25 films to see this fall

Contagion
A deadly disease. An all-star cast (Damon! Cotillard! Paltrow! Winslet!). Is Steven Soderbergh turning into Irwin Allen? We have it on good authority that this virus-on-the-loose thriller is much more upscale than that.—KU (Sep 9)

Drive
Signaling a glorious return to the bruised cool of ’80s loner cinema (fans of Michael Mann’s Thief, buy your tickets now), this propulsive action film stars Ryan Gosling as a Hollywood stunt driver sucked into L.A.’s criminal underworld—and a semiromance with cute neighbor Carey Mulligan.—JR (Sep 16)

Silent Souls
A beloved wife has died, and two men, the mourning husband and his business associate, go on a drive with the body to cremate it at the site of the honeymoon. Because this is a Russian film, expect exquisite chilliness, philosophical chats, and a poise halfway between nostalgia and anticipation.—JR (Sep 16)

Killer Elite
Has the time come to take lunkheaded action hero Jason Statham seriously? We hope not: The actor may be keeping onscreen company with Robert De Niro and Clive Owen, but this spy thriller will hopefully have Statham pounding faces and fleeing fireballs.—JR (Sep 23)

Moneyball
Michael Lewis’s book on the Oakland A’s resuscitation via statistical analysis was a best-seller, but how do you pitch a movie adaptation to non–baseball fans? Easy: You cast Brad Pitt in the lead role and give him Jonah Hill as a sidekick. That’s money in the bank.—DF (Sep 23)