The University of Idaho Argonaut

After a summer of expensive explosions, it’s time to get serious. Fall is here, and with it comes a plethora of prestige pictures and Oscar hopefuls. Everyone from Steven Spielberg to 50 Cent is gunning for a piece of critical acclaim. But before you roll your eyes, just remember a couple of big blockbusters are scheduled, including a big hairy ape and a certain boy wizard. This is just a sample of things to come, and remember that all release dates are subject to change.

September

“Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (Sept. 23)

Stop-motion animation seems to be ancient history compared to computer animation, but who can resist the dark, morose genius of Tim Burton? It’s the same team that brought us “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a Halloween/Christmas classic for many.  This time Burton recruits two of his regular collaborators, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, to voice the oddest of odd couples.

Will it win Oscars? In a year without a Pixar film, and with Depp on such a hot streak lately, pencil it in for at least a Best Animated Film nomination.

Also in September

September 2

“The Constant Gardener”: Ralph Fiennes finally plays a good guy in this acclaimed thriller about drug dealings in Africa.

“The Transporter 2”: Since when was it a good idea to make sequels of movies that barely made $25 million?

September 9

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”: More of a prestige picture than you’d think, with Laura Linney as a lawyer defending a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who kills a girl while performing an exorcism.

“The Man”: Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy team up for yet another cool black guy/lame white guy action comedy.

September 16

“Just Like Heaven”: Reese Witherspoon (yawn) plays a woman whose spirit haunts the new tenant of her apartment (Mark Ruffalo) while her body rests in a coma.

September 23

“Flightplan”: Jodie Foster stars in a thriller that looks like last year’s “The Forgotten,” only on a plane.

“Roll Bounce”: Bow Wow (without the Lil’ apparently) stars in perhaps the first movie about rollerskating.

September 30

“Serenity”: Formally a botched sci-fi/western drama on the Fox network, the cast and creator (“Buffy” creator Joss Whedon) return to prove the TV big-wigs wrong with this big screen adaptation.

“Into the Blue”: A movie starring the two worst actors on the planet: Paul Walker and Jessica Alba.

“A History of Violence”: Viggo Mortenson guns for an Oscar as a man forced to face his gangster past in his new life operating a diner.

“The Legend of Zorro” (Oct. 28)

So it seems like forever since “The Mask of Zorro” came out, and for obvious reasons scene-chewer Anthony Hopkins will have to sit this one out. But Antonio Banderas was born to play Zorro, and even Catherine Zeta-Jones wasn’t terribly irritating in the first film. So it’s a studio flick looking for a quick buck … so what? The ride should be fun.

Will it win Oscars? Not a chance in hell.

Also in October

October 7

“In Her Shoes”: The last thing you’d expect from the director of “8 Mile” and “L.A. Confidential” would be a comedy/drama about two competing sisters (Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette). Yet, from Curtis Hanson, here it is.

“Two for the Money”: Al Pacino continues to slum as he plays a big-wig hustler looking to recruit a hot-shot gambler (Matthew McConaughey).

“Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”: From the makers of the Oscar-winning shorts and “Chicken Run” comes the feature-length debut of the titular inventor and dog.

“Good Night and Good Luck” (limited): George Clooney directs this black-and-white drama about newscaster Edward R. Murrow taking on Communist-hunter Joeseph McCarthy.

October 14

“Elizabethtown”: Cameron Crowe (“Jerry Maguire,” “Almost Famous”) gets back in the writing/directing game with the tale of an executive (Orlando Bloom) coming home to bury his father.

“Domino”: Sick of wearing corsets and dresses, Keira Knightley plays real-life bounty hunter Domino Harvey.

“The Fog”: Another horror remake with more young, untalented actors.

October 21

“Doom”: The Rock makes things go “boom” in the video-game adaptation.

“Dreamer”: Dakota Fanning looks for an Oscar nomination in this “Seabiscuit”-type true story.

October 28

“Saw 2”: The Motion Picture Association of America already censored the theatrical trailer to this needless sequel to the sick, but effective, thriller from last year.

“The Weather Man”: Nicolas Cage plays a selfish weather man in Chicago looking for affection from his father (Michael Caine) and his TV audience.

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (Nov. 18)

Now that some of the insanity has waned from this summer’s release of the sixth book in the uber-popular series, new director Mike Newell (“Mona Lisa Smile”) now must deliver the movie version of book four. New to this installment, of course, is Lord Voldemort in all his human-form glory, played by perennial bad guy Ralph Fiennes (“Schindler’s List,” “Red Dragon”). Look for all sorts of spiffy special effects, as this film is the most expensive in the series to date.

Will it win Oscars? Technical awards are most likely a lock, but “Goblet of Fire” will have to fix some storytelling lulls from the previous films to garner anything more prestigious.

Also in November

November 4

“Chicken Little”: Disney’s first computer animated venture without Pixar (apparently “Dinosaur” didn’t count). Zach Braff and Steve Zahn voice.

“Jarhead”: Acclaimed director Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”) takes on the touchy subject of Marine Corps enlistees during the first Gulf War. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx.

November 11

“The New World”: The story of John Smith and Pocahontas as told by Terrence Malick (“The Thin Red Line”) without the use of showtunes or cute raccoons.

“Zathura”: “Jumanji” in space. But not with animals or Robin Williams. But, you know, with space stuff.

“Get Rich Or Die Tryin’”: 50 Cent takes the Eminem route and pops out a semi-autobiographical film about a rapper’s rise to fame.

“Rent” (limited): Based on the popular stage show with the stage show cast, plus Rosario Dawson.

November 18

“Walk the Line”: Biopic about Johnny Cash, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Expect Phoenix to sing, unlike Jamie Foxx in “Ray,” but expect “Ray”-like schmaltz.

“Pride and Prejudice” (limited): Keira Knightley back in a dress for the Jane Austen adaptation.

November 23

“Syriana” (limited): George Clooney and Matt Damon star in this highly relevant thriller about global energy. Directed by Oscar-winning scribe Stephen Gaghan (“Traffic”).

“King Kong” (Dec. 14)

Nobody but Peter Jackson would have the guts to remake the giant ape movie, let alone cast comedian Jack Black in one of the three leading roles. Some have already questioned the CGI Kong (motion captured by Gollum himself, Andy Serkis) in this summer’s trailer, but with a $150 million budget and indie-cred from the likes of Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody, Jackson’s looking for box office gold and a few more Oscars to stick on the shelf.

Will it win Oscars? If it’s “Lord of the Rings” good, you bet. But hey, it could totally suck.

Also in December

December 3

“Aeon Flux”: Charlize Theron stars in this sci-fi thriller based on some ’90s MTV show that nobody remembered.

December 9

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe”: C.S. Lewis book with a long name will probably also be a long, hopefully good movie.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” (limited): Another prestige adaptation, this one starring Ziyi Zhang and directed by “Chicago’s” Rob Marshall.

December 16

“All the King’s Men”: Sean Penn finally sticks his political opinions in a movie rather than into everybody’s faces 24/7.

December 23

“Fun With Dick and Jane”: Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni play a married couple resorting to robbing banks for entertainment. Tea Leoni? Nobody else was available?

“The Producers”: Film adaptation of the stage version (which was a film before that) starring original stars Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, plus Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell.

“Munich”: Steven Spielberg’s very hush-hush project centering on the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack. Eric “I will crush you” Bana stars.

“The Ringer”: Johnny Knoxville fakes his way into the Special Olympics. Stay away.