This Fall, there will be plenty of movies [1] to keep you inside a theater and chowing down on popcorn, but they don't all have to be the massively marketed big-budget affairs everyone knows about. The next few months will also see the emergence of indie films that may have smaller budgets but big appeal. We've picked out 17 of this season's upcoming indies you should be looking forward to if you appreciate little films that could.
The Skeleton Twins
- Who's starring: Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play siblings Maggie and Milo; Ty Burrell and Luke Wilson [2] also costar.
- Why you should be interested: Former SNL costars Wiig and Hader are reuniting, but in a more dramatic fashion; it's especially interesting to see Hader as a depressed gay man.
- When it comes out: Sept. 19
- Watch the trailer for The Skeleton Twins [3].
Tracks
- Who's starring: Mia Wasikowska [4] takes a solo journey through the Australian desert, and Adam Driver is a National Geographic photographer who shoots her trip.
- Why you should be interested: The cinematography and imagery of this sprawling drama look mesmerizing — even if you're not the type to ride a camel through the outback.
- When it comes out: Sept. 19
- Watch the trailer for Tracks [5].
Laggies
- Who's starring: Chloë Grace Moretz stars as a teen who starts hanging out with Megan (Keira Knightley [6]), an adult who acts more like a teen. Sam Rockwell plays Moretz's dad.
- Why you should be interested: It's directed by Lynn Shelton, who has made other indie gems such as Your Sister's Sister and Humpday.
- When it comes out: Sept. 26
- Watch the trailer for Laggies [7].
The Two Faces of January
- Who's starring: Viggo Mortensen [8] and Kirsten Dunst [9] play a 1960s couple who gets mixed up with a fellow tourist on vacation, played by Oscar Isaac.
- Why you should be interested: The movie's Greek setting and impeccable clothes make it look ultrastylish, while the plot smacks of The Talented Mr. Ripley.
- When it comes out: Sept. 26
- Watch the trailer for The Two Faces of January [10].
Whiplash
- Who's starring: Miles Teller plays a student jazz drummer, and J.K. Simmons is the conductor who pushes him to succeed (and, well, bleed).
- Why you should be interested: Teller — well known for his comedic, supporting turns — got major praise when this drama premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and more recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- When it comes out: Oct. 10
- Watch the trailer for Whiplash [11].
Kill the Messenger
- Who's starring: Jeremy Renner plays a journalist whose investigation into a crack epidemic threatens his life.
- Why you should be interested: Director Michael Cuesta can handle political thrillers — he's an executive producer for Homeland — plus Renner promises to bring gravitas to this real-life story.
- When it comes out: Oct. 10
- Watch the trailer for Kill the Messenger [12].
Camp X-Ray
- Who's starring: Kristen Stewart [13] plays Private Amy Cole, a soldier stationed at Guantanamo Bay.
- Why you should be interested: Stewart continues to prove herself as someone who can do more than vampire flicks, and this one looks like the most impressive example of her acting thus far.
- When it comes out: Oct. 17
- Watch the trailer for Camp X-Ray [14].
Birdman
- Who's starring: Michael Keaton plays a faded actor known for an iconic superhero role who tries to make a comeback on Broadway. Edward Norton [15] and Emma Stone [16] also star.
- Why you should be interested: Keaton's performance (in a role that's close to reality) won rave reviews [17] at the Venice Film Festival.
- When it comes out: Oct. 17
- Watch the trailer for Birdman [18].
St. Vincent
- Who's starring: Bill Murray [19] plays the title character, a grump old man who becomes a mentor of sorts to a young boy. Melissa McCarthy plays the boy's mother.
- Why you should be interested: The story may have been done before, but Murray plays a loveable curmudgeon better than anyone. He's a national treasure.
- When it comes out: Oct. 24
- Watch the trailer for St. Vincent [20].
Nightcrawler
- Who's starring: Jake Gyllenhaal [21] plays a nighttime crime reporter; Bill Paxton and Rene Russo costar.
- Why you should be interested: Gyllenhaal dropped a lot of weight and gives you the serious crazy eyes in the trailer, but it's unclear whether he's the unhinged one — or the victim.
- When it comes out: Oct. 31
- Watch the trailer for Nightcrawler [22].
Horns
- Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe [23] plays Ig, a guy who wakes up to find his girlfriend (Juno Temple) murdered — and a pair of horns on his head.
- Why you should be interested: Radcliffe has been impressing with one interesting role after the other since Harry Potter [24] wrapped, and if you wonder how this story is interesting, read about his character again.
- When it comes out: Oct. 31
- Watch the trailer for Horns [25].
Rosewater
- Who's starring: Gael García Bernal [26] plays real-life journalist Maziar Bahari, who reported on the 2009 Iranaian elections and was imprisoned as a spy.
- Why you should be interested: Jon Stewart [27] wrote and directed the movie, his first time behind the camera.
- When it comes out: Nov. 7
- Watch the trailer for Rosewater [28].
The Theory of Everything
- Who's starring: Eddie Redmayne plays astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, and Felicity Jones is his first wife, Jane.
- Why you should be interested: This isn't just for science-lovers; it's for romantics too, as the trailer gives equal focus to Hawking's relationship as it does his legendary career.
- When it comes out: Nov. 7
- Watch the trailer for The Theory of Everything [29].
Foxcatcher
- Who's starring: Channing Tatum [30] plays wrestler Mark Schultz, Steve Carell [31] plays his benefactor John du Pont, and Mark Ruffalo [32] plays David, Mark's brother.
- Why you should be interested: The real-life story is chilling (du Pont murdered David Schultz), but the trailer is even more so. Also, Tatum and Carell got rave reviews for their acting at this year's spate of film festivals.
- When it comes out: Nov. 14
- Watch the trailer for Foxcatcher [33].
The Imitation Game
- Who's starring: Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, a WWII code breaker, and Keira Knightley [34] plays a colleague.
- Why you should be interested: If you're not Cumberbatch's biggest fan, this movie might convince you; he has the perfect skillset to charm you while convincing you he's the smartest man in the room (which the real Turing may have been; he cracked the German Enigma to help the Allies win the war).
- When it comes out: Nov. 21
- Watch the trailer for The Imitation Game [35].
Wild
- Who's starring: Reese Witherspoon [36] plays Cheryl Strayed in the film based on her memoir of the same name.
- Why you should be interested: Strayed's book can destroy you emotionally; there's no telling to how much more heartbreaking it will be played out on the big screen. And, with her journey along the Pacific Crest Trail, the visuals should be incredible.
- When it comes out: Dec. 5
- Watch the trailer for Wild [37].
Big Eyes
- Who's starring: Amy Adams [38] and Christoph Waltz play real-life married couple and painters Margaret and Walter Keane.
- Why you should be interested: This true story is already compelling; Margaret painted the famous big eyes paintings popular in the '50s, but her husband, Walter, got the credit. And the biggest draw is iconic director Tim Burton.
- When it comes out: Dec. 25