New film releases lighting up the big screen this September

6 September

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s award-winning Beetlejuice.

After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his brand of mayhem.

Burton, a genre unto himself, directs from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Wednesday), a story by Gough and Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (The Lego Batman Movie), based on characters created by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson.

Michael Keaton returns to his iconic role, alongside Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara (Schitt$ Creek, The Nightmare Before Christmas) as Delia Deetz.

Read more.

In a world threatened by deforestation, the spirited young orphan orangutan named Ozi embarks on an epic adventure to save her forest home. In the animated Ozi: Voice of the Forest. As Ozi’s journey unfolds, she discovers the true power of her voice and the extraordinary impact of speaking out for what she believes in. With tenacity, resilience, and a newfound sense of purpose, Ozi ignites a global movement to protect our world.

In a captivating tale of courage, hope, and the indomitable human spirit, Ozi inspires audiences to join the fight for a sustainable future and embrace their potential to make a difference.

13 September

The Showerhead is a feature-length documentary that explores the dramatic and eventful journey of fearless cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, aka Zapiro, from anti-apartheid struggle artist to freedom of expression champion.

It also explores the origin, relevance, and impact of Zapiro’s work, which explains the film’s title: the plumbing hardware fixed to the head of Jacob Zuma – the former President of South Africa.

It considers the scope of freedom of expression in contemporary South Africa concerning the boundaries tested in Zapiro’s cartoons and his resolute defiance in the face of attempts to stifle his work and affirms the continuing relevance of Zapiro’s cartoons as exemplars of a culture of critique that remains resistant to increasing attack.

From Blumhouse, the producer of The Black Phone, Get Out and The Invisible Man, comes the intense suspense thriller Speak No Evil, starring James Mcavoy (Split, Glass) in a riveting performance as the charismatic, alpha-male host whose untrammelled hospitality masks unspeakable darkness when an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic farmhouse of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.

20 September

From DreamWorks Animation comes The Wild Robot, the eagerly anticipated adaptation of a literary sensation, Peter Brown’s beloved, award-winning, #1 New York Times bestseller.

The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot —Rozzum unit 7134, “Roz” for short — that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

A powerful story about the discovery of self, a thrilling examination of the bridge between technology and nature and a moving exploration of what it means to be alive and connected to all living things. The Wild Robot is written and directed by Chris Sanders, the writer-director of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, and Disney’s Lilo & Stitch.

In the dark horror film Bagman, a family finds themselves ensnared in a nightmare as they are hunted by a malevolent, mythical creature. For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag—never to be seen again.

Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick’s childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and son Jake (Caréll Rhoden). Directed by Colm McCarthy, written by John Hulme.

Bad Genius is a high-intensity thriller, which follows Lynn, a student who wins a full scholarship to a prestigious high school. Here she joins her new friends in “helping” a few students with their exams.

As their cheating ring grows, Lynn is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime: helping hundreds of kids cheat and giving the middle finger to the entire American education system.
Directed by J.C. Lee. With Benedict Wong, Taylor Hickson, Jabari Banks, Sarah-Jane Redmond.

27 September

Oscar winner Kate Winslet stars in Lee, the fascinating portrait of the great American war correspondent Lee Miller, whose singular talent and ferocious tenacity gave us some of the 20th century’s most indelible images.

After battling her way through the siege of Saint Malo, and subsequently photographing one of the first ever uses of Napalm, Lee joins forces with close friend and fellow photographer David E. Scherman (Andy Samberg). Lee has a profound understanding and empathy for women and for the voiceless victims of atrocious crimes, her images feature both the fragility and ferocity of the human ability to survive, exist, fight, defend and live.

Using her wiles and whip smart patter, Scherman and Lee become a fierce team. Directed by renowned and award-winning cinematographer Ellen Kuras, making her narrative feature directing debut, and written by Liz Hannah, John Collee and Marion Hume, Lee has a taut, transfixing pace, with striking detail throughout.

When an unspeakable evil takes over the world, the only protection for a mother and her twin sons is their house and strong bond in Never Let Go.

Needing to stay connected at all times — even tethering themselves with ropes — they must cling to one another and never let go. However, when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.

A survival horror directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby. The film stars Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Christin Park, and Stephanie Lavigne.

In the animated Panda Bear in Africa, a young panda bear Ping’s best friend, Jielong the dragon, is kidnapped and brought to Africa. Ping follows her without question. After a dangerous ocean-crossing he reaches the faraway continent, totally unknown to pandas. There, our unlikely hero with a big heart, relying on his wits and some newfound friends, needs to rescue Jielong from an evil lion and his henchman.

Transformers One is an animated origin story set on the planet Cybertron centering around the history of the Transformers race and the relationship between two Cybertronian workers named Orion Pax and D-16 as they go from brothers-in-arms to archenemies as Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Based on Hasbro’s Transformers toy line. It was directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and the writing duo of Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, based on a story by Barrer and Ferrari. The ensemble voice cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.

Vanya

Andrew Scott (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions. Filmed live during its sold-out run in London’s West End, Vanya will be playing exclusively in cinemas on 28, 29 September and 2, 3 October. Read more about the pphttps://writingstudio.co.za/live-theatre-on-the-big-screen/ NT Live screenings]].

The demonic paranormal investigator with a heart of gold returns in Hellboy: The Crooked Man. In the film Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent get stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia, only to discover a small community haunted by witches, led by the Crooked Man.

Jack Kesy (The Strain, Deadpool 2) steps into the iconic role. with Jefferson White (Yellowstone), Adeline Rudolph (Resident Evil) and Joseph Marcell (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), with Brian Taylor in the director’s chair.

Read more about the latest and upcoming films.