The academic year is commencing. The season of summer is winding down. And do you know what that signifies? The arrival of fall movie season!
It’s the time for film festivals to showcase their finest offerings in cinemas across the country, for studios to unveil their most dazzling films ahead of the holiday season, and for hidden treasures to independently shine!
Below, Mashable’s entertainment team has spotlighted the essential films, the star-studded spectacles, the captivating sequels, the festival favorites, and the most fascinating new releases that deserve your attention. Get your calendar ready as we preview the most thrilling movies this fall (and winter) have in store.
Whether in cinemas, available on demand, or streaming, these films guarantee uproarious laughs, heart-racing excitement, emotional drama, and so much more.
September 2025 releases
Highest 2 Lowest
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee have collaborated on Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Inside Man, and now Highest 2 Lowest. If that doesn’t get you excited, read my review where I declare, “Highest 2 Lowest reunites Lee and Washington, better than ever.”
A remake of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, Highest 2 Lowest features Washington as a record executive whose life spirals when his son is taken hostage for a large ransom. Setting this narrative in the streets of New York, Lee makes it uniquely his, while Washington delivers a performance that is vibrant and thrilling. Additionally, A$AP Rocky offers a breakout performance as a clever rapper who takes a bold risk. Whether you catch it in theaters or stream it, ensure you see Highest 2 Lowest.
Featuring: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and A$AP Rocky
Viewing options: Highest 2 Lowest is currently in theaters; it will be available on Apple TV+ starting Sept. 5.
The Baltimorons
Is it premature to consider this one of my top films of the year? Because nothing in 2025 has made me laugh quite like The Baltimorons. (Though The Naked Gun came very close!)
Crafted by director Jay Duplass and lead Michael Strassner, The Baltimorons revolves around the unexpected friendship that develops between two misfits on Christmas Eve in Baltimore. Cliff Cashen (Strassner) is an improv comedian looking to establish a steady job and a serious relationship. But on his journey to her family’s home, he