Happy October!! 🍂 Fall is definitely in the air and I do love this season with the changing colors and crisp, cooler temps. It’s the season that follows that I’m not too crazy about, though I don’t mind the Wintry scenery around Christmas. For now, let’s not even think about the white fluffy stuff, shall we?

So September went by like a breeze and I feel like I barely have time to watch anything. Well, the first new release I saw last month (at an early press screening) was The Woman King and I’m glad that it’s still in the top 5 on its second weekend. I’m so thrilled to be featured by The Cherry Picks, too! 

.@womankingmovie (86% #CherryScore): “A triumphant historical epic where the quieter moments are as memorable as the rousing battle scenes. It’s #ViolaDavis‘ magnum opus indeed.” – Ruth Maramis, @flixchatter

👑 Read #TheWomanKing reviews: https://t.co/cgECibt0f1 pic.twitter.com/oBkiVwu3AQ

— CherryPicks (@TheCherryPicks) September 19, 2022

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In any case, here are what I watched last month:

NEW MOVIES

Royal Night Out (2015)

FULL REVIEW

The Woman King*

FULL REVIEW

Above All Else doc*

With the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, she was definitely on my mind earlier this month. As she has been a monarch for over six decades and was the cornerstone of modern British history, the documentary title is definitely fitting as she has such an extraordinary sense of duty that she placed above all else. It’s a fascinating look back at her life and lifelong service to the English throne.

Brideshead Revisited (2008)

I’ve been meaning to watch this film for some time and it’s filled with a bunch of my favorite actors: Emma Thompson, Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw, Haley Atwell and Michael Gambon. I love period dramas and this one tells a poignant story of forbidden love and the loss of innocence set in England prior to World War II. Despite the cast though, I wasn’t as taken by this adaptation, but I’m curious to check out the mini-series starring Jeremy Irons which sounds like a more faithful adaptation of the novel.

Apparently Luca Guadagnino wanted to do a remake with Cate Blanchett, Ralph Fiennes and Andrew Garfield but the project has been officially shelved per this article, too bad!

The 355 (2022)

This movie got such bad reviews so I didn’t watch it right away. But y’know what, the female cast was kick-ass and they’re really fun to watch here. I’m a big fan of Jessica Chastain and she’s terrific as a female spy (one of the first roles I saw her in was The Debt). Apparently, she proposed the idea of a female spy in the vein of James Bond and Mission: Impossible, and to some extent this movie does carry those vibes. I like the camaraderie between Chastain and Lupita Nyong’o, and the rivalry with Diane Kruger who could be a bonafide action star. The fight scenes between Chastain and Kruger are pretty intense, while Penélope Cruz actually provides some comic relief as the non-spy character of the team.

The weakest link is Sebastian Stan who isn’t believable in his role despite having played The Winter Soldier. I really think a more suitable actor might’ve done his character justice. Same with the director Simon Kinberg, having just butchered the X-Men franchise with Dark Phoenix, I think the movie would’ve been much better under a more seasoned action director like David Leitch or Christopher McQuarrie. That said, I don’t think it’s as bad as the reviews made it out to be. I still find it enjoyable thanks to the bad-ass female cast who made it a fun Saturday night entertainment.

Don’t Worry Darling*

FULL REVIEW

See How They Run (2022)

FULL REVIEW

The Infernal Machine (2022)

Review + Interview with Filmmaker coming later this week!

Greenland (2020)

FULL REVIEW

DC League of Super Pets

Review Upcoming

Amsterdam

Review Upcoming

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REWATCHES

Sleepless In Seattle*

I’ve rewatched this rom-com classic so many times but I still absolutely love this movie!! You just can’t beat Nora Ephron’s wit and charm… her dialog is just so memorable and even iconic.

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TV SERIES

She-Hulk*

Andor

The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power

Mystic Quest (season 1) + Irma Vep (limited series)

I tried to watch two of these series but I’m not sold to continue past the first episode. Mystic Quest is pretty funny but and I don’t think one has to be an avid gamer to enjoy it, but I just wasn’t all that invested in the story to want to keep going. As for Irma Vep, despite the intriguing premise and having Alicia Vikander as the lead, the first episode is just too weird and gives me kind of a bad taste afterwards. Maybe I’ll give it another shot at some point, not quite sure.

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52 Films By Women pledge

Movies indicated with * (asterisk) indicate those directed by women.

I’m short one movie this month as I only saw three new movies directed by women, plus 1 rewatch – Sleepless In Seattle by Nora Ephron. 

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SEPTEMBER MOVIE OF THE MONTH

THE WOMAN KING

This is an easy pick for this month! The Woman King reigns supreme as the best movie I saw in September and would likely make my Top 10 list of 2022!

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UPCOMING SCREENINGS: Ticket To Paradise

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So, what’s YOUR favorite film(s) you saw in SEPTEMBER?