5 Movies To See In September

September is upon us and the summer blockbuster season has come to an end, which means there's a bit of a lull in must-see movies hitting theaters. That doesn't mean there aren't any quality films worth checking out this month though, as there are still some very exciting, very highly anticipated releases coming our way. It probably isn't realistic for you to spend every day at your local theater watching every single release in hopes of it being good. You likely have a job, and other life commitments besides movies, so you’re faced with the ever so daunting task of deciding which films are worth your time and money this month. In order to help you make up your mind, I’ve put together this list of 5 must-see films releasing over the course of September. There are certainly some other quality films hitting theaters, but these are the 5 that you need to make sure you don’t miss. So without any further ado, read on for our list of 5 movies to see in September. Insidious: Chapter 2 2013 has been a surprisingly stellar year so far for horror. Yeah, there have been some huge letdowns, as there always is, but there has also been an abundance of quality scares and smart stories to be found, which I can assure you is not always the case. The one horror film I was excited for above all the others coming into this year was Insidious: Chapter 2, and according to early reports, the film definitely doesn't disappoint. Not that I thought it would disappoint by any means. James Wan is a master of the genre, and when teamed with Jason Blum, things usually end up being even better than usual. The excellent cast is also back for this one, but really all that matter to me are Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne. They were great to watch in the first film, and with the ending of that movie the way it is, I have a hunch that Wilson's going to be even more exciting this time around. The first film is one of my favorite horror flicks of all time, as it's smart, innovative, and still brings the scares. The second one is supposed to be more of a scare-the-crap-out-of-you movie, and that's something I will definitely welcome before the horror season really turns up the heat next month. Prisoners Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal have quickly turned themselves into a couple of the most well-respected actors working today. So a film teaming the two up as co-stars had my attention from the minute it was announced. The excellent cast for Prisoners doesn't stop with the two leads. Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard, Paul Dano, and Viola Davis are all in the film among plenty of other actors who are very enjoyable to watch. In addition to that cast, the film was shot by Roger Deakins, the cinematographer who should've won an Oscar for his work on Skyfall (and about six other movies). Perhaps this will be the film for which he finally gets his award. The trailer, while not what I originally expected from the movie, is sharp and intriguing, setting the stage for this story of how far a man will go to save his family. Jackman and Gyllenhaal both have plenty of intense scenes of frustration, fury, and ferocious yelling, things they do as well as anyone in the biz. Prisoners should be one of the most gripping and thrilling dramas of the fall and I highly suggest you check it out. Rush I'm no fan of Formula One. Nor do I really care about rivalries between Englishmen and Austrians. But I do love features directed by Ron Howard, the acting of Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, and awesome stories, so I am absolutely thrilled to see Rush this month. For those who aren't familiar, the film is about Englishman James Hunt (Hemsworth) and Austrian Niki Lauda (Brühl), whose clashes on the Grand Prix racetrack showed the differences in style between the two, which also held true in their personal lives. Some say their rivalry was the greatest the world ever witnessed, and this film looks to explore that intensity by showing the two drivers push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance. All the footage that we've seen so far has gotten me really excited, so if you're on the fence and happen to somehow have missed all the promotion, you should head on over and give the trailer a watch as soon as possible. Don Jon The directorial debut from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Don Jon, has received rave reviews so far, and despite being re-cut in order to be rated R, I don't see any reason why those reviews will be any less positive when the film is in its wide(r) release. You still probably won't be able to catch this one everywhere, but you should definitely make an effort to get where it's playing. Gordon-Levitt is quickly proving to be one of the most talented people working in the industry today. Between all of his quality acting performances lately and his website hitrecord.org, he's really making a name for himself. Don Jon tells the story of Jon, a porn-addicted, sex-loving guido, who considers changing his behavior when he meets a girl who loves movies but not porn. With a cast including Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, and Tony Danza, this may be the must-see of the month. For more on why it's so highly anticipated, check out our very own Matt Joseph's review from TIFF. As I Lay Dying It's always exciting when a filmmaker tackles a book that was previously dubbed as "unfilmable." Whether they succeed or not isn't as relevant as the fact that there's usually some innovative attempts to overcome the challenges that are presented by the format of the source material. When they do succeed though, well that just makes it all the more worthwhile. William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying has been called unfilmable, mostly because of its many-narrator format, but that hasn't stopped James Franco from taking it on. Franco shot last year in Canton, Mississippi, a couple hours from Oxford, where Faulkner made his home. The novel, while not my personal favorite, is regarded by many as Faulkner's best, so if for nothing else, this movie should be seen for that reason. Franco is an interesting filmmaker, doing more things that strike me as peculiar than promising, but there's no denying he has talent, and he brought in quite the skilled cast for this one. Ahna O'Reilly, Logan Marshall-Green, Richard Jenkins, and Tim Blake Nelson will all show their faces here. It's a great story of a family and their quest, and it should definitely be worth your time. Those are our picks for movies to see in September. Which ones will you be checking out? Let us know in the comments section below.