Fall preview: The best movies, TV shows, music, books and arts of the season

From left, Jimmy O. Yang, Coralie Fargeat, Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Shaboozey. (Photo illustration by Phyx Design / For The Times; photos by Annie Noelker, Jennifer McCord and Ethan Benavidez / For The Times)

Unlike our East Coast brethren, Angelenos aren't subject to the sudden arrival of autumn this time of year: Our crisp days are still months away, and we're not exactly a hot spot for leaf-peeping. But there's undoubtedly a shift in the air as August rolls into September, the school year picks up steam and the days get incrementally shorter. Maybe it's the buzz of the fall film festivals or the anticipation of awards season. The satisfaction of your favorite series returning to TV. The slew of new premieres, publication days, exhibition openings, L.A. stands.

To capture that excitement, we asked Times staffers to look into their crystal balls and preview the culture likely to dominate the water-cooler conversation this season, from "The Substance," a gross-out parable of Hollywood glamour, to "Interior Chinatown," a clever send-up of the industry's history of Asian stereotypes, to Shaboozey, the genre-defying artist poised to take the Fonda by storm next month.

Whatever your subject (or medium) of choice, there's something to circle on your calendar contained in our 2024 Fall Preview — fall weather sold separately.