The Best Movies of Fall 2019
Teen Vogue is excited to debut its Fall Preview of shows and films that we're obsessed with. We're highlighting a diverse range of programming that touches on love, family, friendships, trauma, curiosity, and innovative perspectives about the world around us.
With fall comes cozy sweaters, brown leaves, and a number of fresh films for your viewing pleasure. Instead of spending another evening at home on the couch binging Netflix, consider heading to the nearest movie theater for the slew of premieres this season.
Sure, there are a lot of movies coming out during the next few months, but the Teen Vogue staff has some suggestions on what’s actually worth watching. Our picks feature some of our favorite celebs, including our September cover star Naomi Scott, embodying dynamic characters and kickass heroes. Many of our selections will also make you think about the world around us while still providing plenty of entertainment.
So grab the popcorn, buy your tickets, and check out the movies below.
Paradise Hills
Premieres: October 25
Bringing together the likes of Emma Roberts, Danielle Macdonald, Awkwafina, Milla Jovovich, and more, fantastical thriller Paradise Hills skewers princess tropes. Uma (Emma Roberts) wakes up on an isolated island at Paradise Hills, a facility where daughters from wealthy families are shipped off to so they can be taught how to become the perfect versions of themselves. Uma isn’t afraid to speak out against the etiquette classes and various other treatments the young women are put through and eventually links up with Chloe (Danielle Macdonald), Yu (Awkwafina), and popstar Amarna (Eiza Gonzales) to uncover the truth behind the eerie paradise.
The film’s dialogue and plot structure aren’t the strongest, but there are plenty of interesting themes that are being played with. Paradise Hills is also a gorgeous film, having been shot in Spain, and features plenty of amazing costumes. And honestly, all I had to hear was Emma, Danielle, and Awkwafina as pseudo-princesses f*cking shit up together to get me on board to watch the movie. — Gabe Bergado
Queen & Slim
Premieres: November 27
Melina Matsoukas’ directorial debut does not spare emotions as she tells the tragic story of two people who forge a bond after getting into a deadly encounter with a police officer. No traditional love story in any form, Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) go from two strangers on a first date to fugitives, bound together by their situation.
Written by Lena Waithe (The Chi) and James Frey (A Million Little Pieces, Katerina), we follow the pair across state lines in an uncomfortable, yet cinematically-stunning portrayal of being on the run. From Ohio down to Louisiana and eventually Florida, the melanin-enriched pseudo-Bonnie and Clyde narrowly escape obstacle after obstacle in the hopes of freedom.
“I wanted to give voice to all the nameless faceless men and women of color whose lives were taken unjustly and who didn’t make it home,” Lena told press at ESSENCE Fest in July. “I actually refer to them as fallen soldiers but unfortunately, they were fighting a war they didn’t know they were in. There is so much Black deaths surrounding us … I wanted to turn the tables where we could keep breathing and the opposer didn’t.”
The raw truth is that oppression of Black people in this country is so insidious and innate that every second of the film feels tension-filled. In addition to running from the law, the film is a beautiful love letter to African Americans’ solidarity, particularly in times of great need.
Conscious and convicting, Queen & Slim is by no means an easy watch — but it is a must-watch. — Danielle Kwateng-Clark
Honey Boy
Premieres: November 8
Shia LaBeouf is probably the only actor in the world that can tell his life story in a film that stars himself — playing his father. If that sounds like a bit of a psychedelic trip, that’s because the road to dissecting Shia’s psyche is no narrow one. Directed by Alma Har'el, Honey Boy is Shia’s screenplay loosely based off his childhood as an actor managed by his ex-rodeo clown father.
Written as a form of catharsis while he was in rehab, the film is an incredibly intimate and vulnerable story of generational trauma, addiction, and misguidance that can only be broken down by Shia himself. As background: The lead character is Otis, nicknamed "honey boy," a fictionalized version of Shia himself. While building his career as a child actor on a comedy show, Otis is managed by his emotionally abusive, drug-using father — who can't legally be his guardian because he's a convicted sex offender.
The film was said to be a therapeutic challenge for Shia, 33, because he plays an iteration of his real-life dad, while the incredibly talented Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges play younger versions of himself. Also in the film is FKA Twigs who makes her film debut as the friendly neighbor who moonlights as a call girl. — Danielle Kwateng-Clark
Charlie's Angels
Premieres: November 15
Did the world need a Charlie’s Angels reboot? To that question we say: who cares? Charlie’s Angels is coming whether you like it or not, and Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Lana Del Rey’s killer soundtrack bop “Don’t Call Me an Angel” seems to hint that we’re in for a decadent, if surprising, treat when the movie hits theaters on November 15.
The new Angels are Kristen Stewart (as Sabina Wilson), Naomi Scott (as Elena Houghlin), and Ella Balinska as (as Jane Kano). They’re joined in destroying their enemies by a team of Bosleys (Elizabeth Banks, Djimon Hounsou, and Patrick Stewart) who guide them. Throw in training montages, high-energy power pop, and spy makeover scenes involving numerous wigs — oh, and Noah Centineo — and you’ve got a whirlwind of an action-comedy.
In the trailer, Kristen’s character charmingly asserts, “I think women can do anything,” before going on to strangle a man who dares to question her idea (and is also stealing humanitarian aid money, yikes). We’re definitely here for the Angels brand of (fictional, OK!) justice. — P. Claire Dodson
Little Women
Premieres: December 25
Little Women feels like a tale as old as time — after all, the classic 1868 novel from Louisa May Alcott has been adapted for film no less than seven times. The 2019 version, directed by Greta Gerwig, will be the eighth, but there’s plenty to be excited about with such a star-studded cast, as well as Greta’s deft hand at creating female friendships on screen.
Featuring Emma Watson as Meg, Eliza Scanlen as Beth, Saoirse Ronan as Jo, and Florence Pugh as Amy, 2019’s Little Women seems prepared to breathe new life into the tale of the March family, if the first trailer is any indication. The story follows the four sisters and their mother Marmee (Laura Dern) as they come of age and deal with all manners of heartbreak (thanks, Laurie — A.K.A. Timothee Chalamet), familial conflict (thanks, Aunt March A.K.A. Meryl Streep) and tragedy. Even in the short trailer, Saoirse and Timothee’s chemistry is undeniable, as is the dynamic between the sisters. Meanwhile, the movie seems to celebrate the career ambitions of its women heroines, like with Amy, who wants to be a famous artist, and Jo, who wants to be an influential writer. Quippy remarks from Meryl about being rich don’t hurt either. — P. Claire Dodson
Related: The Best and Most Binge-Worthy Shows to Watch This Fall
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
