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"The Drop": Based on a Dennis Lehane short story, this crime drama is one of the last opportunities to see James Gandolfini in action. The star, who passed away in 2013, portrays the owner of a bar where criminal activity is de rigeur. His cousin, Bob (Tom Hardy), serves as the lonely barkeep who gets caught up in a robbery gone wrong. (September 12)

"The Skeleton Twins": We could leave this at "Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader," but we'll be kind and provide a few more details. The former "SNL" co-stars are now appearing side by side as a pair of estranged twins who realize that their messy lives could be put in perspective if they work on their relationship as siblings. (September 12)

"The Equalizer": A determined Denzel Washington is our favorite kind. In this action movie, the actor plays a man named McCall who thought he'd put his past behind him in favor of a quiet life. But when he comes across a young girl under the thumbs of Russian mobsters, McCall gets back in business as a defender of the helpless. (September 26)

"Jimi: All Is By My Side": Written and directed by "12 Years A Slave" screenwriter John Ridley, this biopic of the great Jimi Hendrix zeroes in on one particular year in the guitarist's life, as he was emerging from playing backup to make his grand entrance at Monterey Pop. Expect lots of buzz for Andre "3000" Benjamin's uncanny portrayal. (September 26)

"Gone Girl": There are many elements to this anticipated film that could make it a spectacular success -- or it could go incredibly awry. Based on Gillian Flynn's best-seller "Gone Girl" and directed by David Fincher, this must-see adaptation stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry. (October 3)

"The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby": This film is actually three movies, as the story of one couple's unraveling is told from a trio of perspectives: his, hers and theirs. Starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy. (October 10)

"Whiplash": The accolades came early for Miles Teller with this role as a driven jazz drummer who's pushed to the brink by an even-more-obsessive instructor (J.K. Simmons). (October 10, limited)

"Birdman": Michael Keaton goes meta in this comeback film. In it, the former Batman portrays an actor famous for playing a superhero who's now trying to reinvent himself and his career with a Broadway play. (October 17, limited)

"Dear White People": Already a Sundance Film Festival winner (director Justin Simien won the special jury award for breakthrough talent), this satirical take on life for African-American students at a predominantly white college is ready for the grand stage. (October 17, limited)

"Fury": In this film set in the heart of World War II, Brad Pitt plays a sergeant named Wardaddy who leads his troop into a surely fatal mission with a new soldier on board. Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman and Michael Pena also star. (October 17)

"St. Vincent": Everyone wishes Bill Murray could've been their cool next-door neighbor growing up, and this comedy is sort of like vicarious wish fulfillment. Melissa McCarthy plays a single mom in Brooklyn whose 12-year-old son is left in her neighbor Vincent's care during work hours. There's also a pregnant stripper involved. (October 24)

"Interstellar": Let's count off the Oscar bait involved in this anticipated film: Christopher Nolan is directing; man of the hour Matthew McConaughey's starring; it involves an average Joe and space travel; and it includes Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway. Sounds like awards season catnip to us. (November 7)

"Foxcatcher": Directed by Bennett Miller, this drama -- inspired by a true story about a pair of wrestling brothers -- has been a critical hit at early film festivals. Reviewers have been raving particularly about career-changing performances from Channing Tatum and Steve Carell. (November 14)

Banks, "Goddess": Los Angeles singer Banks makes her long-awaited debut with an album that skews heavily toward minimalist R&B. "I sing about falling in love, I sing about anger, I sing about fear, I sing about confidence, I sing about feeling sexy, I sing about feeling insecure," Banks described to Out magazine in September. "I sing about every single thing, and every single thing makes me human and makes me beautiful and makes me a goddess." (September 9)

Karen O, "Crush Songs": Karen O breaks apart from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with her first solo album, which she recorded when she was 27. At that age, "I crushed a lot," the celebrated singer wrote in a note announcing the solo release. "I wasn't sure I'd ever fall in love again. These songs were written and recorded in private .... They are the soundtrack to what was an ever-continuing love crusade." (September 9)

Blake Shelton, "Bringing Back the Sunshine": With all his coaching on "The Voice," who knew Blake Shelton had time to crank out another album? His 11th studio release, "Bringing Back the Sunshine," is taking a few lines from Taylor Swift's playbook and playing with the concept of what country sounds like. To the ears of Rolling Stone's music gurus, Shelton's first single, "Neon Light," sounds "kind of (like) what you'd get if an old-timey string quartet had a baby with a funk-blues band." (September 30)

Prince, "Art Official Age": Expect to see two new albums from The Purple One this fall, because he's Prince and he can do that. The first, "Art Official Age," is Prince's first solo release in four years, and fans have been told to expect "classic Prince" on the disc. The second, "Plectrumelectrum," is the artist's release with his group, 3rdEyeGirl. (September 30)

Pink Floyd, "The Endless River": In the midst of celebrating the 20th anniversary of its last studio album, "The Division Bell," Pink Floyd decided to go ahead and release a new album, too. Called "The Endless River," it's based on the 1993/1994 "The Division Bell" recording sessions and, according to David Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, is a "swansong" for Rick Wright, who died in 2008. (October)

Weezer, "Everything Will Be Alright in the End": We haven't jammed with Weezer since 2010, but the band is officially back with "Everything Will Be Alright in the End." Frontman Rivers Cuomo has described the band's newest release as a personal one: "I haven't felt this protective of an album in a long time," he told Rolling Stone. "I put so much of the deepest part of my soul into this that it feels like I'm really on the line." (October 7)

OK Go, "Hungry Ghosts": OK Go is back at it with a new album and more visually stunning music videos. The clip for the single "The Writing's On the Wall" is as trippy and complex as expected, and earned an MTV Video Music Award at the 2014 show. (October 14)

Annie Lennox, "Nostalgia": No, this is not a dream: Annie Lennox really has returned with a new release. "Nostalgia" isn't just a play on what her fans probably feel for the singer, but a nod to the disc's content. It sees Lennox tackle classics from performers like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington. (Vinyl, September 30; other formats, October 21)

Jessie Ware, "Tough Love": For her second album after 2012's spare, soulful "Devotion," Brit chanteuse Jessie Ware collaborated with a wide range of musicians and producers, from Miguel and Ed Sheeran to Arctic Monkeys producer James Ford and hitmaker Benny Blanco. "I'm a bit more comfortable as a singer now," Ware told Pitchfork of working on her second studio release, "so I'm having more fun with my voice." (October 21)

Charli XCX, "Sucker": English songstress Charli XCX follows up on a monster summer -- which included hits like "Fancy" with Iggy Azalea and her own "Boom Clap" -- with a sophomore record that The New York Times is calling "exceptionally bratty (and) exceptionally fun." We wouldn't expect anything less. (October 21)

Taylor Swift, "1989": Taylor Swift has been listening to a lot of '80s pop, and so what if that inspiration hasn't yielded any actual country songs? Although Swift's always danced over the line between country and pop, "1989" will be her first "official pop album," she's said, as well as the "most sonically cohesive" disc she's made to date. (October 27)

Lil Wayne, "Tha Carter V": The fifth and most likely final installment of Lil Wayne's sonic saga, "Tha Carter," is upon us. For the album cover, "I wanted to go with one with my mom on it this time," Wayne said when he announced "Tha Carter V" in August. "This album means a lot to me. People been waiting on this album and I'm just at the point in my life and stuff to have my mom on there. It's more than an accomplishment, it's an achievement." (October 28)

Foo Fighters, "Sonic Highways": The Foo Fighters are going all out with their 20th anniversary this year, simultaneously releasing a new album and an HBO documentary series about their travels through eight American cities and the music that trek produced. "This album is instantly recognizable as a Foo Fighters record, but there's something deeper and more musical to it," frontman Dave Grohl said in an August statement. "I think that these cities and these people influenced us to stretch out and explore new territory, without losing our 'sound.'" (November 10)

"The Bone Clocks," David Mitchell: David Mitchell is a master at creating unbelievably intricate worlds, and he serves up another in "The Bone Clocks." What begins as ordinary -- a 15-year-old named Holly Sykes has an argument with her mother over a boyfriend -- quickly swerves into the extraordinary after Holly runs away, prompting a tale that spins throughout time and place. (September 2)

"The Dog," Joseph O'Neill: The last time Joseph O'Neill grabbed our imaginations, it was with a story of a Dutchman living in New York in the shadow of 9/11. Now, O'Neill changes gears, with his new novel following an American man who lands a strange position in Dubai. (September 9)

"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons From the Crematory," Caitlin Doughty: Curiosity killed the cat, but the rest of us are safe to indulge our morbid fascinations. In "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," writer and licensed mortician Caitlin Doughty serves as a guide into the world of the deceased, stepping into the crematory, unraveling the history of undertaking, and proving why a cultural fear of death does no one any favors. (September 15)

"The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher," Hilary Mantel: Hilary Mantel is known for her doorstopper tomes "Wolf Hall" and "Bring Up the Bodies." With "The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher," Mantel's thinking small -- as in short stories. This collection of contemporary tales gets straight to the heart of the matter on topics ranging from marriage to class. (September 25)

"Not That Kind of Girl," Lena Dunham: Up until this fall, Lena Dunham's entrée into book publishing was notable because of the reported whopping $3.7 million book deal. Now that the book is actually due to hit shelves, we're anticipating Dunham's prose on what she's learned in life thus far will be able to stand apart from the book's ostentatious reputation. (September 30)

"A Brief History of Seven Killings," Marlon James: Marlon James caught our attention with the haunting 2009 novel "The Book of Night Women," and his latest novel is poised to raise his star even higher. "A Brief History of Seven Killings" is deft in the way it uses the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in December 1976 as a launchpad to explore the politics of late-'70s Jamaica and the eras that followed. (October 2)

"Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free," Héctor Tobar: You already know that in August 2010, 33 workers became trapped in a Chilean mine. But journalist Hector Tobar wants to give richer detail and context than what has already been covered by the news, using his prime access to the men and their families to weave together a cohesive and engrossing tale. The New Yorker ran a Tobar story about the miners in July. (October 7)

"Lila," Marilynne Robinson: With "Lila," Marilynne Robinson offers a welcome return to Gilead, Iowa, the setting her many, many readers have come to know in two prior books. Here, Robinson explores the familiar setting through the eyes of Lila, a homeless woman who comes to be the wife of minister John Ames. (October 7)

"Belzhar," Meg Wolitzer: Meg Wolitzer's latest is technically for the younger set, but that shouldn't stop an interested adult reader. In "Belzhar," Wolitzer tells the story of a teen girl who's sent off to a therapeutic Vermont boarding school after the loss of her boyfriend. There, a journaling assignment in an English class opens the door to a peculiar realm in the past. (October 9)

"Prince Lestat: The Vampire Chronicles," Anne Rice: Not only do we get a new Anne Rice novel this fall, but it's all about one of our favorite vampires of all time, Rice's Prince Lestat. Hold on, it gets even better: Rice is calling this a "true sequel" to 1988's "The Queen of the Damned." (October 28)

"Yes Please," Amy Poehler: Judging from her success, one of the smartest things we all could do would be to take life advice from Amy Poehler. Thankfully, the "Parks and Recreation" star's first book is chock-full of it, from tidbits on friendship and parenthood to lessons gleaned from her own life stories. (November 6)

"Don't Give Up, Don't Give In: Lessons from an Extraordinary Life," Louis Zamperini, David Rensin: Louis Zamperini lived an incredible life, and it's a gift to be able to receive his wisdom even after his death in July. How did he manage to hold on to his faith, his optimism, and his humanity in the worst of circumstances? Zamperini answers those questions and more through never-before-told stories. (November 18)

"Madam Secretary" (CBS): Tea Leoni returns to TV with this drama about a former CIA analyst who's brought on as secretary of state under suspicious circumstances. (September 21)

"Gotham" (Fox): David Mazouz stars as a young Bruce Wayne while "The O.C.'s" Ben McKenzie plays a (younger) Jim Gordon in this look at the early life of Batman and his eventual foes. (September 22)

"Black-ish" (ABC): Anthony Anderson stars in this comedy as a family man trying to help his brood maintain its cultural identity in the suburbs. The cast also includes Tracee Ellis Ross and Laurence Fishburne. (September 24)

"How to Get Away with Murder" (ABC): Shonda Rhimes already had a firm grip on ABC's Thursday nights, but she now has another potential hit to add to the list. Viola Davis plays a beguiling but elusive criminal defense professor who leads a group of law students into territory they weren't expecting. (September 25)

"Transparent" (Amazon Prime): Jeffrey Tambor leads this comedy about an LA family that comes undone by a major admission. It's created by Jill Soloway ("Six Feet Under" and "United States of Tara"), and Time magazine is calling it fall's best new show. (September 26)

"Gracepoint" (Fox): Based on the British crime drama "Broadchurch," Fox's "Gracepoint" is set in a quiet seaside town in California that's turned upside down when a boy's body is found on the beach. (October 2)

"A to Z" (NBC): Still angry that "How I Met Your Mother" sent Cristin Milioti off so quickly? Get happy by indulging in the multitalent's new romantic comedy, which tells the story of one couple -- Andrew (Ben Feldman, a.k.a. Ginsberg from "Mad Men") and Zelda (Milioti) from beginning to end. (October 2)

"Survivor's Remorse" (Starz): LeBron James helped create this comedy about a young basketball star named Cam Calloway whose success has taken him away from his tough neighborhood, but has also left him feeling indebted to those he left behind. (October 4)

"The Flash" (The CW): Grant Gustin already made his appearance as Barry Allen -- aka speedy hero The Flash -- on The CW's "Arrow." With a later sneak peek being well-received, the series is arriving with high expectations. (October 7)

"Kingdom" (DirecTV): Nick Jonas trades his mic for the ring in this drama about a mixed martial arts gym in Venice, California. (October 8)

"The Affair" (Showtime): When a Hamptons waitress and a New York City teacher have an extramarital affair, the emotional fallout makes for ripe storytelling. (October 12)

"Marry Me" (NBC): Fans of "Happy Endings" and "Party Down" get their dreams fulfilled with this comedy, which stars Casey Wilson (of "Happy Endings") and Ken Marino ("Party Down"). The two comic actors star as a long-term couple trying to get their engagement just right. (October 14)

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(CNN) -- For culture obsessives, fall is the best time of year.

From movies and music to books and TV, this is the season when the best entertainment usually comes out to play. That's not to snub the other three seasons of the year; gems can be uncovered during any month. But in fall, we've got a plethora of top-notch options.

To help you wade through it all, we've highlighted 50 things you should look for. Starting with movies and ending with new TV shows, consider this your guide to the best of what will arrive between September and the start of 2014's holiday season.