Plenty of movies to choose from this fall

Starting last weekend and running until after Labor Day, we find ourselves in a bit of a lull when it comes to movie-going. Summer is wrapping up — students are headed back to school and vacations are coming to an end — which puts us in a damper mood and the movie studios in one as well. Last weekend’s new releases, “Conan the Barbarian,” and “Fright Night,” both underperformed; this week’s “Our Idiot Brother” isn’t getting a lot of love from critics and Paul Rudd fans alike; and next week’s “Seven Days in Utopia” is a G-rated flick about golf — I can’t see a lot of people flocking to theaters on their Labor Day weekend just to see that.

And so we wait. We wait for this three-week lull to pass. And when it does, we are in for a surprisingly great fall movie season. Here’s a list of seven movies I’m looking forward to this season — believe me, it was tough to pick and choose. And so, following my picks, there is also a brief listing of other possibilities that might interest you. Enjoy!

“Contagion”; Kate Winslet, Matt Damon; Sept. 9

Beware: If you’re not a germaphobe yet, this movie will surely put things into perspective for you. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (“Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic”), this thriller takes germs to a whole new level, when a virus wipes out millions of people worldwide in just a few days. Panic spreads as doctors try to find a cure before the whole world gets wiped out. It features Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judd Law, and how each of their characters’ lives cross paths during this devastating time.

“50/50”; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogan; Sept. 30

A comedy about cancer — can it be done? I think it can with “50/50.” Based on the real friendship between actor Seth Rogan and a friend of his who was diagnosed with spinal cancer (and who also wrote the screenplay), “50/50” follows their friendship from the initial phases of diagnoses and throughout his treatment. It’s 50 percent comedy (using cancer to get the girls) and 50 percent drama, showcasing the real moments that cancer deals with, such as chemotherapy. It’s a nice balance, which is what makes it work.

“Young Adult”; Charlize Theron; Dec. 9

Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman, the writer and director of “Juno,” team-up again for this adult comedy starring Charlize Theron. Theron plays a successful novelist who heads back to her hometown after receiving a marriage announcement from her high school sweetheart. From here on out, she’s on a mission to regain her sense of popularity and reclaim her sweetheart. If Cody and Reitman can recreate any of the success they had with “Juno,” this is a sure thing for some gut-busting laughs. Plus, it’ll be interesting to see Theron in a comedic role.

“Drive”; Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan; Sept. 16

An intense action-thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) who uses his skill to take on a second job as a getaway driver. During one heist, things get out of hand and he must escape some seriously dangerous men; from here he takes you on one crazy drive. It’s dark and gritty and Gosling proves he’s more than just a pretty face.

“The Big Year”; Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Steve Martin; Oct. 14

Two words: competitive bird-watching; three laugh-out-loud stars.

“The Muppets”; Jason Segal, Amy Adams; Nov. 23

Who doesn’t love the Muppets? Actor/writer Jason Segal has been working hard to bring the lovable puppets back to life, along with director James Bobin, and he’s succeeded with their first big screen debut since “Muppets From Space” back in 1999. It’s a star-studded musical comedy that involves saving the Muppet Theater from being destroyed by an evil, empire of an oil company. “The Muppets” is a must-see attraction for both adults and children; all your favorite Muppet characters will be there — Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and even a new Muppet named Walter.

“The Artist”; Nov. 23

The first things you should know about “The Artist” is that 1). It’s a silent film, and 2.) It’s also a French film. But don’t let either of those aspects deter you! I adore silent films, particularly Charlie Chaplin films, and you should give them a chance in an age full of CGI, blow-em-up movies — it’s a nice change of pace. “The Artist” in particular was quite popular at this year’s Cannes festival. The plot takes place during the transition from silent films to talkies, and how one actor’s career comes tumbling down with the transition. It’s also a great way to learn some film history while you’re at it.

WHAT ELSE IS COMING
Sports films:

“Warrior” (mixed martial arts); Tom Hardy; Sept. 9
“Moneyball” (baseball); Brad Pitt; Sept. 23
“Real Steel” (robot boxing); Hugh Jackman; Oct. 7

Top-notch director films:
“Pearl Jam Twenty”; Cameron Crowe; Sept. 20
“J. Edgar”; Clint Eastwood; Nov. 9
“Melancholia”; Lars von Trier; Nov. 11
“Hugo”; Martin Scorsese; Nov. 23
“The Adventures of Tin Tin”; Steven Spielberg; Dec. 23
“War Horse”; Steven Spielberg; Dec. 28
“Carnage”; Roman Polanski; TBA

Animal films:
“Shark Night 3D”; Sept. 2
“The Lion King 3D”; Sept. 16
“Piranha 3DD”; Nov. 23
“Dolphin Tale”; Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd; Sept. 23
“Puss in Boots”; Antonio Banderes, Salma Hayak; Nov. 4

Documentaries:
“Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”; Oct. 21
“Revenge of the Electric Car”; Oct. 21
“The Whale”; Sept. 16

Remakes, sequels, trilogies, etc:
“Footloose”; Kenny Wormald; Julianne Hough; Oct. 14
“Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol”; Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner; Dec. 21
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”; Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law; Dec. 16
“Paranormal Activity 3”; Oct. 21
“Happy Feet Two”; Elijah Wood; Nov. 18

Highly anticipated:
“The Rum Diary”; Johnny Depp; Oct. 28
“The Iron Lady”; Meryl Streep; Dec. 16
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”; Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig; Dec. 21
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1”; Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson; Nov. 18
“My Week with Marilyn”; Michelle Williams; Nov. 4

Comedies:
“Jack and Jill”; Adam Sandler; Nov. 11
“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”; John Cho, Kal Penn; Nov. 4
“Tower Heist”; Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy; Nov. 4
“What’s Your Number?”; Anna Faris; Sept. 20