As we wave goodbye to summer blockbusters, fall indies are gearing up to kick off the season with a bang and provide students with an escape from the mundanity of their textbooks.  

First up is “mother!,” Darren Aronofsky’s latest thriller that is perhaps the most mysterious of the director’s work. With minimal to no marketing and a puzzling trailer revealed only one month before the film’s Sept.15 release date, audiences are left almost completely in the dark. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a married couple whose lives are terrorized by uninvited guests, and that’s all the storyline we’re given in advance. “mother!” will surely have a memorable and enigmatic entrance when its true nature is finally revealed in theaters.

On Sept. 22, Steve Carell reunites with “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris for “Battle of the Sexes,” the true story of the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Emma Stone co-stars as King in this exciting and humorous adaptation of a highly-televised event that changed the course of women’s tennis. You don’t need to be a tennis fan to enjoy this film about a momentous occasion in sports history and female empowerment.  

One of the most anticipated films of the year also happens to be a sequel to Ridley Scott’s revered sci-fi classic, “Blade Runner.” On Oct. 6, Harrison Ford returns as Rick Deckard and is joined by Ryan Gosling as they venture through the familiar neo-noir future. Though Scott is not reviving his role as director, the film is helmed by Denis Villeneuve, the talented director of last year’s sci-fi hit, “Arrival.” “Blade Runner: 2049” is far from an indie, but its distinguished status makes it required viewing.

If there’s one director whose name is synonymous with independent filmmaking, it’s Noah Baumbach. This fall, he returns with “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),” a story of a dysfunctional family that reunites to celebrate the artistic work of their patriarch. Dustin Hoffman leads this accomplished cast that includes Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, and Adam Sandler. Since the film’s premiere at Cannes earlier this year, Sandler has been garnering Oscar buzz for a poignant performance that reinstates the actor’s overlooked talent. See “The Meyerowitz Stories” when it debuts on Netflix Oct. 13.

Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s new film, “Call Me by Your Name,” has already received a slew of praise and predictions of Oscar nominations. Set in Italy in 1983, the film — adapted from the book of the same name — is a love story between a 17-year-old boy and an older doctoral student. Starring Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name” is a coming-of-age tale sure to provide a complex combination of joy and melancholy when it hits theatres Nov. 24.

For those diehard underground film fans, Dec. 1 marks the arrival of James Franco’s “The Disaster Artist.” The film follows the making of Tommy Wiseau’s cult-favorite, “The Room,” which has been famously labeled as “the worst film of all time.” Franco is joined by frequent collaborator, Seth Rogen and his younger brother, Dave Franco, which promises a whirlwind of antics. “Disaster Artist” will be a fitting homage to Wiseau’s classic and a perfect launch into the last month of the year.

A version of this article appeared in the Sunday, Aug. 27 print edition. Email Daniella Nichinson at [email protected].