I am really excited. After a very bad summer, full of mindless special-effects actioners and fluffy romantic comedies, the fall movie season began strongly, with a punch.

Clint Eastwood's new film, "Hereafter," stars Matt Damon and centers on three characters and their connections with the deceased.  It's released by Warner October 22.

"The way it was laid out, it seemed to be something I had never seen before, and had such great dilemmas and dimensions," says Eastwood. "I liked the way Peter wrote three stories that stand alone but at the same time are connected."

Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen) is the director of the new animated film, "Legend of Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole". The film is being released by Warner Bros. on September 24.

"Isn't it every kid's fantasy to become a character in his or her favorite story?" director Zack Snyder asks. "In our film, it's a young owl who wants to find these legendary warrior owls that have been part of his personal mythology since he was born. And when the stories actually turn out to be true, it's very powerful."

"Waiting for Superman," directed by Davis Guggenheim, is a new documentary focusing on the flaws of the American public education system. The film is being released by Paramount Vantage on September 24.

• Since 1971, educational spending in the U.S. has more than doubled from $4,300 per student to more than $9000 per student, adjusted for inflation. In that same time period, reading and math scores have remained flat in the U.S., and risen in virtually every other country.

Ben Affleck's The Town, which he directed and stars in, will be released by Warner September 17.