Most stand-up comics probably only dream about being involved in a movie as funny and refreshingly honest as Mike Birbiglia’s “Sleepwalk with Me,” let alone one that marks their directorial debut. Based on his one-man show of the same name (which was in turn inspired by actual events from his life), the film is a witty human comedy about the fear of commitment and finding one’s place in the world, and it’s hands-down one of my favorite movies of the year. Much like Birbiglia’s stand-up in the film, the story is entertaining because it’s so incredibly personal (something that’s missing from most Hollywood productions), and he makes it even more so by narrating the movie via segments where he speaks directly to the audience a la Ferris Bueller. “Sleepwalk with Me” actually fared pretty well in theaters during its platform release this past fall, but if you didn’t get a chance to catch it then, be sure to add it to your must-see list for the new year, because the film is so good that if you weren’t a fan of Birbiglia beforehand, you almost certainly will be afterwards.

Blu-ray Highlight: There are some good extras on the disc, but the audio commentary with star/co-writer/co-director Mike Birbiglia and producer/co-writer Ira Glass is the best of the bunch, with the duo discussing the making of the movie in detail, including some behind-the-scenes anecdotes and things they learned on set as first-time filmmakers.

William Friedkin hasn’t made a great film in a very long time, and while “Killer Joe” doesn’t exactly remedy that, it’s the best movie that he’s made in a while. Adapted by Tracy Letts from his stage play of the same name, the self-described “totally twisted, deep-fried, Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the most intense and polarizing moviegoing experiences in recent memory. Although the strange series of events that transpire during the course of the movie has already divided audiences (particularly a tension-packed final act that gets pretty weird and perverse), it’s as oddly fascinating to watch unravel as it is repulsive. Every single performance is great – from Gina Gerson’s devious stepmom, to Emile Hirsch’s pathetic bottom-feeder, to Thomas Hayden Church’s clueless father, to Juno Temple’s trailer park princess – but it’s star Matthew McConaughey who truly commands the screen with his best role in ages. It’s about time the actor finally showed off his full potential, and this white trash “Blood Simple” does that and more.

Blu-ray Highlight: The making-of featurette “Southern Fried Hospitality: From Stage to Screen” is definitely worth checking out for the interviews with the various cast and crew, but it’s director William Friedkin’s audio commentary that is the real highlight. Friedkin is one of those filmmakers that’s just a lot of fun to listen to speak, and his commentary track for “Killer Joe” is an excellent discussion about making the movie and, in talking about the infamous NC-17 rating, the politics of the business as well.

It was only inevitable that “Pitch Perfect” would draw some comparisons to “Glee,” but while the show’s success certainly helped pave the way for making organized singing groups cool again, that would be like comparing Adele to Katy Perry. The film actually feels more like the a cappella cousin of the “Step Up” movies, and although that may not inspire a whole lot of confidence, it’s a really charming comedy filled with great performances (both acting and musical) that’s only slightly hindered by its conventional formula. In fact, one of movie’s biggest draws is the musical performances, and while there’s no denying that they’re fun to watch, “Pitch Perfect” would be just as shallow as the “Step Up” series without such a great cast, including the always reliable Anna Kendrick and Australian up-and-comer Rebel Wilson in a breakout role. Written by Kay Cannon, whose experience as a writer for “30 Rock” tells you all you need to know about the movie’s offbeat sense of humor, “Pitch Perfect” is the kind of film that many people would normally overlook based on its premise, but that would be a mistake.

Blu-ray Highlight: Though Universal hasn’t exactly skimped on bonus material – which includes a pair of audio commentaries, alternate takes and deleted scenes – there’s nothing here that really stands out. At least there’s always the movie to watch again.

Hollywood has released some pretty pointless remakes over the years, but some films are actually worth remaking if there’s room for improvement, and although Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi cult classic “Total Recall” has its share of admirers, the movie isn’t exactly bulletproof. With that said, however, Len Wiseman’s slicker, darker update isn’t any better. Though the film shares quite a bit in common with Verhoeven’s original movie, following many of the same story beats until its drastically different third act, it feels bland by comparison. Colin Farrell makes for a more believable Everyman than Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he lacks the charisma that the iconic action hero brought to the role, while Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston don’t fare much better. Kate Beckinsale’s Lori is the only character who feels like an improvement, and that’s mostly due to the economical decision to combine the Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside roles into one villain. Wiseman does his best to freshen things up, but you can never quite shake that feeling of déjà vu while watching the film, and that only begs the question, why bother remaking it at all?

Blu-ray Highlight: A review copy didn’t arrive in time, but a quick look at the disc’s extras is promising, including a director commentary and a full-length behind-the-scenes feature called Insight Mode that sounds a lot like Warner Bros.’ Maximum Movie Mode.

You’d be hard pressed to find anything more quintessentially American than baseball and Clint Eastwood, so it’s a little surprising that it took this long for someone to think of combining the two. Though “Trouble with the Curve” isn’t exactly the kind of project that you’d expect would lure Eastwood out of semi-retirement from acting, the fact that the movie is directed by longtime producer Robert Lorenz clearly played a big part in his decision. Eastwood’s involvement was a real coup for the first-time helmer, because if it weren’t for the film’s excellent cast, “Trouble with the Curve” would have been pretty forgettable. It’s hard to imagine the movie being any good with other actors in the roles, because although it runs a bit long for such a simple story, and Lorenz lays on the drama pretty thick at times, the cast (which also includes Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman) adds just enough class to save the film from its own undoing. It won’t be remembered as a great baseball movie, but there are much worse ways to spend your afternoon.

Blu-ray Highlight: Warner Bros. has put together a pair of generic behind-the-scenes featurettes – one focusing on director Robert Lorenz and the other on his cast – for the movie’s Blu-ray release, but neither could hardly be considered a highlight of any kind.

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.