Ah, autumn’s many colors

Friday

Across the Universe

The songs of the Beatles score this love story set against the political and social upheaval of the 1960s. Julie Taymor (Broadway’s “The Lion King”) directs. With Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess (below), Joe Anderson. Written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais from a story by Taymor & Clement & La Frenais. Columbia Pictures

Blame It on Fidel

A 9-year-old girl copes with an unstable home life and her parents’ political activism in this imported drama directed by Julie Gavras, daughter of filmmaker Costa-Gavras (“Missing,” “Z”). With Nina Kervel-Bey, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi. Written by Julie Gavras, Arnaud Cathrine. Based on the Italian novel “Tutta colpa di Fidel” by Domitilla Calamai. Koch Lorber Films / Red Envelope Entertainment

The Brave One

A New York City crime victim (Jodie Foster) resorts to vigilantism in this urban thriller directed by Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game”). With Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen. Written by Roderick Taylor & Bruce A. Taylor and Cynthia Mort; story by Taylor & Taylor. Warner Bros.

Dragon Wars

Rampaging reptiles wreak havoc in Los Angeles in this effects-laden creature feature. With Jason Behr and Amanda Brooks. Written and directed by Hyung-rae Shim. Freestyle Releasing

Eastern Promises

Viggo Mortensen reunites with director David Cronenberg (“A History of Violence”) in this thriller about a London gangster entangled in murder, deceit and revenge. With Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl. Written by Steve Knight (“Dirty Pretty Things”). Focus Features

Fierce People

A teen and his drug-addict mother escape New York City seeking a fresh start among the country club set in this drama set in 1978. With Diane Lane, Anton Yelchin, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Perkins, Paz de la Huerta, Blu Mankuma, Chris Evans. Directed by Griffin Dunne. Dirk Wittenborn adapted his novel. Autonomous Films

I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

“Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” Jeff Garlin is an overweight Chicago actor looking for the right girl in this offbeat ensemble comedy. With Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt, Gina Gershon, Amy Sedaris, Elle Fanning, Joey Slotnick, Roger Bart, Dan Castellaneta, Richard Kind. Written and directed by Garlin. IFC First Take / the Weinstein Co.

In the Valley of Elah

An Iraq war veteran mysteriously disappears shortly after returning home. Tommy Lee Jones (above), Susan Sarandon and Charlize Theron star in this drama written and directed by Paul Haggis (“Crash”). Based on a story by Mark Boal and Haggis. Warner Independent Pictures

Ira & Abby

Neurotic New York types ride the romance roller coaster in this comedy. With Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina (“Six Feet Under”), Jason Alexander, Judith Light, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Frances Conroy. Directed by Robert Cary. Written by Westfeldt. Magnolia Pictures

King of California

A troubled teen (Evan Rachel Wood) gets caught up in her mentally unstable father’s (Michael Douglas) quixotic quest for a long-buried fortune in Spanish gold in this contemporary fable. Written and directed by Mike Cahill. First Look Pictures

Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint

Centuries-old tale of black magic and spiritual transformation from Tibet. With Jamyang Lodro, Orgyen Tobgyal, Kelsang Chukie Tethong. Directed by Buddhist lama Neten Chokling. Written by Chokling & Tenzing Choyang Gyari. Luminous Velocity

Moving McAllister

An ambitious law firm intern is tasked with transporting his boss’ niece cross-country in this comedy. With Ben Gourley, Mila Kunis, Jon Heder, Rutger Hauer. Directed by Andrew Black. Written by Gourley. First Independent Pictures

Mr. Woodcock

A self-help author is shocked to discover that his mother is dating the gym teacher who tormented him in high school in this comedy. With Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Amy Poehler, Ethan Suplee. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Written by Michael Carnes & Josh Gilbert. New Line Cinema

Shadow Company

The use of private companies as U.S. military contractors in hot spots such as Iraq -- a multibillion-dollar business -- comes under scrutiny in this documentary. Directed by Nick Bicanic and Jason Bourque. Purpose Films

Silk

Adaptation of novelist Alessandro Baricco’s tale of romance and commerce in 19th century Japan. With Michael Pitt, Keira Knightley, Koji Yakusho, Alfred Molina. Directed by François Girard. Screenplay by Girard and Michael Golding. Picturehouse

Vanaja

A teenage girl defies India’s caste system to achieve her dream of learning dance. With Mamatha Bhukya, Urmila Dammannagari, Krishnamma Gundimalla, Karan Singh. Written and directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli. Emerging Pictures

What’s Up, Scarlet?

Screwball comedy about a tough L.A. matchmaker whose domineering mother and pothead brother are obstacles to her making a match of her own. With Susan Priver, Musetta Vander, Sally Kirkland, Jere Burns. Written by Priver and Anthony Caldarella. Directed by Caldarella. Open City Productions

Sept. 21

Antonia

An all-female rap group from the slums of Brazil struggles for success in this imported drama. With Negra Li, Quelynah, Cindy, Thaíde, Leilah Moreno, Sandra de Sá. Directed by Tata Amaral. Screenplay by Roberto Moreira and Amaral. Anywhere Road / Red Envelope Entertainment

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Brad Pitt plays the legendary outlaw/hero in this western fable. With Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeremy Renner, Paul Schneider, Sam Rockwell. Written and directed by Andrew Dominik, based on Ron Hansen’s novel. Warner Bros.

Good Luck Chuck

A serial womanizer (Dane Cook, above) tries to break a decades-old curse and win the heart of his dream girl (Jessica Alba) in this romantic comedy. With Dan Fogler, Lonny Ross. Directed by Mark Helfrich. Screenplay by Josh Stolberg; story by Steve Glenn. Lionsgate

Hannah Takes the Stairs

An unremittingly discontented young woman toys with the affections of her boyfriend and two co-workers in this indie drama. With Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Andrew Bujalski, Mark Duplass, Ry Russo-Young. Directed by Joe Swanberg. Screenplay by Swanberg and the cast. IFC First Take

Into the Wild

A recent college grad abandons materialism and begins a spiritually tinged trek to Alaska in this fact-based drama based on the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer. With Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook. Written and directed by Sean Penn; based on a true story and the book by Krakauer. Paramount Vantage

The Jane Austen

Book Club

The author’s words inspire contemporary tales of romance and relationships in this ensemble drama set in Sacramento. With Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers, Hugh Dancy, Ed Brigadier. Written and directed by Robin Swicord from the book by Karen Joy Fowler. Sony Pictures Classics

The Last Winter

An unknown terror stalks oil workers in a remote section of Alaska in this chiller from director Larry Fessenden (“Habit”). With Ron Perlman, James LeGros, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, Kevin Corrigan. Written by Fessenden, Robert Leaver. IFC First Take

Resident Evil: Extinction

Milla Jovovich (below) returns to kick more zombie butt in this third film in the action-horror franchise based on the video-game series. With Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti, Jason O’Mara, Mike Epps. Directed by Russell Mulcahy. Written by Paul W.S. Anderson. Screen Gems

Sea of Dreams

Romantic fable about a beautiful woman shunned by her village because of a perceived curse and the photographer who arrives and falls in love with her. With Johnathon Schaech, Sendi Bar, Sonia Braga, Seymour Cassel, Angélica María, Pablo Santos, Nicholas Gonzalez, Julio Bekhor, Gastón Melo, Tina Romero, Daniela Schmidt, Jessica Valdes, Grecia Estrada Ochoa. Directed by José “Pepe” Bojorquez. Written by Bojorquez and David Howard. Success Films

Sydney White

Amanda Bynes stars as the daughter of a plumber and a debutante who rejects the sorority life in favor of a band of nerdy outcasts. With Sara Paxton, Matt Long, Jack Carpenter, Jeremy Howard, John Schneider. Directed by Joe Nussbaum. Written by Chad Gomez Creasey. Universal Pictures

Trade

A Mexican youth tries to rescue his kidnapped younger sister from sex traffickers in this drama written by José Rivera (“The Motorcycle Diaries”). With Kevin Kline, Cesar Ramos, Alicja Bachleda, Paulina Gaitan, Marco Perez, Linda Emond, Zack Ward, Kate del Castillo, Tim Reid. Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner. Story by Rivera and Peter Landesman, based on Landesman’s New York Times Magazine article “The Girls Next Door.” Roadside Attractions

Sept. 28

Angels in the Dust

Award-winning documentary about a South African orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS. Directed by Louise Hogarth. Cinema Libre Studio

Feast of Love

Academy Award winner Robert Benton (“Kramer vs. Kramer”) directs this ensemble drama charting the romantic ups and downs of a group of acquaintances in a small Oregon town. With Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell, Billy Burke, Alexa Davalos, Toby Hemingway, Jane Alexander. Written by Allison Burnett, based on the book by Charles Baxter. MGM

Four Minutes

An elderly piano teacher at a women’s prison discovers the submerged talent of an angry young woman in this German drama. With Monica Bleibtreu, Hannah Herzsprung. Written and directed by Chris Kraus. Wolfe Releasing

The Game Plan

A pro quarterback (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) trades bachelorhood for fatherhood when learns he has a 7-year-old daughter. With Roselyn Sanchez, Kyra Sedgwick, Morris Chestnut, Madison Pettis, Gordon Clapp. Directed by Andy Fickman. Written by Nichole Millard & Kathryn Price; story by Millard & Price and Audrey Wells. Walt Disney Pictures

Great World of Sound

Semi-scripted study of shady characters toiling on the fringes of the music industry. With Pat Healy, Kene Holliday. Directed by Craig Zobel. Written by Zobel, George Smith. Magnolia Pictures

Itty Bitty Titty Committee

An apolitical lesbian gets radicalized when she meets a sexy feminist. With Daniela Sea, Nicole Vicius, Melonie Diaz, Melanie Mayron, Jenny Shimizu, Carly Pope. Directed by Jamie Babbit. Written by Tina Mabry, Abigail Shafran. Pocket Releasing

The Kingdom

A team of FBI agents encounters red tape, mistrust and mortal danger while investigating a terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia in this action-drama. With Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jeremy Piven, Danny Huston, Richard Jenkins, Ashraf Barhoum, Ali Suliman. Directed by Peter Berg. Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan. Universal Pictures

Sept. TBA

If I Didn’t Care

Neo-noir thriller about love and death in the Hamptons. With Bill Sage, Roy Scheider, Susan Misner, Noelle Beck, Ronald Guttman. Written and directed by Benjamin Cummings, Orson Cummings. Artistic License

The Inner Life

of Martin Frost

A bestselling author (“Naked’s” David Thewlis ) meets his muse (Irène Jacob) in this literary-minded fable from writer-director Paul Auster. With Michael Imperioli, Sophie Auster. New Yorker Films

The Man of My Life

A man vacationing with his family in the French countryside bonds with their new gay neighbor in this drama. With Bernard Campan, Charles Berling, Léa Drucker. Directed by Zabou Breitman. Written by Breitman, Agnès de Sacy. Strand Releasing

Oct. 5

The Darjeeling Limited

Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman play brothers trying to reestablish kinship with an eventful trek across India in this comedy from director Wes Anderson (“Rushmore”). Written by Anderson & Schwartzman & Roman Coppola. Fox Searchlight

Feel the Noise

The pulsating beat of Reggaeton music drives this drama about three Puerto Rican youths dreaming of love and success in New York City. With Omarion Grandberry, Zulay Henao, James McCaffrey, Kellita Smith, Malik Yoba, Melonie Diaz, Victor Rasuk, Giancarlo Esposito. Written by Albert Leon. Directed by Alejandro Chomski. TriStar / Sony BMG

The Good Night

The mundane life of a former pop star (Martin Freeman) becomes more complicated as he delves deeper into his dreams with the help of a quirky, New Age enthusiast (Danny DeVito). With Gwyneth Paltrow, Penélope Cruz (below), Simon Pegg. Written and directed by Jake Paltrow. Yari Film Group Releasing

Grace Is Gone

A father (John Cusack) struggles with telling his two young daughters that their mother has been killed while serving in the U.S. armed forces in Iraq. With Alessandro Nivola, Shélan O’Keefe, Gracie Bednarczyk. Written and directed by James C. Strouse. The Weinstein Co.

The Heartbreak Kid

The 1972 Neil Simon/Elaine May comedy gets a Farrelly Brothers do-over with Ben Stiller as the man who meets the woman of his dreams -- while honeymooning with his bride, who turns out to be the woman of his nightmares. With Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Mencia, Scott Wilson, Danny McBride. Directed by Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly. Written by Scot Armstrong and Leslie Dixon and Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly & Kevin Barnett, based on Simon’s screenplay from the short story “A Change of Plan” by Bruce Jay Friedman. Paramount Pictures

Lust, Caution

Ang Lee (“Brokeback Mountain”) directs this tale of romance and political intrigue set in 1940s Shanghai. With Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Joan Chen, Wang Lee Hom. Written by Hui-Ling Wang and James Schamus, based on the short story by Eileen Chang. Focus Features

Michael Clayton

A New York lawyer has a midlife crisis of conscience while in the middle of a multi-million-dollar class-action lawsuit in this legal thriller. With George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O’Keefe, Austin Williams. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Warner Bros.

My Kid Could Paint That

Questions about the authenticity of paintings purported to be the work of a 4-year-old art-world phenom and media sensation are raised in this documentary written and directed by Amir Bar-Lev. Sony Pictures Classics

Nina’s Heavenly Delights

A family-owned curry house in Glasgow, Scotland, is the setting for this cross-cultural comedy-drama. Starring: Laura Fraser, Art Malik, Ronny Jhutti, Veena Sood, Shelley Conn. Directed by Pratibha Parmar. Screenplay by Andrea Gibb. here! Films / Regent Releasing

Outsourced

Training his replacement in India transforms the life of a customer call center manager (Josh Hamilton) in this topical comedy. With Ayesha Dharker and Larry Pine. Directed by John Jeffcoat. Written by George Wing & Jeffcoat. ShadowCatcher Entertainment

Trick ‘r Treat

Anthology of Halloween-themed terror tales set in a small town. With Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Leslie Bibb. Written and directed by Michael Dougherty. Warner Bros.

Weirdsville

A trio of stoner-slackers runs afoul of drug dealers, Satanists and other assorted kooks in this off-the-wall heist caper. With Scott Speedman, Wes Bentley, Taryn Manning. Directed by Allan Moyle. Written by Willem Wennekers. Magnolia Pictures

Oct. 10

Control

The life and death of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the English gloom-rock band Joy Division, are dramatized in this biopic directed by rock photographer Anton Corbijn. With Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Alexandra Maria Lara. Written by Matt Greenhalgh. The Weinstein Co.

Oct. 12

Berkeley

A middle-class college student experiences life at the epicenter of the 1960s counterculture movement. With Nick Roth, Henry Winkler, Laura Jordan, Sarah Carter, Bonnie Bedelia, Tom Morello. Written and directed by Bobby Roth. Jungnrestless Films

Darfur Now

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the embattled region of western Sudan is explored in this documentary. With Don Cheadle, Hejewa Adam, Pablo Recalde, Ahmed Mahmoud Abakar, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Adam Sterling. Written and directed by Ted Braun. Warner Independent Pictures

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchett reunites with “Elizabeth” director Shekhar Kapur for a new chapter in the saga of England’s “Virgin Queen.” With Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Rhys Ifans, Jordi Mollà, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton. Screenplay by William Nicholson and Michael Hirst. Universal Pictures

For the Bible Tells Me So

Filmmaker Dan Karslake’s documentary makes the case for Christianity’s acceptance of homosexuality using scripture and the lives of five typical American families with gay members, including that of former House Majority Leader Richard A. Gephardt. First Run Features

Lake of Fire

Filmmaker Tony Kaye (“American History X”) explores multiple sides of the ever-contentious abortion debate in this documentary. ThinkFilm

Lars and the Real Girl

An introverted young man (Academy-Award nominee Ryan Gosling) shocks his family with his delusions that a life-size doll is actually alive in this quirky comedy. With Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Written by Nancy Oliver (“Six Feet Under”). MGM / Sidney Kimmel Films

Postal

Cult director Uwe Boll’s adaptation of the crude, outrageous video-game stars Zack Ward as a dude named Dude who enters into a get-rich-quick scheme involving insanely popular dolls with his uncle (Dave Foley). With Chris Coppola, Michael Benyaer, Jackie Tohn, Erick Avari, Seymour Cassel. Boll KG / Vivendi Visual

Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married

A tight-knit group of African American couples finds the bonds of matrimony tested in this relationship drama from the prolific writer-director (“Diary of a Mad Black Woman”). With Perry, Sharon Leal, Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Jill Scott, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Denise Boutte, Lamman Rucker. Lionsgate

We Own the Night

Two brothers, one a cop (Mark Wahlberg) and the other a nightclub manager (Joaquin Phoenix), find family ties sorely tested in this crime tale set in late 1980s Brooklyn. With Eva Mendes, Robert Duvall. Written and directed by James Gray. Columbia Pictures

Oct. 19

Broken

After her California dreams run out, a young woman (Heather Graham) stares down her demons during a fateful shift as a waitress in an all-night diner. With Jeremy Sisto, Tess Harper, Linda Hamilton, Michael Goorjian, Jake Busey. Directed by Alan White. Written by Drew Pillsbury. Truly Indie

Canvas

A father and son face a crisis when the boy’s mother is institutionalized with schizophrenia. With Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden and newcomer Devon Gearhart. Written and directed by Joseph Greco. Screen Media Films

Fat Girls

Ash Christian wrote, directed and stars in this coming-of-age comedy about a Broadway-obsessed Texas teen and his plus-sized, female best friend and their pursuit of dates for their high school graduation dance. With Ashley Fink, Robin de Jesus, Jonathan Caouette, Deborah Theaker, Ellen Albertini Dow, Alexa Havins, Justin Bruening. here! Films / Regent Releasing

Gone Baby Gone

Oscar-winner Ben Affleck makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of “Mystic River” author Dennis Lehane’s novel about the desperate search for a small child abducted in Boston. With Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan. Screenplay by Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard. Miramax Films

Mr. Untouchable

Documentary on the rise and fall of a notorious drug kingpin in 1970s Harlem. With Leroy “Nicky” Barnes, Thelma Grant, Joseph Hayden, Jackie Hayden, Leon Batts, Carol Hawkins, Frank James. Directed by Marc Levin. Magnolia Pictures

Naked Boys Singing!

The Movie

Big-screen adaptation of the locally spawned, long-running, gay-themed musical revue. Co-directed by Robert Schrock and Troy Christian. TLA Releasing

The Price of Sugar

The human cost of sugar production -- backbreaking labor by slave-wage workers toiling in Haiti’s sugarcane fields -- is calculated in this exposé narrated by Paul Newman. Directed by Bill Haney. Mitropoulos Films

Rendition

An American woman’s Egyptian-born husband is suspected of terrorist ties and spirited away to a secret detention facility in this topical drama. With Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Omar Metwally, Meryl Streep, Peter Sarsgaard, Alan Arkin. Directed by Gavin Hood. Written by Kelley Sane. New Line Cinema

Reservation Road

A child’s death in a hit-and-run car accident sets two men on a collision course in this drama starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. Directed by Terry George. Based on the book by John Burnham Schwartz, adapted by the author and George. Focus Features

30 Days of Night

Vampires descend on a remote Alaskan town in this horror-thriller. With Josh Hartnett (below), Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Mark Boone Junior. Directed by David Slade. Screenplay by Steve Niles and Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson, based on the IDW Publishing comic by Niles and Ben Templesmith. Columbia Pictures

Wristcutters:

A Love Story

The afterlife proves to be one strange road trip for an eccentric group of suicides that sets out to a find a young man’s true love. With Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits, Will Arnett. Written and directed by Goran Dukic, based on Etgar Keret’s short story “Kneller’s Happy Campers.” Autonomous Films

Oct. 24

O, Jerusalem

The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 is seen from the perspective of Jews, Arabs and the British in this historical drama. With JJ Feild, Saïd Taghmaoui, Maria Papas, Patrick Bruel, Ian Holm, Tovah Feldshuh, Tom Conti. Directed by Elie Chouraqui. Written by Chouraqui, Didier Le Pêcheur, based on historical accounts from the bestselling novel by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. Samuel Goldwyn Films

Oct. 26

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Veteran filmmaker Sidney Lumet (“Dog Day Afternoon”) directs this heist caper about two brothers planning to rob their parents’ jewelry store. With Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris. Written by Kelly Masterson. ThinkFilm

The Comebacks

Sendup of inspirational sports flicks focusing on a college football team and their sad-sack coach. With David Koechner, Carl Weathers, Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Jackie Long, Jesse Garcia. Directed by Tom Brady. Written by Ed Yeager & Joey Gutierrez; story by John Aboud & Michael Colton and Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson. Fox Atomic

Finishing the Game

Satirical look at producers’ efforts to find a replacement for Bruce Lee after the martial arts star died during the making of his last film. With McCaleb Burnett, Roger Fan, Sung Kang, James Franco, Dustin Nguyen. Directed by Justin Lin. Written by Josh Diamond, Lin. IFC First Take

Funny Games

Two unstable young men take a family hostage in “Caché” director Michael Haneke’s English-language remake of his 1997 psychological thriller. With Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, Devon Gearhart. Written and directed by Michael Haneke. Warner Independent Pictures

Jimmy Carter Man From Plains

Director Jonathan Demme follows the soft-spoken former U.S. president as he travels the country in support of his tendentious book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” Sony Pictures Classics

Music Within

Upon failing at his goal of studying public speaking in college, a young man joins the Army, is sent to Vietnam, loses his hearing and becomes a disabled-rights activist. With Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Michael Sheen, Yul Vazquez, Rebecca De Mornay, Hector Elizondo. Directed by Steven Sawalich. Written by Mark Andrew Olsen & Bret McKinney and Kelly Kennemer. MGM

Run, Fat Boy, Run

A schlubby guy enters a marathon to win back the woman he left at the altar years earlier. With Simon Pegg (above), Hank Azaria, Ameet Chana, Dylan Moran, Thandie Newton, Harish Patel. Directed by David Schwimmer. Written by Michael Ian Black. Picturehouse

Saw IV

Thanks to his clever contraptions, the now-deceased Jigsaw manages to maim, mutilate and murder from beyond the grave in this fourth installment of the torture-terror film franchise. With Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis, Simon Reynolds, Mike Realba, Marty Adams. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. Written by Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan. Lionsgate

Slipstream

Anthony Hopkins writes, directs and stars in this psychological drama about an actor and writer who suffers increasing difficulty differentiating fact from fiction. With Stella Arroyave, Christian Slater, John Turturro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Camryn Manheim, Jeffrey Tambor, S. Epatha Merkerson, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Lawford, Lisa Pepper, Gavin Grazer, Aaron Tucker, Kevin McCarthy. Strand Releasing

Terror’s Advocate

A French lawyer’s association with some of recent history’s most despicable despots, war criminals and terrorists is probed in this documentary from Barbet Schroeder. Magnolia Pictures

Things We Lost in the Fire

A widow (Oscar winner Halle Berry) and her deceased husband’s best friend (Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro) turn to each other in search of healing in this drama. With David Duchovny, Omar Benson Miller, Alison Lohman, John Carroll Lynch. Directed by Susanne Bier. Written by Allan Loeb. Paramount Pictures / DreamWorks Pictures

Oct. TBA

DarkBlueAlmostBlack

A Spanish youth balances work, school and caring for his incapacitated father in this drama. Written and directed by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo. Strand Releasing

Golda’s Balcony

Valerie Harper stars as Golda Meir, Israel’s first female prime minister, in this adaptation of William Gibson’s stage play. Directed by Jeremy Kagan. AV Productions

Nov. 2

American Gangster

Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe go mano a mano in this fact-based crime drama set in 1970s New York and directed by Ridley Scott. With Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, Armand Assante, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, RZA. Written by Steven Zaillian. Universal Pictures

Bee Movie

Co-creator Jerry Seinfeld voices the lead character, a worker bee with larger ambitions, in this computer-animated comedy. With Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Patrick Warburton, Barry Levinson, Megan Mullally, Larry Miller, Rip Torn. Directed by Simon J. Smith, Steve Hickner. Written by Seinfeld and Spike Feresten & Barry Marder & Andy Robin. DreamWorks Animation SKG / Paramount Pictures

Eleven Men Out

An Icelandic soccer star comes out in this drama exploring the nature of being a gay man in a macho culture. With Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Lilja Nott Porarinsdottir, Arnaldur Ernst, Helgi Björnsson, Porsteinn Backmann. Directed by Robert I. Douglas. Written by Douglas, Jon Atli Jonason. here! Films / Regent Releasing

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten

The late co-founder of legendary English punk rockers the Clash is remembered in this documentary directed by Julien Temple. IFC First Take

The Kite Runner

An expatriate returns to Afghanistan on a mission of rescue and redemption in this adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s decades-spanning bestseller. Directed by Marc Forster. Written by David Benioff. Paramount Vantage

Martian Child

John Cusack stars as a bereaved writer who adopts an unusual 6-year-old boy in this drama. With Amanda Peet, Joan Cusack. Directed by Menno Meyjes. Written by Seth E. Bass & Jonathan Tolins, based on the novel by David Gerrold. New Line Cinema

Park

In the hills above the city, a secluded recreation area becomes the site of rendezvous and retribution for a multifarious group of Angelenos. With Dagney Kerr, David Fenner, Izabella Miko, William Baldwin, Ricki Lake, Cheri Oteri, Trent Ford, Maulik Pancholy, Anne Dudek, Melanie Lynskey. Written and directed by Kurt Voelker. Mello Pictures

Sharkwater

Filmmaker Rob Stewart seeks to reclaim the reputation of sharks in this documentary that explores the creatures’ role in the evolution of the oceans. With Patrick Moore, Erich Ritter, Paul Watson, Boris Worm. Written by Stewart. Sharkwater Productions

War/Dance

Three youngsters make the best of their time in a camp for displaced persons in war-torn Uganda in this documentary. Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine. ThinkFilm

Fall TBA

Black Irish

A mild-mannered teen feels alienated from his less-than-close-knit family in this poignant drama. With Michael Angarano, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Guiry, Melissa Leo, Emily VanCamp. Written and directed by Brad Gann. Anywhere Road

Kurt Cobain About a Son

Filmmaker AJ Schnack examines the tempestuous life of the late Nirvana singer through previously unheard audio interviews in this documentary. Balcony Releasing

Naming Number Two

A matriarch inspires her large family to refasten the ties that bind in this drama. With Ruby Dee, Mia Blake, Rene Naufahu, Miriama McDowell, Taungaroa Emile, Xavier Horan, Tuva Novotny. Written and directed by Toa Fraser. Cyan Pictures

Out of the Blue

Fact-based drama about one man’s murderous nighttime rampage through a small New Zealand village. With Jacinta Wawatai, Tandi Wright, Lois Lawn, Simon Ferry. Directed by Robert Sarkies. Written by Sarkies, Graeme Tetley, based on Bill O’Brien’s book, “Aramoana: Twenty Two Hours of Terror.” IFC First Take

Razor Eaters

Five young anarchists exact revenge upon a hypocritical society in this violent Australian import. With Paul Moder, Richard Cawthorne, Teague Rook, Fletcher Humphrys, Campbell Usher, Shannon Young, Matt Robertson, David Bradshaw. Written and directed by Young. IFC First Take

The Sky Turns

A remote Spanish village and its aging and declining population are the twin subjects of this award-winning documentary. Directed by Mercedes Álvarez. Written by Arturo Redin, Álvarez. New Yorker Films

Still Life

Chinese villagers, displaced by their government’s massive Three Gorges Dam, struggle in this drama. With Zhao Tao. Directed by Jia Zhang-ke (“The World”). Written by Zhang-ke, Na Guan, Jiamin Sun. New Yorker Films

The Unknown Soldier

Director Michael Verhoeven (“The Nasty Girl”) weighs the culpability of rank-and-file German soldiers in the atrocities of WWII in this documentary. First Run Features

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About the list

The Sneaks list is a snapshot of films expected to open through Nov. 2. Dates and other details are subject to change.

Capsules compiled by Kevin Crust.