September is always a funny month in the film industry. As the biggest hits of the summer months are kept afloat by audiences of latecomers and the schools return to business as usual, family fun tends to make way for a spate of horror, indie flicks, and a few questionable action blockbusters. September 2018 looks set to produce another month of releases that meet this pattern, and whilst many of these films may be a little hit-and-miss as studios fill the awkward gap between summer blockbuster and awards season, there are still plenty of excuses to get to the cinema this month.
The Nun, dir. by Corin Hardy
Starring: Bonnie Aarons, Taissa Farminga, Jonny Coyne, Charlotte Hope, Ingrid Bisu
Release Date: 7th September
‘Witness the darkest chapter in The Conjuring universe’. This tagline alone should be enough to raise excitement for director Corin Hardy’s latest horror. For anyone anyone who was lucky enough not to put themselves through James Wan’s 2016 horror sequel, The Conjuring 2, let me pitch it to you this way: paranormal goings-on, a strange house, and a very creepy nun – sounds lovely doesn’t it? The Conjuring 2 became one massive phenomenon, terrifying even the toughest of audiences with its nightmarish scares, so it was only inevitable that we’d see this demonic world back on our screens in a short while. This time around, the franchise’s scariest element has made it into the title, as The Nun looks set to plunge us straight back into the scariest aspects of its predecessor. As is almost always the case with horror, plot details are few and far between but the basic gist goes something like this – a nun takes her own life, leading to a Vatican investigation fronted by a priest with a past equally as haunted. If anything, it’s the lack of detail as to exactly what The Nun has in store that makes it so exciting as all the promo material beckons the question – what exactly is going on in this spooky spiritual world? Prepare to be terrified in the process of finding out.
The Predator, dir. by Shane Black
Starring: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn, Alfie Allen, Sterling K. Brown
Release Date: 12th September
I’m not going to ignore the fact that there are many, many warning signs surrounding The Predator. Not quite a remake of the irresistibly fun, Schwarzenegger-starring 1987 film of the same name, yet not really a sequel either, one would be forgiven for not being quite sure exactly what The Predator exactly is and why it needs to exist. Alongside these doubts however, there’s something undeniably intriguing about the latest directorial effort from Shane Black. Neither the plot nor Black’s credibility really needs explaining; sure, it’s going to take a lot for something he directs to be as charming as The Nice Guys or as impressive as Iron Man 3, but for all its ridiculous blood, guts and gore, with Black at the helm, The Predator is bound to be good fun. And the trailers suggest that The Predator is exactly that, each acting as a two minute showcase of stylistic excess, darkness, and a titular character that provides genuine fear-factor. Sure, we might leave the cinema wondering if we needed to watch the human race being saved from extinction for the four hundredth and eighty seventh time, but we’re also bound to leave having had a pretty thrilling 100 minutes or so.
EDITOR’S PICK: The Miseducation of Cameron Post, dir. by Desiree Akhavan
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Steven Hauck, Quinn Shepherd, Forrest Goodluck
Release Date: 7th September
The past few years have seen a huge surge in the number of coming-of-age dramas hitting our screens, and not only have we been watching more of these films than ever, the quality of them has been astounding. This trend looks set to continue with this month’s editor’s pick, The Miseducation of Cameron Post. Directed by the unknown but clearly talented Desiree Akhavan and starring some serious young talent (Chloe Grace Moretz and Forrest Goodluck – you might know him from The Revenant), The Miseducation of Cameron Post is packed with promise from every angle. The film follows Cameron (Moretz), a teenage girl sent to a gay conversion centre by her Aunt after being outed on her prom night. Whilst The Miseducation of Cameron Post may be set in the 90s, but there is no doubt that this story is one that still deserves to be told in our current era; after all, although we’ve come a long way there is no doubt that young people in the LGBT community are still facing the same old struggles today. With such an impressive young cast, The Miseducation of Cameron Post has all the potential to be the defining feature for not only its audience, but also its cast as they move from the indie to the big time. Moretz in particular has a knack of owning every role she’s given, and the role of Cameron feels almost made for her talents. Oh, and it won the US Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival – you might have to look a little beyond the beaten track to find a cinema showing this, but I’m pretty sure it will be worth it.
