Next attraction: Movies, series showing this September 2023
MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATED: September 15, 5:16 p.m.) September is off to a Christmas-y start, at least here in the Philippines, but the holiday spirit would be hitting screens just yet.
Here is a list of movies and series premiering this month in local theaters and several streaming platforms.
Cinemas
"The Nun II" (Sept. 6)
Directed by Michael Chaves
Starring Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, and Bonnie Aarons
Synopisis: Four years after the first film, Taissa Farmiga's Sister Irene must once again come face-to-face with Valak, this time in a French boarding school.
This sequel to "The Nun" is the ninth installment in The Conjuring Universe, with Chaves, Farmiga, Bloquet, and Aarons all returning to contribute.
"Kidnap for Romance" (Sept. 6)
Directed by Victor Villenueva
Starring Cristine Reyes, Empoy Marquez, Yayo Aguila, Jeric Raval, and Archie Adamos
Synopsis: The idea of Stockholm Syndrome is thrown into rubbish in this romantic-comedy starting with a kidnapping that turns into a potential charming and emotional relationship.
"A Man of Reason" (Sept. 6)
Directed by Jung Woo Sung
Starring Jung Woo Sung, Kim Nam Gil, Park Sung Woong, and Kim Joo Hun
Synopsis: Woo Sung's Soo Hyuk is finally out of jail after 10 years after covering up for his boss, who won't let him go despite Soo Hyuk wanting to live a normal life away from crime.
The movie had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, also screening at the Sitges Film Festival later that year, and finally got a wide release last August 15 in South Korea.
"The Blind Soldiers" (Sept. 9)
Directed by Ronald Adamat
Starring Gary Lim, Long Mejia, Bong Cabrera, Ronald Adamat, and Soliman Cruz
Synopsis: Illiterate members of Cotobato's Teduray tribe are enlisted in the United States Armed Forces in the Far East during the Japanese invasion and they discover just how harrowing warfare can be.
The film starring comedians Mejia and Lim was a finalist at the 2023 Saskatchewan International Film Festival.
"A Haunting in Venice" (Sept. 13)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, Jaime Dornan, Tina Fey, Camille Cottin, and Jude Hill
Synopsis: Kenneth Branagh returns as the detective Hercule Poirot to attend a Halloween séance in a haunted palazzo which turns deadly when one guest turns up dead.
"Strays" (Sept. 13)
Directed by Josh Greenbaum
Starring Jamie Foxx, Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Will Forte, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Sofia Vergara, Harvey Guillen, Jaime Demetriou, and Greta Lee
Synopsis: A dog abandoned by his owner meets with a stray who enjoys his freedom, making him question if his owner was as beloved as he originally believed.
"The Equalizer 3" (Sept. 13)
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Starring Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, and Melissa Leo
Synopsis: Denzel Washington's Robert McCall is back, taking on the mafia in Southern Italy that is endangering his colleagues.
"Concrete Utopia" (Sept. 20)
Directed by Um Tae Hwa
Starring Lee Byung Hun, Park Seo Joon, Park Bo Young, Kim Sun Young, and Park Ji Hu
Synopsis: A massive earthquakes has devastated Korea and the residents of the sole apartment building still standing must deal with the aftermath.
"Expend4bles" (Sept. 20)
Directed by Scott Waugh
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Andy Garcia, and Jacob Scipio
Synopsis: The Expendables are back for a fourth run, need we say more?
"Sound of Freedom" (Sept. 20)
Directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
Starring Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp
Synopsis: Based on real events from former United States government agent Tim Ballard's life in rescuing children from sex traffickers in Colombia.
"Video City" (Sept. 20)
Directed by Raynier Brizuela
Starring Ruru Madrid, Yassi Pressman, Dennis Padilla, and Soliman Cruz
Synopsis: Borrowing its title from the popular video rental shop from the 1990s, a film student travels goes back in time to that decade where his worldview changes upon meeting a woman then.
"Life of Pi" (Sept. 26)
Directed by Max Webster
Starring Hiran Abeysekera, Mina Anwar, Nicholas Khan, and Payal Mistry
Synopsis: National Theater Live's recording of Lolita Chakrabarti's West End adaptation of Yann Martel's "Life of Pi," where a teenage boy is stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger.
"A Very Good Girl" (Sept. 27)
Directed by Petersen Vargas
Starring Dolly de Leon, Kathryn Bernardo, Angel Aquino, Jake Ejercito, Kaori Oinuma, Ana Abad Santos, Gillian Vicencio, Nour Hooshmand, Donna Cariaga, and Chie Filomeno
Synopsis: A woman plots against a retail mogul to dismantle her empire as payback after a chain of unfortunate events following a heartless firing.
"The Creator" (Sept. 27)
Directed by Gareth Edwards
Starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Benedict Wong, Ralph Ineson, and Alisson Janney
Synopsis: In a war of mankind against machines, a widowed soldier is tasked to eliminate the leader of the machines known as the Creator.
"IU Concert: The Golden Hour" (Sept. 28)
Directed by An Jong-ho
Starring IU
Synopsis: A concert film of Korean artist IU's two-day show at Seoul's Olympic Stadium celebrating her fifteenth anniversary in the industry.
Netflix
"What If?" (Sept. 7)
Directed by Emmanuel Quindo Palo
Starring Alessandra de Rossi, JM de Guzman, Angie Castrence, Soliman Cruz, and Jett Pangan
Synopsis: Two newly-weds are stranded on an island during their honeymoon and they begin to wonder if a relationship or marriage was really the right decision to make.
"Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Season 3" (Sept. 7)
Developed by Mitch Watson and Peter Hastings
Starring Jack Black, Rita Ora, Chris Geere, and James Hong
Synopsis: The final season of Po the Dragon Warrior and his adventures with the brown bear English knight Luthera, also known as the Wandering Blade.
"A Time Called You" (Sept. 8)
Directed by Kim Jin Won
Starring Ahn Hyo Seop, Jeon Yeo Been, and Kang Hoon
Synopsis: A grieving woman who wakes up one day 25 years in the past in the body of a stranger and encounters a man who eerily resembles her recently deceased boyfriend.
This Korean show is based on the 2019 Taiwanese drama series "Someday Or One Day" originally starring Alice Ko, Greg Han, and Patrick Shih.
"Burning Body" (Sept. 8)
Directed by Jorge Torregrossa and Laura Mañá
Starring Úrsula Corberó, Quim Gutiérrez, José Manuel Poga, Isak Férriz, and Eva Llorach
Synopsis: A fictionalized version of Spain's Crime of the Guàrdia Urbana where murder only digs up more scandals and violence in the Barcelona police force.
Disney+
"Welcome to Wrexham Season 2" (Sept. 13)
Starring Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney
Synopsis: A continuation of the documentary series behind Welsh football club Wrexham A.F.C. seen through the eyes of its owners Reynolds and McElhenney, the new season following the club's 2022-2023 season.
"Han River Police" (Sept. 13)
Directed by Kim Sang-cheol
Starring Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Hee-won, Lee Sang-yi, and Bae Da-bin
Synopsis: Two officers stuck together on patrol of Seoul's Han River face emergency situations like terrorism, everyday accidents, and other incidents requiring emergency assistance.
"The Worst of Evil" (Sept. 27)
Directed by Han Dong-wook
Starring Ji Chang-wook, Wi Ha-joon, Im Se-mi, and Bibi
Synopsis: A rural police officer is recruited into an undercover unit with the task of infiltrating and taking down a gang said to be pushing a new drug in Seoul nightclubs.
"The Kardashians Season 4" (Sept. 28)
Starring Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner
Synopsis: The fourth season of the reality television series focusing on the celebrity family the Kardashians and Jenners.
— with updates by Raphael Bello
RELATED: 'A Very Good Girl' premiering in US cinemas in October
- Latest
