The summer movie season may be finally over, but awards season is just around the corner, and Hollywood typically uses September as a time to catch its breath between all the madness. But while there aren’t many high-profile releases on tap for the month, there are still plenty of promising titles worth checking out, including the latest from visionary directors P.T. Anderson and Rian Johnson and the return of Clint Eastwood.

Who: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver and Veronica Echegui
What: After his family is kidnapped, a young Wall Street trader is confronted by the people responsible: intelligence agents looking to recover a mysterious briefcase.
When: September 7th
Why: Despite a starring role in last year’s underwhelming Greek epic “Immortals,” British actor Henry Cavill has failed to demonstrate why he was chosen to don the iconic red and blue suit for Zack Snyder’s upcoming “Man of Steel.” And though his latest vehicle was delayed earlier this year due to reportedly bad test screenings, “The Cold Light of Day” will give him another shot to convince audiences that he’s the right choice to play Superman. With that said, however, not even the involvement of Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver makes this action thriller look any less like a Jason Bourne rip-off. After all, there’s usually a pretty good reason when a film’s release date gets pushed back, and it’s hard to imagine that any amount of re-editing will fix that.

Who: Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde and Jeremy Irons
What: A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man’s work.
When: September 7th
Why: CBS Films doesn’t exactly have a very good track record, but compared to their past projects, “The Words” seems to be a step in the right direction. Though it received mixed reactions when the movie premiered earlier this year at Sundance, the concept is intriguing enough that I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. The ensemble cast certainly doesn’t hurt its chances, although it’s not the first time that the studio has used big stars to disguise a turd. And while Bradley Cooper is an actor that I admire, and it’s always a pleasure to see Jeremy Irons no matter how small the role, it’s a little worrying that “The Words” might follow suit, especially in the hands of first-time directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, the writing duo behind the disappointing “TRON: Legacy.”

Who: Kristen Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson and James Marsden
What: Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school.
When: September 7th
Why: It may seem awfully convenient that another R-rated comedy about bridesmaids behaving badly is being released only a year after Paul Feig’s Oscar-nominated film became the surprise hit of last summer, but that’s about where the similarities end. In fact, those who claim the movie is just a rip-off might be surprised to discover that Leslye Headland’s directorial debut (which screened at Sundance this past January) is based on her 2010 off-Broadway play of the same name. Though it hasn’t gotten quite the same acclaim as “Bridesmaids,” I’m actually looking more forward to this darker, meaner wedding comedy, namely due to its awesome cast. Kirsten Dunst and Isla Fisher can be great with the right material, while Lizzy Caplan and Rebel Wilson are two very funny women with very different brands of humor that deserve more recognition.

Who: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez and Oded Fehr
What: Alice fights alongside a resistance movement in the continuing battle against the Umbrella Corporation and the undead.
When: September 14th
Why: Following in the footsteps of the “Fast and Furious” series, the fifth installment of the action horror franchise is bringing back several characters from previous films (including Michelle Rodriguez’s Rain and Oded Fehr’s Carlos Olivera), despite the fact that many of them are supposed to be dead. There’s no doubt a good explanation to the logistics behind director Paul W.S. Anderson’s all-star edition, but it probably won’t matter much either way. If you’re still watching these films at this point in the series, you clearly don’t care that they’re nothing more than schlocky B-movies with plenty of style but little in the way of actual substance. Don’t expect “Resident Evil: Retribution” to buck that trend, but it looks a lot more fun with Rodriguez and Fehr back for another round.

Who: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Jesse Plemons
What: A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future until he’s tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader.
When: September 14th
Why: Paul Thomas Anderson’s long-awaited follow-up to 2007′s “There Will Be Blood” is shaping up to be one of the most controversial films of the year. Though Anderson claims the movie isn’t about the Church of Scientology as suggested, it’s hard to take that statement seriously when the trailer showcases a number of similarities between Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Whether or not he’s telling the truth remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: with Anderson behind the camera and a cast that includes Hoffman, Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix (making his big screen return after wasting the last few years making “I’m Still Here”), “The Master” will likely be a contender in nearly every major category come awards time.

Who: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey and Wood Harris
What: In a futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop and his trainee take down a gang that deals a reality-altering drug.
When: September 21st
Why: I don’t remember much about the 1995 Sylvester Stallone action vehicle “Judge Dredd” other than the fact that it was terrible, but that’s surely enough to raise some eyebrows regarding the latest attempt to bring the popular antihero of the British comic “2000 AD” to the big screen. Though the filmmakers have been pretty open about doing fans of the series justice with their adaptation, “Dredd 3D” still has many of the same problems as its predecessor – namely, that it’s difficult for an audience to connect to a character detached of all emotion. Sure, it looks great visually (even if it does go over the top with the slo-mo shots), and the “Raid”-like setup should result in some cool action, but I’m still not sold that this version is going to fare any better than the last one.

Who: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick and America Ferrera
What: Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.
When: September 21st
Why: If there’s one thing that David Ayer loves, it’s making gritty cop movies. In addition to writing the excellent “Training Day” and the mediocre “Dark Blue,” he also directed “Street Kings” and has another one in production. His latest police thriller reminds me a lot of the former, and that’s great news, because along with landing Denzel Washington an Oscar for Best Actor, “Training Day” is perhaps one of the best cop films ever made. Those are some big shoes to fill, but “End of Watch” certainly has the right ingredients to make it happen, including a talented cast led by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena, and an interesting docudrama style that will most likely divide audiences. Though Ayer still has a lot to prove behind the camera, it’s easily his most promising project to date.

Who: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman
What: An ailing baseball scout in his twilight years takes his daughter along for one last recruiting trip.
When: September 21st
Why: Much like last year’s “Moneyball,” Robert Lorenz’s directorial debut is a baseball movie that isn’t really about baseball at all. That doesn’t make its early fall release any less fitting, but it goes without saying that “Trouble with the Curve” probably isn’t going to be the next “Bull Durham.” Still, it was a real coup to get Clint Eastwood to come out of semi-retirement and star in his first movie since “Gran Torino,” although it’s not surprising that Lorenz was the one to do it, having served as a producer on every one of his films since “Blood Work.” While the prospect of pairing a screen icon like Eastwood with a newer talent like Amy Adams is pretty exciting, the real wild card here is Justin Timberlake, who has yet to prove that he can hold his own against such heavyweights.

Who: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman and Paul Rudd
What: An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.
When: September 21st
Why: It’s not every day that the author of a critically acclaimed novel gets the chance to not only adapt their book for the big screen, but direct it as well, so consider Stephen Chbosky a very lucky man. Of course, the unique format of the novel (collected as a series of letters written by the titular wallflower to an anonymous recipient) was going to pose a number of difficulties for any filmmaker, so it was probably smart to hand over that responsibility to the one person who knows the book better than anyone else. Giving an untested director such as Chbosky complete creative control was still a pretty big risk on the part of Summit Entertainment, but if the casting (which includes a great group of young actors like Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and Emma Watson in her first major post-“Harry Potter” role) is anything to go by, fans have nothing to worry about it.

Who: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano and Jeff Daniels
What: A mob hitman whose victims are sent back from the future is surprised when his latest assignment turns out to be his older self.
When: September 28th
Why: Rian Johnson’s “Brick” is one of my favorite movies of the past decade, so I was a little disappointed when his sophomore effort, the quirky con artist comedy “The Brothers Bloom,” failed to live up to my lofty expectations. But that’s only made me even more excited for his new sci-fi thriller “Looper,” which reunites the director with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and looks every bit as complicated as it sounds. Johnson has made some pretty ambitious movies in his short career, but they don’t even come close to this one, which represents a massive increase in scope by comparison. And it definitely shows, because judging by the trailer, “Looper” is going to be an absolutely wild ride, from the complex time travel plot to the slick action. Though the jury is still out on the facial prosthetics that Gordon-Levitt is wearing in order to more closely resemble Bruce Willis, it’s just nice knowing that a director even cares about those kinds of little details.

September is typically a pretty laidback month for movies. After being bombarded with big budget tentpole films over the summer, it’s the calm before the storm that is awards season. But this year, Hollywood is kicking off the fall movie season in style with big names like Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt all starring in films that could make an appearance at the Oscars next year. Throw in a couple of cool genre flicks and you’re looking at one of the most promising Septembers in recent memory.

Who: Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Bibb, Tyler Labine, Lake Bell and Nick Kroll
What: A group of 30-year-olds who have been friends since high school attempt to throw an end-of-summer orgy.
When: September 2nd (limited)
Why: Though I’m still not convinced that Jason Sudeikis is the star that Hollywood seems to think he is, this raunchy sex comedy could finally be the film that changes my mind. It doesn’t hurt that he’s surrounded by such a funny ensemble cast, including actors like Tyler Labine and Lake Bell, who are always good for a laugh The real test, however, will be whether the film has the balls to go all the way or if it will chicken out at the last minute, because you shouldn’t joke around about an orgy unless you mean it.

Who: Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Laurence Fishburne
What: An action-thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak.
When: September 9th
Why: When Steven Soderbergh puts together a cast this good, it’s hard not to stand up and take notice. But even with four Oscar winners, three nominees, and a three-time Emmy winner at his disposal, the real star of “Contagion” may end up being the story itself, which has the potential to scare the living shit out of audiences in ways that most horror films could only dream of. How Soderbergh manages to tap into our inherent fear of disease will be key to its success, but if the movie is anywhere near as good as 1995’s “Outbreak” (which also had an amazing cast), we’re in for a pleasant surprise.

Who: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison and Nick Nolte
What: The youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he’s trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament – a path that puts the fighter on a collision corner with his older brother.
When: September 9th
Why: Mixed martial arts may still be in its infancy, but the sport is growing faster than ever at the moment, and “Warrior” could be the thing that finally pushes it into the mainstream – especially since it’s already being called the “Rocky” of MMA films. The comparison isn’t completely unwarranted. With a tale of sibling rivalry clearly influenced by the Old Testament, “Warrior” looks to deliver a nice balance between family drama and sports underdog movie. But unlike “Rocky,” director Gavin O’Connor has the difficult task of making the audience root for two different protagonists, only to then pit them against one another in the ring. It’s the moviegoing equivalent of “Sophie’s Choice.”

Who: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks and Albert Brooks
What: A Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.
When: September 16th
Why: The Nicolas Winding Refn-directed crime thriller has been on my radar for quite some time now, and that was before I even really knew much about the project. Since then, “Drive” has been slowly building buzz ahead of its theatrical release, most prominently at the Cannes Film Festival where it walked away with the award for Best Director, a nomination for the prestigious Palm D’Or, and the admiration of most film critics. Though that may not necessarily translate into ticket sales, “Drive” still has the potential to be the sleeper hit of the year – an action flick with an art-house twist.

Who: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard and James Woods
What: L.A. screenwriter David Sumner relocates with his wife to her hometown in the deep South where a brewing conflict with locals becomes a threat to them both.
When: September 16th
Why: A lot of people are going to take one look at Rod Lurie’s remake of the 1971 thriller “Straw Dogs” and bemoan the fact that Hollywood has run out of original ideas. But while the Dustin Hoffman film certainly has its share of admirers, the movie isn’t exactly sacred ground, so it’ll be interesting to see what Lurie brings to his version besides the obvious modern updates. James Marsden and Alexander Skarsgard are both solid choices for the male leads, while the trailer ensures that the ultraviolence of the original hasn’t been watered down in exchange for a more audience-friendly rating.

Who: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt and Robin Wright
What: The story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s attempt to put together a baseball team on a budget by using computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
When: September 23rd
Why: Though its subject matter may suggest otherwise, director Bennett Miller is adamant that “Moneyball” is about much more than the game of baseball, which is good news for people like me, who aren’t very big fans of the sport. Based on the bestseller of the same name by Michael Lewis, the film adaptation was written by two of the most dependable screenwriters in the business (Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian) and features a killer cast with some real Oscar heavyweights. Interestingly enough, though, it’s Jonah Hill’s involvement that has me the most intrigued, because I’m curious to see if he has what it takes to successfully transition into more serious roles.

Who: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Maria Bello and Sigourney Weaver
What: A thriller centered on a young man who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website.
When: September 23rd
Why: Say what you will about Taylor Lautner, but the guy has one hell of an agent. While his “Twilight” co-stars are busy starring in obscure indie films that may make them feel better about not selling out but aren’t really helping their careers either, Lautner is being primed to become the next Tom Cruise. He’s already a sex symbol with the “Twilight” crowd, and under the direction of John Singleton, Lautner will take his first big step towards becoming a bona fide action star. “Abduction” looks eerily like a junior version of the Bourne movies, and if Lautner can prove that there’s more to him than rock-hard abs and steely eyes, there’s a good chance it will exceed everyone’s expectations.

Who: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro and Yvonne Strahovski
What: When his mentor is taken captive, a retired member of Britain’s Elite Special Air Service is forced into action. His mission: kill three assassins dispatched by their cunning leader.
When: September 23rd
Why: If Lautner is looking for some quick lessons on how to be a better action star, he’d be wise to check out the oeuvre of Jason Statham, who’s been playing a variation of the same character now for almost a decade. That trend continues in “Killer Elite,” but as they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and The Stath has proven time and again why he’s one of the elite action stars of this generation. But lately, even he’s been trying to class up his movies a little bit, and you don’t get much classier than Clive Owen and Robert De Niro, who should help elevate the film beyond the typical Statham beat-‘em-up.

Who: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anna Kendrick
What: A comedic account of a 27-year-old guy’s cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.
When: September 30th
Why: No, you’re not imagining things – Seth Rogen really is starring in another movie about cancer only two short years after the release of “Funny People.” The difference this time around, however, is that it’s much more personal. Based on his friend Will Reiser’s real-life fight with cancer, the pair developed the project together, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing the fictionalized version of the disease-stricken pal, Rogen co-starring as his closest confidant, and Reiser penning the script. Though cancer isn’t something that’s easy to take lightly, “50/50” appears to have found a better balance of comedy and drama than the Judd Apatow misfire, and that’s a step in the right direction.

Who: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden and Jesse Moss
What: Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin where they’re mistaken as serial killers by a group of preppy college kids.
When: September 30th (limited)
Why: I had the opportunity to see Eli Craig’s horror comedy back in 2009 while it was making the rounds on the festival circuit, and although it’s not quite the instant cult classic that I was expecting, “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is still an incredibly fun midnight movie that fans of genre favorites like “Army of Darkness” and “Shaun of the Dead” will enjoy. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine make a great comedic team as the titular hillbillies, while every kill is equally gory and clever. A note of caution to those interested in seeing it, though: Do not watch the trailer, as it ruins just about every funny moment in the film.