael Sheen

Rating R

Release Date September 15th, 2017 (Limited)

“A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life’s choices.”

Written and directed by Mike White (Orange County, School or Rock), Brad's Status is a comedy drama about a father taking his son to explore a few potential colleges and the series of events that take place in the process. The cast includes Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer, and Michael Sheen. Check out the official trailer below!

Vice Principals Season 2

Genre Comedy

Cast Danny McBride, Walter Goggins, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Georgia King

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday September 17th, 2017 10:30 PM EST (HBO)

“Neal Gamby, a divorced vice principal in charge of discipline at North Jackson High, forms a unholy alliance with Lee Russell, a conniving politician and vice principal of curriculum.”

The hilarious and absolutely ridiculous HBO series Vice Principals is back for a 2nd season and I am ecstatic!! I was actually just watching reruns of the show a week or so ago and I realized how much I missed the back and forth antics between lead actors Danny McBride and Walter Goggins. As with most HBO shows, very little is held back and that certainly reigns true when McBride and Goggins are walking the halls at North Jackson High School. If you have yet to check out this show do yourself a favor and watch the first season prior to the newest season premiere, it's only a 30 minute show and you will NOT regret it!!  Fans of Eastbound & Down or McBride's under the radar film Foot Fist Way will be especially pleased. Check out the trailers for season 2 below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Vice Principals:

• This eighteen part miniseries was written in its entirety (which took approximately a year) before it was cast or shot.
• This series shot two seasons back to back, a highly unusual move for a television series.
• The original concept for the show was initially set to be a feature film.

The Show

Director Giancarlo Esposito

Genre Drama

Cast Famke Janssen, Josh Duhamel, Sarah Wayne Callies, Giancarlo Esposito

Rating R

Release Date September 15th, 2017 (Limited)

“An unsettling look at reality T.V. where a disturbing hit game show has its contestants ending their lives for the public’s enjoyment.”

From actor turned director Giancarlo Esposito, his second film, This is Your Death is a morbid twist on societies obsession with reality T.V. shows. Esposito is best known for his role as Gustavo Fring in the hit AMC series Breaking Bad. The cast includes Famke Janssen, Josh Duhamel, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Giancarlo Esposito. Check out the exclusive trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Show:

• Premiered at South by Southwest Film Festival 2017.

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers

Director Angelina Jolie

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Tharoth Sam

Rating Unrated

Release Date September 15th, 2017 (Netflix)

“Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.”

From actress turned director Angeline Jolie, who also co-wrote the screenplay,  First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers is a biography drama recounting the experiences of Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung during the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge. Jolie found success with another film based on true events, 2014's Unbroken, so it seems she may have a knack for this form of storytelling. The cast includes Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, and Tharoth Sam. The film will be available to stream on Netflix September 15th, 2017. Check out the official trailer below!

Borg McEnroe

Director Janus Metz

Genre Drama | Sport

Cast Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason, Stellan Skarsgård, Tuva Novotny

Rating Unrated

Release Date September 8th, 2017 (Sweden)

“The story of the world’s greatest icons Björn Borg and his biggest rival, the young and talented John McEnroe and their legendary duel during the 1980’s Wimbledon tournament.”

From director Janus Metz, his feature film debut, Borg vs. McEnroe is the story of two iconic tennis stars and their epic clash during the 1980 Wimbledon tournament. The trailer looks solid and I hope the film does this rivalry justice. The cast includes Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason, Stellan Skarsgård, and Tuva Novotny. Check out the newly released official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Borg McEnroe:

• Björn Borg and John McEnroe met in a total of 14 matches between 1978-1981.
• Shia LaBeouf grew his own hair out for the role.
• Shia Labeouf & Stellan Skarsgård previously worked on Nymphomaniac (2013/14) though they shared no scenes together.

It

Director Andrés Muschietti

Genre Drama | Horror

Cast Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor

Rating R

Release Date September 8th, 2017

“A group of bullied kids band together when a monster, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.”

Directed by Andrés Muschietti (Mama) and based on the novel by famed horror author Stephen King, It is a remake of the 1990 film that has become a cult classic. I don't think I need to explain this any further because I am pretty sure you are as excited about this movie as I am. The cast includes Bill Skarsgård, Finn Wolfhard, Javier Botet, and Nicholas Hamilton. Check out the highly anticipated official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, It:

• Although Bill Skarsgård was onset for the majority of production, he didn't actually begin filming his scenes until shooting was over halfway done. The time before he actually started filming was spent working with Andrés Muschietti and the producers in order to perfect his mannerisms as Pennywise, as Skarsgård stated that he felt an immense amount of pressure to play the role perfectly due to Tim Curry's well-regarded performance in It (1990).
• 27 is a number that often becomes associated with this story. This movie is set to be released 27 years after the original television release. In the book, it is mentioned that "It" returns to Derry approximately every 27 years. Jonathan Brandis, who played young Bill in the original film, died at 27 years old. This movie released one month after Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise) 27th birthday. If all numbers of the release date are added together (9/8/2017), the sum is 27.

The newly released Trailer #2 has a Stranger Things feel to it and let me just say it has me that much more excited for this movie!! Check it out below.

The exclusive new trailer is here!! Check it out below.

Home Again

Director Hallie Meyers-Shyer

Genre Comedy | Drama | Romance

Cast Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, Nat Wolff

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 8th, 2017

“Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.”

The directorial debut for Hallie Meyers-Shyer, Home Again is a romantic comedy about a single mom who decides to adjust her living arrangements, adding more excitement to her life than she could have anticipated. The cast includes Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, and Nat Wolff. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Home Again:

• Producer Nancy Meyers, mother of writer/director Hallie Meyers-Sheyer, originally offered Witherspoon the lead in The Intern, which she turned down. Meyers played a big role in getting this script in Witherspoon's hands.
• Both Reese Witherspoon and Candice Bergen were previously in "Sweet Home Alabama" together.

HBO's The Deuce Season 1

Genre Drama

Cast James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Carr, Margarita Levieva

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday September 10th, 2017 (HBO)

“A look at life in New York City during the 1970s and ‘80s when porn and prostitution were rampant in Manhattan.”

You really can't go wrong with a series from HBO, this is a very well known fact. Their newest show, The Deuce, has an impressive cast and takes a hard look at how life was in NYC during the 70's and 80's when porn and prostituion was aplenty. Creator of the HBO hit show The Wire is also the co-creator and his influence is certainly felt. The cast includes James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Carr, Margarita Levieva, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Dominique Fishback, Emily Meade, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Chris Bauer. Check out the official trailers below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, HBO's The Deuce:

• Many of this series' cast were previously on co-creator David Simon's earlier series The Wire (2002).
• The title refers to the nickname once given to the block of West 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, the "Forty-Deuce", which in the 1970's and '80's was known for it's high concentration of low-rent movie theaters that specialized in exploitation and pornographic films, among other things.

American Horror Story: Cult

Genre Drama | Horror | Thriller

Cast Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Denis O'Hare, Jessica Lange

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Tuesday, September 5th, 2017 (FX)

“An anthology series centering on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, a hotel, a farmhouse and a cult.”

American Horror Story is returning with it's next take on something extremely twisted and barely okay for television, American Horror Story: Cult. The premise is relatively self explanatory, and for all of you afraid of clowns, well it is a cult of you guessed it, clowns! I really like the effort they put into the production design and cinematography of AHS, starting with the intro and on from there, it is one of the best shows on television in that area. The cast includes Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Denis O'Hare, and Jessica Lange. Check out the exclusive teaser trailer and official intro below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, American Horror Story:

• On September 2, 2014, show creator Ryan Murphy announced that all the seasons are connected to each other in some way.
• Jessica Lange originally turned down the role of Constance in season 1, but finally accepted after creator Ryan Murphy repeatedly offered her the role.
• Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, and Lily Rabe are the only actors to appear in every season. Peters is the only one to be a main cast member in all seasons.

9/11

Director Martin Guigui

Genre Action | Drama

Cast Charlie Sheen, Whoopi Goldberg, Gina Gershon, Luis Guzmán

Rating R

Release Date September 8th, 2017

“A group of 5 people find themselves trapped in an elevator in the World Trade Center’s North Tower on 9/11. They work together, never giving up hope, to try to escape before the unthinkable happens.”

From director Martin Guigui, 9/11 is a drama based on the tragic events that took place on September 11th, 2001, a day this country will never forget. Now let's set the real stuff aside for a second. When I heard rumblings that this movie was coming out starring Charlie Sheen and Whoopi Goldberg, my first thought was people were clearly trying to make a joke. To my surprise this is an actual movie, and even the trailer makes it hard for me to believe this is for real. I am having a very difficult time envisioning "Mr. Winning" himself as the sympathetic victim, and I doubt that I am the only one. Apparently he behaved himself enough to complete filming, so I suppose that is an accomplishment? The cast includes Charlie Sheen, Whoopi Goldberg, Gina Gershon, and Luis Guzmán. Check out the trailer for yourself below.

Ted Takes Film Facts, 9/11:

• Based on Patrick James Carson's award winning play "Elevator", which premiered in October 2011 at the Red Barn Theater of Tucson, Arizona.
• Charlie Sheen was born in New York City, and is a 9/11 supporter of New York City firefighter causes .
• Sheen had expressed interest in having the film premiere at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, on September 11th, but it was not completed in time.

Rebel in the Rye

Director Danny Strong

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Zoey Deutch, Sarah Paulson

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 15th, 2017

“The life of celebrated but reclusive author, J.D. Salinger, who gained worldwide fame with the publication of his novel, The Catcher in the Rye.”

Rebel in the Rye is the directorial debut for actor Danny Strong, who also co-wrote the film. Strong began his acting career in 1994 on the hit sitcom Saved by the Bell and has 49 acting credits to his resume since then. The film tells the story of proclaimed author J.D. Salinger, the man behind The Catcher in the Rye, and is based on his biography which is written by Kenneth Slawenski. It is a fascinating story and the trailer looks amazing so I am pretty excited to check this one out. The cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Zoey Deutch, and Sarah Paulson. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Rebel in the Rye:

• In 1951, J.D. Salinger's landmark novel The Catcher in the Rye catapulted the author to the top of the bestsellers list and into a cult of celebrity that he spent the rest of his life trying to escape.
• Salinger's now iconic work The Catcher in the Rye was originally rejected by publishers. When Salinger submitted the work for publication in The New Yorker where he was a regular contributor, the magazine’s editors criticized Holden Caulfield for being a character that wasn't believable and decided not to run excerpts from the book.

Rememory

Director Mark Palansky

Genre Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Cast Peter Dinklage, Julia Ormond, Anton Yelchin, Henry Ian Cusick

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 8th, 2017 (Limited)

“The widow of a wise professor stumbles upon one of his inventions that’s able to record and play a person’s memory.”

Co-written and directed by Mark Palansky (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Rememory is unique sci-fi drama about an invention that can record and replay a persons memory. The cast includes Gamer of Throne's Peter Dinklage, Julia Ormond, Anton Yelchin, and Henry Ian Cusick. Check out the newly released official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Rememory:

• During the initial days of filming, Peter Dinklage shot solo scenes with director Mark Palansky and the crew. To unwind from these intense days, they would watch the comedy Step Brothers every night, a movie that Dinklage hadn't yet seen.
• Actor Anton Yelchin tragically passed away in a vehicle accident in 2016, and this is one of the last films he worked on prior to his untimely death.