Welcome to this week’s edition of Back Lot 605’s Coming Soon column! This is truly the calm before the storm of what will be a new major tentpole movie coming each week in the fourth quarter… so take a few breaths, and get ready! Here’s what coming soon for the week of September 24^th, 2021:

Featured Title: Dear Evan Hansen

This weekend’s major theatrical release is the film adaptation of the hit 2015 stage musical from songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who went on to write the songs for La La Land and The Greatest Showman). And to be upfront, this flick has had a hard go at it so far, from its initial trailer reactions of 27-year-old Ben Platt still trying to play a high-schooler, to the finished feature’s mixed reception at the Toronto International Film Festival. But, Universal is still hoping that the fans of the original musical will show up in droves to support the studio’s first big-screen musical since… umm… Cats. 🙂

Platt, who originated the title role on stage, plays the titular Evan Hansen, a high-schooler with social anxiety who’s mistaken for being the supposed only friend of a classmate who’s just committed suicide. Evan then leans into the lie when it garners him all sorts of attention at school… as well as “going viral” on teh Interwebz!!!1! Also starring Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, and Amandla Stenberg; directed by Stephen Chobsky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Wonder). (Opens Friday, September 24^th in theaters nationwide, including the Century Stadium 14 & XD, the Century East at Dawley Farm, and the West Mall 7 in Sioux Falls, with previews beginning at 7PM on Thursday, September 23^rd.)

Opening in Theaters

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

After a semi-wide release last weekend, this awards contender is finally expanding to Sioux Falls! Jessica Chastain is gunning for Best Actress awards-season gold by playing the infamous Tammy Faye Bakker, who, with her husband Jim (Andrew Garfield), became televangelist stars in the 1970s and 1980s… only to have their empire come crashing down due to various scandals. Also starring Cherry Jones, and Vincent D’Onofrio as Jerry Falwell. Directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick, Hello, My Name is Doris). (Opens Friday, September 24^th at the Century Stadium 14 & XD in Sioux Falls.)

New to Streaming and VOD

The Starling

Netflix’s main new movie this weekend comes to us from Hidden Figures director Ted Melfi, who reunites with two of the co-stars of his 2014 dramedy St. Vincent: Melissa McCarthy and Chris O’Dowd. After an expecting mother (McCarthy) loses her child due to a miscarriage, she and her husband (O’Dowd) try to overcome their grief with the help of a former shrink-turned-veterinarian (Kevin Kline). (Premieres Friday, September 24^th on Netflix.)

This is the Night

James DeMonaco, the writer/director of the first three Purge movies (and the writer of all 5 theatrical installments), has gotten Blumhouse to bankroll this semi-autobiographical tribute to the movies, set in Staten Island in the summer of 1982. It follows an Italian-American family as they prepare for the opening night of Rocky III! (In fact, I joked last week that you should play a drinking game where you take a shot after every utterance of the word “Rocky” in the trailer below… but you’d probably die in the process.) 🙂 Starring Frank Grillo, Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts and Method Man. (Premieres Tuesday, September 21^st on digital VOD services.)

Intrusion

A couple (Logan Marshall-Green and Freida Pinto) move into a new home in a small town… but after they encounter a break-in, the wife is traumatized and becomes suspicious of everyone around her. Co-starring Robert John Burke; directed by Adam Salky (I Smile Back). (Premieres Wednesday, September 22^nd on Netflix.)

Returning to Theaters

The Transformers: The Movie

You’ve got the touch!!! You’ve got the power!!! And so does this 1986 big-screen iteration of the cartoon series, which is getting a 35th anniversary theatrical showing in conjunction with its recent 4K UHD Blu-ray re-release! With the voices of Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack, Scatman Crothers, and, in his final film performance… Orson Welles as Unicron! (Showing Sunday, September 26^th and Tuesday, September 28^th in theaters nationwide, including the Century Stadium 14 & XD in Sioux Falls.)

Carrie

This weekend’s Fathom Events encore screening is a 45th anniversary presentation of Brian De Palma’s 1976 high school horror movie based on the Stephen King novel! Sissy Spacek stars in her Oscar-nominated role as the titular Carrie, a bullied girl with telekinetic powers who memorably gets her revenge on her classmates at the school prom! Also starring Piper Laurie (also an Oscar nominee for this movie), John Travolta, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, and William Katt. (Showing Sunday, September 26^th and Thursday, September 30^th in theaters nationwide, including the Century Stadium 14 & XD and the Century East at Dawley Farm in Sioux Falls.)

Showing at the State!

Oasis Knebworth 1996

Leading the State’s weekend slate is this brand-new release, which is coming to town on its release date! This documentary chronicles the two sold-out 1996 UK concerts in which 250,000 attendees watched the band Oasis perform at the height of their fame… combining original concert footage with reflections from band members and people who attended these concerts. Directed by Ridley Scott’s son Jake Scott (Welcome to the Rileys, American Woman). (Showing Thursday, September 23^rd and Friday, September 24^th at the State Theatre.)

Wayne’s World

It’s Wayne’s World! It’s Wayne’s World! Party time! Excellent!!! Woo-woo-woo-wooo!!! That’s right: The generation-defining 1992 comedy that brought Mike Myers’ Wayne and Dana Carvey’s Garth from SNL to the big screen is playing the State! Also starring Tia Carrere, Rob Lowe, Brian Doyle-Murray, Kurt Fuller, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ed O’Neill, and a number of hilarious cameos! Directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization trilogy, 1993’s The Beverly Hillbillies, 1994’s The Little Rascals). (Showing Friday, September 24^th, Saturday, September 25^th and Sunday, September 26^th at the State Theatre.)

Harry and the Hendersons

For the kids (and their parents!), the State is showing the 1987 Amblin-produced movie about a dad (John Lithgow) who welcomes Bigfoot into their humble home after he hits him with the family car! Also starring Melinda Dillon, Don Ameche, M. Emmet Walsh, and Kevin Peter Hall (who played the Predator this same year) as “Harry”! Directed and co-written by William Dear (also known for Disney’s 1994 Angels in the Outfield remake). (Showing Saturday, September 25^th and Sunday, September 26^th at the State Theatre.)

Alphaville

Finally, the State is screening their latest Criterion offering: Jean-Luc Godard’s 1965 hybrid of sci-fi and film noir! Eddie Constantine plays Lemmy Caution, an American private eye who’s sent to the futuristic city of Alphaville to find a missing agent, as well as to kill Professor Von Braun, the inventor of the rogue computer Alpha 60. Also starring Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff, and Howard Vernon. (Showing Saturday, September 25^th and Sunday, September 26^th at the State Theatre.)

New This Week to Blu-ray and 4K

• F9: The Fast Saga (2021)
• Cruella (2021)
• Unbreakable (2000) (new to 4K Blu-ray!)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971) (new to 4K Blu-ray!)
• Dementia 13 (1963) (Vestron Video Collectors Series)

Older Movies New to Streaming

Netflix:

• No additional movies on Netflix this week. Sorry!

Hulu:

• Funhouse (2021) (premieres Thursday, September 23^rd)
• An American Haunting (2006) (premieres Friday, September 24^th)
• Gemini (2018) (premieres Saturday, September 25^th)
• Home Run (2013) (premieres Tuesday, September 28^th)
• Minor Premise (2020) (premieres Wednesday, September 29^th)
• New Order (2021) (premieres Thursday, September 30^th)

Amazon Prime:

• No additional movies on Amazon Prime this week. Sorry!

Shudder:

• Phantasm (1979) (premieres Monday, September 27^th)
• Phantasm III (1994) (premieres Monday, September 27^th)
• Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998) (premieres Monday, September 27^th)
• Phantasm: Ravager (2016) (premieres Monday, September 27^th)

Disney+:

• The Fault in Our Stars (2014) (premieres Friday, September 24^th)

HBO Max:

• Promising Young Woman (2020) (premieres Saturday, September 25^th)
• Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) (premieres Thursday, September 30^th)

Peacock:

• Despicable Me (2010) (premieres Saturday, September 25^th)

Paramount+:

• An American Haunting (2006) (premieres Friday, September 24^th)
• Home Run (2013) (premieres Tuesday, September 28^th)

The Criterion Channel:

• Thursday, September 23^rd: Three Dimensions: Aki Kaurismäki’s Finland Trilogy: Drifting Clouds (1996), The Man Without a Past (2002), Lights in the Dusk (2006)
• Friday, September 24^th: Double Feature: Pipe Dreams: Cluny Brown (1946), The Plumber (1979)
• Saturday, September 25^th: Saturday Matinee: Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams (2019)
• Monday, September 27^th: True Stories: Fear of a Black Hat (1993)
• Tuesday, September 28^th: Short + Feature: The End of Innocence: Da yie (2020), Munyurangabo (2007)
• Wednesday, September 29^th: Exclusive Streaming Premiere: The Perfect Candidate (2019)

The Shameless Plugs

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