The end of September means that fall movies and award season is just about here.
This year, the studios have a healthy crop of LGBT-themed movies in contention—from the polarizing Stonewall to the heartbreaking true story of a lesbian couples struggle for financial parity in Freeheld to the trans-themed The Danish Girl to Todd Haynes' lesbian romance Carol. That, and more, are headed to Chicago area movie theaters. Unless otherwise noted, these are the opening dates for runs of at least one week. Highlights:
Late September
The Year We Thought About Love—The members of a Boston-based teen LGBTQ theater troupe ( True Colors: OUT Youth ) are profiled as they bring their coming out stories, their yearnings and their desires to sometimes receptive audiences—and sometimes not. This lively, instructive documentary from producer-director Ellen Brodsky crackles with youthful vitality and energy. The one night only, Thursday, Sept. 24, screening at AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St., at 6:30 p.m. will be a benefit for About Face Theatre, Chicago's highly respected queer-themed theatrical company. www.tugg.com/events/37792; Sept. 24
The New Girlfriend—French queer auteur Francois Ozon ( Swimming Pool, 8 Women, Under the Sand, Time to Leave ) returns with this wry black comedy that, in typical Ozon fashion, plays with gender boundaries—this time making it the theme of the film. One day, the female friend of a young widower is surprised to find that the widower likes dressing in drag and, with her help, hopes to delve deeper into this unexplored area of his life. It's a gender dramedy that defies expectations. www.landmarktheatres.com/chicago/century-centre-cinema/film-info/the-new-girlfriend; Sept. 25
Stonewall—Disaster-picture specialist Roland Emmerich ( who is openly gay ) gets personal with this look at the burgeoning gay-rights movement that was sparked by the riots that ensued in June 1969, when a group of LGBTQ patrons in a New York bar fought back against police harassment. Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Ron Perlman and Jonathan Rhys Meyers co-star in the fall's most buzzed-about movie. Sept. 25
The Intern—Anne Hathaway is a fashion editor and Robert DeNiro is a retired widower who goes to work for her in this latest relationship dramedy with a twist from Something's Gotta Give/The Holiday/It's Complicated writer-director Nancy Meyers. Sept. 25
Goodnight Mommy—It's an Austrian horror film about 10-year-old twin boys whose mother returns home after an operation with her faced swathed in bandages. Soon mommy begins to exhibit some very odd behavior—and the twins react in kind. Although it sounds like typical horror fare, the movie has wowed critics and is Austria's entry for this year's foreign Academy Award. Sept. 25
October
The Martian—Ridley Scott goes back into space for this suspenseful story of an astronaut who is inadvertently left behind on the planet Mars by his crew and who now have a limited time to try and rescue him. Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels co-star. Oct. 2
Freeheld—Ellen Page and Julianne Moore ( following up her Oscar-winning turn in last year's Still Alice ) star as a lesbian couple fighting for survivor benefits when one of them is diagnosed with late-stage cancer. It's based on the 2007 Oscar-winning short film. The film, which had its Chicago premiere at the Reeling Film Festival, was scripted by Philadelphia scribe Ron Nyswaner and also stars Michael Shannon and Steve Carell. Oct. 9
Steve Jobs—Danny Boyle ( Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours ) directs Michael Fassbender in a biopic of the legendary co-founder of Apple. Oct. 9
He Named Me Malala—It's a documentary film about the young Pakistani feminist activist Malala Yousafzai, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Oct. 9
Pan—It's a lavish, big-budget retelling of the Peter Pan story starring Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney Mara and Amanda Seyfried. Oct. 9
Crimson Peak—This is a gothic romantic supernatural film from horror master Guillermo del Toro. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam co-star. Oct. 16
Bridge of Spies—Gentle funny man Paul Rudd steps into comic-book hero territory in this big-budget action flick that focuses on a heist that will save the world. Evangeline Lily, Hayley Atwell and Michael Pena co-star. Oct. 16
Suffragette—It's a drama based on the early days of the British feminist movement with Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, out actor Ben Whishaw and Meryl Streep in a small but pivotal part. Oct. 23
The Amazing Nina Simone—The genius of the bisexual jazz songstress and civil-rights activist is explored—along with her troublesome personal life—in this documentary portrait. Oct. 23
The Music Box of Horrors—Twenty-four hours of creepy classics, from the rancid to the unsung to the audience favorites, are being shown. The Music Box Theatre's marathon has become a much-loved annual Chicago tradition. Oct. 24-25
Truth—It's a re-enactment of the fallout that resulted after the broadcast of the controversial 60 Minutes story reported by Dan Rather about George Bush's questionable military service. Robert Redford plays Rather, and Cate Blanchett her producer. Oct. 30
November
Spectre—Daniel Craig is back in the saddle as 007 in this latest entry in the James Bond franchise. Christoph Waltz plays the super criminal, Ralph Fiennes, out actor Ben Whishaw and Lea Seydoux co-star. Nov. 6
Trumbo—Bryan Cranston plays the blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, who continued to work under an assumed name during the infamous Hollywood blacklist, in this dramatic reenactment. Helen Mirren plays gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, while Elle Fanning, Diane Lane and John Goodman co-star. Nov. 6
Miss You Already—This movie's a tearjerker, with Drew Barrymore as a young woman trying to get pregnant while her best friend, Toni Collette, is battling cancer. Nov. 6
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 —The saga of this post-apocalyptic YA franchise concludes with a battle to free the citizens of Panem from its tyrannical rule. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Liam Hemsworth star. Nov. 20
Carol—Patricia Highsmith's classic 1950s novel of a tragic lesbian romance finally comes to the screen with out director Todd Haynes at the helm and Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as the star-crossed lovers. Nov. 20
Legend—Tom Hardy plays the dual roles of the Kray twins ( one of whom was gay ), the infamous British crime lords whose violent career is chronicled in this biopic. Nov. 20
Victor Frankenstein—The story of the legendary mad scientist and his infamous creation are seen through the eyes of his assistant Igor in this lavish attempt to once again reenergize the Frankenstein franchise. James McAvoy plays the title role and Daniel Radcliffe his troubled young assistant. Nov. 25
The Danish Girl—Eddie Redmayne follows up his Best Actor Oscar turn in The Theory of Everything with this eagerly anticipated adaptation of David Ebershoff's best-selling fictional dramatization of the life of Lile Elbe, one of the first people to have sex reassignment surgery. Alicia Vikander plays Gerda Wegener, Elbe's understanding wife. Directed by Tom Hooper ( Les Miz, The King's Speech ). Nov. 27
