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Eagle Eye – Opens September 26th

At just 87 seconds, Eagle Eye's first-look preview doesn't have a lot of time to hook viewers. But that certainly doesn't mean the feat is impossible, because Eagle Eye's trailer surely wet my thriller appetite. In it, the up-and-coming Shia LaBeouf becomes a mere pawn in some chick's twisted game. However, unlike Jigsaw's concentrated traps in the infamous Saw franchise, the woman's tasks are on a far larger scale. After entering his apartment filled to the brim with guns, ammo and other dangerous equipment, the woman tells LaBeouf to move, or face consequences from the FBI. His inaction leads to a new setting, which is soon destroyed by a large crane. And that leads to LaBeouf standing at the edge of a skyscraper, being told by the woman to either jump or face probable death. So LaBeouf does, and it cuts to black. It's thrilling, it's exciting, and I want to know where it goes.

Grade: A
Also expected to be released on this date: Nights in Rodanthe, Miracle at St. Anna, Choke

The Express – Opens October 3rd

Nowadays, casual sports fans may find it hard to believe that Syracuse University was once a college football powerhouse. With just seven wins in the past three seasons, combined with low Carrier Dome attendance figures, SU football today is nothing more than a headache for head coach Greg Robinson and the school's athletic department. Thus, it seems like the perfect time for Universal to erase the bad with the release of a film focused on the golden years of Syracuse football, and more specifically, a biopic on all-star athlete Ernie Davis, who became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961. The Express, however, appears to be about more than Davis' supreme running back skills. It will also chiefly touch upon race and other social issues of the early 1960s, which will bode well for moviegoers who are not so interested in Davis' contributions to football's history.

Grade: B
Also expected to be released on this date: Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Possession, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, What Just Happened, Religulous

City of Ember – Opens October 10th

Has Bill Murray lost his mind? He was working on such a beautiful film resume as of late, including a lead role in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and his entire Wes Anderson kick, beginning seven years ago with The Royal Tenenbaums. Now, he's playing the mayor of an underground city that may be on the verge of disaster in Gil Kenan's film adaptation of a 2003 novel, and Murray looks both out-of-place and absolutely ridiculous. The whole movie, really, looks just plain bad, even with its commendable cast. (Tim Robbins and Atonement's Saoirse Ronan also have lead roles). Though targeted towards young adults, City of Ember certainly won't be the talk of the fall season.

Grade: F
Also expected to be released on this date: Body of Lies, Sex Drive

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