Top 6 Best Films of Autumn
The autumn film season is nearly over, but this doesn’t mean it’s time to move on to winter premieres—you’ve likely missed a few autumn releases worth watching. Now is the perfect time to catch up. Some of these films are still in cinemas, while others are already available on streaming platforms or cable TV.
Thrillers, sci-fi comic sequels, war dramas, heart-warming tales, and musicals—autumn 2024 brought an impressive variety to the global box office. Enjoy watching!
The Substance
A straightforward yet poignant metaphor about human greed and vanity, wrapped in an aesthetically charged body-horror package, deservedly earned the "Best Screenplay" award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film’s highlights include exceptional cinematography, numerous visual and thematic nods to cinematic classics, and Demi Moore’s dedicated performance, marking her triumphant return to the big screen. The plot centres around Elizabeth Sparkle, an ageing Hollywood actress whose glory days are long gone, forcing her to host a TV fitness show. Upon learning that producers are searching for a younger replacement, Elizabeth turns to a mysterious company offering an experimental drug called "The Substance," which promises to transform her into a “better version” of herself. However, minor side effects soon escalate into serious problems.
Bucha
A harrowing but essential first Ukrainian feature film dedicated to the Bucha massacre, a genocide of Ukrainian civilians in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region, carried out by Russian armed forces during the early days of the full-scale invasion in March 2022. During the occupation, more than 637 people were killed in Bucha. The film is based on the true story of Kostiantyn Gudauskas, a volunteer who rescued dozens of people from Bucha, Vorzel, and other Russian-occupied areas. With a Lithuanian father and Kazakh heritage, his “allied” Kazakh passport enabled him to pass Russian checkpoints. The film incorporates Gudauskas’s accounts and materials provided by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Speak No Evil
This suspenseful thriller explores the dangers of overstepping personal boundaries and the inability to say "no" when necessary. A remake of the Danish thriller of the same name, it features several script deviations, energetic performances by James McAvoy, and a surprising revival of the pop hit Eternal Flame. The story follows an American family vacationing in Italy, where they meet a friendly British couple with a mute son. After returning home, the Americans receive a postcard from their new friends, inviting them to visit their farm in Devon. What begins as a pleasant weekend in the English countryside soon turns into a series of awkward moments and, eventually, a fight for survival.
Paddington in Peru
The third instalment of the adventures of the polite and cheerful Paddington Bear and his adoptive British family takes us from the gloomy, rainy streets of London to the sunny, exotic jungles of Peru. Paddington travels to his homeland with the Browns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy. However, upon arriving at the retirement home where Aunt Lucy has lived for the past few years, they are met with an unpleasant surprise: the elderly bear has embarked on a mysterious quest along the Amazon, and no one knows her whereabouts. Determined to find and rescue her, Paddington and the Browns embark on a perilous, adventure-filled journey down the Amazon River.
Venom 3: The Last Dance
The conclusion of the comedic trilogy about Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote Venom—at least, Tom Hardy’s contract was for three films. However, as past experience shows, bringing a popular comic book character back to the screen (even one presumed dead) is never too challenging. In the final chapter, the dynamic duo are on the run—Brock evading military forces from the secretive Area 51, while Venom is hunted by hordes of alien monsters sent to Earth by the symbiotes' creator, Knull. Eddie and Venom face a tough choice, as saving Earth from invasion will require one of them to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Wicked
This adaptation of the legendary Broadway musical—a prequel to the famous The Wizard of Oz—brings together singers and actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande on the same set. The story delves into the friendship between two witches, Glinda and Elphaba, during their time at a magical university. They are destined to become the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West in the original tale. However, their encounter with the Wizard of Oz (a charismatic and enchanting performance by Jeff Goldblum) becomes a turning point, leading the two friends down completely divergent paths.