Fall Movie Guide: Moneyball, Breaking Dawn, Contagion

Well hello there gloomy chill, where did you come from? It seems like just yesterday we were poolside, and now suddenly the annual hibernation from civilization has begun with sweater-weather and hunts for more indoor spots to escape to. It’s the time of year when cozying up for a movie is the favored option for what to do on a Friday night, and this year’s film lineup makes it that much more convincing.

Whether you’re seeking an action-packed thriller, a laugh-out-loud date movie, or a continuation to a very dramatic, very popular series of vampire films, San Diego theaters will be packed this season for blockbusters and star-studded affairs, as a new set of movies, plot-lines, and actors become the topics on everyone's tongues. A few of our top fall movie picks include Contagion, Moneyball, What's Your Number?, Drive, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1.

Discover the top five new movies for fall.

Contagion: September 9th

In theaters now, this thriller centers on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak. The star-studded script features Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Kate Winslet, and is directed by Steven Soderbergh of Ocean’s Eleven. Following the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days, the medical community races to find a cure and control the panic.

Moneyball: September 23rd

Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill star in the true story biography of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane and his successful attempt at putting together a baseball club on an unfavorable financial situation. Beane employs computer-generated analysis to draft his players, creates a competitive baseball team at a fraction of the cost of large market teams, and well, the rest is history. Written by Aaron Sorkin of Social Network fame and directed by Bennet Miller, this fall film is expected to draw in big numbers, from sports-enthusiasts and high-drama lovers alike.

What’s Your Number?: September 30th

Quirky and bubbly blonde Anna Farris of The House Bunny and Scary Movie stars in the new romantic comedy What’s Your Number? Processing through the past 20 men she’s had relationships with, Ally Darling contemplates which one of them might still have a chance at being her one true love. Obviously, it’s a path full of disappointments, duds, and “what was I thinking?”, but she gets some help from her neighbor Colin, played by Chris Evans.

Drive: September 16th

Hollywood hunk Ryan Gosling is back on the big screen with Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, and Christina Hendricks in this action-crime drama. The plot line of Drive follows a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman and discovers that a contract to kill him has been ordered after a heist gone wrong. Adapted from James Sallis’s 2005 novel, reviewers have called Drive a “classic Los Angeles heist-gone-wrong story” and combines a variety of dramatic elements with both violent and stylish tones.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1: November 18th

The vampires return with Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and leading lady Kristen Stewart in the continuation of the closely-followed saga. In this chapter, expecting parents Edward Cullen and Bella Swan are placed under intense pressure as their unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven, while The Quileute and the Volturi close in on them. The suspenseful and romantic Breaking Dawn continues the epic tale of supernatural fantasy and passion. This one of two-parts forms the fourth and final installment in the popular Twilight Saga series.

Insider Tip: Celebrating its 10 year anniversary, the San Diego Film Festival returns to the Gaslamp Theater this fall, running September 28th – October 2nd, gifting us with five days and nights of film premieres, celebrity sightings, director panels, and after parties. Get details here.

 Movie Ticket Giveaways: Want to win free tickets to these San Diego movies and more, courtesy of Regal Entertainment Group? Like us on Facebook, and watch for fun giveaways all season long. It's as easy as that!

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