The Film Fix: Reviews, Previews of Top Films in Theaters, Streaming in September

By JONATHAN W. HICKMAN, Special to The Paper

Below are reviews and capsules of various films this month in theaters and/or streaming.

Review rating … A “Fix” is recommended with a rating between 6 and 10. A “No Fix” is not recommended with a rating between 1 to 5.

In Theaters

Alien: Romulus (now playing) – Fix Rating 7/10 – Taking over from Ridley Scott, Fede Alvarez (see “Don’t Breathe”) makes alien xenomorphs scary again in “Alien: Romulus,” arguably the best “Alien” movie since 1986’s “Aliens.”

This entry is an interquel, a relatively new form of sequel. The story takes place between 1979’s “Alien” and its famous successor, “Aliens.” Space mining is still the universe’s most essential and most exploitative business, as we meet Rain (“Priscilla” and “Civil War” star Cailee Spainey) on what’s called a “shake and bake” mining colony known as Jackson’s Star.

Because the Weyland-Yutani corporation is evil, Rain is told she must work in the mines for another cycle of years. It’s evident that she’ll never leave the place except in a box. This crushing reality pushes Rain to reluctantly join her boyfriend and his team to rendezvous in the orbit of a decaying space station about to crash into the planet’s spinning rings.

We all know there are some creepy, crawly, crazy aliens on board with razor-sharp teeth and acid for blood. If the intrepid team of desperate youngsters can locate essential travel pods, getting off the floating death ship will be a miracle.

“Alien: Romulus” neatly keeps the survival story simple. It’s a haunted house movie in space, and the monsters are some of the most frightening ever put on film.

Streaming Selects

NETFLIX

The Perfect Couple (September 5) – This murder mystery features a killer cast led by Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber as a fabulously wealthy couple embroiled in a criminal investigation in Nantucket Harbor. This ensemble includes Dakota Fanning, Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor, and Michael Beach. The series is directed by Susanne Bier, who struck Netflix gold with 2018’s “Bird Box” and directed episodes of the highly recommended show “The Night Manager” for AMC.

AMAZON PRIME

Thursday Night Football (September 12) – Watch the Buffalo Bills at the Miami Dolphins on Prime Video.

My Old Ass (September 13) – This comedic fantasy uses a mushroom trip to put young hipster Elliot (Maisy Stella) magically into contact with her 39-year-old self (played by Aubrey Plaza). Of course, it’s existential crisis time when the older Elliott starts advising her younger self. The trailers tease a funny and possibly touching romp that might approach a level of dramatic profundity.

HULU

How to Die Alone (season 1, September 13) –  This series might make Saturday Night Live writer Natasha Rothwell a star. In the show, Rothwell plays Melissa, a down-on-her-luck woman who has never been in love and has few prospects. After a near-death experience, she decides to take charge of her life. Much of the action takes place at an airport where Melissa works. The trailers hint at a quirky, likable cast and a relatable light vibe.

APPLE TV+

Wolfs (September 20 limited theatrical release followed by streaming by September 27) – George Clooney and Brad Pitt headline this action comedy about two competing “fixers” who typically cover up high-profile crimes but become trapped in one. The trailers show Pitt and Clooney clowning around with lots of chatty, humorous banter. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts helms and writes this amusing-looking nocturnal adventure.

MAX

The Penguin (September 8) — As the title criminal, an unrecognizable Colin Farrell reprises his performance from 2022’s “The Batman.” In this DC Comics adaptation, Farrell is Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin. The story picks up after the events in “The Batman,” which created a power vacuum in Gotham City’s organized crime network. Despite his disabilities, Cobblepot manages to rise. But his ascent is threatened by other dangerous players, including insane Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), the daughter of the former crime boss. The look and feel of this series appear to mirror the noir approach taken by the movie that inspired it.

I Saw the TV Glow (September 20) — Fix Rating 8/10 – This edgy and experimental film isn’t for everyone. However, for those viewers who may have connected with a much rougher produced movie like “The People’s Joker,” “I Saw the TV Glow” will enchant and provoke with its entertaining and thoughtful commentary on identity and finding one’s place in the world. The story concerns two young people who bond around a supernatural television series and float aimlessly following its cancellation.

DISNEY +

Agatha All Along (September 17) – Kathryn Hahn returns to the role of the witch Agatha Harkness, who first made an appearance in the 2021 MCU series “WandaVision.” This nine-episode show follows Agatha after she’s been stripped of her powers. She recruits a coven to regain her witchy form and embarks on the Witches’ Road trials. Hahn is always worth watching, and this spooky series looks to be good fun if it is also a little wacky.

Theatrical Teasers

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (September 6) — Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara are back in this long-gestating sequel to the 1988 hit movie. Tim Burton directs with “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega in a critical role.

Speak No Evil (September 13) — James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy lead this psychological horror centered on a family that discovers their hosts at a picturesque country estate hide a dark secret.

The Substance (September 20) — Audiences will finally get to see the film that had critics buzzing at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay. This dark, satirical horror film features a fading celebrity named Elisabeth (Demi Moore), who employs the assistance of an illicit black market drug to restore her beauty temporarily. But bad things happen when the “substance” is not used as directed. Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid are also in the cast.

Transformers One (September 20) — After “Spider-Man” made the successful jump back to the animated realm with the Oscar-winning “Spider-Verse” films, it makes sense that another franchise that started animated before going for live-action would follow. “Transformers One” looks more conventional than its Marvel counterpart, with computer-animated characters matched with celebrity voice talents, including Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson. The story traces the origins of the rivalry between Optimist Prime and Megatron.

Megalopolis (September 27) — Last month, the “Megalopolis” distributor Lionsgate Films had to pull an updated trailer for the film that featured what was reported to be quotes from negative reviews of director Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films. The problem was that many of the quotes couldn’t be sourced to the critics who allegedly made them. This fiasco was part of an effort by Coppola and Lionsgate to blunt likely pans by critics of “Megalopolis.” This mistake might begin the final chapter in the iconic filmmaker’s career.

Coppola self-financed this attempted blockbuster, which he also wrote and directed. The trailers show that the science fiction epic concerns an architect (played by Adam Driver) who seeks to rebuild New York City after much of it is destroyed in a disaster. The film looks impressive, perhaps worth seeing for the visuals alone, but the massive, talented cast should also interest viewers. Coppola is going big and possibly going home on this one.

Jonathan W. Hickman is an entertainment attorney, filmmaker, college professor, and novelist. More about Jonathan can be found by visiting: filmproductionlaw.com.