From one of Robin Williams' last films to Steve Carell's milestone dramatic acting performance, this fall brings us some of the most powerful indie movies we've ever seen.

MY OLD LADY
Release Date: Sept. 10
Cohen Media Group
Inheriting a beautiful Parisian apartment from his estranged father, self-professed slacker Mathias Gold (Kevin Kline) is thrilled to finally get a chance at turning things around by selling the apartment and making some quick bucks. To his dismay, he finds an old and overtly stubborn woman Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith) living in the apartment with her daughter Chloé (Kristin Scott Thomas), claiming the right to an old French tradition called viager, which allows Mathilde to not only stay in the apartment, but to charge Mathias monthly rent until she dies. This romantic comedy shows Kline at his familiar romantic goofiness, grappling with Mathilde’s eccentricities, his growing fondness for the beautiful Chloé and a slew of secrets that unexpectedly unite the three together.

AT THE DEVIL’S DOOR
Release Date: Sept. 12
IFC Midnight
Sometimes helping those in need isn’t in your best interest. In Leigh’s case, it could mean the difference between life and death. A real estate agent, Leigh (Catalina Sandino Moreno) is just doing her job trying to sell a house, but when she discovers the old owner’s daughter is still living there, and in a seriously bad mental health state, she decides to help her. It soon becomes apparent, however, that something otherworldly is living inside the girl, and now both Leigh and her sister Vera (Naya Rivera, "Glee") are now the new targets of its sinister magic.

PUMP
Release Date: Sept. 12
Submarine Deluxe
Branded as “The Movie that Will Change Everything,” PUMP unveils the unnecessary dependence Americans have on the gas pump. From ethanol to methanol to many other natural gases that can be obtained on U.S. soil, this documentary exposes the potential future of our gas stations—a future that would save Americans vast sums of money. The question is not if those who have a monopoly on the everyday gas pump will allow that to happen, but will we, the everyday American, realize that we can make it happen ourselves?

THE QUITTER
Release Date: Sept. 12
Goodface Films
The Quitter is a modest and sincere look into the power of regret. Directing and starring is Matthew Bonifacio who plays Jonathan, a failed baseball player who returns to his hometown with much more baggage waiting for him than he ever expected. Finding his ex-girlfriend with their child in tow, Jonathan must face all that he has run from in his past, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable. With just enough quirky humor and earnest delight, Bonifacio has created something most audiences can relate to.

TRACKS
Release Date: Sept. 19
The Weinstein Company
With nothing but drive and determination, Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) decides to walk the 2,000-mile journey across the Australian desert. Though her sanity and motivation is questioned, she looks ahead to only see an unmatched opportunity for reflection and discovery. Strangers inevitably make their way into her voyage, including National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (Adam Driver, “Girls”), but ultimately in this harrowing true story, it is Robyn’s adventure that is truly amazing. With such an immense scope, director John Curran has embraced the Australian wild’s brutal beauty to create something richly affecting.

LIFE’S A BREEZE
Release Date: Sept. 19
Magnolia Pictures
When a loving Irish family seeks to surprise their granny by cleaning out her cluttered apartment, old Nan (Fionnula Flanagan) doesn’t seem to be too appreciative, perhaps because her well-intentioned kin threw out her mattress that was stuffed with her life savings equaling to almost $1 million… or so she says. Director Lance Daly takes us on a cheeky, heartwarming adventure as Nan, her clan and the people of Ireland join together in search of her supposed lost fortune. Think Alexander Payne’s Nebraska but with a bit more color and Irish flare.

THE FRONTIER
L.A. Release Date: Sept. 19
N.Y. Release Date: Sept. 12
It’s Terrific Pictures
After years of not speaking or seeing each other, retired literature professor Sean (Max Gail) writes a letter to his estranged ranch hand son Tennessee (Coleman Kelly) in an attempt to reconnect in what may be the final years of his life. As it turns out, coming home was the easy part, but reestablishing the roots of communication proves to be much tougher, even for a man whose words are his art. The Frontier delves into exactly how the two can overcome their complicated past and embrace each other as family once again, all the while grappling with the difficult concepts of love, life and death.

JACK AND THE CUCKOO-CLOCK HEART
Release Date: Sept. 24
Europa Corp
Born on the coldest day ever, poor Jack’s heart became frozen solid with the only solution to replace it with a cuckoo clock. Always under the watchful eye of his overly protective mother, Jack is discouraged to lose his temper or get too excited, but more than anything, he is absolutely forbidden to fall in love. An animated delight, Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart takes us to 19th century Edinburgh, where the world is on the brink of a technological revolution and where Jack simply wants to follow his ticking heart, despite the trouble it gets him into. For Hugo and Coraline fans, this may be the perfect fit.

THE BOXTROLLS
Release Date: Sept. 26
Focus Features
The talented LAIKA Studios, who brought us the ceaselessly whimsical stop motion films Coraline and ParaNorman, now present The Boxtrolls, a family film bursting with color, wit and just that perfect touch of darkness to appeal to all audiences. Orphaned as a young boy, Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) was adopted by unusual foster parents: a gang of wacky trolls who don boxes for clothes and live under the quaint streets of Cheesebridge. Having lived his whole life underground, and rather contently, the evil Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) unveils an evil scheme to get rid of the Boxtrolls, urging Eggs to surface above ground to defend his grumbly family and friends below. Of course, he’s not alone as he bumps into a feisty young gal, Winnifred (Elle Fanning), who’s ready and willing to join in the adventure.

ART AND CRAFT
L.A. Release Date: Sept. 26
N.Y. Release Date: Sept. 19
Oscilloscope Laboratories
The fine line between art and the artist has just become finer all thanks to Mark Landis, a master forager of some of the world’s greatest works of art. With little to no interest in the money he could earn, the recluse has uncannily copied and counterfeited hundreds of pieces and donated them to the most prestigious museums and galleries around the globe. While he has been able to dupe most art aficionados for the past three decades, there’s one registrar who isn’t so gullible. As Matthew Leninger gets wind of Landis and his hoax and attempts to put an end to the sham, Landis must grapple with the magnitude of his morally gray actions.

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH
L.A. Release Date: Sept. 26
N.Y. Release Date: Sept. 17
Drafthouse Films
To say he is an icon would be an understatement, but to legendary musician Nick Cave, life has always been more than just making a quick buck or have legions of fans praising his every word. Always, it has been about creating an intense emotion in another human being and to imprint something unexpected on this world that is utterly unique and ultimately beautiful. In this poetic and emotionally rich docudrama, we see a side of Cave that we never expected but perhaps have always unknowingly craved, facing questions of mortality and love in superbly cinematic way. Being a fan of Cave ought not to be a requirement to enjoy this enigmatic portrait of a lyrical master.

AWAKE: THE LIFE OF YOGANANDA
Release Date: October
Counterpoint Films
From the Far East to the very West, where we sit has been spiritually transformed thanks to one man’s belief in the connection between the body, mind and soul. His name was Paramahansa Yogananda, and in the 1920s, he enlightened the Western world with what we now call yoga. This insightful documentary shows how one man influenced some of our greatest minds and interpreted some of the world’s greatest problems. Simple flaws of the spirit that always had the potential to heal if one would simply meditate.

THE LIBERATOR
Release Date: Oct. 3
Cohen Media Group
The power, the glory, the land—for Simón Bolívar, all of that meant nothing when the people of South America lay slave to Spain’s empires. Through seemingly endless battles, covering terrains more vast than Alexander the Great even dreamed, Bolívar would never cease the fight to free anyone who remained shackled, no matter who or how many stood in his way. Édgar Ramírez (Deilver Us From Evil) stars as South America’s ultimate hero Bolívar, bringing romance and unyielding strength to this picturesque and epic period piece.

WHIPLASH
Release Date: Oct. 10
Sony Pictures Classics
Just when he thought his dreams were coming true, having been accepted as the core jazz drummer in the best band at the nation’s best music college, Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) realizes he may be in over his head. A teacher that brings a whole new meaning to tough love, Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons) pushes Andrew beyond his limits, both physically and mentally, to a point where he must decide how far he is willing to go to keep his dream alive before it breaks him. But don’t worry non-jazz fans; director Damien Chazelle’s Sundance darling is packed with enough tension to get anyone’s toe tapping.

KITE
Release Date: Oct. 10
Anchor Bay Entertainment, Distant Horizon and Detalle Films
After her parents are brutally murdered in front of her eyes, a young girl takes it upon herself to exact her revenge by any means necessary. This is Sawa (India Eisley, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”) and with the aid of an unexpected family friend, played by the ever-present Samuel L. Jackson, she has all the weapons and drive to clean up the dirt that covers her corrupt city. Based on the wildly popular anime of the same name, director Ralph Ziman’s adaptation doesn’t skimp on the grit, blood and comic bookish flare to show just how far Sawa is willing to go to avenge her beloved parents.

I AM ALI
Release Date: Oct. 10
Focus World
While the world may know him as “The Greatest,” some simply know him as Ali. Rarely have we, an international audience, seen how Muhammad Ali has won so much glory from outside the boxing ring. Through unprecedented archival audio records from the man himself and intensely intimate testimonies from those closest to him, I Am Ali enriches our understanding of the friendly giant to something far greater.  
EXISTS
Release Date: Oct. 14
Lionsgate
The director of The Blair Witch Project, Eduardo Sánchez, returns and is ready to lead us back into the woods with Exists. When a group of friends head to Texas’ desolate woods for a fun getaway weekend, things take a turn for the worse when a terrifying creature that can only be compared to Sasquatch starts terrorizing them. With GoPros in tow and stationed around the decrepit cabin, their grisly story is documented with the hopes of discovering exactly what hunts them.

RUDDERLESS
Release Date: Oct. 17
Samuel Goldwyn Films
In the wake of his son’s tragic death in a school shooting, Sam (Billy Crudup) falls into a deep state of denial and depression, causing him to lose his successful advertising job and putting a major strain on his marriage. The only thing that he finds comfort in now is playing the music that his son had wrote before his untimely death. After performing a brief set at a café, he is surprised to find an awkward young man named Quentin (Anton Yelchin) was deeply moved by the song and urges Sam to play more with him at his side. As the two form a deep bond thanks to his son’s talented music, and as they gather a major fan base, Sam can finally face what he’s been running from since the incident. Also starring Selena Gomez, this tearjerker is a surprising directorial debut from the marvelous William H. Macy (“Shameless”).

FELONY
Release Date: Oct. 17
Gravitas Ventures
Accidents happen, and often they happen to good people. It’s in those unfortunate moments when character is defined. For praised detective Malcolm Toohey (Joel Edgerton), that moment comes when he, while driving drunk, hits a boy riding his bike. The moral man who has made an egregious mistake calls it in to the authorities; however, with one cop willing to turn his cheek and another suspicious of his story, Malcolm becomes caught in a moral gridlock. Full of star talent, including powerhouse Tom Wilkinson, Felony is an emotionally intense drama not only about doing the right thing, but what exactly the right thing truly is.

FORCE MAJEURE
Release Date: Oct. 24
Magnolia Pictures
Force Majeure follows a seemingly perfect Swedish family on a seemingly perfect ski trip to the French Alps. With two well-behaved children in tow, two loving and beautiful parents, surely nothing could go wrong. In this fresh and buoyant dramedy, which was a dark horse favorite at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the trip’s “perfection” evaporates when an avalanche occurs during a pleasant mountainside lunch. Instead of turning to tragedy, the event and how the family reacts to it rather sparks consideration of marriage and parenthood, with refreshing wit and bluntness.

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Release Date: Nov. 7
Focus Features
We all know Stephen Hawking as one of the most brilliant minds the world has ever known. What most of us don’t know is exactly how and why he became the astounding man he is today. Played by Eddie Redmayne, we see the tragically romantic beginnings with the gorgeous Jane (Felicity Jones, The Invisible Woman) as the two start college where Stephen is already proving to be a force to be reckoned with—that is, until his physical form turns against him. Suddenly, both Stephen and Jane must evaluate the depths of their passionate love for one another as his disease seeks to pull them apart.

FOXCATCHER
Release Date: Nov. 14
Sony Pictures Classics
To achieve greatness, one must make sacrifices. For Olympic Gold Metal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), no sacrifice is too big, for he wants not only to be great, but also be the greatest. His key to attaining such splendor is to put all of his trust in multi-millionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell) who wants to personally bring glory to the U.S. once again at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Taking Mark, his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) and a team of the best American wrestlers into his own state of the art wrestling facilities, John offers not only glory, but he’s a father figure willing to do anything for them. What neither brother realizes are the deep and dark motivations behind John’s obsession with winning—so deep and dark that it ultimately leads to tragedy. Based on true events, Foxcatcher marks a true turn in Carell’s career, putting on his most dramatic and creepiest mask yet.

A MERRY FRIGGIN’ CHRISTMAS
Release Date: Nov. 7
Sycamore Pictures
Despite the tragedy of Robin Williams’ untimely death, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas gives the opportunity for a jolly last look at the beloved comedian’s work. Being forced to spend the holidays with his more-than-slightly offbeat parents is just the beginning of Boyd’s (Williams) problems this Christmas. After forgetting his son’s presents at his house, he is forced to take a road trip through the increasingly hazardous snowstorm with his estranged father to retrieve them before the night is up. The pressure is on Boyd to give his family an unforgettable Christmas while still keeping his sanity.

SEX ED
Release Date: Nov. 7
Marvista Entertainment
Sitting through Sex Ed was one thing. Teaching it is a whole other ballgame, especially when you’re a virgin. This is the unfortunate scenario for Eddie (Haley Joel Osment), a first-time teacher teaching at an inner-city school. With most of his kids completely misinformed about the world of sex education, Eddie takes it upon himself to do the educating despite his lack of expertise. With the perfect casting of Osment (aka the little boy from The Sixth Sense) as an awkward teacher simply trying to do the right thing paired with a surprisingly untapped premise, Sex Ed ought to be the perfect lighthearted addition to this fall’s movie queue.

WOLVES
Release Date: Nov. 14
Ketchup Entertainment
For anyone who’s been waiting for a mash-up of “True Blood” and “Teen Wolf,” director David Hayter has the answer with Wolves. When Cayden (Lucas Till, X-Men: First Class), the most popular boy in school with everything to lose, witnesses his parents’ murder, he finds that he’s developed some new…animalistic tendencies. After a number of terrifying accidents, all of which include Cayden turning into a werewolf, he leaves his perfect life to save others from himself. What he unexpectedly finds is a community of wolves—very tough wolves who are willing to show him the way. Of course, when he shows signs of becoming a powerful influence, the leader of the pack seeks to step in his way.