MOVIE TIME!

As soon as I get some pictures, I will do a post on Cara and Jake's wonderful wedding. Until then, you'll have to deal with some more pop culture.

The most wonderful time of the year for Southwestern Ohio is the fall. No question. The weather finally becomes bearable, hoodies become an acceptable piece of your ensemble, and football games completely monopolize the television screen. However, another perk of the changing of the seasons comes in the cinematic world.

For the most part, movie production studios follow this release pattern:

January to May - Movies with very low expectations; Movies the studio regrets paying to make (ex. Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Red Riding Hood, typically anything starring Nicolas Cage)

May to September - Summer Blockbusters (ex. Big sequels, Action/Adventures, Comedies, Superhero movies)

September to December - Oscar-worthy movies (ex. Most biopics, film festival favorites, etc.)

So, along with the coming of cooler weather comes an enjoyable trip to the movie theater. In my old blog, I reviewed movies almost every week. I can't promise to do that with any regularity, but I will make a better effort to continue that tradition here.

Here are five movies coming this fall that I cannot wait to see:

Red State (September 23) - Kevin Smith strays from his comedic roots in this film about a group of teenagers who answer an online sex ad only to find that the ad was posted by a group of Christian fundamentalist, right-wing extremists intent on punishing them for their sins. I am interested to see if Kevin Smith, who was inspired initially by the appalling Westboro Baptist Church, can pull off a horror film with such controversial political and religious undertones.

The Ides of March (October 7) - I cannot explain my excitement for this movie. Not only was it shot on my alma mater's campus and in downtown Cincinnati, but some of my friends were used as extras! When idealistic campaign staffer Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling) learns a detrimental secret about presidential candidate Mike Morris (George Clooney), he must decide if electoral success is worth such a high moral cost. I love political thrillers, George Clooney is directing, this looks to be an absolute Oscar magnet, and two words: MAX MINGHELLA. Yum.

J. Edgar (November 11) - Clint Eastwood extends his directorial resume with a biopic about J. Edgar Hoover, a controversial American figure and the first director of the FBI. The movie is sure to depict the interesting professional and personal life of Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio), including his secret love affair with Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). I'm a sucker for biopics and this one is written by Dustin Lance Black (writer of Milk), so its approach to his secret homosexuality will certainly be compelling. Plus, the mere thought of Leo kissing Armie Hammer (the sexy Winklevoss twins in The Social Network) has me shelling out $10 for my ticket and another $6 for the popcorn right now.

The Muppets (November 23) - Pretty self-explanatory. I'm a big kid, I love the Muppets, and Jason Segel is the father of my unborn child. You do the math.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (December 25/wide release in January) - A nine-year-old searches New York City for the lock that matches the key left behind by his father, a victim of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Released ten years after 9/11, this movie will probably pack a powerful, emotional punch, bolstered by a strong cast that includes Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.

Which movies will you be seeing on opening night this fall?

...and yeah, I'll probably see Breaking Dawn: Part 1 at midnight. Judge me all you want, but you can't keep me from Taylor Lautner.