A number of amazing movies have recently opened, and a few are opening in the next two months. I believe that some of them will be contenders for the Oscars.

 Here are the top movies I suggest that everyone checks out before the end of the year:  

Gone Girl [In Theaters Now]

Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club)

Adapted from the book by Gillian Flynn

After a man named Nick (Ben Affleck) reports that his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing he becomes the target of intense media scrutiny. His questionable behavior and the uncovering of his wife’s written documents suggest that he may have had something to do with her disappearance. This thrilling drama is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats and will leave you questioning: Did he kill his wife?

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) [In Theaters Now]

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel)      

The story revolves around a washed-up actor named Riggan (Michael Keaton) who is known solely for his role as a superhero named Birdman. He turned down the chance to star in a third installment in the franchise and is struggling to reinvent himself. In order to do this, he decides to direct and star in a Broadway play. Doing this proves harder than he had anticipated as many difficulties arise in the days leading to the premiere night. This dark comedy looks unique and consists of an excellent cast including Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, and Naomi Watts.

Interstellar [In Theaters: November 7th]

Directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy)  

When planet Earth is on the verge of destruction, the only way to save the human race is to search the galaxy for somewhere else that can sustain human life. A man (Matthew McConaughey) must leave his two kids behind in order to embark on this journey through space. This action/thriller film not only looks visually stunning, but is also led by a great cast including Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, and Jessica Chastain. I’ve been eager to see this movie for a while; I think the whole premise of it is genius.  

Foxcatcher [In Theaters: November 14th] 

Directed by Bennett Miller (Moneyball)

Despite both having received Olympic Gold Medals for wrestling, Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) has long lived under the shadow of his more celebrated brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo). This all changes when multi-millionaire John Du Pont (Steve Carell) invites him to his estate and takes on the role of Mark’s coach. John’s overpowering influence on Mark starts to turn things for the worse as Mark exhibits self-destructive behavior, making Dave question John’s coaching strategies. Definitely looks like an intense psychological thriller and is even based on true events. I am also interested in seeing how both Steve Carell and Channing Tatum perform in one of their more serious movie roles.

Wild [In Theaters: December 5th] 

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club)
 Based on the memoir written by Cheryl Strayed 

Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) is at the lowest point of her life emotionally after experiencing a divorce, the death of her mother, and years of destructive behavior. With nothing left to lose, she decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, in an attempt to heal herself. She hopes to turn her life around and rediscover who she is with this long journey through the wilderness. This movie is based on true events and looks like it’s going to be similar to Into the Wild. I’m excited to see her journey unfold.

And if you didn’t get to see the following films, I recommend you watch them as soon as they’re available digitally:

Boyhood [Opened in Select Theaters July 11] 

Directed by Richard Linklater (School of Rock, Dazed and Confused) 

Let me start by saying this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. If you haven’t heard of Boyhood it is a movie that was filmed over 12 years, starting in 2002 when the director casted a six-year-old boy (Ellar Coltrane) to play Mason. Each following year, they filmed a little bit of the movie until it was released in 2014. The film follows Mason’s life, mirroring real life experiences as he transitions from child to adult. The movie is a perfect blend of comedy and drama, and every situation depicted feels real. There is no other movie like this and it features great performances by Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. 

The Skeleton Twins [Opened in Limited Theaters September 12] 

Directed by Craig Johnson

Twins Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) haven’t spoken in 10 years. They reconnect after Milo attempts suicide and Maggie is called to come to the hospital. Maggie then invites Milo to stay with her and the two slowly begin to reestablish the close relationship they once had. Both of them have their own individual troubles and they realize that the only way to fix them is to help one another. With this cast, you would think that this is a comedy. It’s not. While it infuses comedic elements into the plot, it is a drama and showcases the broad acting capabilities of Hader and Wiig.