Release: March 28
Genre: Action/Adventure
Epic
Plot:
Noah is inundated with apocalyptic visions of the world ending – a sign
from God that a massive flood is coming to cleanse the Earth. It is up to him
to take measures to protect his family (and the many species of animals).
Editor’s
Thoughts: I have a feeling that Noah is going to be a somewhat
polarizing film, because it comes loaded with religious
implications/expectations. Will the film live up to what Christians believe it
should be? Personally, however, I am more interested to see what Darren
Aronofsky does with his first Hollywood big budget, special effects-driven
film. He is a very talented writer-director, who has made a career making films
that feature wonderful performances and have a great edgy tone (I particularly
liked Black
Swan). Aronofsky has a very good cast (including the reuniting of A Beautiful Mind’s
Crowe and Connelly) and crew; thus aesthetically and performance wise, the film
should be very good, which leaves only Aronofsky’s interpretation of the
Biblical story in question. I think it is going to be a fantastically visual
and visceral event film (that is likely to anger some in the religious
community).
Release: April 4
Genre: Action/Adventure
Plot:
Following the events of The
Avengers, Steve Rogers struggles to assume his leadership role within
S.H.I.E.L.D. He still finds his place in the modern world difficult. But when
S.H.I.E.L.D. faces a major new threat from the Soviet agent known as the Winter
Soldier, Rogers must fully embrace his role, as well as face past demons.
Editor’s
Thoughts: Marvel’s phase II films have been very good so far, both Iron
Man 3 and Thor:
The Dark World are better than any of the phase I individual superhero
films. Marvel’s cinematic universe has a great combination of action,
adventure, comedy, and drama. Yet each film feels like its own thing too. The
Winter Soldier looks like it going to be a great spy thriller style action
film. The only question that I have regarding the film is the choice of
directors, being that the Russo Brothers are primarily known for their work
directing TV comedies (like Community and
Happy Endings)
and this is much different project. Marvel, however, is very pleased with their
work and has already hired them to direct Captain America 3.
Based on what I have seen, this looks like it very well could be 2014’s best
superhero film.
Release: May 2
Genre: Action/Adventure
Plot:
Peter Parker continues to live it up as Spider-Man, enjoy his
relationship with Gwen Stacy, and digging deeper into the mystery involved in
the disappearance of his parents with everything pointing at Oscorp. His life
is thrown into turmoil, however, when suddenly faced with multiple
supervillains, including Electro and The Rhino.
Editor’s
Thoughts: While The
Amazing Spider-Man served as a decent introduction to the rebooted world of
Spider-Man, it was not a great overall film (especially when compared to Sam
Raimi’s first two Spider-Man films).
That said, I do really like Garfield as Parker and Stone as Stacy. They are a
great place to build from. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 looks like it potentially
will be really good and entertaining. There has been a lot of complaining that
it is overstuffed with villains (something many see as the downfall of Spider-Man 3),
but the plan is for the series to stretch four films. Thus, if the character
development is done right, it could be very satisfying to see Spider-Man exist
in a bigger world, rather than just the typical new big bad of each film (which
makes them all rather generic structurally). I am very excited to see if this
lives up to its potential, as I am ready to enjoy good Spider-Man films again.
Release: May 16
Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi
Plot:
Civilization trembles as a giant radioactive monster called Godzilla
wreaks havoc and destruction upon mankind.
Main Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Elizabeth Olsen,
Juliette Binoche,
and Ken Watanabe
Editor’s
Thoughts: For those who have seen Monsters, there
is a particular excitement for Gareth Edwards directing of this new Godzilla
film – one of gleeful anticipation, as Monsters is a great Godzilla-like
thriller. Edwards also has a fantastic cast as well (including The Avengers:
Age of Ultron’s Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch). A new Godzilla is not
really a film that we really thought we needed, especially in the wake of the
character’s terrible last iteration, but
this film looks like it is going to be awfully good.
Release: May 23
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Plot:
The future is doomed. Both humans and mutants find themselves dwindling
in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In an effort to change the future, the
remaining X-Men send Wolverine back to the past to find the younger versions of
Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr and avert the events that lead to this
nightmarish future.
Main Cast: Michael Fassbender,
James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence,
Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, and
Patrick Stewart
Editor’s
Thoughts: The X-Men franchise is all a bit of a mess. X-Men:
First Class (easily my favorite of the series) probably should have just
existed as a reboot instead of part of the same continuing series (a series in
which the timeline makes no sense). But this is not the case. It is also too
bad that Matthew
Vaughn did not return, as he did a great job with First Class. Instead,
Bryan Singer assumes the role as director again (having directed the first two
films in the series – both very overrated). It is also too bad that Fox and
Singer have decided to once again make this a Wolverine-centric film (when in
the comics it is Kitty Pryde that goes back in time, a character I and many
really like, and would have been a nice change, plus they have Ellen Page playing
her). I am sick of Wolverine and Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of him (even though I
did enjoy The
Wolverine) in this series. But, all that said, there are some cool things
about this too. The First Class cast is fantastic and mostly all returning,
plus it will be brilliant to see the interaction between the old and new
versions of the X-Men (if there are any). Also, Peter Dinklage as
Boliver Trask will likely be wonderfully fun. The film features a ton of
characters, but Singer has done a decent job in the past with large ensembles;
so I am not as worried about that as I am about him as the director in general
(being that he has never made a truly good film – The Usual Suspects
does not hold up upon multiple viewings and is maybe the most overrated film of
all time). Yes, there is a lot of potential for this to be fantastic and I hope
it is; but like the X-Men franchise itself, there is just as much potential for
it to be a big disappointing mess.
Release: July 18
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
Plot:
Jupiter Jones is just an average human woman (a janitor in fact), or so
she thinks. Then one day she is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe.
Jones is rescued by an alien man named Caine who helps her begin her destiny to
end the Queen’s reign.
Editor’s
Thoughts: Jupiter Ascending is the first chapter of The Wachowskis’ new Star Wars-like
trilogy. It looks potentially really cool and ambitious. We have not had a good
sci-fi series in cinemas for a while and it is a void that this can hopefully
fill in a satisfying way. I really liked Cloud
Atlas, a crazily ambitious film, and thus I have high expectations for this
new project from the Wachowskis.
Release: August 1
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Plot:
American pilot Peter Quill finds himself lost in the far reaches of
Space. And even worst, he is the object of a galactic manhunt after he steals
an orb greatly coveted by Ronan the Accuser. But Quill soon finds the aid of a
group of warriors, who band together in an effort to stop Ronan from recapturing
the orb.
Main Cast: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, John C. Reilly, and
Benicio Del Toro
Editor’s
Thoughts: Guardians of the Galaxy is a big move for Marvel’s cinematic
universe. Firstly, it expands it greatly by introducing many new characters and
worlds. Secondly, it tests the box office waters for non-Avengers’ movies. And lastly,
it introduces an element of weird into the universe – something that could be
fantastic if done right. James Gunn (the director of things like Slither
and Super)
seems like a great fit to bring a bit of weird to Marvel’s films. And, he has a
really great cast with him. I am unfamiliar with the comics; but based on what I
have read and seen, Guardians of the Galaxy has a lot of potentially to be
something wonderfully entertaining and different – something very much needed
in Summer blockbusters.
Release: November 7
Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi
Plot:
A recently discovered wormhole allows a group of explorers to surpass the
limitations of what is available to humans in their knowledge of the universe
and travel vast distances through Space and discover new worlds.
Editor’s
Thoughts: There is not a lot known about Interstellar at the moment, and
the teaser trailer is vague on the plot as well. What we do know is that it is
a new film by Christopher Nolan, and really that is enough. For me, this is
probably the film I am most looking forward to in 2014 (although, The Grand Budapest
Hotel is right there too). Nolan’s last original film was Inception,
a theist-thriller that succeeded on every level of grand filmmaking. The expectations
for Interstellar are thusly the same.
Release: November 21
Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi
Plot:
Though reluctant, Katniss Everdeen becomes the symbol of rebellion against
the Capitol (building on the events of the first two films).
Main Cast: Jennifer Lawrence,
Josh Hutcherson,
Philip Seymour
Hoffman, Woody
Harrelson, and Julianne
Moore
Editor’s
Thoughts: Let me first start by saying how sad I am at the passing of
Philip Seymour Hoffman, a wonderfully talented actor whose work I really
enjoyed. He will be missed. I am excited to finally see a Hunger Games movie in
which something interesting happens (or presumably happens, I have not read the
books). In The
Hunger Games, Katniss is let off the hook on having to make any truly
difficult choices; and in Catching
Fire, Katniss is left out of the loop (and so too are the audience by
narrative design) and thus sidelined from the more interesting narrative going
on behind the scenes, while we are left to watch what is basically the same
movie as the first again. It feels like the audience, through Katniss, is
finally being allowed to really get at the meat of the story – one that feels
fitting in today’s times of social rife and staggering wealth inequality in large
portions of the world. It will be interesting to see (at least for me) if
Katniss actually becomes the real protagonist of her story for once and takes
charge.
Trailer: Here (if
available)
Release: December 17
Genre: Action/Adventure/Epic
Plot:
Though Thorin and his company of dwarves have reached Smaug’s lair, can
they defeat the dragon and reclaim their home? Will Bilbo, Gandalf, and the
elves, men, and dwarves thwart the armies of orcs that come to face them in
battle?
Main Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Editor’s
Thoughts: I enjoyed both An
Unexpected Journey and The
Desolation of Smaug, but it feels like There and Back Again will probably
be the most satisfying of the three films (as it will provide closure, when the
other two end just as things pick up). With only seventy pages left in The
Hobbit, it will be interesting to see how Peter Jackson fills what is likely
another long film, and how he connects it further with The
Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Plus, the big battles that take place in this
should be great.
Trailer: Here (if
available)
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