Alt-Fall Movie Preview 2016: Docs, Horror Flicks and the Truly Demented

Welcome to the autumn months — the season where, per the pundits, "movies" turn into "films" and the studios start pumping out their somber dramas, oh-so-tony biopics and other please-sir-we'd-like-an-Oscar contenders. Sure, we're getting a new chapter in the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe saga and a new Star Wars flick in the next few months, but for the most part, conventional wisdom dictates that when you go to the multiplex, you're going to get serious.

There is, of course, more to see over the remainder of 2016 than just the awards-circuit stuff — this is also the season when the remainder of the year's festival-circuit biggies start hitting the arthouses, as well as the documentaries, indies, foreign-language films of all stripes and other left-of-center treasures. We've out together a nice little "alt-fall" viewing guide for you; there are one or two oddball studio movies that didn't make it into our other fall preview list, but for the most part, the 30 entries here should be considered counter-programming must-sees. Need a break from the "and the winner is" wannabes? Start marking your calendars.