#1 - Pacific Rim (7/12/13)
Sweet lord, doesn't that just look freaking awesome?! Giant robots fighting giant monsters - what else do you need? This is Guillermo del Toro's love letter to Godzilla and the many other kaiju movies he grew up with. It looks like classic del Toro as well: amber and teal cinematography, clockwork designs, loose religious references ("tonight, we are cancelling the apocalypse!"), and of course, Ron Perlman. The casting choices are interesting. Instead of going with a bonafide A-lister, del Toro cast Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi in the lead roles. Both are excellent actors and I'm curious to see how they perform in such a big budget feature. And we can't forget Idris Elba, who elevates anything he's in. The monster and robot designs are perfect; they're a nice blend of familiar imagery (Jet Jaguar/Robot Jox) and original creation. We only see one monster in the trailer but you know there will be more, hopefully something wildly creative like Biollante or Destoroyah. And because it's Guillermo del Toro, you know the action scenes will be eye-popping and incredible. I. CAN'T. WAIT!
#2 - G.I. Joe: Retaliation (3/29/13)
We didn’t need a sequel to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, but we got one. Fortunately for us, it looks COOL AS SHIT. Not only did they add The Rock and Bruce Willis to the cast, but the stakes are higher and the action is amped up beyond ridiculousness. The remix of “Seven Nation Army” really melds well with the trailer too, and piqued my interest. To make things even more interesting, it seems as though Channing Tatum’s character of Duke was to be killed off in the beginning of the film and replaced by The Rock, but since Tatum became a star with The Vow, 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike, Paramount pushed it back to 2013 so they could reshoot more scenes with him. Hopefully it’ll be worth the wait!
#3 - Man Of Steel (6/14/13)
With the conclusion of The Dark Knight Trilogy, Christopher Nolan turned his sights to the new Superman movie. We’ve got Zack Snyder in the director’s chair with Nolan producing, and it’s shaping up to be equally epic. Henry Cavill makes a great-looking Superman and he will face Michael Shannon’s General Zod, which means we are in for one hell of a Kryptonian showdown. Rounding out the magnificent cast is Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, and Laurence Fishburne as Lois Lane, Jor-El and Perry White, respectively. Plus you know we'll get an emotionally resonant story with a conflicted hero courtesy of Nolan, who at this point in his career is a goddamn celluloid virtuoso as far as I'm concerned. Snyder has yet to let me down, and with Nolan backing him, I can’t see this failing.
#4 - Star Trek Into Darkness (5/17/13)
After a stellar 2009 reboot, J.J. Abrams returns to deliver what looks to be an incredible follow-up with a curiously clever title that I am totally diggin'. Benedict Cumberbatch is our villain (possibly Khan?) and after seeing the first six minutes in an IMAX preview featuring a possible Klingon and an absolutely stunning scene of Kirk, Spock and McCoy (the classic three!) trying to save a primitive alien race and their planet from the eruption of an enormous supervolcano, I'm instantly hooked. I’m excited to see what else they have in store, if that's the opener! Abrams is slowly revealing more and more, paying homage while also expanding the universe, which is how it should be, and I think it's a genius move both commercially and artistically. If he succeeds, he will be forever known as "The Man Who Saved Star Trek". Alice Eve joins the cast as Dr. Carol Marcus, who invented the Genesis device, which Trek fans know has associations with our old pal Khan. She also happens to be the mother of Kirk’s only known son, which should be interesting. No matter what, it should be entertaining at the very least.
#5 - Iron Man 3 (5/3/13)
After the underwhelming Iron Man 2 and the amazing Avengers, Marvel had to step up their game with Iron Man 3. In a smart move, they handed the directorial duties over to Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black, and from the looks of it, things are going to get NUTS. The villain is Tony Stark’s arch-nemesis, The Mandarin (played by the devilish Ben Kingsley), who has all sorts of magical abilities thanks to his Ten Rings. The trailer seems to hint at big things: Stark creating the Extremis armor, while at the same time creating a brilliant "Demon In A Bottle" Stark vs. himself dynamic. Plus, we get a patriotic War Machine and loads of destruction. Bring it on.
#6 - Thor: The Dark World (11/8/13)
One of my favorite things about 2011's Thor was the fact it went all out with the mythic Norse lore and fantasy elements. The sequel seems to be continuing down the same path. The story has Thor battling Dark Elves from the icy realm of Niflheim. Choosing Alan Taylor for the job seems like a good choice, though I'm honestly not familiar with his past efforts. But hey, when they selected Kenneth Branagh to do the first one I didn't think it was going to turn out well, let alone be as electrifying as it was (excuse the bad pun). The expanded cast looks promising, including Christopher Eccleston and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (who most of you may know as Mr. Eko from Lost) playing two of the Dark Elves, one of whom is delightfully named Kurse! Sounds like a blast.
#7 - The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (12/13/13)
After seeing and absolutely loving An Unexpected Journey, Jackson's second installment should continue to amaze. I don't know much yet, but if the story and action are on par with Part 1, we have nothing to worry about! I want to get know the cadre of dwarves better, I'm hoping for a savage showdown between Thorin and Azog, and I have complete faith that the battle with Smaug in Part 3 will be nothing short of epic. You hit the ground running, now keep the pace.
#8 - Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (1/25/13)
I know a guilty pleasure when I see one. First and foremost, this flick will be instantly better strictly because it's rated R, and rightfully so. Considering the subject matter and the way they're going for a slick, modern update, you need the violence, the blood and the badassery; it just makes things more entertaining. If the trailer is any indication, Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton should steal the show as the deadly duo, Famke Janssen will ham it up as the evil head witch, and the visuals and practical creature & set designs look downright gorgeous. With Dead Snow's Tommy Wirkola directing, it's going to be a fun ride!
#9 - Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (10/4/13)
My love of the 2005 film is well known, and everything is in place to produce yet another violent noir masterpiece. The cast is shaping up to be outstanding: some are returning, most notably Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Clive Owen and Jessica Alba. Eva Green has been cast as Ava Lord, which I think it an excellent choice (and she's willing to do nude scenes). Also joining the cast are Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin, Ray Liotta and Christopher Meloni. Frank Miller & one-man-film-crew Robert Rodriguez remain in the directing chairs, and this time they brought in Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan to help write the script, meaning there's no reason they won't produce an excellent, and hopefully intertwining, companion piece to the outstanding original.
#10 - Anchorman: The Legend Continues (12/20/13)
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy is one of my all-time favorite comedies, and is still Will Ferrell's best movie. I know damn near every quote and reference it often, which is a testament to its greatness. The sequel has some BIG shoes to fill and it's going to be a tough act to follow, but everyone involved is returning and the teaser looks promising, so here's hoping for the best!
#11 - Elysium (8/9/13)
Two short words will explain why you should be excited about this film: District 9. If you saw Neill Blomkamp's directorial debut, then you know this guy has some serious talent and he seems to be continuing to go big or go home. After watching the teaser, it reminds me of the early marketing for 2012's Prometheus, slowly revealing things about both the film and its expansive universe. It seems to hint at the class difference that makes up much of the film's basic premise. I'm sure Blomkamp (who also wrote the screenplay) will provide dashes of interesting social commentary as well, and I welcome it! There's not much information except for the cast, which features Matt Damon as the lead, Jodie Foster, Alice Braga, and Sharlto "Can't Stop Being Awesome" Copley. And then there's the screenshot below, which has a cybernetically-enhanced Damon holding a "ChemRail" gun that looks remarkably like an Aliens style M41A Pulse Rifle. A future James Cameron in the making? That remains to be seen, but my fingers are crossed. I may be hyping it up a bit too much too soon, but with a $120 million dollar budget and Blomkamp behind the wheel, I'm expecting big things.
#12 - Insidious: Chapter 2 (8/30/13)
Insidious was one of the best horror films of the last ten years. It was simple but expertly executed. It built tension slowly and the payoff was intelligent and creepy as hell. With a shoestring budget of $1.5 million, director James Wan gave us genuine scares and food for thought. The ambiguous ending, the demon mythos and the hellish "Further" hinted at a larger universe that, if expanded correctly, could be terrifyingly awesome. There are almost no details to speak of other than most of the cast and crew are returning, which is a good sign. I'm also absolutely LOVING the title. The Chapter 2 subtitle is unusual but unique, and further hints at the idea of more chapters of an untold epic tale. They could easily rehash the original, but let's hope they go all out and give us a sequel that tops the original!
#13 - A Good Day To Die Hard (2/14/13)
John McClane is back yet again, this time against Mother Russia to rescue his son Jack. The Die Hard franchise has always been one of my favorites, and Bruce Willis IS McClane; I mean Willis can probably play the character in his sleep at this point, and the end result is still awesome. Regardless, the trailer looks groovy, and I'm interested to see if they do anything cool with the new setting, "Stranger In A Strange Land" style. With John Moore directing, we're in for some slam-bang action and a handful of smartass yet highly quotable one-liners. Here's hoping for an R-rating, though I doubt it.
#14 - Riddick (9/6/13)
Pitch Black was a dark, brutally efficient hybrid of science fiction and horror, while its 2004 follow-up, the uneven but highly entertaining Chronicles of Riddick, went the PG-13 sci-fi/fantasy route. Both quite different, but both hinted at a vast universe ripe for the picking in terms of storytelling possibilities, which this sequel looks to be expanding upon. Details are slim at the moment, but we do know that Riddick has been left on a desolate planet and must fight for survival against alien bounty hunters, while crafting his grand scheme for revenge. This has the potential to be outstanding if they do it right: Diesel is fully on-board and David Twohy returns as director, plus Katee Sackhoff has joined the cast as one of the bounty hunters. I'm interested, let's see what you've got!
#15 - Fast And Furious VI (5/24/13)
Fast Five was my 2nd favorite film of 2011...the cast and action were sensational, and it was above all FUN. They used it as a transitional film, shifting the focus of the series towards a heist-chase series in the vein of The Italian Job. which I think is an absolutely brilliant idea. People eat that stuff up, myself included. Also, the cast is just incredible: Everyone from Fast Five is returning, including The Rock as badass fan favorite Agent Luke Hobbs, and he seems to have a substantial part. His team gets an ass-kicking upgrade with the addition of Haywire hottie Gina Carano. Michelle Rodriguez is back as Letty and The Raid's Joe Taslim joins the fun as a parkour-using bad guy and Luke Evans as a rival thief. Justin Lin returns to direct, so if it's anything like its predecessor, we have lots to look forward to.
#16 - Jack The Giant Slayer (3/1/13)
Fairy tale retellings seem to be popular as of late, but unlike the slick, contemporary Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, this one maintains the traditional feel. While this could easily turn into a failure, I think it'll end up being a blast, thanks mostly to the meticulous nature of Bryan Singer. Singer has an eye for detail, and considering the fantastical source material, I have no doubt that the film will be visually amazing in his capable hands. Add in a script by Chris McQuarrie and we should have a winner. In addition, I'm quite intrigued by the cast: Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane, Stanley Tucci and Bill Nighy all make an appearance, further sweetening the deal. Let's hope it all comes together.
#17 - Oblivion (4/12/13)
Another post-apocalyptic movie...don't we have enough of those already? Yes, but this one looks different enough to make me curious. The Earth has been abandoned after a deadly alien war and is monitored by drones; a select few human technicians orbit the planet, coming down to make repairs. Tom Cruise is one such repair-tech and while doing routine maintenance, he rescues a young woman from a crash landing and stumbles upon what looks to be a group of Mad Max-style humans led by Morgan Freeman (now you're interested, don't lie). While this may seem generic for some, I'm excited because it's being directed by Joseph Kosinski, who impressed the hell out of me with 2010's Tron: Legacy. Additionally, it's based on a graphic novel that Kosinski penned back in 2005, with script work done by William Monahan (The Departed, Sin City 2) and Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine). With all these things going for it, it should be pretty damn cool.
#18 - Gangster Squad (1/11/13)
#19 - The Wolverine (7/26/13)
I have my doubts, but I'm praying that this film turns out well and we get the bloody, badass origin story that Wolverine deserves. The character is one of the most enduring and popular of all-time, and for good reason. His backstory is one of Marvel's most interesting. Even though director Darren Aronofsky bowed out after a lot of pre-production work, they got James Mangold to replace him. I've been a fan of Mangold's ever since I saw Identity (my first R-rated movie when I turned 17) - he's very versatile and gives everything he works on a unique look and feel. Pairing him with Chris McQuarrie adapting one of Wolverine's best stories, and this should be a home run. I think they'll treat the property with respect this time, instead of taking a steaming dump all over it.
#20 - Bullet To The Head (2/1/13)
This is basically 48 Hrs. on steroids. Stallone plays a professional hitman who teams up with a rookie D.C. cop (Fast Five's Sung Kang) to bring down the people that wronged them. Simple & classic. Why should you care? Pipe down, and I'll tell you:
Reason 1: Walter Hill is directing. If you don't know who that is, google it. Click that, you'll thank me later. I miss 90's action flicks and and one of the genre's progenitors is taking a whack at it, and I could not be more stoked for it!
Reason 2: An axe fight between Stallone and Conan beefcake Jason Momoa.
Reason 3: AXE. FIGHT.
#21 - Ender's Game (11/1/13)
This is probably the most polarizing entry on this list. The book is seminal science-fiction and if done right, could be turned into an amazing film. The cast looks promising: Hugo's Asa Butterfield is playing Ender and Harrison Ford will portray Colonel Hyrum Graff. The remaining cast includes Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis, as well as a number of excellent young actors, including True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld and Zombieland's Abagail Breslin. The film also has author Orson Scott Card's blessing, who's acting as producer along with sci-fi savvy duo Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. This should be a home run...so why am I worried? My main concern is that they've chosen Gavin Hood to write and direct. Hood was responsible for the abomination that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the cinematic equivalent of explosive diarrhea. However, he also directed the critically-acclaimed Tsotsi so it could go either way...we'll see. I'm hoping for thought-provoking science fiction with a dash of social commentary.
#22 - The World's End (8/23/13)
After the phenomenal one-two punch of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, we're finally getting the last film in Edgar Wright's Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. Shaun and Fuzz are two of my favorite comedies of all-time, so I'm really looking forward to The World's End, which should homage the science fiction genre, in the same way Shaun honored the zombie horror genre and Fuzz lampooned the action/buddy-cop genre. Wright said it is more akin to "social science fiction" instead of straight sci-fi, which will probably work better with his and Pegg's witty writing style, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that we're not getting an full-on epic sci-fi conclusion to the trilogy. It's the reason it's not higher on this list. Regardless, I've loved everything Wright has done in the past and with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman at his disposal, I'm confident he'll knock it out of the park.
#23 - This Is The End (6/14/13)
Before you do anything, watch the trailer. Trust me. Done? Good. While the title sounds confusingly like The World's End, it is a completely different film. After a global apocalypse, a group of friends must survive and "learn the true meaning of friendship". Sounds silly, but the kicker is that the actors are all playing themselves (or at least fictionalized versions). The self-parodying approach can be hit or miss, but I think now is the perfect time for a movie like this. Ever since the enormous success of Superbad, each of these Apatow-approved actors has become increasingly popular, meaning the audience will be fully onboard, even if they don't get the joke. The supporting cast includes dozens of other actors and celebrities, from Emma Watson to Rihanna. Combined with the apocalyptic setting and a hard R-rating, it could be this year's Tropic Thunder. I'm quite interested to see how it turns out.
#24 - R.I.P.D. (7/19/13)
Based on the Dark Horse comic, the plot description reads as follows: "A recently slain young cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest In Peace Department and tries to find the man who murdered him." That sounds awesome. I've never read the comic and hadn't heard of the film until recently, but after reading about it, my curiosity is piqued. The cast is also intriguing: Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeff FRICKIN' Bridges. I dare you to tell me you can't imagine Bridges as an undead kickass monster hunter. Reportedly, he replaced Zack Galifianakis, and probably for the better. It's being directed by Robert Schwentke, who skillfully adapted The Time Traveler's Wife and RED. It'll probably be an action-comedy, but I'm hoping for more action than comedy. Hey, at least it will be better than Dead Heat!
#25 - Monster's University (6/21/13)
Monsters, Inc. was just delightful, one of Pixar's best. This prequel, set ten years before the events of the first film, follows Sulley and Mike at college. John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi return as Sulley, Mike and Randall, while Kelsey Grammer replaces the late, great James Coburn as Henry J. Waternoose. I don't know if they'll be able replicate the magic of the original, but the trailer looks like more of the same, in a good way. Pixar has yet to produce a bad film in my opinion, and Monsters University should be no different.
#26 - Oz The Great And Powerful (3/8/13)
I'll be honest, I do not have high hopes for this movie. I love James Franco, but I don't know if he's the right choice for the role; the same goes for Mila Kunis as the Wicked Witch of the West. She just isn't "wicked" enough for my taste, especially after seeing her in so many romantic comedies as of late. And Zach Braff as two characters? Did we really need any more of him after Scrubs? But I digress. I really hope I'm wrong because Sam Raimi is an excellent director who's more than capable of pulling it off. He's got an eye for detail and the Land of Oz looks incredibly gorgeous in the trailer (though the overuse of shoddy CGI is off-putting). I am digging the casting of Rachel Weisz and the storyline seem pretty nifty, so I hope Raimi doesn't let me down.
#27 - Escape Plan (formerly The Tomb) (9/27/13)
Let me take you back to my childhood: Stallone and Schwarzenegger were the biggest action stars of all-time, blowing things up with style and inventively butchering baddies with glee. And let's not forget the endless slew of ONE-LINERS! Ahhh, those were the days...please excuse me while I clean my rose-tinted glasses. Now everything is dark and edgy, sometimes too serious for its own good. In the immortal words of The Joker: "You've changed things...forever. There's no going back." Or is there? Here's the premise of Escape Plan (formerly known as The Tomb, a much better name in my opinion): Ray Breslin (Stallone), a structural engineer wrongly convicted of a crime, is incarcerated in a maximum security prison of his own design. He attempts an escape, aided by his cellmate Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger). Sounds like a classic already! A team-up like this would've been unprecedented in the 80's and 90's, but thanks to The Expendables it's now the cool thing to do, and I could not be more excited! I don't give a shit if they're both in their 60's - these guys can still carry a movie. I'm liking the supporting cast too: Jim Caviezel plays the evil warden, Vinnie Jones is his sadistic head guard, and 50 Cent helps Stallone and Schwarzenegger as a computer expert (yeah, I laughed at that as well). Director Mikael Håfström is helming the project, with a budget of $70-$120 million, so hopefully they'll put that toward creative prison sets and some big action setpieces. My fingers are crossed for awesomeness!
#28 - Now You See Me (6/7/13)
I hadn't even heard of this film until about a month ago, but the trailer sold me on the concept: FBI agents track a team of illusionists called "The Four Horsemen" who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money. It's an original and unique idea, which is quite refreshing these days with all the sequels, prequels, remakes and reboots saturating the market. The cast is excellent as well: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher make up The Four Horsemen, while Inglourious Basterds' Melanie Laurent and everyone's favorite Hulk Mark Ruffalo play the lead FBI agents. Toss in Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine as supporting characters (though not the ones we're used to) and it's shaping up to be pretty damn cool. Plus, you've got action maestro Louis Leterrier directing and the flashy trailer melds perfectly with the magic angle, promising some visually stunning scenes. Thrill me!
#29 - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (11/22/13)
Francis Lawrence is directing the second entry in the popular Hunger Games series, and I think he's an excellent choice. The first film was a solid effort with a capable cast, but it lacked the "wow factor" that I was hoping for. Lawrence, whose previous films include Constantine, I Am Legend and Water For Elephants, has proved that he can handle big-budget spectacle and intimate, character-driven material with ease. I haven't read the books, but I'm interested in the rebellion angle and the cast additions of Toby Jones and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. If they keep the tone and style consistent, this should be a success.
#30 - Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters (8/7/13)
I enjoyed The Lightning Thief thanks to the able cast and stylish direction of Chris Columbus. I absolutely love Greek mythology and thought the first film integrated the myths in a very clever manner. This one has Percy fighting the cyclops Polyphemus and battling Scylla and Charybdis, two of my favorite parts of Homer's The Odyssey. Additionally, Stanley Tucci, Nathan Fillion and Mark Hamill join the already impressive cast. Lastly, the Sea of Monsters subtitle has me intrigued and ups my expectations quite a bit. Inexperienced but awesomely-named Thor Freudenthal takes over as director. It could easily bomb, but if it's done right, this sequel could be epic.
#31 - RED 2 (8/2/13)
RED was a surprise hit in 2010. It had the right attitude and its cast was fun to watch mainly because they were all in on the joke. It was uneven at times, but that's forgivable. This sequel hands the directing duties over to Dean Parisot, who gave us the instant classic Galaxy Quest but was also responsible for the abysmal Fun With Dick And Jane remake. I've got my fingers crossed that it turns out well, and with a good script and Anthony Hopkins and David Thewlis joining the cast, it definitely could. We'll see.
#32 - 300: Rise Of An Empire (8/2/13)
#33 - The Great Gatsby (5/10/13)
I was never a fan of the book, but Leonardo DiCaprio is one of my favorite actors and I've always enjoyed director Baz Luhrmann's visual style. I read Fitzgerald's book in high school and was not a fan ( then again I had no taste whatsoever), but I think they can produce an excellent film from it, especially with the phenomenal cast including Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke and Carey Mulligan.
#34 - Kick-Ass 2 (8/16/13)
I dug the first film quite a bit. It was a clever deconstruction of the superhero genre that also happened to be insanely violent and funny as hell (the two seem to go hand in hand). It doesn't look like a lame rehash either. The story has more costumed heroes and villains surfacing (including a scruffy-looking Jim Carrey as Colonel Star And Stripes) and all the origin story crap is out of the way, so it could be better than its predecessor. We have a different director, but the trailer seems to indicate that the tone hasn't changed with plenty of action, violence and vulgarity. We'll see.
#35 - Jack Ryan (12/25/13)
Jack Ryan has been AWOL since 2002 and it's about damn time he resurfaces. Chris "Captain Kirk" Pine takes over the role and while he looks the part, Ryan has always been an intelligent character that Pine may have trouble emulating (I'm not picking on him specifically...I didn't find Ben Affleck to be very good either, but that's partially because following Harrison Ford's version of Ryan is pretty much impossible). The most interesting aspect is casting Kenneth Branagh as the villain in addition to directing, which is a stroke of genius. Also intriguing is the inclusion of Kevin Costner. I hope it's good considering they're planning it as a franchise.
