"The Social Network" finally opens in theaters across the country tonight, and with critics hailing the Facebook flick as the movie of the year — so far — the Academy Awards race has officially begun. That's not to say all the movies on the Fall film calendar are Oscar bait and pretentious foreign films. After the jump, check out the 20 movies worth a spot on your radar in October.

Already in Theaters:

"The Town"

A cops-and-robbers flick set in Boston. Great performances from Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, John Hamm, and Rebecca Hall, but things get a little too ridiculous during the biggest heists. Still, a fun two hours.

>

"Catfish"

This doc*mentary is about a guy who goes on a road trip with two of his buddies to visit a girl he met on Facebook. The last 40 minutes are supposed to be insane (no spoilers in the comments please) — presumably something goes awry when they get to her house — and it's all supposed to be true.

No embeddable trailer available.

"Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps"

We actually haven't heard great things from those who saw it, but for Gordon Gekko diehards, it's a must-see.

"Buried"

Ryan Reynolds is trapped in a b coffin with a cellphone, a lighter, and only 90 minutes to live. Cool concept. Just don't go if you're claustrophobic.

"You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger"

Woody Allen's latest, starring Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Anthony Hopkins, and Josh Brolin. Only for Woody fans.

"Waiting for 'Superman'"

A doc*mentary about America's failing school system. A must-see if you're feeling socially conscious, though we also highly recommend "The Lottery" by our friends director Madeleine Sackler and producer James Lawler. It's out on DVD and on demand now.

Friday, October 1

"The Social Network"

The early front-runner for Best Picture has received an obscene amount of buzz, especially for Aaron Sorkin's script and Justin Timberlake's performance (does it strike anyone else odd that JT has been making the promotional rounds but Jesse Eisenberg, who actually plays Mark Zuckerberg, hasn't been?). It will be curious to see if despite the rave reviews our generation — i.e. the Facebook generation — actually turns out for this thing.

"Let Me In"

This is a remake of a famous Swedish vampire movie, and it's supposed to live up to its predecessor and then some. The highlight for us will be star Chloe Moretz, who we raved about as Hit Girl in "Kick Ass." She's one of the best child actors around. If "Social Network" is sold out at the theaters this weekend and you've already seen "The Town" or "Wall Street 2," definitely give this one a shot.