The fall movie season is not just for would-be Oscar contenders to come out punching left and right. There always has to be room for laughter and feel food musicals that make you want to sing along. And those animated creatures that give you the warm-and-fuzzies.
After you're done catching up on your summer reading, you're going to want to see some lighthearted flicks. We've got you covered with the nine best comedies, musicals, and animated movies to look out for in the coming months.
See also: Fall Movie Preview: Seven Best Book-to-Screen Flicks
The Trip to Italy, September 12
Four years ago, two friends embarked on a tasting trip across the English country, and now, they're hungry for more. The Trip to Italy is basically like The Trip, except with Italian restaurants. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon once again get sent on assignment to eat at a bunch of fancy restaurants and keep each other company in the meantime. The two share witty banter throughout their journey and -- much like the first trip -- the film ends up being more about their personal journeys than the cuisine they set out to consume, all while keeping the jokes steadily roasting.
This is Where I Leave You, September 19
Another book to screen adaption, This is Where I Leave You brings Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Rose Byrne, Adam Driver, and Connie Britton together under one roof -- literally. The troupe plays a family who is brought together by the passing of the patriarch and are forced to get along. Normally, that much talent tagged to a film title would make one weary, but the quality of these actors makes us more excited. Plus, we're suckers for a heart-warming comedy.
The Boxtrolls, September 26
It's the animated story of a bunch of trolls who live underground and wear boxes and when they get scared, they can conveniently hide in their box armor. One day, a little baby boy falls into their hole and they do what any right-minded, animated trolls would do: raise him. What comes next is the usual coming-of-age tale made to appeal to young audiences where Eggs, the box-wearing human, grows up, meets a girl, finds himself, and falls in love. The Boxtrolls was made by the same people who brought you Paranorman and Coraline, and stars the voice talents of Elle Fanning, Ben Kingsley, and Nick Frost. They're just so cute! We're going as far as to say they're cuter than minions. We went there.
Big Hero 6, November 7
A fun part about the description for Big Hero 6 is how it takes place in "San Fransokyo" -- leave it up to Disney and Marvel to create a magical cross between California and Japan. The animated adventure looks to be full of age-appropriate action stunts mixed with a sweet plot line about a boy and his best friend invention. The relationship between Hiro and his inflatable pal reminds us of Family Guy's Stewie (the mad-scientist) and his partnership with Brian (the happy-go-lucky sidekick), except the former have to save an entire city from some looming evil rather than spend their days time traveling. The inflated robot looks like a giant air-filled, lovable companion; therefore, you can probably expect plush toy replicas hitting Disney Store shelves just in time for the holidays. Dude, it's from the same studio that made Frozen -- just shut up and watch it.
Dumb and Dumber To, November 14
To say this movie looks "dumb" would be a wasted pun. Rather, we'll say it looks "interesting" and "fun." The original Dumb and Dumber remains a classic, and if it proved anything it was that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels work well together. The storyline for this installment in the self-made trilogy (we're still trying to forget Dumb and Dumber: When Harry Met Llyod), follows Harry and Lloyd tracking down Lloyd's long-lost daughter. In his defense, the mother sent him a postcard nearly 20 years earlier; I mean, everyone knows that e-cards were all the rage in 1991, right?
Horrible Bosses 2, November 26
Yes. A million times: yes. The three best friends that anyone could have are back! Instead of teaming up to try and kill their horrible bosses, Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis attempt to thwart a dangerous kidnapping. The trio revisit Jamie Foxx's character, MF Jones, to get that authentic thug advice: "Ya'll criminals; you tried to kill your bosses. Now, you want to perpetrate a kidnapping? See, you can't have this both ways -- ya'll the craziest criminals I've ever met, you want to pull this shit off? You gotta act like it."
Annie, December 19
Over the years, the holidays have come to be associated with movie releases -- more specifically, musical movies. Les Miserables came out on Christmas Day in 2012 and Frozen was last year's big hit released on Thanksgiving weekend. So it's only fitting that this movie-musical is coming out in December this year. We all know the story of the orphan Annie who meets a rich man and warms his cold heart only to later be adopted and live happily ever after with her new pops. This version of the classic story gets revamped and stars Jamie Foxx and the adorable Quvenzhane Wallis in a modern-day New York City. It might not be such a hard-knock life after all.
The Interview, December 25
James Franco and Seth Rogen are arguably the most bro-tastic BFFs who also happen to be actors and make lots of movies together. And we thank them for their friendship and the stupid yet oh-so-funny movies they co-star in. The pair was great in Freaks and Geeks, Pineapple Express, and This Is the End, so we're taking a shot in the dark here and saying that their turn as spies attempting to assassinate Kim Jong-Un in The Interview will be worth our time and money. Fun fact: both Rogen and Franco guest starred in episodes of The Mindy Project.
Into the Woods, December 25
When so many A-list actors are attached to a film, that can do more harm than good. But in the case of Into the Woods, with Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, and Anna Kendrick (to name a few), those famous last names might just prove to be golden. Based on the Broadway production by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, the story blends together all your favorite fairytales with an evil witch as the connecting thread. We already know that Kendrick, Streep, and Depp can check "singer" off their talent bills; let's see how well the others can compare.
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