At the Movies – December 2014 – Part 3: Most Anticipated Films

Must-See of the Month:

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Adventure Fantasy – Dec 19

Plot Summary: The Battle of the Five Armies is the final chapter of The Hobbit Trilogy. It finds Bilbo and company on the brink of war, as they are descended upon by the mighty dragon Smaug and an army of orcs. The war will determine the fate of Middle-Earth. Key Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director-producer Peter Jackson, composer Howard Shore, cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, and production designer Dan Hennah. Actors Involved: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Manu Bennett, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Aidan Turner, James Nesbitt, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly, and Ian Holm. Quality Potential: High/Medium. While I am not so sure that The Battle of Five Armies will be as good a film as Inherent Vice or Unbroken, I am certainly the most excited to see it of the films set for release in December. An Unexpected Journey set up the series well, but it also left many fans with the feeling that these Hobbit films would not quite match the excellence of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The Desolation of Smaug is a much more exciting and entertaining film overall, but it is clear that The Hobbit Trilogy is not quite on the same level – but nor is the J.R.R. Tolkien novel. That said, The Battle of Five Armies looks great and should feature the biggest scale and scope of this new trilogy. It will be sad to again say goodbye to Middle-Earth. Trailer: Here.

Worth Checking Out:

Inherent Vice – Crime/Mystery Drama – Dec 12

Plot Summary: Detective Larry “Doc” Sportello is wrapped up in a world of drugs and sex in 1970s Los Angeles. When a former girlfriend goes missing, he decides to investigate, leading him down a road of bizarre characters and situations. Key Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director-producer Paul Thomas Anderson, composer Jonny Greenwood, cinematographer Robert Elswit, and production designer David Crank. Actors Involved: Joaquin Phoenix, Jena Malone, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Sasha Pieterse, Benicio Del Toro, Owen Wilson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell, and Martin Short. Quality Potential: High. There is a lot to be excited for with Inherent Vice. For one, it is written and directed by one of our best working auteurs Paul Thomas Anderson. Jonny Greenwood is composing some of the most interesting musical scores right now (his score for There Will Be Blood is utterly brilliant). And, Anderson has a fantastic cast – it will be especially great to see Joaquin Phoenix and Anderson working together again after their standout collaboration in The Master (possibly my favorite performance of 2012). The film looks really fun and weird. At face value, it reminds me of the Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski (which is probably a very good thing). Trailer: Here.

Unbroken – War Drama – Dec 25
Plot Summary: Louis Zamperini is an Olympic runner who joined the Air Force during WWII. Serving in the Pacific Theatre, his plane is shot down and he and other members of the crew are taken prisoner and tortured by the Japanese. This is based on his true story. Key Filmmakers Involved: Director Angelina Jolie, writers the Coen Brothers, composer Alexandre Desplat, and cinematographer Roger Deakins. Actors Involved: Jack O’Connell, Jai Courtney, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, and Alex Russell. Quality Potential: High/Medium. Unbroken looks like it is going to be a brilliant WWII character drama. It has a ton of Oscar buzz and some of the best people involved in its production, namely the Coen Brothers, Alexandre Desplat and Roger Deakins. The cast is also made of up very good young actors (Jack O’Connell is having a breakthrough year, at least in his native U.K., with Starred Up and ’71 playing to acclaim – most, however, will recognize his as Cook from Skins). Angelina Jolie quietly directed the war/romance drama In the Land of Blood and Honey in 2011. It was little seen and not very well received by critics. Unbroken is her second feature film. Hopefully, she has honed her skills and will take advantage of her excellent collaborators and deliver something special. Again, the film looks very good. Trailer: Here.

Most Anticipated Films of 2014 – Part 1: Blockbusters

Title: Noah

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).

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Main Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, and Ray Winstone

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).

Trailer: Here

Title: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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.

Director: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo

Main Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and Robert Redford

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

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.

Director: Marc Webb

Main Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, and Paul Giamatti

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: Godzilla

Release: May 16

Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi

Plot: Civilization trembles as a giant radioactive monster called Godzilla wreaks havoc and destruction upon mankind.

Director: Gareth Edwards

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: X-Men: Days of Future Past

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.

Director: Bryan Singer

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: Jupiter Ascending

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.

Director: The Wachowskis

Main Cast: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, Douglas Booth, and Eddie Redmayne

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: Guardians of the Galaxy

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.

Director: James Gunn

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.

Trailer: Here 

Title: Interstellar

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.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Main Cast: Mathew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, and Casey Affleck

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.

Trailer: Here

Title: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

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).

Director: Francis Lawrence

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)

Title: The Hobbit: There and Back Again

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?

Director: Peter Jackson

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)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) – Review

Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a fun epic adventure; but like An Unexpected Journey, it is probably overlong and overstuffed for casual fans. The film finds Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, and the other dwarves on their journey to reclaim their home from the powerful dragon Smaug. However, just getting to the Lonely Mountain is a trial onto itself. The company is being hunted by a pack of Orcs, not to mention that they must travel through unfriendly Elfish territory. And worst of all, the mighty dragon Smaug awaits them.

Much like An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug is a film filled to the brim with characters and subplots. For the casual movie-going fan, it is probably all a bit too much – on top of the massive action set pieces, which while fun are also probably largely unneeded to the extent that they exist presently. As is, The Desolation of Smaug is a film so packed (as to appeal specifically to fans of the film universe, made by maybe its biggest fan Peter Jackson) that it may all feel a bit overwhelming.

And yet, the film gets more to the heart of the narrative – the reason why Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin and the rest have all embarked on their quest, which inherently makes the film more interesting. Plus, Jackson does a good job exploring some of the other characters a bit more – as really Bilbo is not the clear lead in this film (at least not all the time). Gandalf goes off on his own to investigate the rumor of a dark sorcerer, Thorin’s motivations for wanting to return to the Lonely Mountain are fleshed out to a greater extent, Bilbo feels like more of a member of the group than an outsider, and the Elves play a part too (seeing fan-favorite Legolas return).

This all builds up to a great confrontation between Bilbo (and later Thorin, et al.) and Smaug. Jackson does a magnificent job with the dragon, both visually and tonally. Smaug commands the screen, which is everything one could want for a film’s main draw and climatic character. Smaug alone is enough to make this film successful, on top of the great characters and fun action.

Jackson does a good job as well balancing all the action, the excitement, the drama, and the character moments. Each has their place and time – though, again, some of the action scenes probably go on a bit too long. But, if nothing else, the film is very entertaining and visually stunning, which should be enough to hold casual fans’ attention (despite the film probably feeling long to them).

However, there are a few issues that continue to persist in this series. As mentioned, the film is too grandiose for the casual fan, and as it is now probably would have been better suited for the Extended Edition. And, because the simple narrative has been stretched into three films (though all the added story elements and subplots are great for people who love the world and characters), what would have been small action beats have been blown up into superfluously massive set pieces that seem to go on and on (because, what would a big epic adventure film be without its huge action scenes?). To his credit however, Jackson does make these unnecessarily grand scenes a lot of fun even so (like the barrel escape scene).

Another issue, arising partially due to the nature of this series being a prequel and everyone knowing that most of these characters make it through the end and thus are never really in any danger, is that the film just does not have real stakes for the audience. Yes, the audience to some extent cares about the characters, but there is never a sense of real suspense. Jackson presents these characters without a true sense of mortality. They feel like cartoon heroes, invulnerable to any and everything. And thus, there is no tension, suspense, or stakes for the audience – which really is what keeps this film from being great.

Even in the writing, stakes and suspense are diminished. For example, in the second half the audience is told that the only way to kill Smaug is with a black arrow, and then we are shown that there is one last black arrow in the laketown under the mountain – thus, the audience is told what will happen narratively. And yet, the dwarves undertake this big plan to kill Smaug by other means within the mountain. This big action scene exists to give the film a stronger sense of structure as this sequence ends the film, but emotionally it is vapid because the audience already knows that it will not succeed before it even takes place. Thus, these big action scenes play as purely spectacle without emotional resonance (which is too bad). In the end, it does not accomplish its goal narratively all to well either, as by the nature of the story, the film still ends feeling very unresolved (because there really is not a good stopping point).

Still, all that said, the film is a lot fun and very entertaining, especially for fans of The Lord of the Rings film universe (which I am). It is clear that Jackson too loves this world and has set out to make an expansive narrative with as much Middle Earth stuff as possible, and to this he has succeeded brilliantly. I think fans will enjoy the film and love many aspects of it (like Smaug), but I am not sure the same is true for those casual moviegoers who just want to see a big Hollywood adventure epic.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Peter Jackson continues to showcase his visual talent for making grand epic films. Like An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug is not as good as any of The Lord of the Rings films, but really that is because it is plainly not as good a story (and we all already know what happens, having already seen The Lord of the Rings Trilogy). However, the film does set up There and Back Again to be one big adventure with a wonderful climatic battle or two. Likely, it will be the best and most satisfying of the trilogy.

The cast and crew are again all in top form. Composer Howard Shore’s music is fantastic as usual, while Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography is beautiful. I especially enjoyed how void of color his photography became when Gandalf went to find the Necromancer. Dan Hennah’s production design is fabulous as well. His talent really shines in the design of the big sets.

The acting continues to be very good as well. Stephen Fry and Orlando Bloom (returning to the franchise) have some great stuff in supporting roles, while Evangeline Lilly is wonderful as Tauriel (a warrior Elf who falls for Aidan Turner’s Killi). She brings a needed female presence to the action and dynamic of the film. What is also good about the potential relationship between Tauriel and Killi is that it gives the audience something to latch onto, relate to, and care about (something very much needed). Benedict Cumberbatch, voicing Smaug, however steals the film. His scenes opposite Martin Freeman’s Bilbo are easily the film’s best moments. Cumberbatch has such power in his voice. Freeman, also, is again phenomenal as Bilbo. He is quietly maybe the best part of the whole trilogy so far.

Summary & score: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a grand adventure epic made with love and affection for really only the diehards (fans that should enjoy it quite a lot, as I did), while everyone else will likely find it all a bit too much. 8/10

At the Movies – December 2013 – Part 2: Hollywood Films

Serious Films:

Out of the Furnace (Scott Cooper) – Crime Drama – Dec 6

Plot Summary: Rodney and is older brother Russell live in the depressed Rust Belt, always dreaming of finding a way to escape. But, Russell ends up in prison and Rodney is drawn into a life of crime with some rough people. Russell finally gets out of prison, but finds that his brother has mysteriously disappeared and the police are incapable of helping. Now, he must take things into his own hands, risking his newfound freedom. Filmmakers: Out of the Furnace is writer-director Scott Cooper’s follow-up to his feature debut Crazy Heart, and like that film it looks to be a strong performance-based drama. He is working with composer Dickon Hinchliffe (Rampart), cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi (Silver Linings Playbook), and production designer Therese DePrez (Stoker). Cast: The film stars Christian Bale, and features supporting work from Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Sam Shepard, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, and Boyd Holbrook. Expectations: Out of the Furnace looks like a potentially fantastic character crime drama. If nothing else can be said about Crazy Heart, it does feature a strong leading performance, and the same is true of this film. Christian Bale is brilliant in it. The film is a slow burning exercise in great character development and the use of tension. It is not going to work for everyone, but for those looking for a drama built on performances and a darkly simmering tone Out of the Furnace is well worth checking out. Bale will likely either get nominated for this or American Hustle. Trailer: Here.

Saving Mr. Banks (John Lee Hancock) – Family Drama – Dec 20

Plot Summary: Walt Disney wishes to adapt the novel Mary Poppins for his latest live-action feature. However, to do so he must work with its difficult author P.L. Travers. Filmmakers: Director John Lee Hancock continues his trend of adapting true-life stories. This is his fourth in a row (following The Rookie, The Alamo, and The Blind Side – which I am still highly perplexed by its nomination for Best Picture). He is working with great composer Thomas Newman (Skyfall), cinematographer John Schwartzman (The Amazing Spider-Man), and production designer Michael Corenblith (Frost/Nixon). Cast: The film stars Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, while featuring Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Rachel Griffths, and B.J. Novak in support. Expectations: Saving Mr. Banks is another film that should be in the awards season discussion, though I suspect it will only see nominations (if any) in acting categories. As a life-long fan of Disney’s movies (including Mary Poppins), I am interested in this just to discover the behind the scenes story (of course taking it with a grain of salt, as it has no doubt been dramatized to make a better film). But that is really where my interest stops. John Lee Hancock is not a particularly great director. Sure, he is adequate. He delivers films that stylistically feel very Hollywood, sugar-coated, and smarmy – and rather sickeningly fake. He has never made a great film (or even a good film) and I do not anticipate that will change with this. Although, Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks should do great things with their characters Travers and Disney, which might be enough to make it a decent light character drama. Trailer: Here.

Action/Adventure:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Peter Jackson) – Adventure/Fantasy – Dec 13

Plot Summary: Following the events of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, and the dwarves continue their quest to reclaim Erebor (the dwarves’ homeland). The problem is that it is presently inhabited by the dragon Smaug. Filmmakers: Writer-director Peter Jackson and his team from the first film (and The Lord of the Rings series) return behind the camera. Cast: Returning cast members include Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, James Nesbitt, Ian Holm, and Cate Blanchett, while Benedict Cumberbatch (voicing Smaug), Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly, and Manu Bennett join the cast. Expectations: An Unexpected Journey was what fans of the series expected and served as a good beginning to this new trilogy (but did not play as well for general audiences – and is the weakest of all the Middle Earth films by Peter Jackson et al). The Desolation of Smaug looks to be even better as it gets more into the heart of the story and action (much in the same way The Two Towers was more engaging than The Fellowship of the Ring). This will likely be the biggest box office film of the month. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) – Adventure Dramedy – Dec 25

Plot Summary: Walter Mitty is a day-dreamer, always dreaming of adventure but never doing anything. Finally, when his boring life is uprooted by his job disappearing, he decides to take a global journey that turns into something incredible. Filmmakers: Director Ben Stiller has made some under the radar cult films like Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, and Zoolander, and then had a bigger hit with Tropic Thunder more recently. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is his most ambitious to date (and it also looks like his best). He is working with composer Theodore Shapiro (who also scored Tropic Thunder), cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh (The Painted Veil), and production designer Jeff Mann (who worked on Tropic Thunder as well). Cast: Ben Stiller also stars with Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Shirley MacLaine, and Patton Oswalt in support. Expectations: The teaser trailer for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is incredible – almost to the extent where I cannot imagine the film actually living up to it (but I hope I am wrong). The film looks very ambitious, which is great but also presents the high probability that it does not come-off. It could very well be the next great ‘grand story epic’ following in the footsteps of David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but I am subduing my expectations because I just do not see that happening (even with its brilliant teaser). The potential is there though. Trailer: Here.

Comedy:

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Adam McKay) – Comedy – Dec 20

Plot Summary: It is the 1980s, a time of 24-hour news. Only one man is truly up to the challenge: Ron Burgundy. San Diego’s top rated news-team is off to New York. Filmmakers: This is writer-director Adam McKay and writer-star Will Ferrell’s fifth film together – however their last, The Other Guys, was easily their worst. Hopefully, Anchorman 2 will recapture the magic of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Step Brothers (my personal favorite). McKay is working again with producer Judd Apatow, cinematographer Oliver Wood, and production designer Clayton Hartley. New to the team are composers Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau (Bachelorette). Cast: In addition to Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Vince Vaughn, Christina Applegate, David Koechner, and Fred Willard return. Featuring in supporting and cameo roles are Harrison Ford, Jim Carrey, Kristen Wiig, Liam Neeson, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, James Marsden, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Meagan Good, John C. Reilly, Greg Kinnear, Kanye West, and Dylan Baker. Expectations: Anchorman 2 carries with it almost unattainable expectations, as Anchorman has become a comedy cult phenomenon. There is almost no way the jokes in this will be as good – right? I am afraid that this will end up just being a joke-by-joke retreading of the original film, when hopefully it will instead try to be as different and comically groundbreaking as possible (but still with some throwbacks, of course). It looks kind of funny in the previews, but nothing amazing (but that could be because they are saving the good stuff for the film – which I hope is the case). 2013’s best comedy so far is either This Is the End or The World’s End, but Anchorman 2 is definitely in the hunt. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

Grudge Match (Peter Segal) – Sports Comedy – Dec 25

Plot Summary: Rivals Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen were boxers at the top of their game thirty years ago, each winning a head-to-head bout. But, they never got to fight a third and deciding time – until now. Filmmakers: Comedy director Peter Segal makes generic films, mostly starring Adam Sandler – but he did direct Tommy Boy. He is working with composer Trevor Rabin (who scored Get Smart for Segal), cinematographer Dean Semler (Date Night), and production designer Wynn Thomas (who also worked on Get Smart). Cast: Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro star, while Jon Bernthal, Kim Basinger, Kevin Hart, and Alan Arkin feature in support. Expectations: Grudge Match looks like an okay sports comedy – basically it is just a rehashing of any washed-up athlete who gives it one more shot narrative (The Rookie, Mr 3000, Rocky Balboa, among others). The only reason to have any interest in this is because it stars Rocky and Kevin Hart is funny and on a roll right now. At best, this is a rental. Trailer: Here.