Fall film preview

Well with no movies of interest coming out into theaters this weekend, I suppose now is as good of time as any to preview the films I'm looking forward to in the next few months. I've finally gotten a chance to read EW's Fall Movie Preview issue and I've found ten films that at least sound intriguing on paper. The crop certainly isn't as good as summertime, but I think there are some decent ones here. Here now, in order of my interest level are my most anticipated films for fall.

1. American Gangster: Based on a true story, Denzel Washington plays a black crime boss and Russell Crowe plays the cop trying to take him down. Thrown in Ridley Scott as the director and you got yourself a recipe for success. (Nov. 2)

2. I Am Legend: Will Smith plays the last man alive on Earth. Or does he?? Looks like it could be a cool post-apocalyptic thriller. (Dec. 14)

3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets: Sure this isn't going to contend for any Oscars, but the first one was a fun ride and it looks like more of the same here. Plus, adding Ed Harris and Helen Mirren to your cast certainly can't hurt. (Dec. 21)

4. Fred Claus: Vince Vaughn plays the slacker brother of Santa Claus (played by Paul Giamatti). If this comedy is in the vein of Wedding Crashers, it could be great. However, the trailer has me a bit worried that it'll be more like Elf rather than Bad Santa. Kevin Spacey as the villain looks like it could be fun too. (Nov. 9)

5. Rendition: This politically-charged thriller (a common theme this fall) boasts an impressive cast including Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin, and Peter Saarsgard. This will either be a big Oscar contender or suffer from a "too many cooks spoil the soup" problem. (Oct. 19)

6. Shoot 'Em Up: The title pretty much says it all. Clive Owen plays a mysterious loner trying to protect a baby while Paul Giamatti tries to kill him. Looks like a lot of action with some humor peppered in. Has the chance to be a very fun film. (Sept. 3)

7. The Heartbreak Kid: Ben Stiller teams up with the Farrelly brothers once more, hoping to recapture some of that There's Something About Mary. The trailer looks funny enough, but I wonder if after the "Summer of Apatow" if the Farrellys have become passe? (Oct. 5)

8. 3:10 to Yuma: I typically don't dig Westerns, but this one boasts a cool cast headed by Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. It's September release date makes me think it's not as good as it appears, but the trailer makes it look decent. Who knows, maybe this is the film that reinvents the genre. (Sept. 3)

9. Charlie Wilson's War: As time passes, this may move higher up on my list, but with no trailer, I'm currently reserving judgment on it. This is another politically-based film which examines a U.S. congressman's role in ending the Cold War and helping us start our war with Afghans and the Middle East. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts star. It also has Mike Nichols directing and Aaron Sorkin as the writer. It's good to see Sorkin go back to his bread and butter (politics) after his embarassing failure with Studio 60. (Dec. 25)

10. Michael Clayton: The trailer for this film doesn't make the plot completely clear. But it has George Clooney playing a lawyer, who suddenly has to grow a conscience when everything in a big case starts to go awry. Another this is another thriller, but tis the season for them. This film also marks the directing debut for Tony Gilroy, who wrote the last two Bourne films. (Oct. 12)

Honorable mentions: The Brothers Solomon (Sept. 3), The Brave One (Sept. 14), The Kingdom (Sept. 28), The Comebacks (Oct. 26), Lions For Lambs (Nov. 9), Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (Nov. 16), Stephen King's The Mist (Nov. 21), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (Dec. 21)