Sun Choke

Director Ben Cresciman

Genre Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Christina Amber, Derek Bevil, Jim Boeven, Barbara Crampton

Rating Unrated

Release Date August 5th, 2016

“Janie’s just trying to get well.”

“As she recovers from a recent violent psychotic break, Janie (Hagan)is subjected each day to a bizarre holistic health and wellness regimen designed, and enforced, by her lifelong nanny and caretaker, Irma (Crampton). Janie begins to veer off the road to recovery when she develops an obsession with a young woman, Savannah (Lane), that Janie feels an inexplicable yet profound connection to. The obsession turns increasingly invasive, and wedges all three women into an ever-tightening, and terrifying struggle for control. Will Janie pull herself back from the precipice of insanity? Or will she go over head-first, taking anyone nearby down with her?”

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.

Jason Bourne

Director Paul Greengrass

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander, Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones

Rating PG-13

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“Jason Bourne, now remembering who he truly is, tries to uncover hidden truths about his past.”

Matt Damon is back as Jason Bourne and honestly that has me pretty excited. I was a bit embarrassed when he did an interview at the Golden Globes explaining that he was jumping on a flight immediately following the event to work on shooting the film. I had no idea a new Jason Bourne film was in the works although I had heard rumors. The Film is directed by Paul Greengrass who is quite familiar with Matt Damon having directed The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Green Zone, all starring Damon. Even though the plot is currently unknown (we all know what is going to happen), Jason Bourne is the ultimate badass and I look forward to seeing him crack some skulls. Check out the teaser trailer below.

The full official trailer for Jason Bourne is below.

Nerve

Director Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Genre Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Dave Franco, Emma Roberts, Kimiko Glenn, Juliette Lewis

Rating PG-13

Release Date July 27th, 2016

“A high school senior finds herself immersed in an online game of truth or dare, where her every move starts to become manipulated by an anonymous community of “watchers.””

Nerve is directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the two directors behind Paranormal Activity 1 & 2, and includes an intriguing cast consisting of Dave Franco, Emma Roberts, Kimiko Glenn, and Juliette Lewis. Nerve looks like a unique high-stakes thriller and hopefully it ends up being as fun as it looks, check out the trailer below.

Bad Moms

Director Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Genre Comedy

Cast Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate

Rating R

Release Date July 29, 2016

“When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.”

“A woman with a seemingly perfect life - a great marriage, overachieving kids, beautiful home, stunning looks and still holding down a career. However she’s over-worked, over committed and exhausted to the point that she’s about to snap. Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms and all go on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities, going on a wild un-mom like binge of freedom, fun and self-indulgence - putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn and her clique of devoted perfect moms.”

Into the Forest

Director Patricia Rozema

Genre Drama | Sci-Fi

Cast Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Rennie

Rating R

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“After a massive power outage, two sisters learn to survive on their own in their isolated woodland home.”

Directed by Patricia Rozema, Into the Forest is a sci-fi thriller starring Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, and Callum Rennie. It is based on the book of the same name written by Jean Hegland. Check out the trailer below.

Equity

Director Meera Menon

Genre Drama

Cast Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner

Rating R

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop is threatened by a financial scandal and must untangle a web of corruption.”

Equity is a drama directed by Meera Menon, the cast includes Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, and Alysia Reiner. Check out the trailer below.

Gleason

Director Clay Tweel

Genre Documentary

Cast Steve Gleason

Rating R

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“At the age of 34, Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS. Doctors gave the former NFL defensive back and New Orleans hero two to five years to live. So that is what Steve chose to do - LIVE: with purpose, for his newborn son, for his wife, and to help others with his disease.”

Gleason is the incredible story of former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS. Check out the trailer below.

Tallulah

Director Sian Heder

Genre Comedy | Drama | Romance

Cast Zachary Quinto, Uzo Aduba, Ellen Page, Allison Janney

Rating Unrated

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“Desperate to be rid of her toddler, a dissatisfied Beverly Hills housewife hires a stranger to babysit and ends up getting much more than she bargained for.”

Tallulah is directed and written by Sian Heder, a contributing writer for Orange is the New Black. Heder said she got the idea for the film while working as a nanny when she first moved to L.A. The film stars Zachary Quinto, Uzo Aduba, Ellen Page, and Allison Janney.

Viral

Director Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Genre Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Cast Sofia Black-D'Elia, Analeigh Tipton, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Tope

Rating R

Release Date July 29th, 2016

“Following the outbreak of a virus that wipes out the majority of the human population, a young woman documents her family’s new life in quarantine and tries to protect her infected sister.”

“Emma and her sister Stacey are normal teenagers in a small town, when a mysterious infection begins to spread. With the town quarantined, and their parents stuck on the other side of the barrier, the girls have a blast eating junk food and sneaking out to go to parties. But when the disease starts to infect people they know, the girls, together with their neighbor Evan (Emma’s secret crush), barricade themselves into their home. But it may already be too late, as the infection is already in their midst, and Emma will be faced with a choice: protect her sister or survive the virus.”

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.